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 MoreThe Theravada Buddhist Community would like to invite you to a half Day of Mindfulness with Ayya Medhanandi and Ayya Anuruddha on Sunday, April 17, 2022. The retreat will be available online using the Zoom platform.
Ayya Medhanandi
Ayya Medhanandi is the daughter of Eastern European refugees who emigrated to Montreal after the World War 2. She is the founder and guiding teacher of Sati Saraniya Hermitage, a forest monastery for women in the Theravada tradition. She began a spiritual quest in childhood that led her to India, Burma, England, New Zealand, Malaysia, Taiwan, and finally back to Canada. In1988 while in Burma, Ayya requested full ordination as a bhikkhuni from her teacher Venerable Sayadaw U Pandita. However, this was not yet possible for Theravada Buddhist women. Instead, Sayadaw granted her ordination as a ten precept nun on the condition that she keep her vows for life. When a military coup closed Myanmar’s border, Sayadaw blessed Ayya to join the Ajahn Chah Forest Sangha at Amaravati. After 10 years, Ayya felt called to practice as a hermit nun in New Zealand for six years and later in Southeast Asia. In 2007, after nearly 20 years as a novice alms-mendicant nun, Ayya fulfilled her long held wish for full bhikkhuni ordination in Taiwan. In 2008, on invitation from the Toronto Buddhist Community and Ottawa Buddhist Society, Ayya returned to her native Canada to establish Sati Saraniya Hermitage.
Ayya Anuruddha
Ayya Anuruddha of the United Kingdom joined Sati Saraniya Hermitage community in May 2014. After her initial year as an anagarika she began her life as an alms-mendicant nun in September 2014. This deepened her spiritual commitment to the Buddha’s path of monastic training. Her higher ordination as a bhikkhuni was conducted on December 3, 2017 at Dhamma Dharini Monastery in California with Ayya Tathaaloka as preceptor. The Pali name Anuruddha means “One Who is in Harmony”. It was also the name of a beloved cousin of the Buddha, one of his chief disciples renowned for his penetrating Dhamma vision, skillfulness, devotion and noble qualities of heart.
To join our Zoom Meeting, click on this link:
TBC Online Zoom Session
Meeting ID: 879 4453 5212
Password: 812215
Check-In on Zoom 8:30 – 8:45 am EDT
Zoom telephone numbers for the Toronto area, if connecting by phone:
+1 647 374 4685
+1 647 558 0588
If dialing in from another area, you can find your local Zoom number here: Zoom Dial-in Numbers
The half Day of Mindfulness will include meditation, mindfulness instructions and Buddhist reflections.
Registration is not required. If you would like to donate to the Sati Saraniya Hermitage for this event, please use the TBC donation page and include a message that the donation is for Ayyas Day of Mindfulness retreat. 100% of all donations will be passed on to the Hermitage.
The chants for the Days of Mindfulness will be displayed on the Zoom screen during the opening and closing chants. However, you can print the chants ahead of time if you prefer. They are available at this link.
We look forward to you joining us on April 17th. Please note that this will be a half day retreat and will start at 8:30 am EDT and finish by 12:00 pm.
Schedule
Sunday, April 17, 2022 EDT
| 8:30 – 8:40 am EDT | Zoom Check-In |
| 8:40 – 8:45 am | Introduction and Welcoming Ayyas |
| 8:45 – 9:00 am | Refuges and Precepts |
| 9:00 – 9:30 am | 30 Minute Guided Meditation |
| 9:30 – 10:40 am | Dhamma Talk / Questions and Answers |
| 10:40 – 10:45 am | Thank you to Ayyas |
| 10:45 – 10:55 am | Break or Walking Meditation |
| 10:55 – 11:40 pm | 45 Minute Silent Meditation |
| 11:40 – 11:45 | Closing Chants and Announcements |
| 11:45 – 12:00 pm | Informal Group Discussion |
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
What's New
Announcements, web site updates, and general news of interest to TBC members
Our current meeting place, The Centre on Dupont Street, has been sold and we’ve had to look for a new location for our Sunday morning sessions. We’re very fortunate to have found a wonderful new spot close by on Prince Arthur Avenue near Bloor and St. George.
Starting in December, we’ll be meeting at the Xiaolan Health Centre at 88 Prince Arthur Avenue.
Ajahn Viradhammo’s talks recorded during his April, 2018 visit to TBC and SIMT are now available on our Resources page.
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.