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About the Vihara
Sitagu Buddhist Vihara, and the Theravada
Dhamma Society of America were founded in 1996 by the Venerable Ashin
Nyanissara, aka Sitagu Sayadaw of Burma. It also benefited from
the support and long-term residence of the Venerable Ashin Mahosadha
Pandita.
The Sitagu Association, the international umbrella organization with which the Vihara is affiliated, was founded in
Burma by Ashin Nyanissarain in 1980 to promote Buddhist education
and public welfare. Expanding outward from Sitagu monastery in Sagaing
Hills in central Burma in now encompasses several monastic
universities, many hospitals and other public works. The Sitagu
Buddhist Vihara is the center for overseas missionary activities. In
America there are two additional Sitagu monasteries, the Sitagu Dhamma
Vihara and the Sitagu Sangha Vihara, in Minnesota and Florida
respectively.
The mission of Sitagu Buddhist Vihara is to
provide a center for the practice of Theravada Buddhist meditation and
Dhamma study in the United States, for both laypeople and monastics,
for both Westerners and ethnic Asians, in a traditional monastic
context. It sits on 16.1 acres in rural Austin, Texas and
consists of many private cottages and public facilities. It also
supports community and cultural events that are very popular for
Burmese and non-Burmese alike.
The Theravada Dhamma Society of America
(TDSA) was founded as a lay organization which lends both financial and
volunteer support to the efforts of Sitagu Vihara, and provides for the
support and well-being of its resident monastics.
For
more Information about Sitagu in Burma (Myanmar), please click here.
Fully ordained Buddhist monks are in
residence at the Vihara who are very learned in both the Dhamma and
meditation practice and available for instruction and teaching.
The current
(09/2011) abbot of the monastery is Dr. Ashin Ariyadhamma.
Currently (09/2011) there is one other resident
monk, Dr. Ashin Cintita Dinsmore.
Current
Facilities
At present the Vihara is in the inital
stages of its growth. The present monastery consists of two mobile
homes, a dining facility, reception hall, public lavatories and twenty
meditation cottages. Construction has begun on a large Dhamma Hall, a
Burmese style stupa (a memorial shrine containing Buddha relics and
sacred images), a Monastery Residence, a Dining Facility and a library
building. When construction is completeed, Sitagu Vihara will serve as
a practice place for many meditators on retreat.
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