Nunnery Construction Update

 Nam Mo Sakya Muni Buddhaya

Dear Noble Communities,

Dear Noble Friends in the Practice,

I am writing today to share an update about our beloved practice center.

As you know, Blue Cliff Monastery is located in a beautiful mountainous area two hours north of New York City.  Originally built as a resort in the 1960s, the property was purchased and converted into a practice center in the Plum Village tradition in 2007. Today, it welcomes thousands of practitioners a year for whom it has become a spiritual home. But even with the work we have done over the years, some of the original buildings and the infrastructure are now in poor condition.

During the holidays and summer, the monastery has had to work hard to provide adequate accommodation and practice space. Everyone who comes is aware of a certain lack of comforts. While this is not an obstacle to touch the source of peace and happiness during practice, the nuns and monks were, at times, obligated to ask some practitioners attending retreats to rent hotel rooms. This is not only expensive; it is not ideal for practicing together as a community.

 Even before the pandemic, more people wanted to come to the monastery than we have room for. And with the pandemic, people’s thinking and their lifestyle have been changing. They have become more aware of the need to practice, to get in touch with the present moment, to savor each spoonful of rice mindfully, to be truly present to oneself, or to be mindful of every step we take. These are dharma practices which make us feel happier and richer in our daily lives.

 Thay has entrusted to us, especially the monastic Sangha, the responsibility of transmitting the Dharma and teaching about a mindful lifestyle. Thanks to the grace of the Buddhas, the teachers, and the strength of the practice, Thay’s disciples near and far continue strongly and beautifully their work. More and more people are coming to Blue Cliff to learn how to live a mindful lifestyle. The monks and nuns are guides and teachers dedicated to this cause. In turn, they strongly benefit from the support of the lay community. The monastic Sangha of the Plum Village tradition in general and Blue Cliff Monastery in particular are strong and active thanks to your presence, your practice, and your support.

 Now, Blue Cliff needs help so it can continue to meet the needs of the many people who come for healing and transformation. Over the years, we have joined hands in repairing, patching, and transforming Blue Cliff into a monastic residence and lay practice center. However, some buildings can no longer be repaired. Their foundation and wall boards have begun to rot and break, to the point that they can no longer be used.  Some old buildings and parts of the infrastructure no longer meet code regulations.

 In 2019, before the pandemic struck, a master plan was developed addressing our main buildings: Moon Lake, Great Harmony, and the Dining Hall. Plans for the dining hall were drawn up, and we started receiving some support towards its construction. Unfortunately, the dining hall plan had to be postponed because of the pandemic and the high construction costs. We would like to inform the people who already donated toward the dining hall that, although this work is postponed now, we intend to resume it at a later date.

 As we look again at our plans, we think that we must begin work on the Moon Lake building, which is seriously degraded and may even collapse in the near future. The nuns who used to live in Moon Lake are temporarily housed in the buildings dedicated for our guests. We also expect a group of new sisters to arrive soon which will further increase our lack of space. When winter comes and inclement weather arrives, we will need to temporarily use even more guest rooms as study rooms.

 With the advice of our architect and engineer, we have decided to build a new building on the site of the old Moon Lake Building. It will be the same size, but it will meet our current and future requirement and have modern amenities. The initial estimate for the total project is $3 million, including the cost of tearing down the old building. We hope to start working on the new nunnery in March of 2023.

 We will be sending you more information as our plans are finalized. We look forward to your support, big or small, one brick at a time.

         Thank you for your merit of protecting the Three Jewels

                                              Nam Mo Protecting Boddhisattvas

                        On behalf of White Crane Hamlet’s Sisters

                                                        Sister Chan Hoa Nghiem