Madison County Dhamma
Bios
Founder and facilitator of Madison County Dhamma has lead the group in the practice of insight and concentration meditation and the study of the teachings of the Buddha as well as subsequent commentaries since 1998.
She initiated and continues to lead a Buddhist study and practice group at the Pendleton Correctional Industrial Facility in Pendleton, Indiana that meets twice weekly.
She has attended retreats since 1998, including annual retreats at Bhavana Society monastery and retreat center in High View, WV since 2002 (www.bhavanasociety.org) and studied with both teachers Venerable Gunaratana Maha Thera Nayaka and Venerable Yogavacara Rahula.
She has also attended many retreats with John Travis, spiritual director of Mountain Stream Meditation as well as senior teacher with Spirit Rock Meditation Center in CA. She accompanied John Travis and a group of fellow pilgrims on a tour of the Buddhist Holy sites in India in 2005.
Her first, and continuing guiding teacher is Venerable Kantasilo, Thera, of Wat Bowon, Bangkok. Since their first meeting in 1998, they have worked together to bring the Buddha Sasana to East Central Indiana.
She initiated and continues to lead a Buddhist study and practice group at the Pendleton Correctional Industrial Facility in Pendleton, Indiana that meets twice weekly.
She has attended retreats since 1998, including annual retreats at Bhavana Society monastery and retreat center in High View, WV since 2002 (www.bhavanasociety.org) and studied with both teachers Venerable Gunaratana Maha Thera Nayaka and Venerable Yogavacara Rahula.
She has also attended many retreats with John Travis, spiritual director of Mountain Stream Meditation as well as senior teacher with Spirit Rock Meditation Center in CA. She accompanied John Travis and a group of fellow pilgrims on a tour of the Buddhist Holy sites in India in 2005.
Her first, and continuing guiding teacher is Venerable Kantasilo, Thera, of Wat Bowon, Bangkok. Since their first meeting in 1998, they have worked together to bring the Buddha Sasana to East Central Indiana.
Stephanie Grissom
The Sasana.
The Madison County Dhamma Sasana is a group of practioners of Insight and Concentration Meditation. We meet at the home of Stephanie Grissom on Thursday evenings for 40 minutes of silent meditation followed by tea and Dhamma study with discussion. We're a relatively small but dedicated group of practitioners, usually less than a dozen on any given Thursday. All are welcome regardless of meditation experience. Brief instructions are given newcomers as well as a copy of "Mindfulness in Plain English" by Venerable H. Gunaratana, our foundational textbook on meditation. An extensive Buddhist lending library, covering all traditions, is available to participants. During the early months of each year, we are lead in our studies by Venerable Kantasilo Thera. Venerable Kantasilo has been a Buddhist monk for more than 30 years at Wat Bowon, Bangkok, Thailand. He served as Secretary to the Supreme Patriarch, is a knowledgable steward of the Tipitaka as well as English translator.
Prison Dhamma
Twice weekly, classes in Meditation and Dhamma Study are conducted at Pendleton Correctional Industrial Facility, a medium security facility in Pendleton, Indiana. We strive to provide opportunity for the men to practice Dhamma/Dharma to suit their needs. We try to bring in teachers from other Buddhist traditions to help offenders find the practice that works best for them. Venerable Kantasilo has visited and offered instruction. Rev. Arjia Rinpoche, Director of the Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center has also visited this facility as well as the New Castle Correctional Facility as guest of the New Castle Buddhist Facilitator, Ron Craig. The picture at right was taken at the C.I.F. with both Venerable Kantasilo, Rev. Arjia Rinpoche with his secretary Mary Pattison and nephew Chinle, Ron and Stephanie Grissom and the two C.I.F. Chaplains, Robert Shafer and Alan McCraine.
