The Forest of Tranquility called Shanta Vana
Shanta Vana. An island of peace in the middle of the forests of the Maloskalsko Nature Park, a protected landscape area of the Bohemian Paradise. This part of the village of Malá Skála is called Sněhov due to the harsh winters. The centre can be reached via Bobov by car on the asphalt: a poorly maintained, unpaved forest road winding between trees and cottages leads directly to the place. Yes, if you like adventure, you will get to the place by car at your own peril over mud and potholes, but both the landscape and the purpose of the place are ideal for a longer walk, when you realise even as you are walking that the partial isolation of the place from the hustle and bustle of society in a remote place in the middle of the woods contributes to its purpose – to settle down and quiet the mind.
The centre consists of five buildings with surrounding land:
Building A, where Tomas Dhammadipa and Moni reside and buildings for guest accommodation (Building B, C, D and the barn E, a building for the participants’ common activities.)
The capacity of the centre is currently ( June 2025) 25 people.
Shanta Vana can be translated as “The Forest of Tranquility” or “The Quiet Forest”, and as the name suggests, the purpose of the centre is to create a space where both visitors and the people who consider this forest their habitat and home can devote themselves to settling and quieting their minds.
In keeping with the founder’s motto, “There is only one Buddhism,” we are open to all seekers, all spiritual orientations, and all Buddhist traditions.
We believe that the teachings of the Dharma benefit all beings.
The founder of the center is Venerable Thomas Dhammadipa, a teacher of meditation and Buddhist philosophy: dhammadipa.cz/biogaphy/
Bhante ( as people still call him) has already established a similar centre in Sakarwadi, India and is now creating a similar place in his home country:
“”My motivation for starting this center was to create a place to bring happiness and comfort to oneself and others. I have some experience with tranquility; I have been involved in tranquility for more than half of my life. and I’ve done it not just for myself, but for others. This place lends itself to soothing and it is important to take advantage of that and continue to deepen it. Since I have spent so many years in other civilizations and have known various friends, quality teachers, and have pursued various disciplines related to tranquility such as martial arts, Tai Chi, natural medicine, and arts inspired by spiritual life, such persons will hopefully also find a place for creativity and application here.
That which makes a place to live is us – beings . Beings give life to the environment and can customize it to feel good in it. We can find a place where we can realize our creative potential and our ability as social beings to be in a group of people with whom we feel comfortable and work together not on the basis of necessity, but on the basis of mutual understanding and friendship.
The important thing is that the place should be alive, that there should be a Sangha, a circle of friends, noble friends, who have the same motivation and are dedicated to the same cause, have a similar way of life and a similar idea of how to make life fulfilled. The Sangha can only work in a circle of friends where everybody understands each other because they have a similar way of life, motivation and want to pursue a cause that inspires them in a similar way. Thus harmony arises from this, and the basis of harmony is friendship.”
