Dhammakaya Buddhist Temple of Melbourne
| Dhammakaya Buddhist Temple of Melbourne | |
|---|---|
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Dhammakaya Buddhist Temple of Melbourne | |
| Information | |
| Tradition/Linage | Thai |
| Main School | Theravada |
| Contact Infotmation | |
| Address | 18 Centenary Drive Mill Park Victoria 3082 Australia |
| Country | Australia |
| Coordinates | service=google }} {{#geocode:18Centenary DriveMill ParkVictoriaAustralia|format=float|service=google}} service=google }}The "_geo" type of this property is invalid |
| Map | {{#display_map:{{#geocode:18Centenary DriveMill ParkVictoriaAustralia}}|height=250px|width=250px|zoom=18}} |
| Phone | Phone::(03) 9437 6255 |
| Mobile | Mobile::040 300 235 95 |
| Website | Website::http://www.dhammakaya.org.au/ "Website" has not been listed as valid URI scheme. |
| Email::ronrawee@yahoo.com.auURIs of the form "Email::ronrawee@yahoo.com.au" are not allowed. | |
Dhammakaya Buddhist Temple of Melbourne
Dhammakaya International Society of Australia Inc. (DISA) is a non-profit charitable organization. DISA was kindly given permission to set up a Meditation Centre by Phra Rajbhavanavisuddhi (the Abbot of Wat Phra Dhammakaya Thailand) to promote Buddhism, the Dhammakaya knowledge and to teach meditation for World Peace through Inner Peace.
DISA organized regular Sunday Meditation under the patronage and encouragement of the Abbot whose guidance is based on the Lord Buddha's teaching. In 1992 meditation guidance took place via sound relay from Wat Phra Dhammakaya to correspond with "Dhammakaya time". The number of members increased continually and the group was registered as DISA in 1997
In June 1998, a team of 3 monks, upasaka(or laymen) and upasika(or laywomen) led by Venerable Phra Palad Sudham Sudhammo, Assistant to the Abbot of Wat Phra Dhammakaya arrived in Australia and began their work from an office at Burwood NSW.
In 2002 DISA has moved the head office to Strathfield NSW and bought a property in Berrilee NSW and set up as a Meditation Retreat.
Mission
To promote and propagate the practice of meditation which brings inner peace, a gateway to world peace
Objective
- To promote world peace through the practice of meditation.
- To promote in Australia society a culture of virtue and morality irrespective of gender, race, language or religion, and to enhance the Australian environment.
- To foster a better harmony and accord between the various religions and beliefs and particularly between. Buddhists and followers of other religions and philosophies.
- To provide facilities and opportunities for Buddhist Meditation and Worship and to conduct religious services.
- To organise and participate in social, cultural, and educational activities including but not limited to organising classes and seminars for religious study throughout Australia.
- To conserve the environment and to join in tree planting and other activities with other environmental groups.
- To promote the recognition and support of the society's objects by the Federal and State Governments, local government and other statutory authorities.
- In particular, but without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing the objects and purposes of the Society include:
- To provide facilities in Australia so that all Australians have the opportunity to learn meditation and to study the culture for world peace;
- To promote the recognition and praise of those of exceptional virtue in society;
- To provide assistance towards the cost of production of media and printed materials for distribution throughout Australia of a culture for world peace;
- To maintain the good reputation of the Dhammakaya International Society and the Dhammakaya knowledge in Australia;
- To enhance the environment;
- To do all such things as are conductive or incidental to the attaining of the said objects or any of them. For the above objectives incorporate branches in the various cities of Australia.
Activities in Sydney
During the month of May, there is one significant day for all Buddhists called Vesak or the Buddha’s Day. Thousands of people will join together to commemorate the Birth, Enlightenment and Passing away of the Buddha.
The Australian Observance of the United Nations Day of Vesak is for all Buddhist traditions to join hand and celebrating Vesak together as an official celebration at the national level. It is the time that Buddhists come together, meet and get to know and understand each other better. Buddhists from different traditions may have their own way of celebrating the occasion and on this particular day they will have a chance to express their way to the audiences from other traditions as well. It is becoming an inspiring annual event that Buddhist monks from all traditions come together on stage for chanting. This picture shows the unity of the Sangha that will work together towards peace in Australia.
It is also a good time for general public, Buddhist or non-Buddhist to participate in this joyful cerebration and gain better understand of Buddhism from various traditions.
Meditation Retreat
The Mediation Centre is located in the tranquil hilltop bushland of Berowra Waters. The centre was opened in April 2003, and is dedicated to the memory of the founder of the Dhammakaya temple in Thailand, Maha Ratana Ubasika Chan Khonnokyung.
We use this peaceful location to help people who attend the retreats to create their own sense of peace within themselves, ultimately creating peace in the world.
We believe that world peace starts from inner peace within every single person. Inner peace comes through meditation practice, to keep your mind calm and still inside your body. When you are peaceful from within, the peacefulness will spread out from you to people around you and from them to people around them. It is like ripples upon ripples, from one person, you, to your family, the community, the country and the world.
Our meditation retreats are suitable for all levels, from the absolute beginner, to the practitioner who has been meditating for many years.
Retreats are open to people of all ages, races, religions and nationalities to develop the power of their minds, and to find peace within themselves. Meditation sessions and dhamma talks are taken by Buddhist monks. However the meditations and talks are simply tools for guidance on how to live a good life, and are relevant to any religion.
Meditation
Meditation will lead you to access the natural core of strength that lies at the centre of your being. It permits a connection to your inner source, allowing the release of the things and roles you are caught in; work, parenting, concerns, and any other duties and responsibilities. Happiness, health and success are all locked within, anxiously awaiting release. Trying to find happiness outside ourselves, only leads to expectations and frustration. The more attention given to objects and relationships as the source of happiness, the more we are frustrated, lose control and experience anger and injury to our mind. Your emotions affect your health, and stress exacts a terrible toll on your body. Meditation results in improvements in your overall well being. It will help each individual find peace and wisdom from within. The practice of meditation and mindfulness will support the individual in taking those qualities into the world. Learn to meditate now and take control of your life by reducing stress, anger and frustration.
The Ideal Meditation Method
Many people turn to meditation because of dissatisfaction with life due to unhappiness, lack of success or bad health. This motivation to ease tensions or cope with anxieties is only the first step and many meditation methods will provide relief on this worldly level. The beauty of the Dhammakaya method is that it leads directly upwards from this plane to more and more refined and purer levels of awareness. This method does not require blind faith. You do not even have to be a follower of Buddhism to benefit from it. It is a method for training the mind to become concentrated and keenly aware, and to focus inward at
the centre of the body. With practice, people who use this method will encounter new experiences for themselves and will develop a greater confidence. The effectiveness of the Dhammakaya approach derives from focusing attention to the centre of the body and combining three meditation techniques simultaneously. Meditators often debate the efficacy of concentration versus light. The Dhammakaya method employs elements of both. Higher and higher levels of concentration enable insight to progress from more Right Understanding to super mundane Right Wisdom. The main advantages of the Dhammakaya method are as follows.It will help to reduce agitation of the mind as it will help to anchor the mind in tranquility and calmness. It will reduce defilements and craving which dull, darken and sadden the mind. It will help one develop mindfulness, clear comprehension, and wisdom.
A concentrated and calm mind enables a person to analyze and solve problems correctly and in a precise manner. Meditation also improves one’s physical and mental health. Those who come into contact with a healthy person need not suffer from the poor mentality of that person. On the other hand, there will be peace in society due to an increase in the number of people having their verbal and bodily actions in accordance with the Dhamma.Meditation with morality as a basis, will yield the highest benefits to those who practice it. When the store of merits through the Dhamma practice supersedes the demerits, the benefits from those merits will be realised first. Therefore, those who always practice meditation and possess good ethical conduct will experience joy and happiness in their worldly and spiritual lives.
Power of Meditation
Meditation is a technique of mind training which allows us to better focus it. Everyone is familiar with meditation, even if not by name, because it is something which we already do in everyday life. It allows us to concentrate on the task at hand. However the depth of such meditation is superficial as the events around us soon rob us of our attention and we lose concentration. The mind that wanders outside is the source of all types of suffering. By deepening our meditation until our mind comes to a standstill, we can unlock the potential and the unused ability within. During meditation we maintain a balance of mindfulness and happiness for ourselves which bring contentment and a direction to our life that is not possible through any other technique. It is not difficult to learn to meditate because it builds on skills and abilities we already have. By developing our meditation formally, we can free our mind of unwanted thoughts, allowing it to come to a standstill, at which point the depth of concentration is increased.
The only difficulty with meditation is that we have to do it by our own efforts as no one else can do it for us. Furthermore, we will never become skilled by just talking or reading about it. To be successful we must make an effort to as expertise will only come about by practice. Thus we must rely on our own self discipline to integrate meditation into our daily routine. Progress in meditation is gradual as reversing the mental habits of a lifetime do not happen overnight. Consistent diligence is rewarded by success in the long term. In answer to the question “Why meditate?”. The obvious importance of meditation is that it serves as the most direct and practical means to solve health problems. Several illnesses such as stress, depression and insomnia can be improved by meditation which helps to re-balance the body and mind. It will also help to speed up the recovery from an illness. However it is only a minority who meditate due to a problem. It is never too early to start meditating as many children have discovered around the world. The majority of people meditate because they want to improve or enrich themselves, their personality or their lifestyle in the spiritual dimension. To this end meditation can enhance ones potential for study, sporting performance, self confidence and decision taking. Beyond this, are those who meditate with a deeper spiritual vocation to learn more about themselves and to explore the eternal questions of life and the world itself.
Meditation Sessions
Most meditation sessions are between 90 minutes and 2 hours long. However, you will not be meditating for the entire time, although you can if you wish. The session will consist of instruction, dhamma talks, and question and answer sessions about your meditation experiences each day.
We ask that you attend all meditation sessions, as this is the way to gain the most benefit from your experience. The 6am morning meditations, however, are informal sessions, which you may choose not to attend.
Between sessions you can walk the grounds, share your meditation experiences with other participants, or simply relax in your room. We have two meditation halls, and you may at any time use the halls for your own personal meditation if you so wish.
Buddhist Custom
Observing 8 Precepts
All Buddhists strive to observe 5 precepts for the benefit of themselves and mankind. These are:
- not to kill any living creature;
- not to steal;
- to abstain from sexual misconduct;
- not to lie;
- and not to consume intoxicants including drugs and cigarettes.
On special occasions, Buddhists observe 8 precepts. Changing the third one to abstain from sexual contact; The additional 3 precepts are: not to eat after midday; to abstain from frivolous entertainment and bodily decoration; not to sleep in high or luxurious beds.
During the retreat participants will be expected to observe 8 precepts unless for medical reasons they are unable to. After midday participants will be given refreshment such as juice and hot chocolate. They may also eat chocolate, as it is considered a solidified liquid, rather than a solid foodstuff.
The Monks
The meditation sessions and Dhamma talks will be led by the monks. All the monks come from Thailand, and speak English. Please feel free to approach them with any questions regarding meditation or Buddhism. It is not necessary to observe any formality with them. However one of their 227 precepts is not to touch women, so please be careful not to brush past them or touch them in conversation.
Bowing
A fundamental concept in Buddhism is the Triple Gem, comprised of the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha. The Buddha is the enlightened one who passed on his knowledge to us. The Dhamma is his teaching, and also means “truth”. The Sangha is the congregation of monks. Buddhists bow three times to the Buddha image and also to the monks to show respect for the Triple Gem.
On being shown how to bow, you may feel uncomfortable at first, and feel you are not doing it the “right” way. Remember that everybody was inexperienced at some time, and that the monks are accustomed to people unsure of their traditions. Please feel free to ask staff for advice.
Some students may not feel comfortable bowing down during the retreat. If you prefer, you may simply hold your hands in prayer position and bow your head to show respect to the monks at the beginning and end of each meditation session.
Offering Food to the Monks
A long-held Buddhist tradition is to offer food to the monks. This gains the offeror great merit. When the monks sit down at the table you are welcome to take a plate of food from the kitchen to offer to the monks. Please ask the staff to show you how to do this.
Removing Your Shoes
DISA is a Thai Buddhist organization. The Thai tradition is to remove your shoes before entering any room. Please observe this tradition, particularly in the meditation halls. Don’t worry if you forget, as everyone does. Simply remove them and place them outside.
