Lama Zopa Rinpoche giving a teaching during the opening of Buddha House in its new location, Adelaide, Australia, May 2018. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche inspired thousands of students from around the world through the teachings they offered at Kopan Monastery in Nepal during the 1970s and 80s. The centers started by those early students formed the basis for the international FPMT organization. Many of those centers continue to thrive, bringing Dharma teachings to a new generation of students. This year two FPMT centers, Nalanda Monastery in France and Buddha House, in Adelaide, Australia, celebrated their fortieth anniversaries. Here’s an update on Buddha House, based on an article by Lyndy Abrams, who was both key to the founding of the Buddha House and currently serves as the center’s director.

In early December, Buddha House hosted a celebration of its fortieth anniversary. Due to the pandemic, the event was smaller than anticipated. Regardless, forty people gathered for a celebratory dinner, which included a special video from Lama Zopa Rinpoche, a presentation on the history of the center with 200 photos, and lots of shared reminiscing, laughter, and rejoicing. 

In Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s video, he sends his greetings and reminisces about the times he has spent at Buddha House. Rinpoche named and thanked all the past directors many times and said they created “skies of merit” and “sacrificed their lives” with patience and dedication. He thanked all the past teachers making special mention of the incredible kindness of Khensur Kangyurwa Lobsang Thubten Rinpoche. He called him Khensur Rinpoche Guru, saying he had helped very much, was very knowledgeable, and was an expert on all the teachings. After giving specific teachings on emptiness, developing bodhicitta, and not wasting our lives, Lama Zopa finished by saying if you help the FPMT center, you help so many sentient beings and this is why the center exists. This is most important, Rinpoche says, to give the opportunity to study the Buddha’s teachings.

Lama Yeshe with Will, Lyndy, and Sarah Jay Abrams, Adelaide, Australia, 1981. Photo courtesy of Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive.

Buddha House’s history goes back to the 1970s when Lyndy and Will Abram attended a month-long lamrim courses at Kopan Monastery in Nepal with Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche. In 1981, when Lyndy and Will heard that Lama Yeshe would be doing a teaching tour of Australia, they extended an invitation for him to come and teach in Adelaide. 

In late July of that year, Lama Yeshe arrived in the South Australia capital city and taught for three days on The Three Principal Aspects of the Path. The teachings were attended by about seventy-five people, many asking if there was a local center where they could learn more about Buddhism. While in the car driving Lama Yeshe to the airport, Lyndy asked Lama Yeshe if they could start a center in Adelaide. 

“Lama said, ‘Yes,’ and to call it Buddha House, Centre for Advanced Buddhist Studies,” Lyndy writes about the historic moment. “He added that it was up to the students to make it happen, and he advised that we do lamrim meditation.”

Lama Yeshe was accompanied by Ven. Thubten Dondrub on the visit, who is from Adelaide and was by then an ordained monk. Gen Dondrub, as his students call him, became the resident teacher of Buddha House in 2012. This year the center purchased an adjoining property for Gen Dondrub to live in, ensuring he is well cared for even after retirement. The center also offered him a long life puja in June. “We are most fortunate to have him as our teacher,” Lyndy writes.

Tony Migalka, Judy Wagner, Jan Vaughan, and Cathy Davis making long life offerings to Gen Dondrub at Buddha House, Adelaide, South Australia, June 2021. Photo by Joanne Foo.

Over the years, Buddha House has been served by many excellent resident teachers, who Lama Zopa Rinpoche listed and thanked in the video he recorded for the anniversary. The center has also been blessed with visits by many inspiring and well regarded teachers. In particular, in 1992 the center organized a visit to Adelaide by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, which included a multi-faith event, a Dharma teaching and Chenrezig empowerment, and a public talk attended by over 12,000 people.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche has also visited Buddha House on seven occasions over the years. Rinpoche’s first visit was in 1984. Rinpoche’s most recent visit was in 2018, when Rinpoche came to the opening of the center’s new building.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche at the opening of Buddha House in its new building, Adelaide, Australia, May 2018. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

“Buddha House has a very strong volunteer base, with no paid workers. Many have given over twenty years of service, either in the office or leading meditations. Some of the founding members still lead meditations,” Lyndy Abram writes. “Buddha’s Bowl Catering has brought in need funds during our evolving years with up to twenty volunteers cooking and serving food at major events. Buddha House volunteers supported the building of the stupa at DeTong Ling Retreat Centre, our sister center on Kangaroo Island, and volunteers have ensured the success of many other projects, including the initial visits of the Gyuto monks and events with the Maitreya Loving Kindness Relic Tour.” 

The center has an active spiritual program that includes regular Dharma teachings and several guided meditations offered each week. They also organize several popular outreach programs, including a program for those recovering from addiction, a children’s class, programs for those with life challenging illnesses, and a mental health first aid training course. The center also mentors the Himalayan Buddhist refugee community living in the northern suburbs.

Please join us in rejoicing in all the beneficial activities of Buddha House and its dedicated students for so many years. 

To learn more about Buddha House, visit their website Buddhahouse.org.

FPMT.org and Mandala Publications brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings, and events from over 160 FPMT centers, projects, and services around the globe. If you like what you read, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.