Search Buddhist Channel

Vision realised

By Paul Pickering, Star News Group, September 11, 2007

Upwey, Victoria (Australia) -- ALMOST two decades after the foundation stone was laid for a new meditation hall at the Buddhist Discussion Centre in Upwey, the building now stands as a monument to the vision of its founder - the late John Hughes - and the patience and ingenuity of the community he nurtured.

<< Buddhist Discussion Centre Upwey joint-president Lainie Smallwood and co-director Frank Carter.

Last Sunday, the John D. Hughes Dhamma Cetiya hall and library was officially opened in front of the gathered members of the hills’ community and representatives of the Victorian Buddhist community.

Astonishingly, the hall was designed and built entirely by the members of the Buddhist Discussion Centre – none of which had any formal experience in architecture or construction.

While construction only began in January last year, planning for the hall began shortly after the centre was founded in 1978 – when John Hughes’ lifelong quest to make the Buddha’s teachings accessible to ordinary Australians prompted him to turn his Upwey residence into a temple.

As the centre’s membership grew, it became clear to Mr Hughes that his humble verandah would not suffice as a place to meditate and peruse his vast collection of Buddhist literature.

And while the symbolic foundation stone was laid in October 1989, it wasn’t until 2002 that formal plans were drawn up by Mr Hughes – one year before he passed away.

It was only when a planning permit was granted by the Shire of Yarra Ranges in December 2005 that the vision began to take shape.

As the centre’s co-director and vice-president Frank Carter explained last week, the hall itself was constructed by a diligent crew of around 15 members.

“The plumber and electrician were the only paid contractors involved in the project,” Mr Carter proudly stated.

“Our focus has always been on building the skills within our own membership.”

Mr Carter said the building expertise was garnered from research and hands-on experience with working on other smaller structures around the property over the years.

This do-it-yourself attitude is also reflected in the various websites, journals and radio programs that the members run.

While Mr Carter acknowledges that it is not practical for many people to adopt the same approach to construction, he says it was this scholarly ingenuity that made Mr Hughes such an inspirational teacher.

“He developed our centre within the Australian culture as a home-grown Buddhist organisation,” Mr Carter said.

“He used a lot of Australianisms in his teachings, which were very warming and made the students feel at home.”

At Sunday’s official opening, Buddhist monks from various international lineages gave their blessings to the impressive home-made hall, while local dignitaries such as La Trobe MP Jason Wood, Monbulk MP James Merlino and Yarra Ranges mayor Tim Heenan marvelled at the members’ achievement.

Fittingly, the original foundation stone now lays encased beneath a transparent panel in the floor to remind the members and guests of the lengthy passage from vision to realisation.

We Need Your Help to Train the
Buddhist AI Chat Bot NORBU!
(Neural Operator for Responsible Buddhist Understanding)

Dear Friends in the Dharma,

We seek your generous support to help us train NORBU, the word's first Buddhist AI Chat Bot.

Here are some ways you can contribute to this noble cause:

One-time Donation or Loan: A single contribution, regardless of its size, will go a long way in helping us reach our goal and make the Buddhist LLM a beacon of wisdom for all.

How will your donation / loan be used? Download the NORBU White Paper for details.

For Malaysians and Singaporeans, please make your donation to the following account:

Account Name: Bodhi Vision
Account No:. 2122 00000 44661
Bank: RHB

The SWIFT/BIC code for RHB Bank Berhad is: RHBBMYKLXXX
Address: 11-15, Jalan SS 24/11, Taman Megah, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Phone: 603-9206 8118

Note: Please indicate your purpose of payment (loan or donation) in the payment slip. Thank you.

Once payment is banked in, please send the payment slip via email to: editor@buddhistchannel.tv. Your donation/loan will be published and publicly acknowledged on the Buddhist Channel.

Spread the Word: Share this initiative with your friends, family and fellow Dharma enthusiasts. Join "Friends of Norbu" at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/norbuchatbot. Together, we can build a stronger community and create a positive impact on a global scale.

Volunteer: If you possess expertise in AI, natural language processing, Dharma knowledge in terms of Buddhist sutras in various languages or related fields, and wish to lend your skills, please contact us. Your knowledge and passion could be invaluable to our project's success.

Your support is part of a collective effort to preserve and disseminate the profound teachings of Buddhism. By contributing to the NORBU, you become a "virtual Bodhisattva" to make Buddhist wisdom more accessible to seekers worldwide.

Thank you for helping to make NORBU a wise and compassionate Buddhist Chatbot!

May you be blessed with inner peace and wisdom,

With deepest gratitude,

Kooi F. Lim
On behalf of The Buddhist Channel Team

Note: To date, we have received the following contributions for NORBU:
US$ 75 from Gary Gach (Loan)
US$ 50 from Chong Sim Keong
MYR 300 from Wilson Tee
MYR 500 from Lim Yan Pok
MYR 50 from Oon Yeoh
MYR 200 from Ooi Poh Tin
MYR 300 from Lai Swee Pin
MYR 100 from Ong Hooi Sian
MYR 1,000 from Fam Sin Nin
MYR 500 from Oh teik Bin
MYR 300 from Yeoh Ai Guat
MYR 300 from Yong Lily
MYR 50 from Bandar Utama Buddhist Society
MYR 1,000 from Chiam Swee Ann
MYR 1,000 from Lye Veei Chiew
MYR 1,000 from Por Yong Tong
MYR 80 from Lee Wai Yee
MYR 500 from Pek Chee Hen
MYR 300 from Hor Tuck Loon
MYR 1,000 from Wise Payments Malaysia Sdn Bhd
MYR 200 from Teo Yen Hua
MYR 500 from Ng Wee Keat
MYR 10,000 from Chang Quai Hung, Jackie (Loan)
MYR 10,000 from K. C. Lim & Agnes (Loan)
MYR 10,000 from Juin & Jooky Tan (Loan)
MYR 100 from Poh Boon Fong (on behalf of SXI Buddhist Students Society)
MYR 10,000 from Fam Shan-Shan (Loan)
MYR 10,000 from John Fam (Loan)
MYR 500 from Phang Cheng Kar
MYR 100 from Lee Suat Yee
MYR 500 from Teo Chwee Hoon (on behalf of Lai Siow Kee)
MYR 200 from Mak Yuen Chau

We express our deep gratitude for the support and generosity.

If you have any enquiries, please write to: editor@buddhistchannel.tv

TOP