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{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2020}}
'''Saccidananda Ashram''' (also called '''Shantivanam''') is a [[Benedictine monk|Benedictine]] [[monastery]] in [[Tannirpalli]], [[India]] founded in 1938.

== Description ==
Located in the village of Tannirpalli in the [[Tiruchirapalli District]] of [[Tamil Nadu]], on the bank of the [[River Kavery]] ({{coord|10.927413| 78.440890|format=dms}}), it was founded in 1938 by French priest [[Jules Monchanin]], who was later to adopt the name Parma Arupi Anananda, and French Benedictine monk [[Abhishiktananda|Henri le Saux]], who was later to adopt the name Abhishiktananda.{{sfn|Teasdale|2001|p=33}}{{sfn|Kim|2008|p=31}}{{sfn|Collins|2007|p=83–84}}{{sfn|Coward|Goa|2004|p=87}} Together, the two wrote a book about their ashram, entitled ''An Indian Benedictine Ashram'' {{harv|Monchanin|le Saux|1951}} which was later re-published under the title ''A Benedictine Ashram''.{{sfn|Robinson|2004|p=30}}

The goal of le Saux and Monchanin was to integrate Benedictine monasticism with the model of an [[ashram]].{{sfn|Taft|1986|p=244}} They took [[sannyasa]] and wore [[Kavi robe|kavi]]s.{{sfn|Teasdale|2001|p=34}} [[Trappists|Trappist]] monk [[Francis Acharya|Francis Mahieu]] joined them in 1953, and was later to go on to found [[Kurisumala Ashram]] with [[Bede Griffiths]] in 1958.{{sfn|Taft|1986|p=244}} Griffiths himself stayed at Saccidananda Ashram in 1957 and 1958, and was later to return to the monastery in 1968 as its leader.{{sfn|Trapnell|2001|p=51,xvi}} Monchanin had died in 1957, and le Saux preferred more and more to stay in his [[Hermitage (religious retreat)|hermitage]] in the [[Himalayas]] rather than at Saccidananda Ashram.{{sfn|Trapnell|2001|p=114}}

The name "[[Satcitananda|Saccidananda]]" is the name for the Christian [[Holy Trinity]] (the nickname "Shantivanam" meaning "forest of peace").{{sfn|Kim|2008|p=31}}{{sfn|Teasdale|2001|p=33}} Literally translated as "Being — Consciousness/Knowledge — Bliss" ("Sat — Cit — Ananda") the name was coined by [[Keshub Chandra Sen]] in 1882 as the name for the Trinity.{{sfn|Collins|2007|p=83–84}} Monchanin's adopted name (Parma Arupi Anananda) similarly meant "man of the supreme joy of the Spirit" or "supreme formless joy" and le Saux's adopted name (Abhishiktananda) meant "bliss of Christ" or "he whose joy is the blessing of the Lord".{{sfn|Collins|2007|p=83–84}}{{sfn|Cornille|1992|p=78}}

The name of the monastery was a reflection of Monchanin's attempt to blend Christian and Hindu mysticism together; but it was also a reflection of Monchanin's firm commitment to Christianity. Monchanin, who was more of an intellectual than le Saux, did not desire to identify the [[Advaita]] concept of [[the Absolute]] with the Holy Trinity, stating that "Christian mysticism is Trinitarian or it is nothing", but he did believe that with a lot of work it was possible to reconcile the two mystical traditions, and this was the principle upon which Saccidananda Ashram was founded.{{sfn|Kim|2008|p=31}} This integration of the [[Vedanta]] with Christianity is a point upon which the two founders of Saccidananda Ashram differed. Le Saux was more radical in his thinking than Monchanin. Whilst Monchanin held to the idea of Christianizing other religions, le Saux (who often referred to Monchanin as his "Christian Guru", although there was no clear master-disciple relationship between the twain) believed that non-Christian religions could transform Christianity itself.{{sfn|Cornille|1992|p=79}}

== References ==

=== Citations ===
{{reflist|colwidth=20em}}

===References===
{{refbegin|40em}}
* {{cite book|
title=Christian inculturation in India|
series=Liturgy, worship, and society|
first=Paul M.|last=Collins|
publisher=Ashgate Publishing, Ltd|
year=2007|
isbn=978-0-7546-6076-7}}
* {{cite book|
title=The Guru in Indian Catholicism: Ambiguity Or Opportunity of Inculturation|
volume=6|
series=Louvain Theological and Pastoral Monographs|
first=Catherine|last=Cornille|author-link=Catherine Cornille|
publisher=Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing|
year=1992|
isbn=978-0-8028-0566-9}}
* {{cite book|
title=Mantra: hearing the divine in India and America|
first1=Harold G. |last1=Coward| authorlink1=Harold Coward|
first2=David J. |last2=Goa|
edition=2nd|
publisher=Columbia University Press|
year=2004|
isbn=978-0-231-12961-9}}
* {{cite book|
title=Christian theology in Asia|
first=Sebastian C. H.|last=Kim|
publisher=Cambridge University Press|
year=2008|
isbn=978-0-521-68183-4}}
* {{cite book|
title=Christians meeting Hindus: an analysis and theological critique of the Hindu-Christian encounter in India|
series=Regnum studies in mission|
first=Bob|last=Robinson|
publisher=OCMS|
year=2004|
isbn=978-1-870345-39-2}}
* {{cite book|
title=The liturgy of the hours in East and West: the origins of the divine office and its meaning for today|
first=Robert F.|last=Taft|
edition=2nd|
publisher=Liturgical Press|
year=1986|
isbn=978-0-8146-1405-1}}
* {{cite book|
title=The Mystic Heart: Discovering a Universal Spirituality in the World's Religions|
first=Wayne|
last=Teasdale|
authorlink=Wayne Teasdale|
edition=5th|
publisher=New World Library|
year=2001|
isbn=978-1-57731-140-9|
url-access=registration|
url=https://archive.org/details/mysticheart00wayn}}
* {{cite book|
title=Bede Griffiths: a life in dialogue|
series=SUNY series in religious studies|
first=Judson B.|last=Trapnell|
publisher=SUNY Press|
year=2001|
isbn=978-0-7914-4871-7}}
{{refend}}

== Further reading ==
* {{cite book|
title=An Indian Benedictine Ashram|
first1=Jules|last1=Monchanin|authorlink1=Jules Monchanin|
first2=Henri|last2=le Saux|authorlink2=Abhishiktananda|
publisher=Saccidananda Ashram|
location=Tiruchirapalli|
year=1951}}
* {{cite thesis|
title=Indian Christian sannyāsa and Swami Abhishiktananda|
first=Emmanuel|last=Vattakuzhy|
degree=doctoral|
publisher=Theological Publications in India|
year=1981}}
* {{cite journal|
title=Saccidananda Ashram — Narsinghpur: a New Paradigm for Inter-Religious Dialogue|
first=Sebastian|last=Elavathingal|
journal=TM|
volume=3|
year=2000|
page=67}}
* {{cite web
|url = http://www.scucc.com/sabbatical/days53-55.cfm
|title = June 25–27, Days 53–55: Shantivanam Ashram
|work = Eric's Sabbatical Journal
|first = Eric
|last = Elnes
|publisher = Scottsdale Congregational United Church of Christ
|year = 2004
|url-status = dead
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110716022815/http://www.scucc.com/sabbatical/days53-55.cfm
|archive-date = 2011-07-16
}}

==External links==

* [https://www.shantivanamashram.com Shantivanam Ashram]
* [https://oblatesofshantivanam.yolasite.com Oblates of Shantivanam]
* [http://www.bedegriffiths.com/shantivanam/ Shantivanam at Bede Griffiths Trust]

[[Category:Catholic Church in India]]
[[Category:Christianity in Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Benedictine monasteries]]
[[Category:Religious organizations established in 1938]]
[[Category:Tiruchirappalli district]]

Saccidananda Ashram - Revision history

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