by Faith Stilwell
Located in West Orange, New Jersey, The Empty Cloud is a gender-inclusive monastery which aims to connect lay people with Buddhist teachings and practices, giving them the opportunity to learn from monks from all around the world. The Empty Cloud Monastery was established in 2019 as the permanent residence of Buddhist Insights, a non-profit organization founded by ordained Bhikkhu Bhante Suddhāso and Bhikkhuni Ayyā Somā. Initially without a home monastery, Buddhist Insights held meditation sessions all throughout New York City, meeting in art galleries, offices, parks, and even the subway! Due to their unconventional meditation locations, they gained publicity from multiple prominent news sites, such as the New York Times and Lion’s Roar, and through collecting donations, opened a retreat center in the Rockaway Summer House in Queens, before finally finding a home at The Empty Cloud, a historic property formerly a Catholic monastery.
Throughout the year, the Empty Cloud invites monastics from all over the world to speak on different Buddhist traditions, including prominent figures such as Chang Zhai, Ven. Robina Courtin, and Ven Pannavati, who specialize in Mahāyāna, Vajrayana, and Theravāda Buddhism respectively. The practitioners of the Empty Cloud don’t just invite monastics to their home, but also travel to locations like Italy, Mexico, and Colombia to exchange with other monastics of all different faiths. As a non-profit, the Empty Cloud runs entirely on danā, or the generosity of the lay people, whether it be donations of money, food, or volunteer work. All activities at the Empty Cloud are free of charge, and the monastery only asks that those who participate consider what ways they can best help the community.
Bhante Suddhāso and Ayyā Somā co-founded Buddhist Insights in 2016 with the intention of practicing Buddhism with laypeople all throughout the urban areas of New York City. When Buddhist Insights began, Ayyā Somā was a practicing renunciant, having left her former profession as a fashion and lifestyle editor. She studied at the Santacittārāma Monastery in Italy, specializing in the tradition of Ajahn Chah, received monastic ordination in 2018, and became a full bhikkhuni in 2020. In addition to learning under BI co-founder Bhante Suddhāso, Ayyā Somā’s teachers include prominent monastics such as Bhikkhu Bodhi, Ven. Robina Courtin, Bhante Gunaratana, Ajahn Brahm, Thich Phap Hai, Ven. Pannavati, and Khenmo Drolma.
Bhante Suddhāso’s journey to ordination included studying under a number of respected monastics of Western Buddhism, such as Ajahn Amaro, Ajahn Vīradhammo, and Ajahn Pasanno. First studying at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, Bhante Suddhāso developed a core connection to Soto Zen Buddhism, before later discovering an affinity for the Thai Theravāda Forest Tradition. He achieved ordination as a Bhikkhu at Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery, and now uses his diverse education in Buddhism to follow both Theravāda and Mahāyāna beliefs, in addition to focusing on Zen/Chan traditions and the teachings of the Pāli Suttas. With an education spanning multiple Buddhist traditions, Bhante Suddhāso believes in the value of understanding the wisdom of all forms of Buddhism, as they all share beliefs at the heart of the Buddha’s teachings, such as the Four Noble Truths, and the Eight Precepts. In his article, “Many Teachings, One Essence”, he explains, “once again, I found the same core essence could be found in each Buddhist tradition: the core essence of practice culminating in liberation through non-attachment. So while each form of Buddhism appears different, they are each aspects of that same essence leading to the same goal: Nirvana – freedom from suffering paired with complete understanding.”
I found the same core essence could be found in each Buddhist tradition: the core essence of practice culminating in liberation through non-attachment.
-Bhante Suddhāso, “Many Teachings, One Essence.“
Reflecting Bhante Suddhāso’s One Essence philosophy, The Empty Cloud Monastery practices a non-sectarian Buddhism, providing an environment for monks and nuns of all backgrounds to share their wisdom. The prominent figures that have recently visited the Empty Cloud include Bhante Kumara Kassapa from the Labunoruwakanda Forest Hermitage in Sri Lanka, Ayyā Punyasiri and Ayyā Khemavamsi from the Nirodharam Monastery in Thailand, and Ven. Vimala, a Dutch monastic currently residing at the Tilorien Monastery in Belgium. In addition to hosting international monks and nuns, the prominent monastics of the Empty Cloud travel all over to interact with local Buddhist communities, from the Cambodian temple in Queens to the embassy of Thailand in Colombia. While abroad, the monastics share their teachings, commune with lay people, meet with government officials, and meditate with fellow practitioners of faith, whether they be Franciscan friars or fellow Bhikkhus and Bhikkhunis. Aligning with their acceptance of many teachings, the Empty Cloud Monastery values the principles of all religions, often venturing to other houses of worship to meditate and relate to members of other faith-practices, sometimes celebrating non-Buddhist holidays along with their own, as a form of honoring other traditions.
When visiting the Empty Cloud Monastery, a lay person can expect a wide variety of opportunities to engage in Buddhist practices. The monastery offers meditation sessions, lunches, volunteer mornings, day visits, weekly retreats, and monthly residencies. Everyone is welcome, and all services are completely free, in honor of the danā tradition. If you can’t make it to the Empty Cloud in person, they offer an entire catalogue of their teachings online without charge, with a wide range of content to engage with. On their website, you can find Sutra translations, chanting sheets in English and Pali, articles and reflections written by the monastics, and links to their live-stream, YouTube, Instagram, podcasts, and personal websites. They stream their services twice a day, three times a week, and have dozens of recordings documented on YouTube. On Bhante Suddhāso’s personal website, you can find over a hundred pieces of his work for free, including translated and annotated Suttas.
At the Empty Cloud monastery, monastics and those visiting for retreats are expected to conduct themselves according to the Eight Precepts, refraining from taking life, sexual engagement, sleeping on luxurious bedding, adorning themselves in any way to beautiful the body, engaging in false or harmful speech, stealing, or eating at inappropriate times. While staying overnight, retreaters share a common sleeping area, avoid using their phones or the internet, and are expecting to conduct themselves in a respectful manner towards the monastics and meditation hall. Visitors are offered vegetarian meals at breakfast and lunch, with foods such as rice, vegetables, soy milk, and fresh fruit provided through donations. In the evening, retreaters are able to eat the Theravāda “allowables”, like juice, dark chocolate, cheese, and honey. Everyone is expected to participate in cleaning up, both after themselves and with others, as well as engage in a daily work period, which may consist of cleaning, helping prepare meals, or gardening.
A day at the Empty Cloud might follow a schedule resembling something like this:
4:30 am – Wake Up
5:00 am – Chanting & Meditation
6:00 am – Morning Chores
6:15 am – Breakfast
7:00 am – Dharma Talk
8:00 am – Meditation or Sutta Study
10:00 am – Work Period
11:00 am – Lunch
12:00 pm – Break/Personal Practice
2:00 pm – Dharma Talk
3:00 pm – Meditation
5:00 pm – Tea Break
6:00 pm – Dhamma Talk
8:00 pm – Meditation
9:00 pm – Bedtime
The monastics which reside at the Empty Cloud, aside from Bhante Suddhāso and Ayyā Somā, include the Cloud and Water Bhikkhus Ayya Sumitta and Ayya Brahmavara, Bhikkhu in training Ayya Mettiko, novice in training Ayya Vaddha, the “superwoman” Wanida Kim, and their resident monasticat, Teddy!
An all-inclusive, welcoming place of worship, the Empty Cloud Monastery opens its arms to any seeking refuge and restoration. Promoting all forms and traditions of Buddhism, the Empty Cloud invites lay people to engage with mindfulness and the Buddha’s teachings, providing anyone access to their services, whether in-person or online. Open-minded and accepting, the Empty Cloud Monastery finds connection with religious organizations around the world, uniting people of all practices and backgrounds in a community rooted in love and faith.
Sites and Sources
Buddhist Insights @ Empty Cloud – YouTube