The Anāgārikā Community
The Order of Sīladhārā (Ten Precept Nuns) began in 1979 with the Anāgārikā ordination (Eight Precept Nuns) of four Western women at Chithurst Monastery.
For the first five years, the women lived as Anāgārikā in a cottage about ten minutes walk from the main monastery.
In 1983 they were given the Ten Precepts, and in the following year, all of the nuns - by then four Sīladhārā and four Anāgārikā moved to Amaravati Monastery, which was to be their new residence.
Since then a training structure has been established, consisting of the Ten Precepts and additional observances. There are currently 17 Sīladhārā and 6 Anāgārikā residing at Amaravati and Chithurst Buddhist Monastery.
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Anāgārikā ChiaraI was born in 1955 with a female gender. My birthplace was Dublin but I am Italian.
When I was a theatre performer my work was politically based, and I expressed my commitment through art, to freedom from injustice.
At the same time I found peace in places of worship:mountains, seashore, monasteries… One day I arrived at Santacittarama Monastery and heard, by chance, the teachings given by Ajahn Thanavaro- this was my first contact with the Forest Sangha Tradition. So now, as Anāgārikā since the 9th of August 2006, my commitment is to freedom from samsara. |
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Anagārikā DorisI was born in Hamburg, Germany in 1969. So far my life has been a quest for truth: Absolute truth in studying Mathematics, relative truths in working as a Journalist and inner truth in practising Buddhism. When I heard a Dhamma-talk by Ajahn Munindo in Hamburg in 1999 the seed for a “monastic career” was planted. I tried to delegate it at first by sponsoring a Tibetan Nun instead, but it didn't work. So I took Anagarikaa precepts on the 9th August 2006 and will see what happens. |
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Anāgārikā MiriamBorn in 1967 in England, I moved to Belgium with my family in 1971. I grew up in an agnostic, international environment. I returned to the UK to study biological science at university, then worked for many years in the scientific publishing industry, also partying hard, independent, loving music, interested in many things.
I can always remember having an aspiration to religious life and to real freedom. Yet I never understood how to give that aspiration proper attention, nor did I find a form to express it in. After a period of religious enthusiasm in my teens faded, I rejected those things for a long time.
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