News and Events
Upcoming Events
2025 Monastic Visit Schedule
These events will be offered online using Zoom meetings, or you can meet with us at the Carrot Common, 348 Danforth Avenue, Room 212 in Toronto. Please click here for more information about participating in our sessions: Join us on...
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The Theravada Buddhist Community is pleased to announce that on Sunday, April 10th at 10:00am Ajahn Pavaro will be joining us during our weekly meditation session to offer a dhamma talk followed by a short question and answer period.
Ajahn Pavaro
Ajahn Pavaro’s early formative monastic training began in 2001 with Ajahn Sona at Sitavana Forest Monastery in British Columbia. He spent his seventh year as a Bhikkhu with his preceptor, Luang Por Pasanno, and the Sangha at Abhayagiri Monastery. In 2010 he moved to Thailand and spent nine years with Ajahn Achalo at Anandagiri Monastery in Petchabun. He benefited from periods of practice at Wat Pah Nanachat and from opportunities to receive teachings from leading elders of the Wat Non Pah Pong Sangha, including Luang Por Liem and Tan Ajahn Anan. In June 2020, Ajahn Pavaro was welcomed to Tisarana where he now resides.
This session is available on Zoom at our regular Sunday morning Zoom link: Sunday Morning Zoom
This year’s AGM will be held on Sunday, April 24, at 12 o’clock following the morning session. We will be using the same Zoom link as the regular Sunday morning sessions.
The agenda for the meeting and other material can be found online at this link. More items will be added as they become available.
If you have any questions about any of these items, we encourage you to ask them ahead of time to help focus the discussion during the meeting. You can leave your questions or comments for the Steering Committee in the Contact Us form at the bottom of this page.
The Theravada Buddhist Community is pleased to announce that on Sunday, March 27th at 11:00 am Ayya Nimmala will be joining us during our weekly meditation session to offer a dhamma talk followed by a short question and answers period.
Ayya Nimmala
Ayya Nimmala started her training as a Buddhist nun at Sati Saraniya Hermitage in 2008 under the guidance of Ayya Medhanandi. She took full ordination in 2011 at Spirit Rock Meditation Centre, California, with Ayya Tathaaloka as her preceptor. She then returned to Canada to continue her training with her teacher, Ayya Medhanandi. In 2021, she completed her 10th “vassa” or annual rains retreat as a bhikkhuni (fully-ordained Buddhist nun) and is currently residing at a small vihara in Vancouver, British Columbia.
This session is available on Zoom at our regular Sunday morning Zoom link: Sunday Morning Zoom
The Theravada Buddhist Community is pleased to announce that on Sunday, February 20th at 10:00 am Ajahn Achalo will be joining us during our weekly meditation session to offer a dhamma talk followed by a short question and answers period. The morning meditation period will follow afterwards.
Ajahn Achalo
Ajahn Achalo is the Abbot of Anandagiri Forest Monastery in Thailand. Born in Australia in 1972, Ajahn Achalo developed a keen interest in meditation at the age of 20. In 1996, Ajahn Achalo ordained as a Theravada Bhikkhu under Luang Por Liem at Wat Nong Pah Pong, the monastery founded by Luang Por Chah.
During his years of training, he has received personal guidance from many teachers, including Luang Por Sumedho, Luang Por Pasanno, Ajahn Jayasaro and Ajahn Kalyano.
Ajahn Achalo considers Tan Ajahn Anan, the abbot of Wat Marp Jan in Thailand, as his principal mentor. In addition, he has found the Dalai Lama’s instructions and example to be of tremendous value.
In 2021, His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn, King Rama X of Thailand, granted Ajahn Achalo the honorific title of Chao Khun Vajira Nyanamuni (Diamond like knowledge of peacefulness) in recognition of his good practice and service to Buddhism.
This session is available on Zoom at our regular Sunday morning Zoom link: Sunday Morning Zoom
Bhante Buddharakkita
Bhante Buddharakkita was born in Uganda, Africa. He first encountered Buddhism in 1990 while studying in India. He was ordained as a Theravada Buddhist monk by the late Sayadaw U Silananda in 2002 at the Tathagata Meditation Center in San Jose, California. He then spent eight years under the guidance of Bhante Henepola Gunaratana at the Bhavana society, West Virginia. Founder and Abbot of the Uganda Buddhist Center in Uganda, Bhante is a Visiting Professor at Union Theological Seminary in New York, USA. He is also a Spiritual Advisor to the Global Buddhist Relief in New Jersey. Since 2005, Bhante has been teaching meditation in Africa, Australia, Europe, Asia, South America and the United States. His book, Planting Dhamma Seeds: The Emergence of Buddhism in Africa, tells the story of his religious and spiritual work in Africa. He is also the author of Sowing Seeds of Peace: Mindfulness Meditation for Finding Peace Within, a practical guide to mindfulness in your daily life.
What's New
Announcements, web site updates, and general news of interest to TBC members
Below is an excerpt from the announcement on Tisarana Buddhist Monastery’s website:
There is something auspicious in the air. And you can be part of it.
As Tisarana grows, the need for a larger sala (hall) has become apparent. The present sala can hold only 50 people in close quarters. The envisioned new dhamma hall is planned to replace the current (Kusala) sala and will comfortably hold 150 people, with extra space available in a conjoined foyer for large events.
Hedges, gates, trees, paths and courtyards will help to define the new geometry of the landscape in which the dhamma hall and the proposed buildings will sit. These will also serve to shield cars from view, create a clear sense of entry, guide day visitors to the main entrances – and walking paths beyond – and create defined areas for outdoor activities.
The construction of the dhamma hall will be a major project for the monastery. Currently in the planning phase, it is expected to take three to four years to complete.
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To view the full announcement, visit sala.tisarana.ca
Ajahn Viradhammo’s talks recorded during his May, 2017 visit to TBC and SIMT are now available on our Resources page.
Now available: “Stillness Flowing – The Life and Teachings of Ajahn Chah” by Ajahn Jayasaro, the long-awaited biography of Ajahn Chah with an introduction by Luong Por Sumedho.
From Ajahn Jayasaro’s preface:
Although it has been my intention that this book should be, as far as possible, a biography as opposed to a hagiography, I am not sure that I have been completely successful. My love for Luang Por and my belief in his enlightenment inevitably colour the text. What I have not done is suppress any scandalous or embarrassing information out of concern for his good name. Hard as it may be to accept nowadays when there is so much – and often well-founded – cynicism about the integrity of religious figures, Luang Por Chah had absolutely nothing to hide. The only skeleton in a cupboard at Wat Pah Pong was the one hanging on public display in the Dhamma Hall. In fact, that is one of the strongest reasons for my belief that the life of Luang Por Chah is so worthy of study.
Electronic versions are available for download on the Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery website, where you can also request a print copy.
In commemoration of Ajahn Viradhammo’s 70th birthday, a new collection of his talks is being published. Electronic editions of The Contemplative’s Craft: Internalizing the Teachings of the Buddha are now available on the forestsangha.org web site. A print edition will be published in the fall of 2017.
Ayya’s talks recorded during her 2016 visit to TBC and SIMT are now available on our Teachings page.