The Spreading of Buddha Dhamma on this Continent of Australia
by
John D. Hughes Dip. App. Chem. T.T.T.C. GDAIE. Vice-President , World Fellowship of Buddhists, Council Advisor, World Buddhist University.
Founder, Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd.
(Research assistance by his wife, Anita)
I bow to the power of the Triple Gem, The Buddha, The Dhamma, The Sangha.
This paper should be read with the viewpoint that the author does not wish to disparage the motives or actions or intellect of other persons or their organisations.
The motivation to write some sort of history of Buddha Dhamma in this country comes from the request of a Vietnamese organisation to inform others of some earlier happenings. The restraint and censorship needed includes the modest goal to produce causes for the prolonged stability of the Vietnamese Buddha sasene in this country.
The dark view of human nature that maintains that only national self interest can bring about celebration of international friendship is discounted.
In 1995, the Supreme Patriarch of the Buddhists of Bangladesh, The Sangharaja of Bangladesh, His Magnanimous Holiness Most Venerable Shilalankar Mahathero, from Mirzapore Shanti Dham Bihar, Chittagong, Bangladesh, wrote to author and prayed for his attainment of Bodhisattva Parami in this life and wished him to be happy along with his friends far and near working hand in hand with him for the spreading of Buddha Dhamma on this continent.
Two hundred years from now it will be possible to write an accurate history of Buddha Dhamma attainment in Australia.
Under Buddha Rules, the names of those persons who have attained stream enterer or better, cannot be disclosed while they are still alive. There is a Temple in Burma (Myanmar) which records the names of such persons.
Bodhisattva vow holders not only visit Australia and show the Way to Australians, but several of these true Guides are taking rebirth in this land or, if born overseas, have been naturalised to hold Australian citizenship.
Today, a more complete understanding of what is Path and what is not Path is available, than was known to many early non-Asian Australian "Buddhists", and sympathisers of "Buddhism".
In retrospect, early Australian attempts of establishing Buddha Dhamma had small influence on the population at large.
In a few cases, it is now clear that some persons who were Buddha followers sought (perhaps innocently) to twist Buddha Dhamma into a framework to make a dialectic false mask. A few were fellow travelers with Communism during the cold war period.
On 20 May 1951, Marie Byles along with eight people commemorated Vesak in New South Wales, making this the first Vesak to be celebrated by a group of non-Asian Australian Buddhists. In terms of real outcome, very little propagation of the Buddha Dhamma came from this ritual.
On 9 September 1951, a group of ten people, including Leo Berkeley, gathered with David Maurice at Cheltenham in Melbourne. In November 1951, instructions on Burmese meditation were given to a small group interested in Buddha Dhamma.
Partial evidence that Buddha Dhamma has become mature and firmly grounded in Australia is the fact that three Regional Centres of the World Fellowship of Buddhists operate in a unique manner in Australia today. One of the Regional Centres of the World Fellowship of Buddhists is operated by the Vietnamese Community who have Temples in each state of Australia.
For the Buddha Jayanta Year 2500 B.E. the Foreign Minister of Australia opened a Buddhist Art exhibition at the Melbourne Museum.
The author attended this exhibition which was attended by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and about 30 other persons many of these were not followers of Buddha Dhamma. Buddha images were borrowed from the community.
In recent times, any notable Buddhist exhibition draws thousands of viewers.
As Acharn Tate has noted in his Autobiography, "if one wants to go to any particular place or region -
1 One should know their language;
2 One should know their customs and traditions; and
3 One should know about their livelihood."
This is all concerned with proper social discourse and communication with people. However, the lack of language alone makes the other two points almost problematic.
With the availability of superior English translators in many Temples, many noble persons come to teach in this country and meet the audience they can find determined by the karmic links made in former times.
Sad to say, full cognisance of Australian cultural legal requirements, to operate within the community, has not yet been realised by all levels of Buddha Dhamma practitioners in Australia.
When foreigners come to Australia they must obey Australian safety laws and health regulation guidelines. Ignorance is no defence at law.
More and more costly legal indemnity is required for public assemblies. Insurance costs are at an all time high.
The laws requiring health and safety disciplines are well funded and supported by the Government, which provides health inspectors to ensure that regulations are followed.
Health inspectors, who are paid by public taxes, have the authority to close down any premises that do not comply with the health regulations. Essential Services inspectors have the power to fine those who disregard safety regulations.
For example, if electric wiring is old and faulty, an inspector can force the owners to install new electric wiring and appropriate fuses. This is done by fines. On the spot fines of up to one thousand Australian dollars for each breach, individuals can be fined up to ten thousand Australian dollars and companies up to fifty thousand Australian dollars with possible criminal action charges.
The Government has scientific research establishments improving understanding of materials science. New insights into safer ways of buildings and protecting buildings are common.
Research extends to scientific research on ways and means to deal with forest fires.
Because of recent fires in Australia involving fatalities, older dwellings are now perceived as fire or health hazards.
In Australia, three Temples have been burnt down to date. It was fortunate the fires did not spread elsewhere.
Research suggests better provisions can be made for new buildings, ways of improving older dwellings and understanding how to house the public with safety.
The new ways give rise to new Australian standards. Recent improvements are found in AS 3959, AS 1530.2 or BS4106.
In general, the staff of Australian local councils are instructed not to push to get the Council to go to court, but rather to settle problems out of court. Court is the last resort when all other steps have failed.
In most cases, the Council officers issue several warnings and seek to talk to offending rate payers about building regulation infringement problems with good will to get complaints resolved as soon as possible. Senior officers are well paid so when matters drag on the administration costs mount up.
To continue without resolution is a waste of taxpayers' rates. The author knows of one case in Victoria where a Vietnamese Nun permitted use of an illegal building (a garage) to hold services at her Temple.
In spite of repeated warnings from the local council inspectors of the City of Maribyrnong that the building did not conform to the safety regulations, the Nun chose to ignore these warnings for a period of years.
In the end, the Nun was fined AUS$50,000 under the Building Act 1993 Building Regulations 1994 Regulation 8.3 of occupying a garage for use as a meeting place contrary to section 49 of the Building Act.
The Nun ignored warnings because she had the wrong view that she was exempt from local government rules, merely on the grounds that she is a religious person. This case is not an example of religious persecution at all. The same would apply to any other organisation, religious or non-religious, in Australia.
Ill-advised persons may judge this as a racist act because the Nun happened to be Vietnamese.
In fact, the council officers had been forbearing and patient for a long time and their actions were not taken on any racist grounds. Their actions had nothing to do with the nationality of the person concerned.
Through subsequent negotiations with the council over the years the committee of that temple received approval to remove the old weatherboard building and replace it with a 1.5 million dollar Temple on the same site. The author attended the Corner stone laying of this temple on 13 January 2002.
The next generation of Buddhist practitioners in Australia will have to do a lot of fundraising to bring their small temples up to the safety standards now required by law in Victoria, Australia.
It is assumed that other states will follow this type of legislation.
A very fast cultural learning curve is recommended when overseas Sangha persons wish to design traditional Temples in Australia. Cultural surprises in many forms await persons from a developing country who must come to terms with the standards of a post-industrial developed country.
Venerables find out, here the cultural ways of using traditional symbolic icons in the Temple precinct, or on the facade of their Temples in this country may be different from what is permitted in their own country.
Dimensions, safety of electric wiring for lighting and safety of support structures must meet with the building and quality codes of local authorities.
For example, a Temple in Richmond, Victoria, had to remove a flashing Quan Yin image from its facade because the Temple was in a residential zone, and not a commercial or industrial zone where flashing advertising signs are allowed.
In a Melbourne Hindu Temple, two traditional Temple Domes were not permitted to be erected, because the Temple was in a residential zone. A large billboard had to be replaced by a smaller one because local law prohibits in a residential zone the use of "clutter" which is seen as visual "pollution".
Assimilating such detail becomes a critical issue for all senior Members of the Sangha if they are to take on the critical operational role of Abbot and Chairman of their respective Temple Committees.
Very senior Abbots giving traditional architectural advice may later find their high position does not exempt their proposals from local bylaws and regulations.
Lighting a fire on a total fire ban day is punishable by heavy fines or imprisonment, or both. It is illegal to light incense outdoors on total fire ban days, and to plead ignorance of these laws is no defense.
The reason for this law is that forest fires have been deliberately lit in Australia and have caused millions of dollars worth of damage and loss of life. In our local area, because it is a rain forest, total fire bans exist for three months of the year. This means that the traditional open fire used for cooking in some countries is totally prohibited on total fire ban days in Australia. Temples must fund enclosed kitchens.
Cultural education, and adjustment to Australian society rules, are required for foreigners who are used to cooking with open fires in Temple grounds overseas. As a result of these various things, the appearance of an Australian Vihara in terms of sights, smells and sounds, is totally different to that of the traditional Temples in Asian countries like Thailand and Vietnam.
These changes in sense bases, where the smell of food being prepared is absent; the smell of incense is absent; and the sound of fire crackling is absent, means that overseas-born persons feel a lack of familiarity and comfort within the Temple grounds of Australian Vihars.
The Most Venerable Master Hsing Yun has suggested we view our Saha world as half and half:
"Half are Buddhas, half are devils, half are male and half are female, half are good and half are bad, half are wise and half are fools. One cannot own the half that is beneficial and abandon the rest. Only through tolerance and accepting all, can we possess the fullness of existence."
The author has refrained from highlighting the view that there is merit in documenting the cultural misunderstandings that were made by foreigners when they advanced Australian Buddha Dhamma.
In some practices, a person can look at the present human world from a deva mind, seeing only pleasant positive things. Then, the person praises the human beings for their many kind actions towards others.
For teaching purposes, we can say that praising the good deeds of countless human beings can lead a person to be happy that he or she has a human birth this life and also lead him or her to a good human rebirth, or even better (say, in one of the 71 trillion pure lands), in his or her next life.
The author was born in Australia in 1930 to non-Buddhist parents. He has been active and engaged as a Teacher and writer on Buddha Dhamma for over forty years.
The author, founded a Buddhist Organisation and a Temple at Upwey, in the State of Victoria. Its now well-equipped building is the oldest operating Hall of Assembly and Buddhist library that has remained in the same location in the State.
The Centre is a regional Centre of the World Fellowship of Buddhists.
From 1977 to 1979, the author was funded by the Australian Schools' Commission to document the history, culture and activities of existing Buddhist Temples in Australia.
During that time, he met and documented what was taught by the pioneering Monks and Nuns who set up the first foreign speaking Temples in this country.
The research methodology and language terminology he learned at that time and extended his practice to become familiar with the history of Buddha Dhamma in overseas countries.
His findings have been published in many overseas journals. Over the last two decades, much of his written output has been published in his Centre's publication, the Buddha Dhyana Dana Review, the paper version which used to circulate in over 40 countries.
Recent issues may be viewed on our internet site at www.bddronline.net.au Our organisation thinks globally and now has 8 operating websites.
We plan to place all past Buddha Dhyana Dana Review issues (with photographs) onto our website www.bddronline.net.au
Over the last 45 years, the author has taught over one million persons in 14 countries and has found the Christian methods of doing missionary work on persons born in Buddha Dhamma families can be undone.
The key to undoing this work is for the followers of Buddha Dhamma to follow the methods of the evangelist to befriend the poorest member in the community to help them financially or provide medicines if they are unwell.
There are few persons who would be classified as poor in Australia using overseas standards.
Government poverty line sets a rich standard for a rich post industrial country.
Australian Buddhists are returning to their traditional role of providing further education for educated persons. The reason for doing this is to follow the Buddha’s teachings on what creates long life stability for the congregation. Morality is at a low point in Australia. The mental health of Australians as evidenced by the suicide rate is deplorable.
Many do not know how to live well or die well. The Austin hospital in Melbourne is using Sri Lankan Buddha Dhamma practice to ease the pain of the terminally ill.
As the population ages, the terminally ill in Nursing Homes are increasing. More and more nursing professionals are trying to learn from Tibetan Buddhist texts how to help the dying person. Australians may have lost the will to nurse their aged at home.
They are wealthy enough to hand over their aged and demented to Personal Carers. To live in harmony, persons must be educated to assemble in harmony.
Harmony does not mean the richest donors are accorded the seats at the front of the congregation.
In Buddha’s day one of the richest persons, Anathapindika gave everything to Buddha and could walk around almost unrecognised in what has been termed Anathapindika’s pack.
As a layman, he was given no special seating near Buddha during assemblies.
There is little evidence that such wise practice is practiced among followers in Australia.
Will that be our next major victory?
It is postulated that, the current Buddha Dhamma growth in Australia, to the rank of having the third most followers, arises from many persons wanting to know the nature of death and dying processes.
All across the land, Buddha Dhamma persons’ advice minimizes the grief of relatives when their loved ones pass away.
At the funeral ceremony of a very senior Monk who passed away in Bangladesh some years ago, there were 200,000 persons at the ceremony and a national religious holiday was declared. The radiance given to his people by the passing away assembly and cremation lasting 3 days would last many generations for the people of Bangladesh. The event was covered by national television.
Both, the simple and educated Buddhist persons of Bangladesh intuitively felt the radiance of this great noble person who had passed away sharing his merit with all including those he had served by setting up orphanages, schools and charitable works. The Venerable was an Arhat ( a totally liberated being) at his passing away time.
Nothing like this grand event has happened in Australian history to date.
The last breath of a departing great Thai Monk appeared on a Thai national television program.
Unfortunately, as great Buddha Dhamma teachers resident in Australia tend to return to their native land to pass away among their family, few persons in Australia have witnessed a full cremation ceremony of a noble person with the full assembled Sangha.
When a similar thing to this happens, locally, Australian history will be made.
So when that major event happens in the future, the national consciousness of ordinary and educated Australians will change for the better as the possibility of better rebirth becomes better known.
The author predicts that within a decade, 28 percent of Australians will feel favourably inclined to visit Buddhist services at least once a month and may choose Buddhist ceremonies for their funerals.
The opportunity of starting small Temples in residential areas has finished.
The next Australian historical landmark has been flagged by the infrastructure underway in Victoria for the first one billion dollar Buddha Dhamma complex.
A Taiwanese Master is funding and guiding this complex project. It will be world class with two crematoriums.
It will become a national icon.
An estimated seven billion dollar outlay is needed over Australia, as hundreds of the older Buddhist temples need to be refurbished to meet the new standards of occupational health & safety or be fined out of existence.
Publication costs in Australia are high.
The Vietnamese in Australia are well served by many overseas publication enterprises in the Vietnamese language.
Their organisation in France globalised the unified propagation of traditional Vietnamese culture and practice.
For example :
La Dissemination Du Dharma
Hoang Phap is a Buddhist Journal in the Vietnamese language. Our organisation has received several issues for our multi-lingual library. This Journal is associated with Monastere Bouddhique Linh-Son. Inquiries regarding this publication should be addressed to: Thich Giac-Hoan, 9, Avenue Jean Jaures, 9434o Joinville-Le-Pont, France. The issue N0. 26 includes 14 pages in the French language.
The present writer, considers this step adds greatly to the power of this Dharma Journal, since many Westerners have the ability to read French, and lack the ability to read Vietnamese.
Recently, the French section has been discounted.
To encourage the return of wider circulation of Hoang Phap, we reprint Venerable Dr. Thich-Nuyen-vi’s comments from page 43 of this Journal:
La revue "Hoang Phap" (la dissemination du DHARMA), parue depuis 1975 dans le but d’cxpliquer la philosophie et la pratique du Bouddhisme a la communaute vietna-nienne en France et a 1’etranger, prend, a partir de ce numero, un nouvel essor.
En effet, suivant la demande de nos amis Francais. 'Hoang Phap" comporte dorenavant une vingtaine de pages en Francais concernant la philosophie, les histoires, les anectotes, la poesie, 1’information des activites bouddhiques, etc...
Cette nouvelle entreprise exige un renforcement de notre equipe de redacteurs qui reste actuellement insuffisant comme nos moyens financiers. C’est pourquoi nous faisons appel a votre precieuse et active cooperation pour rendre notre revue plus attrayante et plus utile. Veuillez nous envoyer vos textes, poemes, informations, contributions, conseils, et faire connaitre "Hoang Phap" a eos amis.
There are hundreds of examples of the commercial success in Australia of the Vietnamese who became Australian citizens.
Many used their locally generated wealth to build new Temples.
Historically, most Temples started in a small way.
For example, The Vietnamese Buddhist Association of Queensland was founded in 1978 by a group of dedicated Vietnamese Buddhists in Brisbane in the hope that our Buddhist community can have the opportunity to observe and to practise our traditional Buddhist way of life.
There were approximately 6,000 Vietnamese living in Brisbane at that time and the majority of them were Buddhists. The Association was open to everyone regardless of their religion and race. Annual membership fee was $2.00. In May 1981 the Association obtained a place to serve as its temple, located at Corinda, Brisbane.
Reverend Thich Nhat Tan came to Brisbane in April that year from a refugee camp in Thailand as the resident monk of the new temple. As the spiritual leader of the Vietnamese Buddhist community, Reverend Thich Nhat Tan conducted regular chanting and teaching at the temple at 3.00 p.m. every Saturday and also at 7.00 p.m. on the 15th day (full moon) and the last day of the lunar month. Everyone was welcome to participate.
The teachings were normally given in Vietnamese, though these were translated into English if needed. The temple was open for members and guests every night from 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. and all day Saturday and Sunday.
It is a tradition that, the most Venerable senior Monk dictates the terms of conduct to all.
Where a mother Temple is overseas, new requirements observed there, soon find their way to Australian Temple policies.
For example, on l7th May, 1983, the Venerable M aster Hsuan Hua, Abbot of Tathagata Monastery and Chancellor of Dharma Realm Buddhist University, City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, Talmage, California, 95-81, announced new requirements for those who wish to become "left-home people". These are in addition to the three year course of training, which includes daily bowing, vows and repentances, as well as a full program of study.
This attempt at professionalisation of the Sangha tends to trickle down to other places, including Australian Temples.
The local Vietnamese training of new Monks is to send them to the rich American Temples for some time.
Overseas, in Buddhist lands the national unifying aspect of Versak is well recorded.
The observation of Versak is celebrated by Australian Buddha Dhamma Orders without too many foreign Buddhist Monks and Nuns in attendance. Due to language differences they never found much common practice to join together on this day.
This has changed now that the common language used is the English language. Government policies assisted foreigners to learn our local language.
Yet, overseas, government policies tend to unite the different orders because they could proclaim Versak a national holiday.
Our organisation was advised by Mr. Aggi Tjetje President of Gabungan Tridharma Indonesia and the World Fellowship of Buddhists Indonesian Regional Centre and also the Chairman of the Council for Co-ordinating of Buddhist Schools in Indonesia, that the Indonesian Government had proclaimed Vaishak Day a Public Holiday in 1983.
This means all public offices would be closed on this National Day.
We congratulated the Indonesian Government on this recognition of the importance of Vaishak world wide.
Some Australian organisations think nationally. The inclination of the Vietnamese policies have been to involve Australians.
Many efforts were made to bring disparate Buddha Dhamma organisations to a common platform. One of the earlier attempts was the Buddhist Council of Brisbane. Our archives note the following information on this early effort.
THE BUDDHIST COUNCIL OF BRISBANE.
A FORUM OF BUDDHIST GROUPS
CHAIRMAN'S NOTE:
It seems significant that the formation of the Council should occur one hundred years after the first Buddhists settled in Queensland. The pioneering spirit is again to the forefront as we break new ground again .
New ground it is indeed, since new groups in developing their identities, have often been more aware of inter-traditional differences rather than similarities. In the search to become one with the Buddha's qualities, to embark on a course of-dialogue and exchange is of real benefit and in true spirit of the Dharma. A real step towards an integrated identity for Buddhism in Brisbane.
Acknowledgement must go to Klaas de Jong who took the initiative and convened the Council in May 1982. May all beings be happy, Loden Sherab.
CHAIRMAN: Rev. Loden Sherab (Loden Compassion Mahayana Centre )
SECRETARY: Mr. Klaas de Jong (Dhammadinna House)
The Council was convened in mid-1982 to discuss interests in common to the various Buddhist Organisations in Brisbane.
Membership stands at seven groups, each of whom nominate two delegates to regular meetings. The groups and their delegates are:
Brisbane Buddhist Vihara
Anil Biswas
Duleendra Mendis
Brisbane Zen Group
Gregg Howard
Kim Lewis
Buddhist Society Of Queensland
Victor Gunasekara
Lyn Cameron
Chenrezig City Centre
Peter Fenner
Inta McKimm
Dhammadina House
Klaas de Jong
Loden Compassion Mahayana Centre
Rev. Loden Sherab
Lama Lhundup
Vietnamese Buddhist Association of Qld.
Trung Viet Nguyen
Nguyenthi Tuyetnga
A major aim of the Council is the exchange and presentation of information about member groups, thereby fostering goodwill in the Buddhist community and promoting interest in Buddhism generally. It can also provide a common voice if needed.
The first project of the Council was a Directory of Buddhist Groups in Brisbane. A regular news-sheet is also planned to publicise the activities of the various member groups and items of interest to all.
Over time they lost global interest through a Melbourne group who had a link to the World Fellowship of Buddhists but did not attend international conventions.
In the history of Australian Buddha Dhamma the most influential figure is the Most Venerable Thich Phuoc Hue. On the Author’s electronic Database holding history of Buddha Dhamma over the years, 70 references appear to this great leader who has received an Order of Australia.
The Vietnamese Buddhist Society of New South Wales was formed in December 1979. They rented and maintained a temporary Temple for practice and religious functions and provided support for newly arrived Vietnamese, including financial aid within the constraints of the Society.
They completed the Pagoda, Phap-Bao Centre in Bonnyrig, NSW which was officially opened by the Honourable F. J. Walker Q.C., M.P., Minister for Youth and Community Services & Minister for Housing, and the Most Venerable Thich Phuoc Hue, President of the Vietnamese Buddhist Federation of Australia.
The building of this pagoda cost $300,000 in the first stage of a 3 stage building project due for completion in 1989.
On 5 April 1985, the first Biannual General Meeting of The Vietnamese Buddhist Federation of Australia and New Zealand was held over four days in Melbourne. The General Meeting was opened by the Most Venerable Thich Phuoc Hue and addressed by a Representative of the Commonwealth Minister of Ethnic Affairs.
It is a remarkable achievement for the Vietnamese Buddhists in Australia to have established well organised Buddhist Associations and Societies, initially at a State level, and now, Nationally, within ten years of the majority of Vietnam refugees first entering this country.
Since April 1975, of the sixty thousand Vietnamese people arriving in Australia, twenty-five thousand have settled in New South Wales and some seventy-eight percent of these have a Buddhist religious background.
In Victoria twenty-eight thousand Indo-Chinese refugees have settled in Melbourne. About ten thousand are Vietnamese and twelve thousand ethnic Chinese from Vietnam.
In an article from "The Age" newspaper in Melbourne 18 May 1985 p.6 titled "VIETNAMESE WORK HARD AT MAKING AUSTRALIA HOME", a survey by The Victorian Ethnic Affairs Commission was quoted as follows;
"Considering the short time they have been living in Australia, the Indo-Chinese were adapting particularly well. They were joining unions and taking up Australian citizenship and they had established informal networks to receive information about Australian society and where they could obtain help".
The literature of Vietnam is as distinctive as the prevalent indigenous Buddhist tradition which is a remarkably successful and is an influential amalgam of Chan (Zen) and Ching - Tu (Jodo) known locally as Thien or Tinh - Do respectively.
In the history of Vietnamese Buddhism, the practice of Thien (Mahayana) is a profound and powerful inner life, long and persistent training and a strong, firm will.
For Thien the technique of right eating and drinking, of right breathing and right meditation are far more vital than mere beliefs. Thien is an attitude or method for arriving at knowledge and action.
The growth of Theravada Buddhism took place very late in the countries’ history, when it took root in the Southern part of Vietnam.
The Vietnamese in Australia are in the Mahayana tradition and they reflect this unique blend of Zen and Pure Land practice.
The Vietnamese persons became very proficient at integrating into a foreign community and have government officials attend their ceremonies.
A typical celebration was held on the 2529th Vesakha Day, Sunday, 2 June, 1985, by the Vietnamese Buddhist Association of Victoria.
The function was held in the main hall at the Footscray College of TAFE and there were over seven-hundred and fifty people in attendance.
Venerable Thich Phuoc Nhon, President of the Vietnamese Buddhist Association of Victoria, opened the Ceremony.
Guest speakers included Mr. Ross Smith M.P, a Liberal member who was representing Hon. G.J.Kennett of the Victorian Legislative Assembly,
Leader of the Liberal Party, Victorian State Opposition, Mrs Evelyn Mary De Bonnaire,
Mayor of Footscray City Council and Mr John Hughes, President of the Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd.
The following extracts are from the opening speech for the 2529th Vesakha Day given by Venerable Thich Phuoc Nhon:
“In the old times, our precedent Masters had walked thousands of miles painfully to found-and-preserve the Noble Teachings of Salvation for us to inherit today.
Thus, now, we cannot afford to negligently let all our Masters' tremendous efforts be washed away in the ocean, but right now we have to cultivate these Noble Teachings by purifying our own inner motives and establishing our own right virtues for they are essential belongings which we shall bring with us in the journey to the "Perfect Land" after leaving our bodies in this perplexed life.
Therefore, above all, whatever we have intended to do now is also to pay tribute to our Grand Masters. The Australian Government, particularly the State Government of Victoria, is the great helper to our Buddhists.
Therefore, let us carry out the Virtues of Compassion and Benevolence in this new society, and let us harmoniously live with other ethnic communities in every cultural and sociological aspect in an attempt to build our second homeland as a bright nation under the light of Lord Buddha's Compassion.
On behalf of the Vietnamese Buddhist Association of Victoria, I sincerely thank all levels of the Australian Government, and Australians at large, the Vietnamese community's associations and organisations and all other friendly religious groups for contributing their ideas and encouragement to us in every aspect of our activities in order to bring benefits to our Association.
Particularly, the presence of our Association can contribute our tiny part to the common aims of this multicultural nation. “
The Ceremony also included the singing of the Buddhist Anthem by The Buddhist Youth Society and Prayer and Chanting which were led by the Venerable Thich Phuoc Nhon.
At the completion of the Ceremony a Vietnamese dinner was served and the final activity of the evening was a musical concert.
The merits of this action bring solidarity and harmony to all Buddhist Groups in Australia.
An article in The Vajra Dhatu Sun May 1985 Vol six No. 4 p.1. illustrates a similar level of organisation and development of Vietnamese Buddhist groups in the United States of America.
"It has been nearly 10 years since the majority of Vietnamese refugees entered the United States of America and in that time the Unified Buddhist Churches of Vietnam have succeeded in establishing themselves wherever Vietnamese refugees have settled. The main Temple is in Los Angeles, but there are Vietnamese Temples in San Francisco, Denver and Golden Orange County, Colorado and Texas .
Having accomplished the first phase of refugee work and resettlement, the Vietnamese Buddhists are now looking to the future. How, they are asking, can they insure the continuity of their tradition in their new country, and how can they pass on their tradition to children who have grown up or increasingly been born in America?"
The last survey in Vietnam prior to 1975, indicated that some eighty percent of the population identified themselves as adherents of Buddhism in some form.
Of the Vietnamese Buddhists who have settled in Australia the popular form of Mahayana Buddhism briefly outlined above is their traditional religious background and the development of new Centres of Vietnamese Buddhism in Australia will reflect this unique blend of Zen and Pure - Land sects.
From the manner and effectiveness displayed by the rapid establishment of Vietnamese Buddhist associations in the West, the foundations have been laid for the future growth of strong schools of the Vietnamese form of Buddhist practice.
This great tradition can be introduced and shared through mutual co- operation between the Vietnamese people and the societies in which they have recently settled.
The next year (1986) the Collingwood Town Hall became a makeshift temple as more than 1000 Vietnamese celebrated the 2530th birthday of Buddha.
The Ethnic Affairs Minister, Mr Spyker, dressed in a blue suit, and other state and Federal MP's joined colorfully-robed Monks and Nuns in offering incense to Buddha and praying for world peace.
They later released pigeons into the wilds of Collingwood to symbolise the deliverance and rebirth of followers of Buddhism.
A Buddhist monk of 50 years, Thich Phuoc Hue, led the chanting before an altar laden with gifts of fruit, flowers and a three-tiered birthday cake.
Thich Phuoc Hue, president of the Vietnamese Buddhist Association of Victoria, said peace was the central theme of Buddha's teachings. He asked the gathering to pray for their countrymen and women still in Vietnam.
On 10 May 1987, the Sunday prior to Versak, the Vietnamese Buddhist Association of Victoria (Hoi Phat Giao Viet Nam Tai Victoria) celebrated this occasion in the Collingwood Town Hall, Melbourne, Victoria, with chanting and prayers by the Vietnamese Monks.
After the prayer and chanting, speeches were made by various visiting dignitaries including :
Mr Peter Spyker, Victorian Government Minister for Ethnic Affairs,
Mr Roger Pescott, Victorian Opposition Shadow Minister for Ethnic Affairs, Reverend Thich Tam Phuong, Director of Quang Minh Temple, Sunshine, Victoria and on behalf of the Most Ven. Thich Phuoc Hue, President of Indo-Chinese Refugees, Venerable Thich Huyen Ton, Vice- President of the Vietnamese Buddhist Federation of Australia and New Zealand and Mr John Hughes, President of the Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd.
Following the delivery of speeches, many pigeons were released from cages by Monks and lay people to symbolise liberation of the mind. Lunch was then offered by the Vietnamese Community to all who were present at the Town Hall.
Each year the Vietnamese Buddhist Association of Victoria arrange public celebrations at Versak and Vulan ( a ceremony for ancestors). Some examples are given to illustrate the maturing nature of the Vietnamese organisations within the Society.
On Sunday, the 2nd of June, 1991, The Vietnamese Buddhist Association of Victoria and The Vietnamese Buddhist Association of South East Melbourne, celebrated Vesak at the Collingwood Town Hall, Collingwood, Victoria.
The Ceremony was opened by The Most Venerable Thich Phuoc Hue, Chairman of the Vietnamese United Buddhist Congregation of Australia and New Zealand, and President of the Vietnamese Buddhist Association of Victoria.
Distinguished Guests who attended the Ceremony included Federal Parliamentary Member Dr. A. Theophanous, who represented The Federal Minister for the Department of Immigration, Local Government and Ethnic Affairs, the Hon. Mr. Gerry Hand. Also in attendance were Mr. D. Dollis, State Member for Richmond and the Mayor of the City of Collingwood, His Worship Cr. Bill Hampson.
Representatives of Melbourne Buddhist organisations included the President of The Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd. Mr. Frank Carter B.Ec. and Elizabeth Bell from the Buddhist Society of Victoria.
The Most Venerable Thich Phuoc Hue in his opening address said Buddhists should celebrate Vesak in order to "strengthen their own confidence in Buddha. The Buddha taught us that with Compassion, Wisdom and courage we can eliminate hate, greed and ignorance."
The speech read by Dr. A. Theophanous on behalf of the Honourable Gerry Hand noted that Buddhism is the fasted growing and currently the third largest religion in Australia. Whilst much of the Buddhist Community in Australia was of ethnic origin, Mr. Hand believed the value of Buddhist Teachings to the Australian Community was reflected by a large growth in Australian born Buddhists.
This day also celebrated the l0th Anniversary of The Vietnamese Buddhist Association of Australia. The Most Venerable Thich Phuoc Hue said the Vietnamese Buddhist Community was a force for harmony and understanding in the Australian Community.
The Ceremony concluded with eleven Vietnamese Buddhist Monks and Nuns chanting "The Great Compassion Dharane" (TRI NIEM CHU DAI BI), Recollection, Praise, and Devotion to Buddha at Vesak (BAI KINH KHANH DAN), the Four Great Bodhisattva Vows (PHAT NGUYEN), the Triple Gem Refuge (TU QUY VA DANH LE) and the Dedication of Merits (HOI HUONG). A large number of pigeons were released from the courtyard next to the hall.
On 21 September 1991, the Vietnamese Buddhist Congregation of Victoria, 177 Morris Street, Sunshine, Victoria, 3020, Telephone: (03) 312 5729, held the laying of the foundation stone ceremony for their new Buddhist Community Centre at Burke Street, Braybrook, Victoria.
The aims and objectives of the Buddhist Community Centre would be a concrete translation of the following points: co-existence - religious, cultural, social - in a multicultural society; a vehicle in the practice of self improvement by Compassion, Wisdom and Courage; a shelter for people in need (the elderly, the young and the disadvantaged); a theme of inter-racial and cultural harmony; a place to promote and work for world peace; a place to foster and develop Buddha's Noble Teachings.
The Centre aims at: providing the community with a wide range of cultural, social and religious services and activities; being a suitable site for Buddhist ceremonies, blessings and festivals; being a residence for Buddhist Monks and Nuns; being a place of retreat and practice of Meditation; being a meeting place for friendship and harmony; attracting the tourists and visitors to Sunshine and Western Suburbs of Victoria.
The opening speech was made by the President of The Vietnamese United Buddhist Congregation of Australia and New Zealand, The Buddhist Federation of Australia, The Most Venerable Thich Phuoc Hue.
Distinguished Guests present at the ceremony included: The Honourable Ralph Willis, M.P., Minister for Finance, representing the Prime Minister, Mr. Bob Hawke; The Honourable Senator Jim Short, Shadow Minister for Finance representing the Federal Opposition Leader, Dr. J. Hewson; The Honourable Ian Baker, M.P., Minister for Agriculture, representing the Victoria Premier, Ms Joan Kirner; The Honourable Robert Clark, M.P., representing the Victoria Opposition Leader, Mr. Jeff Kennett; The Honourable Members of Parliament; The Mayor of Sunshine, Cr Philip Nelson; The President of the Vietnamese Community of Victoria. The President and Members of Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd. attended the ceremony.
On Sunday 19th October 1997 the Grand Opening Ceremony of Quang Duc Buddhist Monastery and Quang Duc Welfare Centre was held. The Centre is located in an old school building at 85-105 Linch Rd, Fawkner, Victoria.
About 50 members of the Sangha attended this auspicious occasion, including some who had travelled from interstate and overseas.
The day began with the welcoming of the Sangha and guests, followed by a Dhamma talk by the Most Venerable Thich Ho Giac, the Patriarch of the Theravada Buddhist Church of Vietnam.
The Most Venerable Patriarch was led into the main Altar room in a procession which included Members of the Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd. Julie O'Donnell and Paula Burling who carried evergreen trees, a symbol of long life and prosperity.
The opening ceremony began with a procession of all members of the Sangha into the main hall, led by Samaneras and lay persons. Members of the Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd. Paula Burling, Jocelyn Hughes, Julie O'Donnell and Anita Svensson carried flowers in the procession to offer to Buddha on the altar, and wore traditional grey robes kindly given to them by the Quang Duc Temple.
The ceremony in the hall included many speeches and blessings and concluded with offerings and chanting by the Sangha.
Those giving speeches included: Venerable Thich Tam Phuong, Abbot, Quang Duc Buddhist Temple ;
Most Venerable Thich Phuoc-Hue, President of the United Vietnamese Buddhist Congregation of Australia and New Zealand, Abbot of Phuoc Hue Temple, NSW.
Most Venerable Thich Ho Giac, Chair UBCV Ecclesiastical Council in Exile, Patriarch of the Theravada Buddhist Church of Vietnam, Patriarch of the UBCV of the USA.
John D. Hughes, Founder Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd. gave the following speech :
“Most Venerable Patriarch, Venerable Monks and Nuns, Hounourable Guests, Distinguished guests, elders, ladies and gentleman, boys and girls, I address you in my capacity as a Member of a Regional Centre of the World Fellowship of Buddhists.
I wish you to be well and happy in this and future lives.
A Temple’s opening is a superior cause for future well being.
In Buddha’s day, a religious Temple was referred to by an Indian word which sounds like Vihar.
As an Australian who established a Vihar and allowed my Vietnamese brothers and sisters use of it before they had anything, it has been wonderful to see your congregation and others build many Vihars.
About 500 Buddhist Vihar, catering for many nationalities have opened in this country over the last two decades.
Not surprisingly, they included paid Social Workers who placed emphasis on using Vihars to deliver many activities having welfare aspects for a migrant population.
This script is cost effective because unbundling elements of a migrant government policies through translation services in the Vihar, near the end users of the goods and services on offer makes sense.
As persons became self-sufficient and their descendants are born as native Australians, they are coming to realise that servicing the social needs of the laity are not really strong roles for the Monk or Nun.
As I understand it, the strong role or thesis of the new Vihar is that it will leave the bulk of valuable prime social model work to the care of its great numbers of sister Vihar.
With referrals to networks of sister Vihar delivering increased help to persons who need social support: the new Vihar can show young and not so young persons the special radiance found within a triple dedicated Vihar.
Since ancient times, Vihar were dedicated to the Triple Gem - The Buddha, The Dhamma and The Sangha.
On the occasion of the dedication of the Venuvan Vihar by the King Bimbisara, Buddha said :
“Viharadanassa pananisainsam ko nama vattum puriso samattho annatra Buddha pica lokanatha yutto mukkhanam nahutena capi.”
This translates as : “ None is able to describe the merit of donating a Vihar except the Buddha, the Lord of the universe, if some thousands of learneds describe that there will be no end”.
With this type of merit, the signs indicate that in this Vihar Monks’ and Nuns’ time will be freed from social work chores.
The Venerables and Lay person need to find the dignified noiseless time vital for the practice of the Teachings of Lord Buddha.
For strong Dhamma practice, much quiet time is needed (one might say at industrial strength).
May this new Vihar become a place where quiet time is found.
Thank you very much.
May Monks and Nuns find the noiseless time they are looking for to practice their freedom from hate, greed and ignorance.”
This paper has not the space to celebrate the contribution to Buddha Dhamma in Australia by the many Venerable Monks and Nuns from China, Thailand, Korea, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Taiwan, Myanmar (Burma) and Tibet.
The reportage of the Dalai Lama’s 4th visit to Australia was covered at various levels.
He did not meet senior politicians including the Honourable Mr John Howard, Prime Minister of Australia and the Honorable Simon Crean, the Leader of the Opposition or State Government officials. Mr Howard visited China during part of the Dalai Lama’s visit.
One of the most notable and historical events in Buddha Dhamma Australian history, was the 20th World Fellowship of Buddhists General Conference held at Nan Tien Temple, Wollongong, NSW, Australia.
The 20th World Fellowship of Buddhists General Conference and
The 11th World Fellowship of Buddhists Youth General Conference was held at NAN TIEN TEMPLE, Berkeley NSW 2506, AUSTRALIA , 29 OCTOBER - 2 NOVEMBER 1998 (2542 B.E.)
On the eve of the new millennium, Buddhists of the World are faced with ever increasing technological, social and economic challenges.
It was apt that the theme of the 20th World Fellowship of Buddhists and 11th World Fellowship of Buddhists Youth General Conference was “Buddhism and Challenges in the 21st Century”.
Expressions of heartfelt thanks were made to the Most Venerable Master Hsing Yun & Reverand Men Chien, Abbess of the Temple, for hosting this Conference in the beautiful Nan Tien Temple.
Much appreciation and gratitude was expressed to the Buddha Light International Association in Sydney, The Vietnamese Buddhist Congregation of Australia and New Zealand, The Buddhist Council of NSW, Inc. and the Australian Buddhist Federation for their assistance in supporting the conference.
This Conference marked a second historic occasion when the Draft Charter of the World Buddhist University was adopted unanimously. As part of the Charter, the International Academy of Buddhism of the Hsi Lai University, Los Angeles County, California, U.S.A. was approved as an academic research and training centre and The Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Limited was approved as a spiritual training centre.
Sincere congratulations were given to H.E. Phan Wannamethee, the new President of the World Fellowship of Buddhists, and Mr Sommai Kornsakoo, the new President of the World Fellowship of Buddhist Youth.
The author extended his warm congratulations to all newly elected Vice-presidents and expressed his gratitude in being elected as one of the first Australian Vice-presidents of the World Fellowship of Buddhists for Australia, New Zealand and Oceania.
The complete transplant and survival of the pure Buddha Dhamma practices of the Vietnamese within Australia could well be seen as one of the great success stories of the 20 Th. century in Australia.
They have inspired others to build up the mind power of this country. Their blessings to this country are so great they cannot be measured by ordinary numbers.
The author wishes to thank all Monks and Nuns for their patience in allowing him to photograph and record their practices.
The content of the database formed will gradually be placed on our web sites to provide core research material for future historians.
May the Buddha Dhamma continue to flourish on this Australian continent.
May you be well and happy.
Thank you very much.
References
Confirm Systems Pty. Ltd. Essential Services Training Workshop, Course Notes,
The resources of the Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd. Library archives contain many private documents of great historical importance. These papers and photographs are contained in the John D. Hughes Collection
The John D. Hughes Collection provides a heritage multilingual reference library for Buddha Dhamma Scholars and Practitioners. The library is listed on the Australian Libraries Gateway at www.nla.gov.au/libraries
The collection includes :
Rare and valuable texts including the complete Buddhist Canon
A catalogue that contains over 4000 entries of texts in our library
Commentaries by renowned Teachers.
“Books on Guidance” in English and various foreign languages
Journals and newsletters.
Audio tape and video tape recordings of Teachings
Buddhist artifacts, ritual objects, from all traditions and original works of Calligraphy
Video recordings of Monks and Nuns
Dhamma data warehouse including electronically formatted texts and materials
Audio tapes of over 200 of our Buddhist Hour radio broadcasts
Chan Academy multimedia learning CD-ROMs
Photographs taken locally and internationally
Address: Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd. A.C.N. 005 701 806
A.B.N. 42 611 496 488., 33 Brooking Street, Upwey, Victoria 3158, Australia.
Telephone : (+61) (03) 9754 3334
Facsimile : (+61) (03) 9754 3334
Email : wbu@bdcu.org.au
Websites :
www.bdcu.org.au
www.bdcublessings.net.au
www.bddronline.net.au
www.bsbonline.com.au
www.companyontheweb.com/buddhamap
www.companyontheweb.com/buddhatext
www.buyresolved.com.au
20 May 2002