We are a group of New Englanders who want to establish a permanent center in this area for the practice of meditation and the exploration of Buddhist philosophy and teachings. Our group is lead by several Sri Lankan Theravada Buddhist monks with considerable experience in the practice and teaching of Buddhism and meditation methods in Sri Lanka, South Korea and the US. These monks have developed a keen awareness of the problems faced by all who live and function in our modern society. Although we are Buddhists, we welcome to join us anyone who seeks solutions to life's many problems, regardless of their personal beliefs, in a peaceful and understanding environment. Our center will emphasize loving kindness, compassion and caring. Further, we recently registered as an official non-profit organization.
The main purpose of this center is to provide a place of learning, exploration and quiet contemplation for all those who seek a retreat from the stress and the hustle-and-bustle of modern society. In this center, we will conduct different types of meditation classes, discussion sessions of Buddhist philosophy and thought, sessions of counseling and guidance based on Dhamma teachings, and special instructional classes geared towards young children and teenagers. All these classes and sessions will be held in an environment of deep caring and understanding.
The goal of this center is to provide these services at no charge to anyone who seeks it regardless of their background, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, profession or political affiliation. These services will be provided by a group of Theravada Buddhist monks led by Venerable Dhammajothi Thero who was formerly a resident monk at the New York Buddhist Vihara in Queens (NYC), New York.
We are still in the early stages of our efforts to establish this center in New England. We hope to locate it permanently in a suburb of Boston which is easily accessible via different modes of transportation. In the meantime, to provide service to all who need it now, we have set up a temporary home for the center at 44 River Road, Weston, MA 02493. This temporary location is available to us only until the end of the summer 2006.
