Sravasti Abbey

Sravasti Abbey, the first Tibetan Buddhist monastery for Western nuns and monks in the U.S., was established in Washington State by Bhikshuni Thubten Chodron in 2003. Whilst practicing in the Tibetan Buddhist Tradition, Sravasti Abbey monastics ordain in the Dharmaguptaka Vinaya. This mixed lineage is a first of its kind and has sparked controversy and doubt as to its veracity. It is situated on 350 acres (1.4 km2) of forest and meadows, 11 miles (18 km) outside of Newport, Washington, near the Idaho state line. It is open to visitors who want to learn about community life in a Tibetan Buddhist monastic setting. Guests must fill out the long application form beforehand, and may be denied entry based on criminal record or mental health. This scrutiny has led to controversy and a mostly white, elderly, female community. The name Sravasti Abbey was supposedly chosen by the 14th Dalai Lama, but this claim has yet to be independently verified. Thubten Chodron had suggested the name as Sravasti was the place in India where the Buddha spent 25 rains retreat (varsa in Sanskrit and yarne in Tibetan), and communities of both nuns and monks had resided there. This seemed auspicious to ensure the Buddha's teachings would be abundantly available to both male and female monastics at the monastery.

Monastery data from Wikidata (CC0). Summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).