DHAMMIKASHRAMAYA

Dhammika Ashramaya is a Nunnery Meditation Monastery in Sri Lanka which started in 2003. All the nuns and lay meditators are under the leading and guidance of Nā-Uyana Aranya.

Currently, there are about 110 residence nuns and lay women. Foreign and local meditators in Dhammika Nunnery are under the guidance of Venerable Angulgamuwe Ariyananda Thero and meditation method is Pa-Auk Meditation. Dhamma advice and guidance from Ven. Pannyarama.

Distance between Nā-Uyana Aranya and Dhammika Ashramaya about 2.5 KM, about 40 minutes by walking.

Office

Below are the information for you to further understand the living life in Dhammika Ashramaya

1. Dhammika Ashramaya can be divided into six areas. There are two parts in lower area which is D, E and F area and three parts in mountain areas which is mountain A, B, and C.
  • D area is the earliest building of Dhammika and it is built in a shape of rectangular. There are about 40 over kutis, a meditation hall, 3 public washrooms (one of the washroom has solar system provided) and also a place for water boiling.
  • E area is nearby the main gate of Dhammika. Presently, there are about 6 twin kutis and few single kutis.
  • F area is a land behind D area, there are 4 kuti at the moment.
Main Entrance
Main Entrance
Lower D area
Lower D area
E area twin kuti
E area twin kuti
D area 1
D area 1
D area 2
D area 2
D area Meditation Hall
D area Meditation Hall
  • Mountain area – There are 3 parts of mountain area which are A, B and C. There are about 40 over concrete and wooden kutis spread around the forest. There is a meditation hall in mountain area.
Path-to-mountain-area11
Path to mountain area 2
Path to mountain area 2
Single kuti in mountain
Single kuti in mountain
Wooden kuti
Wooden kuti
Single kuti in mountain
Single kuti in mountain
Twin kuti in mountain
Twin kuti in mountain
Lower area meditation Hall
Lower area meditation Hall
Mountain A meditation hall
Mountain A meditation hall
Meditation hall
Meditation hall
Meditation hall
Meditation hall
Meditation hall
Meditation hall
  • Dana sala (Alms round Hall): It’s a three stories building near the Office. Every morning breakfast and lunch are here.
Dana-Sala
Alms round
Alms round
Buddha Puja
Buddha Puja
Pindapata (Alms round)
Pindapata (Alms round)
Pindapata (Alms round)
Pindapata (Alms round)
Pindapata (Alms round)
Pindapata (Alms round)
Pindapata (Alms round)
Pindapata (Alms round)
2. Interview and Dhamma Talk

Meditators in Dhammika have interview once a week with Ven. Ariyananda Thero. Currently, interview fall on every Wednesday and Dhamma Talk on every Saturday in Dhammika second floor. Teacher will give instructions and advises according to each meditators’ condition. As a meditators also should report honestly. Perhaps you may have nothing to report on particular day, you are encourage to attend interview session as well due to respectful to the Dhamma and teacher. You may able to get some encouragements and Dhamma from the interview. If due to some reason (sick) you are not able to attend the interview or Dhamma Talk, please request someone to take leave from teacher.

Interview
3. Contact, Arrival and Visa process

If you wish to come to Dhammika Ashramaya for meditation, firstly please send your application form and a copy of your passport to Na-Uyana email: nauyana@gmail.com . (You can download the application form from Na-Uyana Website: https://nauyana.org or either request from Na-Uyana). After permission granted, we will send you reply.

If you wish to stay less than 3 months period, you can apply Tourist visa through internet. Sri Lanka Immigration will give you 30 days visa on arrival and you can further extend another 2 months later. If you wish to stay more than 3 months, you have to apply Entry Visa. Firstly, you have to inform Na-Uyana Office clearly. We will help you to get government approval letter and monastery will provide you sponsorship letter. With this two letters printed, you can apply from the Sri Lanka Embassy in your country and you will get your entry visa. With this entry visa only you can further extend your visa up to 1 year, (Note: It is not an easy task for monastery to get government approval letter for you. Once you apply, please fulfil your words to come. Otherwise, you will get a bad impression from monastery and it will be affect for your future application.)

For the visa fees, monks and nuns are free of charge (your passport picture has to be ordain picture as well). Lay people will be charge depend on the duration you stay, One year visa fee about USD 160. Please get ready few copies of photo (size 3.5 cm x 5 cm).
Due to respect, please email inform again few days in advance before you come.

For further visa details, please visit to our website: Visa Application Procedures

4. Pindapata
  • Breakfast at 05:55am, Lunch at 10:45am.
  • Food is not allowed to bring back to your room
  • Animals (dog, cats) feeding is not allowed.
  • Only provide vegetarian. Non-vegetarian is not allow.
  • The alms round lineup, for nun is lineup according to ordination date. For lay people is according to age. For those who are late, will have go up to the last.
5. Medical
  • There is Western and Traditional Herbalist medical in Sri Lanka.
  • Foreign meditators need to get permission in advance from meditation teacher (Venerable Ariyananda Thera) and also wait for monastery arrangement only can go out for doctor. The nearest clinic take about 20 minutes by vehicle, to hospital take about 1 hour journey. (Note: If you have particular sickness, please prepare your own medicine before you come.)
6. International Parcel And Mailing

We mainly use Na-Uyana address,
Address: Nā-Uyana Aranya Senasanaya, Pansiyagama 60554, Sri Lanka
(Please remember to indicate receiver’s name in English)
Phone: (94) 37494 2213 / (94) 37379036

  • International parcel and mail will be received by Na-Uyana and pass it to you. For mailing, you can inquire our helper in Dhammika to help.
  • Normally the parcel or mail will arrive late to Sri Lanka due to various processes and condition. Please be patient and wait.
  • Electronic products (battery, torch light, recorder…) is not allow to send by post. Otherwise you may take your risk for not receiving your parcel.
  • Some of the parcel will have to pay for the taxes. To avoid burden to the monastery, meditators has to bear up their costs.
7. Communication and Contact
  • To protect your precious meditation opportunities, meditator is not encourage to use phone in Dhammika. If you need to send email or someone need to contact you, Na-Uyana will be assists you.
    E-mail: nauyana@gmail.com
    Or
    Letter can be send to (please indicate your name in English)
    Address: Nā-Uyana Aranya Senasanaya, Pansiyagama 60554, Sri Lanka
    Tel: (94) 37494 2213 / (94) 3737 9036
    E-mail: nauyana@gmail.com
  • Recorder and laptop is allowed to use for Dhamma purposes. To avoid affect to your meditation, keep limit in using is better.
8. Office
  • There is an office located at Lower Part of Dhammika. A couple of husband and wife are helping for the meditators.
  • Meditator is not allowed to go out to the village or city without getting permission from meditation teacher in advance or informing office.
  • Meditator is not allowed to buy things at the nearest shop in village. If you need to get any daily necessities, please inform our helpers, they will assist you.
9. Precepts
  • Theravada nuns
    A) You are required to keep 10 precepts while you stay in Dhammika. Meditation teacher will be giving precepts on every Uposatha Day.
    B) If you wish to ordain, you have to request permission from teacher Ven. Ariyananda Thero.
  • Lay Yogi
    A) You are required to keep ten precepts as well during staying in Dhammika.
    B) You are suggested to wear white cloth in Dhammika. Do not wear short skirts, short pants, sleeveless cloth, thin and transparent dress, colorful dress. ( Normally, Sri Lankan devotees wear whole white when they visit or stay in monastery)
  • For 10 preceptor, you are not allow to keep money. Please kindly pack your requisite in an envelope and indicate properly and pass it to our helper. They will temporary keep for you until leaving.
  • Not allowed any alcohol and smoking.
10. To bring
  • Few passport size photos for visa application (size 3.5cm x 5cm)
  • Thermo flask for hot water and bottle for daily drinking
  • Container for food, cup and spoon.
  • Torch Light
  • Daily necessities (E.g. for brushing, shower…)
DHAMMIKA ASHRAMAYA MEDITATION TIME TABLE
3.30AM
WAKE – UP
4.00- 4.30AM
MORNING CHANTING
4.30AM – 5.45AM
SITTING MEDITATION
5.55AM – 7.45AM
BREAKFAST AND CLEANING DUTIES
8.00AM – 9.00AM
SITTING MEDITATION
9.00AM -9.30AM
WALKING MEDITATION
9.30AM – 10.45AM
SITTING MEDITATION
10.45AM – 1.00PM
LUNCH/ CLEANING / REST
1.00PM – 2.30PM
SITTING MEDITATION
2.30PM – 3.30PM
WALKING MEDITATION
3.30PM – 5.00PM
SITTING MEDITATION
5.00PM – 6.00PM
DUTY / REST / GILAMPASA
6.00PM – 7.00PM
EVENING CHANTING
7.00PM – 8.00PM
SITTING MEDITATION
8.00PM – 8.30PM
WALKING MEDITATION
8.30PM – 9.30PM
SITTING MEDITATION
9.30PM
BED TIME / OWN FURTHER PRACTICE