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 The Sravasti Abbey resident community currently includes seven monastics, four anagarika trainees, and one long-term lay resident. There are usually some long-term visitors at the community table as well, many of whom come to explore their monastic aspirations.
The Abbey community is inspired and grateful to be among the first generation of Buddhist monastics trained, ordained, and practicing in the United States. They are aware of their link to a long lineage of Sangha who have preserved the Buddha's teachings for nearly 2600 years.
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| circa 500 BC |
The Buddha's Sangha begins as men and women, inspired by the Buddha's message of liberation from suffering, seek ordination under his guidance. Lay supporters who are similarly inspired abound. One of these, the merchant Anathapindika, offers the Buddha land for his Sangha at Sravasti. Communities of both monks and nuns live there. Staying at Sravasti for twenty-five rainy-season retreats, the Buddha delivers hundreds of teachings. |
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| circa 220 BC |
Venerable Mahinda takes the Buddha Dharma to Sri Lanka, establishing the Bhikshu (Monks) Order. His sister, Venerable Sanghamitra brings a cut from the bodhi tree at Bodhgaya and establishes the Bhikshuni (Nuns) Order in Sri Lanka. |
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| circa 68 AD |
Emperor Ming of China builds the White Horse Temple, the first Buddhist monastery in the country. |
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| circa 780 AD |
Tibetan king Trisong Detsen invites the Indian Master Shantarakshita and Tantric adept Padmasambhava to establish Samye Monastery, Tibet's first monastery. |
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| 1998 AD |
Ven. Chodron requests His Holiness the Dalai Lama to name the envisioned future American monastery. He chooses "Sravasti Abbey." |
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| 2003 AD |
Sravasti Abbey finds a home. With the help of hundreds of supporters, the nonprofit organization purchases 240 acres with a house and out-buildings near Newport, Washington. |
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| 2008 AD |
With your help Sravasti Abbey built its first monastic residence, Gotami House. |
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