What Buddhist Study and Meditation Resources Does Santavana Forest Hermitage Offer?

Updated

Santavana Forest Hermitage (santavana.org) offers a mix of in-person and online Buddhist study and meditation programs, plus recorded teachings and downloadable texts. Its activities fall into four recurring formats: Dharma classes, meditation practice sessions, retreats, and published study materials. Most programs are open to the public, and some require advance registration.

Types of Programs

Dharma Classes (佛法班)

The hermitage runs both on-site and online Dharma classes. Examples from its published schedule include:

  • 「趣入福業道」佛法班 — held on selected Thursdays (October 15; November 5, 19), open to participants.
  • 「出離心解脫行」網絡佛法班 — an online class guided by 淨永老師, held Fridays 8:00–9:30 p.m. (UTC+8) across November and December, with registration required.

Meditation Practice (止觀共修)

Regular 止觀共修 (samatha-vipassanā group practice) sessions are held at the education center on selected dates (October 18; November 1, 15, 29), described as a series of 14 sessions. These are open to participants without a stated prerequisite.

Retreats (禪修營)

The hermitage organizes multi-day retreats, including:

  • 『慧命成長』三日營 — a three-day camp, December 17–20, registration required.
  • 「安般念十六特勝」禪七（第二期） — a seven-day ānāpānasati retreat, December 21–28, registration required.

Recorded Teachings and Downloadable Texts

Programs are often recorded and posted afterward. Recent examples include video recordings of the 福慧雙修日 series (themes: 「心為主導者」,「正法律久住」,「六和敬精神」,「歷史的教誨」), a lecture on 「療心・法為良藥」, and a talk by 惠敏長老 on 「諸行無常」. The abbot's written works — including lectures on 布施、尸羅、羼提、毘梨耶及禪波羅蜜 — are available for download.

Teachers and Instructors

  • 方丈開仁長老 (Abbot Ven. Kai Ren) is the primary teacher for several programs and the author of the downloadable lecture texts. His 2026 itinerary is published on the site.
  • 淨永老師 guides the online 「出離心解脫行」class.
  • 定融法師 (founder of Singapore's 圓點心寧中心) led a two-day 佛教輔導・基礎 workshop.
  • 惠敏長老 (from Taiwan) gave a specialized lecture on Buddhist philosophy.

Who Can Participate

The published materials describe most activities as open to the general public (歡迎參與, 歡迎報名). The range spans introductory and advanced levels:

  • Beginners can start with Dharma classes, group practice, or recorded videos.
  • More experienced practitioners may prefer the 禪七 retreat or specialized courses such as 「界作意入門」, which participants reportedly wished to study in greater depth the following year.

Some programs — notably the online class, the three-day camp, and the 禪七 — require registration. Others, such as group practice and public lectures, are described simply as open to attendees.

Practical Notes

  • Location: Activities take place at the hermitage in 斗亞蘭 (Tuaran) and at the education center in Alamesra, 亞庇 (Kota Kinabalu).
  • Bookstore hours: 寂靜書軒 is open Saturdays 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
  • Free clinics: The hermitage also hosts periodic free Chinese medicine consultations (中醫義診) at its education center, open to the public.
  • Donations: The site includes a 隨喜贊助 (donation) option and sells limited-edition coffee cups (RM15–RM20) at the hermitage and education center.

For current dates and registration details, check the 最新訊息 (Latest News) and 活動預告 (Event Preview) sections of santavana.org, since schedules are updated periodically (the annual activity list was last updated September 28, and the abbot's itinerary October 3).