Bodhinyanarama Buddhist Monastery is a monastic sanctuary situated in a 51 hectare (126 acre) wooded valley near Wellington, New Zealand. The monastery is the focus for a thriving Buddhist community and serves a variety of functions. While principally a residence for those wishing to participate or train in the monastic lifestyle, the large public area and meeting hall are used for religious festivals, public meetings and retreats. The forested area with remote lodgings provides a suitable environment for seclusion. The senior monks instruct in meditation, teach Buddhist principles, lead retreats and provide religious services for the Buddhist community, both at the monastery and at other venues in New Zealand and elsewhere.

The monastery offers several semi-residential retreats with the accommodation we have (about a dozen beds) available for those wishing to stay at the monastery with the option for people to come during the day – or part thereof – and return home in the evening. Those who can commit to the full retreat time or who are traveling some distance to the monastery are given priority for accommodation.

If you wish to stay at the monastery overnight please book as a guest

Retreat Guidelines:
Retreats are quite open and you can come for all or part of the scheduled time; a day or part day.
Accommodation may be available for just part of a retreat but is sometimes shared.
Please be sensitive to those who are already here when you arrive and join the Noble Silence. If there is sitting meditation in session it is best if you wait until it has finished. The end of that period would be a good time to introduce yourself to the monk leading the retreat.

Remember that there is no evening meal at the monastery.
We have our daily meal at 10.30 and you would be welcome to join us for this.
If we are meditating in the hall please wait until the session finishes.
If there is a talk or discussion in place you may enter the hall and quietly take a seat.
The standard for everyone at the monastery is the eight precepts

The underlying theme in the monastery is one of restraint and renunciation. The movement to silence is important so please leave phones, tablets, laptops and any other distracting things at home. Even books… we will be reading from the book of the mind. An area of special practice is the kitchen. As alms mendicants we take only what is offered. There are no special diets, we don’t help ourself to things in the pantry or fridge and beverages are only available at set times.

Bodhinyanarama Buddhist Monastery

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