The ASA conference has become a landmark event each year for Buddhist monastics in Australia. The ASA was set up to support dialogue and understanding among monastics of different traditions, and the conference provides a forum for this. This year’s conference features a one day work shop offered by the Chaplaincy Sub-committee of the Australian Sangha Association. The focus of the conference is on how, as Sangha, we can use the Buddha’s teachings to offer better care, both for each other, and for the whole world. This has been a focus of discussions for the past year, since it has been identified in previous meetings that many Sangha in Australia face challenging conditions, living alone or in small groups, often with little or no support.

The conference will have a mixture of lectures and conversations in small and large groups. We want to learn how to listen better to each other, to understand such questions as: What is our situation as a monastic in Australia? What is going well? Where are the challenges? What help do I need from ASA and other monastics? What help can I offer? This workshop has been designed to give monastic participants the opportunity to make clear what their pastoral and other needs are. With this information, the Chaplaincy Subcommittee can articulate the real needs of Australian Buddhist nuns and monks and find ways for ASA to take action.

When we care for one another we are caring for the world.

Venue

Wednesday 23 May – Thursday 24 May 2012

Program

May 23

7.00: Breakfast
8.00: Registration
8.30: Introduction
Keynote: Phuoc Tan, his experience with three elders: Thich Phuoc Hue, Geshe Loden, Laurence Khantipalo.
9.00: Looking after Sangha in the Vinaya – Sujato
9.30: Tea break
10.00: 1st session
Background and introduction to chaplaincy subcommittee.
11.00: Lunch
1.00: 2nd session
Listening deeply to one another.
3.00: Tea break
3.30: 3rd session
Caring for one another.
5.30: Finish
6.30: Dinner

May 24

7.00: Breakfast
8.00: AGM
11.00: Lunch
Afternoon:
Local Sangha: to discuss setting up a Victorian Sangha Association.
Visiting Sangha: A relaxing afternoon together.

Conference contacts

Ven. Phuoc Tan 0411 264194
Ven. Chi Kwang 0409 76 4488

Membership

All Buddhist monks and nuns living in Australia are eligible to apply for ASA membership. If you are a member, you can participate fully in the conference by voting for the new committee and other key decisions. Make your membership application online now to ensure your membership is approved in time for the conference.

Donations

Our funding comes entirely from your generosity. All funds will be used for the ASA conference and ongoing expenses. Please make out cheques to ‘Australian Sangha Association’ and post to Santi Forest Monastery.

ASA Contacts

Tel: 02 4883 6331
Email: asasecretary@gmail.com
Website: australiansangha.org

Registration

Register online using the form below.

It is important that you register for the conference now. Attendance at the conference is free, since the venue has been generously made available by the Quang Minh Temple, and all food is donated. However, please do not think that because it is free it does not matter whether you register. We need to inform our caterers and helpers.

We will try to assist with transport for those who have difficulties getting to and from the venue.

A press release from the NSW Council of Churches claimed that it had consulted the Buddhist community and that the Buddhists, together with the Jewish and Islamic communities, were ‘discussing a strategy to oppose this policy in the upcoming election campaign’. This claim is, so far as we know, untrue. The NSW Council of Churches has not been in discussion with the Buddhist Council of NSW, which, along with the ASA and FABC, actually support ethics classes in schools. The NSW Council of Churches has retracted its claim, as it appears it did not consult with the Jewish or Islamic communities either.

It should be noted that the NSW Council of Churches is an independent body, not affiliated with the National Council of Churches, with whom the ASA and FABC have a genuine relationship as participants in the Australian Partnership of Religious Organizations (APRO).

The ASA, FABC and state Buddhist Councils are in discussion with relevant bodies, including the St James Ethics Center, and we support ethics education for children. In addition, the Buddhist Councils in many states are working to support Buddhist volunteer teachers for SRE classes. With the rapid growth of Buddhism, and in particular because of our demographic situation where many of our Buddhist parents have English as a second language, there is a major shortage of volunteers teachers. If you’re interested, contact the Buddhist Council in your state.

Master Hsin Yun has been designing and building a stunning new complex in Taiwan, the Buddha Memorial Center, which will house a sacred tooth relic and be a ceremonial center for Buddhists. Part of the complex will feature a wall with names of thousands of monasteries from all around the world. This is intended as a display of unity and harmony among all Buddhist peoples. Monasteries in Australia are invited to submit their names to Fo Guang Shan for this unique opportunity to form part of a snapshot of the international Buddhist community at this time.

He is one of the founders of Loving Kindness Peaceful Youth, an Australian Buddhist organization with an international interfaith focus, which aims to bring the ideals of mettā, or loving kindness, to help the suffering in the world.

FPMT International Sangha Day is celebrated on the auspicious day of Lord Buddha’s first Turning of the Wheel of Dharma. The karmic effects of actions performed on this day are multiplied one hundred million times. Please join us on this special day when we offer lunch to the sangha. Bring lunch to share with others. Then in the evening join us for a Guru Puja. Offerings of food and flowers are welcome. Open to all.

Location

Contact

VI Office 02 9798 9644

Website: vajrayana.com.au

Venue:

Date:

Saturday 17/7/2010

About the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam

The UBCV was initially formed in 1951 as a Vietnamese Buddhist Federation incorporating all regional, provincial Sangha and Dhamma organisations. The name was changed to UBCV in 1964 after the fall of the Catholic President Ngo Dinh Diem. The first few overseas branches were set up in late 1960s. Since 1975, over 500 branch Temples & affiliated groups have been created in 30+ countries & 5 continents, by around 1000 ‘boat-person-Sangha’ who fled countless political control and/or religious persecutions by Hanoi regime.

There are about 40 member monasterries in Australia/NZ. The current organizational head of the UBCV in Australia/NZ are:

Chair: Most Venerable THICH NHU HUE (Adelaide)

Deputy Chairs: Senior Venerables THICH BAO LAC (Sydney), THICH TINH MINH (Melbourne), THICH QUANG BA (Canberra) & THICH TRUONG SANH (Auckland)

Secretary-General: Senior Ven. THICH NHAT TAN (Brisbane) about 40 member Temples/Monasteries all over Australia-NZ.

For more information about Sangharaja THICH HUYEN QUANG & UBCV:

http://pen.org.au/about/honorary-members/bio/thich-huyen-quang/

http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1P2-16850916.html

http://www.phatgiaoucchau.com/

http://www.queme.net/eng/news_detail.php?numb=1040

http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=12696&size=A

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article4281357.ece

http://www.nytimes.com/2001/06/05/world/plea-for-vietnam-detainees.html?scp=2&sq=thich+huyen+quang&st=nyt

Invitation to memorial ceremony

On behalf of the National Sangha Council of the Unified Vietnamese Buddhist Congregation of Australia-NZ, Sakyamuni Buddhist center hereby extends a cordial invitation to

• Respected Founders & Incumbent Abbot and other ordained Sangha BROTHERS & SISTERS,
• Spiritual Director, Teacher-Roshi-Master-Bhante of Buddhist centres
• Management/Executive Committee members, and all other Buddhist Members, Students, Practitioners,

Please RSVP before 9 July 2010, or ASAP.

Email: thichquangba@gmail.com/ SMS: 0412-224-553;

or mail to:

Sangha & Guests (invited):

• Ordained Sangha and non-ordained Teachers from all Temples, Groups of various Buddhist lineages and traditions, in Australia,
• Vietnam Sangha of various Congregations, Australia & abroad
• Diplomats, Academics, Human Rights activists in Canberra,
• Selected State/Territory/Federal Politicians & senior Officials
• Cultural/Interfaith/Charity/Community Leaders-Members, ACT

Proposed Proceedings:

Fri. 16 Jul:

5pm-9pm: Viet Sangha arrival, check-in, dinner, meeting, ritual chantings;

Sat. 17 Jul:

9.30am: Sangha, Guests arrivals, rego.

9.45am: Dhamma Talks (2 Dhamma Halls, in English & Viet)

10am: Lunch dana (Elders’ Tradition’s Sangha & others)

10.30am: Official Ceremony commences (details TBA)

12.30pm: Group Photo; then Lunch Dana (to all other Sangha, Guests & all Participants)

2.30pm: Gifts exchanges & Departure (Buses/ Airport)

3.30pm: End.

Travelling

Invited Aussie Sangha will be reimbursed full amount of paid fares, or better still, allow us to book your planned Canberra trip (rego by 9/7 OR ASAP).

Sangha from Sydney region: Please (if so selected) get on our Charter Buses, be departed to Canberra from Cabramatta Railway Station, on: (a) 3pm Fri. 16/7, and on (b) 6.30am Sat. 17/7; & will be leaving Canberra before 3pm Sat. 17.7

Overnight stay in Canberra

16 and/or 17 July, if so preferred: Monastic-styled accommodation at Buu Quang Bikkhu Lodge and Dieu Khong Bikkhuni Lodge, at our Centre site. Please reply + request accommodation before 7 July.

Australia’s leading politicians signed the Charter, and a plaque with the Charter’s text was accepted by Senator Ursula Stevens and a welcome to country by Ngunnawal Elder Agnes Shea. Bhante Sujato lead the group in a meditation on compassion.

The emotion of the event was palpable, and was heightened by the fact that, as the meeting was progressing, we were losing a Prime Minister in extraordinary circumstances and gaining Australia’s first female Prime Minister. The atmosphere at parliament was electric, with hundreds of visitors pouring in. We could see first hand the pain and struggle of the politicians as they kept about their civic duty under tremendous stress.

The ASA hopes that the everyday reminder of the Charter for Compassion will bring a little more kindness and gratitude into those halls of power.

Bill Arnold, Bhante Sujato, Rabbi Dan Avital, Ngunnawal Elder Agnes Shea, and Australian Amassador for the Charter Danielle Lauren

This forum continues on from several earlier forums where the ASA and FABC have also participated.

The ASA together with the FABC continue to take an active interest in human rights issues in Australia. Certain areas are of particular interest to the Buddhist community, such as asylum seekers and detention policy, as well as issues of religious freedom. In addition, we seek to offer a moral voice on behalf of compassion for all people in Australia.

When

Tuesday 22 June, 2010

About the Conference

The ASA conference is a landmark event held each year for Buddhist Monastics of various traditions in Australia. The ASA was specifically set up to support dialogue and understanding among monastics of different traditions, and the conference provides a forum for this.

The 2010 conference was a great success, with over 40 attendees. Special thanks are due to the devotees of Sri Lankaramaya Buddhist Temple, who so graciously provided lunch for the Sangha; the staff of Mercy Place; Kim & Maeve Hollows and the Buddhist Council of Queensland for their tremendous support; the Queensland Sangha Association; to all speakers; and to Venerable Susila, the main on-the-ground organizer.

Panellists

Ven. Khenpo Ngawang Dhamchoe has been a monk for over 35 years and is highly respected in Australia and overseas for the clarity and inspiration of his teachings. His understanding of how to teach from within a Western context makes the concepts and meanings so much more accessible to Australian audiences. Kenpo is the founder and Spiritual Director of Drogmi Buddhist Institute in Sydney.

Ms Anna Halafoff is a researcher for the UNESCO Chair in Interreligious and Intercultural Relations – Asia Pacific, School of Political and Social Inquiry, Monash University. She is currently a PhD candidate at Monash University, researching Netpeace: Multifaith Movements and Cosmopolitan Governance.

Ven. Wattegama Dhammavasa from Sri Lankaramaya will be providing valuable information from the perspective of a Sri-Lankan Abbot in Queensland. Venarable Dhammawasa is the Chief Monk of Sri Subodharama Buddhist Monastery in Kandy (Sri Lanka) and Sri Lankarama monastery in Ellen Grove, Brisbane. His tireless efforts and service to the cultivation of the Sangha has resulted in the creation of centres throughout the world.

Ven. Thich Quang Ba is one of Australia’s most prominent Vietnamese monks. He entered monastic life in 1964 and obtained formal monastic education and training at various colleges and universities. He established the Van Hanh Monastery in Canberra (1984) and Nguyen Thieu Monastery in Sydney (2001). Since 2005, he has been appointed as a Member of the National Elders Council for the Australian Sangha Association.
Ven. Master Heng Chih from the Gold Coast Dharma Realm, has been an ordained Buddhist nun in the Mahayana tradition for 40 years. From 1970 to date, she serves as a team member of the Buddhist Text Translation Society in four capacities: translator (Chinese to English), bilingual reviewer, editor, and certifier of canonical Buddhist texts and their modern-language commentaries.

Ven. Ajahn Brahm is a founding member of the ASA, abbot of Bodhinyana Monastery, and one of the most popular international Dhamma speakers. He will share his experiences of how to raise awareness and funding for Buddhist projects within Australia.

Program

7.00 Breakfast
7.30 Registration
8.00 Opening Ceremony
8.20 Panel Discussion One: Traditional and New Buddhists Working Together
9.40 Morning Tea
10.00 Panel Discussion Two: Fund-Raising for Buddhist Organisations in Australia
11.15 Lunch
1.00 Workshop Discussion
2.00 Afternoon tea
2.30 Annual General Meeting (AGM)
3.30 Closing dedications