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Na Uyana

Sri Lanka
Buddhist - Theravada
1 Review
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Amenities

Bathroom essentialsBreakfast includedDonation basedLunch includedMeditation ClassesMen Only

Video of the Retreat

Description of the Retreat

Na Uyana Forest Monastery covers a total of more than 5000 acres, which can be divided into 4 main sections: (1) Pansiyagama Section, (2) Mountain Section, (3) Matale Section and (4) Andagala Section. The Pansiyagama Section is situated within an Ironwood forest, and contains the following structures: an uposatha hall (Sīmā Sālā), a meditation hall (Bhāvanā Sālā), a dininghall (Dāna Sālā) and alms food hall (Pinḍapāta Sālā), a library and offices, in addition to about 80 kuṭis (monks residences). The ′ Mountain Section is the newly developed area on the main hill of the monastery, which has about 80 kuṭis and includes a meditation hall and service hall (Upaṭṭhāna Sālā). This area is in the process of being reforested. The Matale Section has about 20 kuṭis and includes a meditation hall, a dining-hall and an alms food hall. It is situated among grassy hills on the eastern side of the monastery. The Andagala Section is a remote, densely forested area, situated in the north-eastern part of the monastery. Section Name Altitude Landscape Accommodation type 1 Pansiyagama Lower Monastery 200-350m Ironwood forest Cave and old concrete kuṭis 2 Mountain Middle Monastery 350-480m Acacia and teak forest Modern concrete kuṭis 3 Matale Upper Monastery 450-500m Savannah landscape Modern concrete kuṭis 4 Andangala Eel-rock area 200-400m Dense tropical forest Basic wood and leaf kuṭis

Special Information for Monks Robe Washing: Natural detergent and sinks for robe washing are available at the Pandu Sālā (Robe Dying Hall) and at the Upaṭṭhāna Sālā (Service Hall) every Sunday, beginning after breakfast. Head shaving: Every Sunday, monks are required to shave their heads and beards, and to trim their nails if necessary. Razors and soap are available from the store room. Disciplinary Inquiries (Vinaya) and Community (Saṅgha) issues: Disciplinary or Community issues may be addressed to Ven.Saṅghasobhana Thera, who is usually available after lunch in the library. Special Information for Lay Practitioners Etiquette around Monks: Please be mindful when relating to monks and other spiritual companions at the monastery. Paying careful attention to the way Sri Lankan laity behave towards the monks is perhaps the best way to learn the appropriate etiquette of lay-monastic relationships. Laypeople should never sit on the same seat or mat as a monk, or wear footwear in their company. Lay practitioners are also expected to help with simple duties for the maintainence of the monastery.

PLANNED EVENTS
Please check the notice board in the upstairs area of the Sīmā Sālā which gives information about future events, e.g. the day of the Uposatha, when the doctor is coming, etc. 2 Food and Accommodation

FOR MONKS
Breakfast/Lunch (Dāna): Lower Monastery: Breakfast is served at 6:00am and lunch is served at approximately 9:35 am, both collected from the Pinḍapāta Sālā. After the wooden block has been sounded, monks should meet outside the Sīmā Sālā with both shoulders covered. A line is formed according to seniority (vassa) and the monks then proceed to the Pinḍapāta Sālā. Monks can eat their alms food either at the Dāna Sālā or back in their kuṭis. Mountain: Monks on the mountain retreat are served breakfast at 6.00am and lunch at 9.00am, both at the Mountain Upaṭṭhāna Sālā. Matale: At approximately 6.20am, monks from the Matale area meet at the small mud kuṭi near the Cetiya, where rice gruel is normally served. At 6:40am they line up according to seniority with both shoulders covered and proceed onwards to the Pinḍapāta Sālā. Monks can eat their alms food either at the Dāna Sālā or back in their kuṭis. Andangala: All monks staying in the Andagala area go to the surrounding villages for Pinḍapāta. Village Pinḍapāta (Alms Round): If you want to go to the village to collect alms food, please get permission from Ven. Ariyananda or Ven. Saṅghasobhana. Monks wishing to do Pinḍapāta in the Pansiyagama area must refer to the map in the Sīmā Sālā. Please write down the appropriate route number on the calendar below the map.

FOR LAY PRACTITIONERS
Lower Monastery: Breakfast is served at 6:00am and lunch is served at approximately 9:35 am, both collected from the Pinḍapāta Sālā. Laymen should meet outside the Sīmā Sālā after the wooden block has been sounded. Foreign Laymen should line up with the Sinhalese Laymen, behind the saffron-clothed Upāsakas. Laymen can eat their alms food either in the downstairs area of the Sīmā Sālā or back at their kuṭis. Please do not feed the monkeys or dogs any scraps of food.

RESIDENCES
Please take care of the kuṭi you are assigned. Please do not make any improvements or remove furniture without permission from Ven. Saṅghasobhana or Ven. Ariyananda. Between 7:00 am and 7:30 am residents should clean their kuṭis and sweep and clear the surrounding areas. Please be careful when using candle-lanterns and candles and don‘t leave valuables lying around in obvious places. If the lodging is left for more than a short while, doors and windows should be closed to prevent rain and windblown debris from entering. Please make sure you return the key when you leave.

MONASTIC RETREAT
Na Uyana provides an environment for intensive group meditation in the mountain retreat area, situated in and around the Bhāvanā Sālā and the Upaṭṭhāna Sālā on the mountain. Each retreat lasts 14-15 days and starts the morning after the Uposatha and finishes on the morning of the following Uposatha. If you are interested in joining, please see Ven. Ariyananda. Laymen are welcome to sit in the Bhāvanā Sālā with the monks on retreat; however, they must take their meals at the Lower Monastery.

Teacher/Teachings

Meditation Na Uyana is one of the two principal meditation monasteries of the Śrī Kalyāṇī Yogāśrama Saṃsthā. The main meditation method taught is Pa-Auk Samatha Vipassana, and the senior meditation teacher is Ven. Ariyananda Thera. Practitioners may join the group sittings conducted in the two main meditation halls, or continue on their own in their individual kuṭis.

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  1. Rob Horsfall
    Overall Experience

    A massive monastery, spread out over 5000 acres. Well setup for westerners who are interested in serious meditation practice.

    4 years ago

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Na Uyana

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Member since May 2015
Sri Lanka
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Practical Information

STORE ROOM
There is a book available near the postal box in the upstairs area of the Sīmā Sālā where you can write down if you need any requisites. Please write your kuṭi number, the date, and what you need. The requested items will be placed in your kuṭi box, usually the following day. Please note that the monastery supplies only the following items for lay practitioners: soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes and razors. Other items can be bought from Pansiyagama or Melsiripura. 4 Communication Facilities

EMAIL
If you need to send an e-mail, type your message in an MS Word, Open Office or Plain text document in the following format: After you have typed the e-mail, you may save it on the email thumb drive (normally hanging outside Ven. Piyaratana’s office door). The email will later be sent from the Na Uyana email account [email protected] Please inform anyone who wants to email you at this account to include your name in the subject field of the email, so that it can easily be identified. Received emails sent to this account will be printed out and placed in one of the small slots above the postal box in the Sīmā Sālā.

TELEPHONE
To make a local or international call, please go to the office next to the Dāna Sālā. You will need to use the SLT telephone and an SLT passport phonecard in order to make either an international call or a local call. The phonecard can be bought from a local telephone shop in Melsiripua or Kurunegala, or you can order them from www.lankafood.com and they will be delivered via postal mail to Na Uyana. To place a international call, dial 1287, then press 3, then enter the pin code (from the SLT phone card) and finally enter the telephone number you wish to dial. If you need to have someone call you back and they are calling from outside of Sri Lanka, the telephone number in the office is +94 37 337 9036. If you wish to make a local call, dial 1286, then press 3, then enter the pin code (from the SLT phone card) and finally enter the telephone number you wish to dial. Or if you do not have a phonecard and wish to make a local call, you can use the Suntel telephone, after having made the call, please write in the register book (located in the office), your name, the recipient’s name, the recipient’s telephone number and the length of the call. If you need to have someone call you back and they are calling from inside of Sri Lanka, the telephone number in the office is 037 337 9036. For monks only: If you do not have a phonecard and wish to make a local call, you can use the Suntel telephone. After having made the call, please write in the register book (located in the office), your name, the recipient’s name, the recipient’s telephone number and the length of the call.

SENDING POSTAL MAIL
If you wish to send a letter, then please place it in the outbox section of the postal box in the upstairs area of the Sīmā Sālā. For monks, stamps are available from the store room. Please ask Ven. Saṅghasobhana about current international postal rates. Na Uyana postal address: Na Uyana Aranya Senasanaya, Pansiyagama 60554, Sri Lanka

INTERNET
Na Uyana does not provide internet facilities; however, you can go to an Internet Cafe at Melsiripura. 5 To: [email protected] Subject: From [Your name] [Your message here] Main monastery, as seen from the mountain Road to the mountain meditation hall Travel and Visas

TRAVEL
There is a bus station in Pansiyagama village which has buses going every hour to Melisiripura. It is a 30 minute walk to Pansiyagama village and a further 45 minutes bus ride to Melisiripura. From Melsiripura, there are buses going to Kurunegala and Colombo. Monks who do not use money can get special bus coupons which allows monks to travel on government buses (CTB). These coupons can be got from the store room. Please see Ven. Piyaratana to check whether there is a vehicle going to Kurunegala or Colombo on the day you wish to travel.

DIRECTIONS TO NA UYANA
Take the road to Madahapola at the Melsiripura junction (between Kurunegala and Dambulla) on the A6 highway. At the Pansiyagama junction on the Madahapola road, take the road to Galewela. About 500m on this road is the Na Uyana road, which leads to the monastery. By Bus: From the Kurunegala bus station, take the bus to Dambulla and get off at Melsiripura. From Melsiripura, take the bus to Pansiyagama. From Pansiyagama Village, you can either take a three-wheeler (taxi) to Na Uyana or you can walk (around 35 mins). To walk from the bus station at Pansiyagama, take the road going up the small hill which passes a school on your right. After about 500 m, turn to the right, onto a track called Na Uyana Road. Walk about another 500m, then turn to the left, onto a small dirt road. Walk another 700 m and you will see Na Uyana Monastery on your right, just after passing the Bodhi Tree (also on your right hand side). You can ask the villagers for directions at any time. Foreign monks and nuns who visit Na Uyana could be provided with transport from the Colombo airport. Please contact the monastery office prior to making your travel plans. VISAS If you wish to extend your visa past the initial 30-day entry in Sri Lanka, you can apply for a single 3-month extension. If you wish to stay for more than 3 months, you need to apply for visas prior to arrival. Na Uyana can support you with a sponsorship letter. In Sri Lanka, Buddhist monks get a free one year residence visa which needs to be extended annually. You need to have your monk photo in the passport for this. You should apply for your extension at least one week before the expiry date of your current visa. The monastery may be able to assist you with your visa application, depending on circumstances. Please see Ven. Ariyananda or Ven. Piyaratana for more information. Also visit www.immigration.gov.lk.

Health
A doctor of traditional indigenous medicine normally visits Na Uyana once a week. Western-trained doctors also make frequent visits to the monastery. For non-serious complaints, there is a medical room at the back of the gilanhala with Western and Chinese medicines. Please inform Ven Ariyananda or Ven. Piyaratana if you need to take something from this room. There is also a detailed and comprehensive medical book, The Merck Manual, available in the library, which can be used to assist diagnosis of any illness or complaint. For a serious complaint or illness, please see Ven.Ariyananda or Ven. Piyaratana, and they will be able to arrange a visit to a doctor or hospital in Kurunegala.

TEA & REFRESHMENTS
Herbal teas, medicinal tonics and various other drinks are available. Allowable items in the afternoon are butter, ghee, oil, honey and sugar, as well as various teas and medicines. Chocolate, Nestomalt, milk, cheese and non-diary creamers, as well as any other solid food products, are not allowed in the afternoons.

WATER
The water here comes from mountain springs and when tested recently, it was deemed safe to drink. Most people use a ceramic filter to clean the water and remove traces of mud before drinking; some use a cloth filter. Filtered water is located throughout the monastery.

DISEASES AND BODILY AILMENTS
Malaria There is no malaria in this region of Sri Lanka. Dengue Fever There is a very small chance of contracting dengue fever although it is more common in urban areas rather than rural and forested areas. Symptoms include high fever, severe headache and body ache. Rabies There is rabies in Sri Lanka. If you are bitten by a stray dog or cat, a fruit bat or monkey, you will need to go to a local hospital to get an anti-rabies shot. Worms Intestinal pin-worms are common. These harmless creatures are spread through food, particularly raw vegetables, touched by the unwashed hands of an infected person. The pin-worms will go away by themselves within a few days. There are worm pills available if necessary.1

SNAKES
Sri Lanka has many varieties of snakes and and several are very dangerous, notably the Indian cobra, Russell Viper and the Krait. If you are bitten, remain calm and if possible, wash the bite with soap and water. It is important to note the colour, the shape of the head and any other distinguishing features of the snake that bit you. Then slowly make your way down to the area around the Sīmā Sālā and inform someone of what has happened. Antivenom is available in Kurunegala and Galewela. The most common incident of snake bite that occurs at Na Uyana is from the Hump-nosed Viper (Kunakatuva), which is only mildly venomous and can be treated with anti-histamine or a trip to the local snake doctor.

CLIMATE
Na Uyana is situated in the intermediate zone of Sri Lanka, in between the wet zone and the dry zone. It has a comparatively moderate climate with temperatures ranging from 16°C in the cool season (November-January) to 36°C in the hot season (March-April and August-September). Na Uyana is affected by the North-Eastern Monsoon (November-January) and to a lesser extent the South-Western Monsoon (May-June).

DIET
The diet here at Na Uyana is vegetarian and includes fresh fruit and a choice of either brown/red or white rice. Most curries contain moderate amounts of chilli, however there are chilli-free dishes available, especially for foreigners. No special diets are provided. Other Information

SUGGESTED ITEMS TO BRING OR BUY
The following is a list of suggested items that would be useful to bring to Na Uyana: Vitamin and herbal supplements; herbal teas; light, comfortable, easy-to-wash clothing; dental floss; toiletries; towel; talcum/ medicated powder; large umbrella; earplugs; water resistant sandals; torch/flashlight; SLT Phonecards (available from www.lankafood.com); battery-powered alarm clock; mosquito repellent; yoga mat (if you practice yoga); get dental work done before coming. Most everyday-items can be obtained locally, name brands excluded; voltage here is 220V.

Video of Teacher/Teachings

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