News and Events
Upcoming Events
8-Day Meditation Retreat with Ven. Amarasiri
For more information and to register, please see: https://www.vivekavana.ca/retreats/8-daymeditationvenamarasiri (note: this event is sponsored by the Viveka Vana Retreat Centre)
Read MoreMay 3, 2026 TBC Retreat with Ajahn Pavaro
A Hybrid Retreat Hosted by theTheravada Buddhist Community withAjahn Pavaro Sunday, May 3, 2026Carrot Common Rm 212348 Danforth AveToronto, Ontarioand on Zoom About Ajahn Pavaro -After retiring from an academic career, beginning in 2001, Ajahn Pavaro’s early, formative monastic training...
Read MoreMay 2, 2026 Retreat with Ajahn Pavaro
A Hybrid Retreat Hosted by theTheravada Buddhist Community withAjahn Pavaro Saturday May 2, 2026Friends House (Quaker House)60 Lowther AvenueToronto, Ontarioand on Zoom About Ajahn Pavaro -After retiring from an academic career, beginning in 2001, Ajahn Pavaro’s early, formative monastic training...
Read MoreThis year’s AGM will be held at our regular meeting place in the Carrot Commons, on Sunday, September 14, at 11:00 am. Ayya Medhanandhi will be joining us at 10:00 am for the first part of our morning session, after which we’ll move into the AGM, and will finish before 1:00 pm.
You’re welcome to join either in-person or online. If joining online, you can use 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 or updated as they become available.
Everyone is invited to join the meeting, but only members are able to vote. For more information about membership with TBC, please click here.
If you have any questions about any of the agenda 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 Board in the Contact Us form at the bottom of the home page, or speak to a Board member directly. The Board members are Marjorie (Chair), Michael (Treasurer), Janice, Lynn, Jody, Shobha and Tim.
We hope to see you there!
The Theravada Buddhist Community is very pleased to offer a 4 week online Beginner’s Module for individuals who are new to Buddhism and are seeking a foundational understanding of the Theravada tradition. This course will be taught by Venerable Tan Amarasiri from Tisarana Monastery, Perth Ontario.
Dates: August 27, September 3, September 10, September 17th
Time: 6:30-8:30 ET
If you are new to Buddhism and would like to attend, please RSVP using the following form. There is no fee for this course.
Tan Amarasiri
Amarasiri Bhikkhu (formerly Siddarth Deepak) was born and raised in Chennai, India. His education and career led him to live in many parts of the world. Venerable Amarasiri moved to Toronto in 2009 and attended a Vipassana retreat in the Goenka Tradition where he was inspired by the teachings and practice of Theravada Buddhism. On his very first visit to Tisarana, his interaction with Ajahn Viradhammo impacted Ven. Amarasiri to commit to Theravadin Monastic life. He subsequently took Anagarika precepts on the 29th of November 2016, Samanera Precepts on 20th September 2017 and was accepted into the Bhikkhu Sangha on September 16, 2018, with Luang Por Viradhammo as Preceptor.
Course Outline
Course Goal
- Introduces fundamental principles and practices of Theravada Buddhism.
- Fosters understanding and encourages personal exploration and growth in the Dhamma.
Target Audience
- Individuals new to Buddhism.
- Accessible from anywhere with an internet connection.
Session 1: The Buddha (Teacher), The Dhamma (Teachings), and The Sangha (Community) – The Triple Gem
- Covers the life of Buddha and significance of his teachings.
- Introduces the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path.
- Includes meditation guidance and emphasizes the importance of Sangha.
Session 2: Deepening Dhamma – Kamma, Rebirth, Anatta
- Explains Kamma (action and consequence) and its implications.
- Discusses the concept of rebirth and the cycle of existence.
- Introduces Anatta (non-self) and the Five Aggregates.
Session 3: Virtuous Living – Cultivating Wholesome Qualities
- Discusses the Five Precepts and their application in daily life.
- Introduces the Noble Eightfold Path focusing on virtue and collectedness.
- Explores Brahma Viharas and their significance in daily life.
Session 4: Developing Wisdom – Integration and Continuing Journey
- Delves into the second part of the Noble Eightfold Path focusing on wisdom.
- Distinguishes between Samatha (tranquillity) and Vipassana (insight) meditation.
- Provides resources for continued learning and emphasizes community support.
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 Sundays – In-Person or Online.
We’re looking forward to having you join us.
| Date | Visiting Monastic | Other Information |
|---|---|---|
| January | ||
| February | ||
| March | ||
| April | ||
| May | ||
| June | ||
| July 27 | Ayya Nimmala | |
| August | ||
| September 14 | Ayya Medhanandi | |
| October | ||
| November 16 | Ayya Anuruddha | |
| December |
For more information about these events, please contact us through the website contact form.
Notice: This weekend (Sat-Sun) there is a subway closure on the Yonge Line between College and Sheppard stations
Light of the Dhamma
A Hybrid Retreat Hosted by the
Theravada Buddhist Community
with
Ayyā Medhānandī & Ayyā Anuruddhā
Friday through Saturday
May 23-24, 2025
Friends House (Quaker House)
60 Lowther Avenue, Toronto, Ontario
and on Zoom
With the Buddha’s teaching to guide us, we walk a courageous path. See how the world burns from cruel and chaotic forces.
At times we may feel that we are on sorrow mountain. But we persevere, protected and faithful. And with uncompromising nobility, we transform fear and despair into compassionate awareness and the heart’s peace.
Freedom from mental suffering is within reach. So let us walk in the footprints of the Buddha himself and carry forward the indestructible light of the Dhamma.
Ayyā Medhānandī is the guiding teacher and founder of Sati Saraniya Hermitage, the first Theravāda bhikkhuni monastery in Canada. She ordained as a samaneri mendicant nun in 1988 in Myanmar with Venerable Sayadaw U Pandita and in 2007, she fulfilled her long-held wish for bhikkhuni ordination in Taiwan. All the spiritual tests of her life have ignited an unrelenting faith in the Buddha’s path, for in the very depths of pain, a heart of resilience is known through forgiveness, patience and unshakeable compassion.
Ayyā Anuruddhā, originally from the UK, is a core member of the Sati Saraniya Bhikkhuni Sangha. Having served as a veterinarian and high school biology teacher, she came to the Dhamma seeking to restore the heart’s true radiance. She began her training in 2014 with Ayya Medhanandi and after three years, she received bhikkhuni ordination with Ayya Tathaloka as preceptor in California. She has been praised for her skill in guiding yogis with compassionate humour and lively medical and scientific insights.
Retreat Schedule
Friday, May 23rd
Day Session – Doors open at 9:00 am DST
9:30 am – 9:45 am – Opening Chants, Taking Three Refuges & Five Precepts
9:45 am – 10:30 am – Meditation
10:30 am – 11:15 am – Dhamma Reflections
11:15 am – 12:00 pm – Sitting or Walking Meditation
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm – Lunch
1:00 pm – 1:45 pm – Sitting or Walking Meditation
1:45 pm – 2:45 pm – Dhamma Talk, Q&A
2:45 pm – 3:30 pm – Sitting Meditation, Closing
Evening Session – Doors open at 7:00 pm
7:15 pm – 8:00 pm – Evening Meditation
8:00 pm – 8:45 pm – Dhamma Talk
8:45 pm – 9:00 pm – Q & A
Saturday, May 24th
Saturday, May 24th – Doors open at 9:00 am
9:30 am – 9:45 am – Opening Chants, Guided Meditation
9:45 am – 10:30 am – Sitting Meditation
10:30 am – 11:15 am – Dhamma Reflections
11:15 am – 12:00 pm – Sitting or Walking Meditation
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm – Lunch
1:00 pm – 1:45 pm – Sitting or Walking Meditation
1:45 pm – 2:45 pm – Dhamma Talk, Q&A
2:45 pm – 3:15 pm – Sitting Meditation
3:15 pm – 3:30 pm – Sharing of Merit, Blessing Chant, Closing
Sunday, May 25 – Separate registration is required for Sunday morning’s session at Carrot Commons. More information is available here.
Location:
Friends House (Quaker House)
60 Lowther Avenue, Toronto, On, M5R 1C7
Noble Silence: The retreat will be held in noble silence.
Meditation Supports: Please bring your own meditation cushion, mat, bench, etc. Chairs will be available. Note: The floor does not have carpeting.
TTC and Parking: Located near St. George Subway Station. GreenP parking options are in the area.
Venue Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible
Lunch Break: We will break for lunch between 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm. Please bring your own lunch or purchase one from a take-out restaurant in the area.
Cost: By donation. Tax receipts are provided for all donations $20 and over. Various payment methods will be available at the door.
Registration: The session will be offered in-person and online. Because there is a limit on the number of people the room can accommodate, we are asking people to register ahead of time, and to remove their name from the registration if they cannot attend.
Attending In-Person
If you register and find that you are unable to attend, we kindly ask that you let us know. Please use the ‘Contact Us’ form located at the bottom of the Home Page. We appreciate it if you can notify us as soon as possible, so we can offer your space to someone else. Thank you!
Attending Online
If you are unable to join in-person, we are happy to provide an online option using Zoom. To join our Zoom Meeting, click on this link:
If prompted, use this password: 014087
If you haven’t done so already, you may be prompted to install the Zoom application. When the application is finished installing, you will join an online room where our session takes place. You can then click on join with audio and camera.
Zoom telephone numbers for Canada, if connecting by phone:
(Meeting ID: 741 749 355, Password: 883290)
+1 204 272 7920
+1 438 809 7799
+1 587 328 1099
+1 647 374 4685
+1 647 558 0588
+1 778 907 2071
Notice: This weekend (Sat-Sun) there is a subway closure on the Yonge Line between College and Sheppard stations
TBC is happy to announce that Ayyā Medhānandī and Ayyā Anuruddhā will be joining us in-person Sunday morning on May 25th, following the two-day retreat at Quaker House on the Friday and Saturday. They will be offering a Dhamma talk and afterwards there will be an opportunity to share lunch together.
Ayyā Medhānandī is the guiding teacher and founder of Sati Saraniya Hermitage, the first Theravāda bhikkhuni monastery in Canada. She ordained as a samaneri mendicant nun in 1988 in Myanmar with Venerable Sayadaw U Pandita and in 2007, she fulfilled her long-held wish for bhikkhuni ordination in Taiwan. All the spiritual tests of her life have ignited an unrelenting faith in the Buddha’s path, for in the very depths of pain, a heart of resilience is known through forgiveness, patience and unshakeable compassion.
Ayyā Anuruddhā, originally from the UK, is a core member of the Sati Saraniya Bhikkhuni Sangha. Having served as a veterinarian and high school biology teacher, she came to the Dhamma seeking to restore the heart’s true radiance. She began her training in 2014 with Ayya Medhanandi and after three years, she received bhikkhuni ordination with Ayya Tathaloka as preceptor in California. She has been praised for her skill in guiding yogis with compassionate humour and lively medical and scientific insights.
More information about the two-day retreat at Quaker House is available here.
Teaching at TBC
Date: Sunday, May 25th, 2025
Schedule: (Please note we are starting at 9:30 am, rather than our usual 10:00 am start time)
Doors open at 9:00 am
9:30 am – 10:15 am – Opening chants, Meditation
10:15 am – 10:45 am – Dhamma talk
10:45 am – 11:15 am – Q & A
11:15 am – 11:30am – Closing Chants, Blessings, Sharing of Merits
Zoom/Hybrid session concludes at 11:30
11:30 am – 1:00 pm – Lunch (private room)
Ayyas depart to Sati Saraniya Hermitage
If you are staying for lunch, please bring your own lunch or purchase one from a take-out restaurant nearby.
Venue: Carrot Commons Building, 348 Danforth Avenue, Room 212, Toronto, Ontario. The entrance to the building is on Danforth Avenue, west of the door to the Book City bookstore. The Chester subway is right around the corner to the east on Chester Avenue.
Accessibility: There is a stairlift that goes up the side of the stairs. Unfortunately, there is no elevator. Washrooms are available on the second floor.
Cost: by donation.
Registration: The session will be offered in-person and online. Because there is a limit on the number of people the room can accommodate, we are asking people who would like to attend in-person to register ahead of time. If you are joining online there is no need to register.
Attending Online:
If you are unable to join in-person, we are happy to provide an online option using Zoom. To join our Zoom Meeting, click on this link:
TBC Online Zoom Session
If prompted, use this password: 883290
If you haven’t done so already, you may be prompted to install the Zoom application. When the application is finished installing, you will join an online room where our session takes place. You can then click on join with audio and camera.
Zoom telephone numbers for Canada, if connecting by phone:
(Meeting ID: 741 749 355, Password: 883290)+1 204 272 7920
+1 438 809 7799
+1 587 328 1099
+1 647 374 4685
+1 647 558 0588
+1 778 907 2071
We’re looking forward to seeing you there!
What's New
Announcements, web site updates, and general news of interest to TBC members
Video recordings of dhamma talks from recent Days of Mindfulness with Monastics are now available for viewing on the website:
- Ajahn Punnadhammo – May 16, 2021
- Ajahn Viradhammo – April 18, 2021
- Venerable Khemako – August 9, 2020
As well, here are recent recordings of teachings from Monastics at our Sunday sessions
- Ayya Santussika – March 14, 2021
- Ajahn Pavaro – October 18, 2020
The Theravada Buddhist Community would like to invite you to
a Day of Mindfulness on Sunday, May 16, 2021
with Ajahn Punnadhammo.
Ajahn Punnadhammo lives and teaches at Arrow River Forest Hermitage and meditation centre near Thunder Bay. He has been studying and practising Buddhism since 1979.
Ajahn Punnadhammo began his studies under Kema Ananda, the founder and first teacher at Arrow River. After this, he went to Thailand and was ordained in the forest tradition of Ajahn Chah in 1990. Between 1990 and 1995 he was based at Wat Pah Nanachat, Thailand. In 1995 he returned to Canada to assume the management of Arrow River Forest Hermitage. Ajahn Punnadhammo is a skilled and popular meditation teacher who leads retreats and shares dhamma on his YouTube channel.
Please join the Zoom meeting around 8:45 AM EDT
To join our Zoom Meeting, click on this link:
TBC Online Zoom Session
Password: 883290
Meeting ID: 741 749 355
Zoom telephone numbers for Canada, if connecting by phone:
+1 204 272 7920
+1 438 809 7799
+1 587 328 1099
+1 647 374 4685
+1 647 558 0588
+1 778 907 2071
Next
If you would like to make a donation to the Arrow River Forest Hermitage for this event, please use the TBC donation page and include a message that the donation is for Ajahn Punnadhammo’s Day of Mindfulness. 100% of all donations will be given to the Hermitage.
No registration is required. This day includes meditation, mindfulness instruction and Dhamma talks. The chants we’ll be using during the session will be displayed on the Zoom screen at the appropriate times.
We look forward to you joining us on Sunday, May 16, 2021.
Day of Mindfulness With Ajahn Punnadhammo
Sunday, May 16, 2021
8:45 AM – 8:55 EDT. Zoom Check-In
8:55 – 9:00. Announcements and Introduction of Ajahn Punnadhammo
9:00 – 9:15. Opening Chants and Greetings
9:15 – 9:45. Meditation
9:45 – 10:15. Reflections on a Buddhist Sutta or Teaching
10:15 – 11:00. Meditation
11:00 – 12:40 PM. Lunch Break (Zoom will remain open)
12:40 – 12:45. Announcements
12:45 – 1:30. Meditation
1:30 – 2:15. Dhamma Talk
2:15 – 3:00. Questions and Answers
3:00 – 3:45. Meditation
3:45 – 3:55. Sharing of Merit and Closing Chants
TBC is reviewing how we make decisions in our community and is looking for input from current and past members.
Every year people at TBC make decisions about how we want our group to operate. We have Annual General Meetings and periodic Community Meetings. Those involved in running an activity make decisions about it, and some activities have Leads to help manage them. Last year a Steering Committee was established at the AGM to help guide our group between AGM’s.
The purpose of this survey is to get input from TBC participants about how you would like to see decisions made in our community, and to help clarify how the Steering Committee can support this. We will use this information to put together a decision-making model that will be presented for review and approval at a future Community Meeting.
If you’ve attended TBC in the past or are attending now, we would be grateful if you could spend 5 to 10 minutes completing the linked survey below.
Thanks from the TBC Steering Committee!
To complete the survey, click this link:
Video recordings of dhamma talks from recent Days of Mindfulness with Ajahn Viradhammo are now available for viewing on the website:
As well, here are recent recordings of teachings from Monastics at our Sunday sessions
- Ayya Medhanandi – May 24, 2020
- Venerable Khemako – July 26, 2020
Dear Friends,
Due to the on going Covid-19 pandemic, we have decided to temporarily cancel our in-person Sunday meditation meetings until further notice.
We hope that you will join us in our online sessions in the meantime, and continue to meditate on your own. More information about our online sessions is available here.
To support your practice, there are various Dhamma talks on our Resources page.
Metta,
TBC Board
We’ve added two new writings by Buddhist teachers on Climate Change on our Resources page:
Buddha-Nature, Human Nature: A book by Ajahn Sucitto about our environment and the effects that Buddhism has had and can have upon it.
A Task for Mindfulness: Facing Climate Change: A paper by Bhikkhu Anālayo presenting a Buddhist perspective on Climate Change
Ajahn Sucitto’s book is available in other formats on the Forest Sangha website.
The Theravada Buddhist Community has found a new meeting place in the Peregrine Room at the St. George Hotel, located at 280 Bloor St. West in downtown Toronto.
Our first meditation session at our new location will be on Sunday, August 25, 2019, at 10:15 a.m.
The Peregrine Room is located on the main floor. From the main doors, go past the Front Desk and follow the corridor past the restaurant. At the end of the corridor the Peregrine Room is on the left and the washrooms are on the right. The room is wheelchair accessible.
We feel very fortunate to have secured a wonderful new location so close to the St. George Subway station. There also is plenty of parking in the area including on Huron St.
We look forward to seeing you at our new location!
Beginning this Sunday, January 13, our Sunday morning sessions will start at 10:15 and run until 12:00 noon.
Venerable Khemako’s talks recorded during his November, 2018 visit to TBC are now available on our Resources page. These include:
Friday evening talk
Title: The Buddha’s alternative
Venerable Khemako discusses Dukkha in everyday life and how the typical worldy way of responding to it is inherently unsatisfactory. He then explains how the mind gets entangled in the 5 Khandas in its desire for happiness, but that the result is a kind of mirage. There is a description of the Buddha’s alternative to this grasping – a path that allows one to see how the mind creates its own suffering.
Saturday morning
Title: Questions and Answers
Venerable Khemako answers questions on the following topics: how to develop peace through receptivity and curiosity; How to combine the peacefulness of meditation practice with the busyness of life; How to face recurrent fears; Explaining anatta / not self; the usefulness of the 8-fold path to train the mind
Saturday afternoon
Title: How to best use our precious life
Venerable Khemako reflects on the rarity of being born human and being able to practice and reflect on the dhamma. He also discusses how to prioritize practice in everyday life. He then explains the way meditation can help in the development of insight.
Sunday morning
Title: Samsara and politics
Venerable Khemako discusses how desire for becoming leads to forming an identity, which leads to opinions, including political opinions. The metaphor he provides regarding political opinions in the human realm are that they are like sunspots. Sunspots necessarily have both positive and negative ions – you cannot have one without the other. In the same way, polarization of political opinions and movements are by their nature unsettled, incomplete, and dynamic. He also makes the point that our opinions are due to causes and conditions, and therefore not a fixed part of one’s identity. The solution to the mind’s tendency to reify political opinions is to cultivate wise reflection through the 8-fold path.