Dassanāya Buddhist Community
Let’s keep growing
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Meditation
Every Tuesday night at 6:30 pm Eastern, we gather for a guided meditation and a Dharma talk. Morning meditations are offered Wednesdays at 8:00 am and Thursdays at 9:45 am Eastern. Folks are welcome to attend these programs in person or virtually. The vihara is located at 1565 Mount Eagle Place, Alexandria, Virginia (on the left side of the circle). Learn more on the “Visiting” page.
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Community
What is “dassanāya?” This word means “for the purpose of seeing” or “in order to see” in the ancient Pali language. Also, we are a group of folks who are interested in practicing Buddhism. The early Buddhist teachings, typically associated with the Theravāda, will be the primary focus of the group. Zen teachings will also play a part. And this endeavor is centered in the community — the people, not a city or a building or a single individual. Thus, taken all together, our name means “a gathering of people for the purpose of seeing with the wisdom of Buddhism.”
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Ethics
The ethical precepts of Buddhism support clarity of mind, connection, and freedom from regret. Learn more about our approach to the ethical precepts in this video chat with our Guiding Teacher.
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Our mission is spiritual care based on meditation and ethics, to cultivate and embody the presence of Buddhist wisdom in the world.
Learn more about our Guiding Teacher here.
Community leadership
Our dedicated Board of Directors
Rakhi Parekh, President
A long-term practitioner and a student of Ayya Dhammadīpā, I am passionate about integrating meditation practice and the teachings of the Buddha into my professional and personal life. Originally from India, I reflect on how the words of the buddha are relevant globally in our current times. I hope that the offerings of Dassanāya are a guiding light for your practice and life. When you would like to share your feedback about how we can better serve your needs, we would love to hear from you.
Kayla McAfee, Board Member
Ms. McAfee is a Management Consultant primarily working in the federal space. Her expertise are change management (e.g., strategic communications and stakeholder engagement) and project management. She has extensive experience solving complex problems for large organizations while driving culture change. Ms. McAfee holds a Bachelor of Science from Florida State University, is a Prosci Certified Change Practitioner, a certified Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, and has recently earned her Project Management Professional, PMP ® certification. In addition to her work at Eagle Hill, Ms. McAfee volunteers with the Association of Change Management Professionals and Offender Aid and Restoration. She is also the proud and loving daughter of Ayya Dhammadipa.
Dana Elliott, Secretary
Dana Elliott is a San Francisco graphic designer enjoying living and working in Atlanta, Georgia.
A rich history made manifest here and now.
Our new community is based in the teachings of early Buddhism, as they have been passed on for more than 2,500 years. We follow in the footsteps of the awakened women, men, and folks of the Buddha’s time and the sages of Thailand, Sri Lanka, China, Japan, and America. Their teachings have been recorded in the ancient Pali texts called the Nikayas, as well as in the Mahayana texts such as the Prajña Paramita and Shobogenzo. We offer Dharma talks, meditation instruction, traditional ceremonies, sutta contemplation, and classes. We also offer a limited number of opportunities for the training of individuals who wish to explore stewardship or living the Buddhist monastic life.