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First course dedicated to Dhamma Padhāna

The large Satipatthana course successfully completed in UK in September 2008 was special in a number of ways. It was the first course to be dedicated to Dhamma Padhāna, the European long-course centre (ELCC) which will be built alongside Dhamma Dipa in the coming months. The retreat, attended by over 200 serious old students and servers who travelled from 21 countries, was the largest residential Vipassana course to be held in Europe for 20 years. During this course, students were able to meditate on the Dhamma Padhāna land (in the future hall area), helping to generate a positive Dhamma atmosphere there for the benefit of future generations. [...]

 

March 2010

We are happy to share with you, news of the final stages of the construction of Phase 1.

The programme is tight but the Construction Committee is confident that the centre will be ready for the start of the first course on 31st March.

February 2010

Work on site is surging ahead. The ground works were delayed by heavy snowfall  but are now progressing well, as are the electrics and plumbing. The cell block is quickly taking shape. A focused team of volunteers have built more than half of the 54 beds required, and may finish this job a week ahead of schedule.

January 2010

The turn of the year saw the first smoke rising from the chimney, as heating went on in two of the accommodation blocks. This was a cheering sight!
The water tower has now been completed. Plastering continues in the Dhamma Hall and the ventilation system is being fitted. Volunteers continue cladding the accommodation buildings. Electricians are finalizing the work in the accommodation blocks and tiling the bathrooms is drawing to an end.

December 2009

Dhamma Padhāna now has an electricity supply. Electricians are wiring the Dhamma Hall and most of the accommodation now has lights. Central heating boilers have been installed. All the accommodation has had a first coat of paint and the woodwork is being sanded.

November 2009

Good progress is being made and we are on schedule. In the Dhamma hall, work has started on plaster-boarding and plastering the ceiling. In accommodation blocks Y and Z, floor tiling, plumbing, fitting of the internal doors and fitting of the skirting boards are almost complete. In accommodation block U, plastering is being carried out, and in the dining rooms, linoleum flooring will be in place soon.

October 2009

The buildings at Dhamma Padhana are developing at an exciting rate now. Some Dhamma servers are applying timber cladding to the outsides of buildings and have already completed the dining rooms. Others are tiling the en-suite bathrooms. Contractors are working on the roof and lobbies of the Dhamma hall. Ground workers and builders are working on the boiler house and the foundations for the water tower.

September 2009

During August exciting and significant developments were made. The Dhamma Hall now has a roof after steel workers raised huge steel beams and carpenters fitted rafters and roof boards. External windows and doors are being installed to the dining rooms and accommodation blocks. Hard working volunteers have completed the plaster boarding in all of the accommodation rooms and are now tiling the shower cubicles and fixing wood cladding to the outside of the buildings with Western Red Cedar.

August 2009

During the past month work on the Dhamma Hall continued and the brickwork is now giving shape to the hall. In the accommodation blocks good progress is being made with plumbing and electrics while Dhamma servers are fitting plasterboards.

July 2009
Dhamma Padhana is coming up extremely well and all are confident that the first course will be offered in April 2010. Over the past month work has commenced on the Dhamma Hall: the ground works and footings for the foundations are complete and the walls have begun. Electrics and plumbing is being installed in the three accommodation buildings and the dining rooms. The drainage system is almost complete with the septic tank about to be installed. Volunteers have made a huge impact on plaster boarding and insulating the accommodation blocks.

June 2009

The 8th of June was an especially happy day as work began on the Dhamma Hall.  Roof trusses have been installed on the dining rooms and roof tiles have been fitted to all three accommodation blocks.  Great work has been done by a team of six volunteers, sealing rooms for air tightness, insulating the accommodation blocks and fitting plasterboard. The atmosphere on site is harmonious with contractors and volunteers working well together.   

May 2009

Except for the Dhamma Halls, concrete floors for all Phase 1 buildings are now complete. Blocks E and F have red-tiled roofs and fitted guttering and block A is ready for roofing. Walls have now been erected on the Teachers' residence and contractors have started fitting plasterboard in the accommodation buildings. Volunteers have meticulously installed the vapour barrier membrane in the first two blocks and are now blowing in cellulose fibre insulation.

April 2009

Work continues smoothly. Groundworks contractors have now left the site. Steel weight bearing supports and underfloor heating have been put in place for the AT residence. Roof tiles have been fitted to accommodation Blocks E & F and contracted carpenters are erecting the timber frame for Block A. The last 2 volunteers have recently left. Over the last few months skilled and unskilled volunteers have made a great contribution. More volunteers are coming in April and May.

March 2009
Foundations have been laid for three accommodation blocks and the AT residence. Timber frame structures have been erected for two of the accommodation blocks, one by meditators. Tiling is in progress. Work is continuing on groundworks, laying pipes and cables.

January 2009
The concrete floors have set and the wooden frame is erected.

December 2008 

The concrete is poured into the base of the accommodation block, and the base of the AT residence is dug out. 

10 November 2008 - Construction has started
Construction of Dhamma Padhāna began on 10 November 2008. Contractors with heavy machinery are laying the foundations.

Work in progress

In October 2007, work began on Dhamma Padhāna land. Young trees growing on the site of the future pagoda and Dhamma hall were moved, and new trees were planted, to create a division between Dhamma Dipa and Dhamma Padhāna. Read more...

The sapling is planted

The first physical steps towards the creation of the European Long-Course Centre have been made on site in the UK with the planting of trees to form a boundary between Dhamma Padhāna and Dhamma Dipa. 

On October 29, in glorious autumn sunshine, work began on Dhamma Padhāna land. Young trees growing in the area of the future pagoda/Dhamma Hall were relocated alongside saplings to establish the division between the 10-day and long-course centres. As part of a Dhamma Dipa service period, more than 30 adults and children from over 10 nationalities were trained and worked together on this auspicious project. All shared a sense of joy at being part of a pioneering moment in the spread of Dhamma within Europe.  

With the help of a mechanical digger, varied woodland belts of oak, ash, silver birch, cherry, aspen and other trees have been formed, their colourful leaves just a few metres from where Goenkaji meditated during his visit in 2002. The planting takes account of how the two centres will work together, making space for a connecting service road and setting aside new walking areas for ten-day students. Water and power upgrades are being investigated to serve Dhamma Padhāna. In these few golden days, the map at Dhamma Dipa has been redrawn and the landscape changed. The sapling has been planted - may the buildings for the first phase of the new centre be close behind!

ELCC land adjacent to Dhamma Dipa