Piya Dassi, a Buddhist nun from Klaipėda, Lithuania, has lived a life of devotion and spirituality for over a decade. Her journey began in Myanmar, where she studied and eventually founded a Buddhist centre. Piya Dassi’s path to becoming a Buddhist nun was not an easy one. She faced opposition from her family, particularly her mother, who did not support her decision to take the monastic vows.
“When I called my mum to tell her I was becoming a nun the next day, she just said, ‘There she goes again with her ideas,’”
Dassi recalls. At the time, Dassi was struggling with inner suffering and was seeking a way to cope. She discovered meditation through a 10-day silent meditation retreat in London, which changed her life forever. “Life became much clearer, and I fully immersed myself in the practice when I was 26,” she says. Dassi’s decision to become a nun was not just about personal growth but also about giving back to the community. She founded a Buddhist centre in Klaipėda, where people from nearby towns come to escape the stresses of everyday life.
| Some of the key features of a Buddhist nun’s day |
| Chanting and meditation in the morning |
| Breakfast and various tasks |
| Meditation in the evening |
Dassi believes that meditation is a way to turn inward and find the truth. “Buddha taught that the root of all our suffering and misfortune lies within us,” she explains. “Most people tend to blame the outside world. But to see the truth, you have to look inward,” she adds.
- Monastic rules prohibit accepting money directly, but essential items can be donated.
- Donations are not accepted to avoid creating dependency between regular people and monks.
Dassi notes that meditation is gaining popularity in Lithuania. “People want to step away from their daily lives and give some time to themselves. For some, it might be a way to get away from their kids, wives or husbands. For others, it’s a space to learn how to live,” she says.
The Importance of Kindness and Generosity
Piya Dassi values kindness and generosity highly. She believes that these qualities are essential for a harmonious society. “These are qualities Westerners could really learn from,” she says.
| Some key characteristics of Western societies |
| Individualism |
| Large families and strong traditions |
| Difficulty sharing living spaces and paying close attention |
Dassi also values the importance of gratitude in Buddhism. “Gratitude is a key component of Buddhism,” she explains. “It’s a way to cultivate a sense of contentment and inner peace,” she adds.
A Path to Truth
Dassi’s experience with meditation has taught her the importance of looking inward to find the truth. “When we start practising, we come face to face with what we’ve been running from – we’re forced to look at the truth,” she says. “It’s not something to try just out of curiosity – what comes up can be quite unpleasant. When we start practising, we come face to face with what we’ve been running from – we’re forced to look at the truth. To experience the light, you first have to look at yourself and see all the dirt,” Dassi explains.
A Day in the Life of a Buddhist Nun
A day in the life of a Buddhist nun is quite routine. Dassi wakes up around 4:00 in the morning and begins with chanting and meditation. “Then we have breakfast, do various tasks and organise things. If there’s time and we feel like it, we meditate. In the evening, there’s another formal practice and meditation,” she explains.
The Benefits of Meditation
Piya Dassi believes that meditation has many benefits. “Meditation is a way to turn inward and find the truth. It’s a way to cultivate inner peace and contentment,” she explains. “Meditation brings up the very things people tend to avoid. It’s not something to try just out of curiosity – what comes up can be quite unpleasant. But if someone is suffering, they have no choice. It’s usually people in pain who come. Often, it’s women who say they’ve tried everything else and nothing helped. They need someone to tell them: you have to sit with it,” Dassi says. Piya Dassi’s story is one of devotion and spirituality. She has dedicated her life to helping others find inner peace and understanding. Her example serves as a reminder of the importance of meditation and the benefits it can bring. “When we start practising, we come face to face with what we’ve been running from – we’re forced to look at the truth.
