Nepal Yogi’s Notice

The following Codes of Discipline is designed for the maximum benefit of students and harmonious atmosphere of the Dhamma Earth. With best wishes for success we offer the following information.

Preface

The Teaching Style at the Dhamma Earth is very Eastern Traditional. All students are expected to come with a true-heart, flow along with the training, culture, and accept whatever comes to them. Dhamma training means putting down one’s ego/pride and overcoming defilements. Only those who can honestly and scrupulously follow the discipline should apply for admission. Those not prepared to make whole-hearted efforts will only waste their time and worse, cause a disturbance to those others who wish to practice seriously.

The Dhamma Earth Sangha Council may give a removal notice to any unsuitable resident.

Personal Matters

No amendments will be entertained regarding visa, air ticket and transportation during the meditation period by the Dhamma Organizer. All these matters should be settled before reaching the monastery.
Strictly not allowed to disturb any Yogi’s daily life. (Chatting, lighting incent inside the room, chanting during impropriate time, etc).
The daily morning chanting is mandatory for all students. Chanting is a form of protection as well as reflections of the Suttas.
In order to avoid disturbing other Yogis, please remain Noble Silence.
When in need of assistance, please seek for the Dhamma Organizer. Yogis are not allowed to order the housekeeper, kitchen staffs, outsiders or any devotees.
The Dhamma Organizers should be notified if there is any request to go out from the monastery. Yogis are not allowed to exit the monastery on your own. Else, the monastery would not take any responsibility towards any accident.
The Students may have to ensure their physical safety during the stay in the Hermitages and will absolve the Council and Hermitages from any legal responsibility arising from any serious injury or death to themselves due to their fault or negligence.
After settling all personal arrangements, all electronic devices must be handed over to the Dhamma Organiser until the day before the retreat ends.
During chanting, listening to Dhamma, and and going for alms, Yogis are to line up according to age. Newcomers must queue behind the old students.
Please do not write anything in the Dhamma books unless the Dhamma book belongs to you.
Please do not dry your underwear at places that Bhikkhu can see.
There is no duty roster, so no one can order another to provide service. However, Yogis can service at your own free will.
Do not feed to any insects or animals to maintain the monastery’s hygiene.
Take good care of the monastery’s property.

Purification of Virtue

All monks must relinquish money in all its forms prior to entering the Hermitages as well as requisites that were not obtained according to Vinaya. As the foundation for Samatha and Vipassana practice, all students should observe the Fourfold Purification of Virtue. This purification consists of ：
- Vinaya for Bhikkhus; 10-Precepts and 75 Sekhiya rules for Novice
- Restraint of the Six-Sense Faculties of the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body and mind
- Purification of livelihood (Right Livelihood) – livelihood that accords with the precepts
- Reflection on (and moderation in) the use of the four requisites: clothing, food, shelter and medicine
All lay Yogis are to keep 8 precepts: abstain from destroying living beings, stealing, unchaste conduct, false speech, anything that causes intoxication or heedlessness, eating at improper time, dancing, singing, listening music, seeing show and from wearing garlands, using perfumes and beautifying the body with cosmetics, high and luxurious bed and seats.
To keep the precept to abstain from unchaste conduct, segregation between men and women must be observed during the retreat. Physical contact, making arrangement to go anywhere or chatting are prohibited.
No cosmetic and jewellery are allowed.
Please refer to the notice board at the canteen regarding the information on medication and beverages that can be taken after lunch time.
If there are any discomfort or enquiries with the precepts, please seek for the meditation teacher’s advice.
During meditation, the Yogi is responsible for informing the meditation teacher or the Dhamma Organizer if he or she knows any person having abnormal manners or going against virtue.

Other Matters

During retreat, any ceremonies, medical treatments and other types of meditation methods that have not been encouraged by the monastery must be stopped except for those permitted by the meditation teacher. These include reciting incantations, fasting, acupuncture and other types of medical treatments.
A Yogi plays the role of a student learning at the monastery, permission must be obtained from the meditation teacher if want to teach the others yoga, exercise, medical treatments, etc.
Distribution of Dhamma books, CDs or related paraphernalia is strictly the prerogative of the Dhamma Earth Sangha Council. Please do not bring such Dhamma material for distribution without the direct consent of the Council.
Those in the meditation camp who are interested in short-term ordination must be on probation for at least 3 days before requesting for ordination from the meditation teacher unless the meditation teacher gives permission otherwise.
If eating breakfast/lunch is not desired, permission must first be obtained from the meditation teacher and inform the Dhamma Organizer.
Do not privately donate or give goods and money to any villagers and children or the monastery’s staff. If giving of goods is desired, pass the items to the Dhamma Organizer for collective donation.
Do not publicise any pictures of the monks and nuns.

Leaving Matters

To ease arrangement of transportation, please inform Dhamma Organizer earlier by three to four days before leaving.
Help to clean up the meditation hall at a suitable time.
Return borrowed items such as torchlight, alarm clock, hot water bag etc. to Dhamma Organizer, lamp and thermo flask to the kitchen.
Please wash the bedsheet, pillowcase; air the blanket and sleeping bag under the sun 1 or 2 days before leaving. Place them back into their original bags.
Keep the clothes hangers and clothes pegs back into the room.
Clean up the room and toilet.
Ensure that none of your belongings is left at the monastery, any belongings that are left and not claimed will be considered as relinquished and for the Council to handle it.
Close all the windows before leaving.
Lock the room and return the keys to the Piṇḍapāta Hall.

Time Matters

Compulsory to follow the daily timetable (group meditation, chanting, interview, Dhamma talk).
Please arrive earlier for the group meditation time to avoid disturbing other Yogis. Otherwise, Yogis may meditate in their rooms.
If Yogis miss the first sitting in the morning, please enter the meditation hall 5 minutes before chanting to avoid disturbing other Yogis.
The weather is colder in the morning and at night. Hence, the doors inside and outside should be closed during the group meditation.
Pindapata Hall will be closed at 8.30 pm. Yogis are not allowed to enter after this time. Please refill your hot water before then.

Site Matters

Keep the whole area clean and do not destroy the environment.

Meditation Hall

Strictly Noble Silence.
Keep your movements light. A quiet environment makes any sound loud and clear. The sound may disturb the other Yogis.
Do not light incense and candles inside the hall during the meditation period.
Yogis are encouraged to use washroom beside before and after meditation. Avoid going to the washroom during meditation as it may disturb the other Yogis.
The first person to enter and meditate should kindly light up a candle as an offering to the Buddha.

Room

Thick bedding such as blankets and sleeping bags are not allowed to be brought out of the room as it would be hard to clean or dry them once they are dirtied.
Do not disturb your roommate with unfavourable behaviour.
Do not throw anything (toilet paper, sanitary pads, hair etc.) into the toilet bowl and sink to prevent them from being clogged. Burn sanitary pads and others outside.
Please keep the room and washroom clean.
Please empty the rubbish bin into the kitchen’s big rubbish bin when the rubbish bin is full.
Every room has pillows, pillowcases, bedsheets and floor carpet. If the room lacks any of these, please seek Dhamma Organizer.
Hot water is solar-powered and will only be hot when the sun is up.
Please bath at suitable times.
Yogis are not allowed to change their rooms without authorization.
Please seek for Dhamma Organizer if there are any problems.

Piṇḍapāta Hall

Yogis can refill hot water and charge their torchlight at the Piṇḍapāta Hall.
Please ensure that the electric kettle’s water level is above half of the kettle to maintain temperature of 80 degrees to prevent the electric kettle from being spoilt.
Yogis are not allowed to cook. Hand over any dry food to the kitchen workers while you may offer any cooked or ready-to-eat food outside while standing.
You may obtain toilet paper and laundry detergent from the Piṇḍapāta Hall.

Essentials

Flight Ticket, Passport and Visa
Toiletries
Slippers / Sandals
Torchlight
Alarm Clock
Thermos

Seasonal Items

Rainy season supplies* (Shoes to anti-leech, raincoat)
Winter season supplies* (Thermal underwear, windbreaker, winter gloves, winter socks, scarf, beanie, cold-resistant sleeping bag -20°C, hot-water bag, heat pack/hand warmer, mask)

Note:
*Weather dependent

Optional Items

English:

Personal medicine (if necessary)
Sleeping bag liner