Tathagata Meditation Center

Tathagata Meditation Center (Như Lai Thiền Viện in Vietnamese) is a Theravada centre in San Jose, California, that teaches vipassana as set out in the Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta and systematised by Mahasi Sayadaw. Its roots go back to 1979, when Mahasi Sayadaw left Sayadaw U Sīlānanda in the San Francisco Bay Area at the request of its Burmese community. Vietnamese students of U Sīlānanda formed a group in 1987, meeting monthly in members' homes and holding retreats of a week to ten days, and in 1991 they bought the property at 1215 Lucretia Avenue and founded the centre, with U Sīlānanda as chief meditation teacher until his death in 2005. Neighbouring properties were added later. The centre holds residential retreats of a week or longer, free single-day retreats with guidance in sitting and walking practice, and Dhamma and Pali classes. Self-retreats of up to one month need advance approval from the abbot and management and are open only to experienced yogis who have done several 30-day retreats at the centre. As of 2026 residential retreats cost $30 a day, covering room, two meals and laundry. Retreat information is published in English and Vietnamese, and yogis hand in phones and other devices at check-in.

How to apply

Apply to each centre directly. Panditarama Lumbini asks you to read its guidelines and then contact it to agree your dates; IBMC Kathmandu wants a signed form at least a week ahead.

What is taught here

Mahasi Sayadaw's method of noting the rise and fall of the abdomen and whatever else arises, practised in silent retreats in Myanmar, Nepal and beyond. Read about Mahasi noting.