WELCOME MESSAGE

The TBC is a lay community active since June 1986, under the guidance of Ven. Ajahn Viradhammo and affiliated informally, with the Tisarana Buddhist Monastery, Perth, Ontario. 

Buddhism is one of the world's great religions. The religion is based on the teaching of Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as The Buddha, who lived approximately 557 B.C. to 477 B.C. The word "Buddha" means a Fully Awakened One. The purpose of the Theravada Buddhist Community is to encourage the realization of the teachings of the Buddha through the support of the Thai Forest Monastery of the Venerable Ajahn Chah Tradition.

Our weekly meditation sittings are held every Sunday, 10-12, at The Centre, 316Dupont St, Toronto (near the Dupont subway station, 1 block west of Spadina Ave).

TISARANA BUDDHIST MONASTERY PERTH ONTARIO

A Buddhist Monastery in the Forest tradition of Ajahn Chah, Ajahn Sumedho and Amaravati Buddhist Monastery
Tisarana monastery is set in 108 acres of pasture, woodland and marsh 15km from Perth in the countryside west of Ottawa, Canada. The land was purchased in the fall of 2006. The monastery is a residence for Buddhist monks and those who wish to train as Buddhist monks. It also functions as a spiritual sanctuary for interested friends who may visit for varying periods of time. Ajahn Viradhammo and Ajahn Kusalo are the senior monks.

A HANDFUL OF LEAVES

The Blessed One was once living at Kosambi in a wood of simsapa trees. He picked up a few leaves in his hand, and he asked the bhikkhus, ‘How do you conceive this, bhikkhus, which is more, the few leaves that I have picked up in my hand or those on the trees in the wood?

‘The leaves that the Blessed One has picked up in his hand are few, Lord; those in the wood are far more.’

‘So too, bhikkhus, the things that I have known by direct knowledge are more; the things that I have told you are only a few. Why have I not told them? Because they bring no benefit, no advancement in the Holy Life, and because they do not lead to dispassion, to fading, to ceasing, to stilling, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to Nibbana. That is why I have not told them. And what have I told you? This is suffering; this is the origin of suffering; this is the cessation of suffering; this is the way leading to the cessation of suffering. That is what I have told you. Why have I told it? Because it brings benefit, and advancement in the Holy Life, and because it leads to dispassion, to fading, to ceasing, to stilling, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to Nibbana. So bhikkhus, let your task be this: This is suffering; this is the origin of suffering; this is the cessation of suffering; this is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’

[Samyutta Nikaya, LVI, 31]