2003-4 Directors report

Buddha House AGM
For financial year 2003-2004
April 10th 2005

Director’s Report

It is always a great pleasure to reflect each year on our achievements, and this past year has certainly been memorable. Although it was dominated by Buddha House hosting our most precious spiritual director, Lama Zopa Rinpoche at the Mahamudra Retreat, there is much to say about our wonderful centre, members and friends.

In October 2002 at the regional meeting at Chenrezig Inst, all the Australian centres requested the spiritual head of the FPMT, Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche, to come to Australia and teach and in June 2003 I received the polite invitation to consider hosting a month long retreat in Adelaide.
I chose a committee of people with diverse skills, most of whom were not already heavily committed to working at the centre. Within four months we had found a suitable venue and done the majority of the overall planning in preparation for advertising on the new BH website. The budget was well planned, enabling flexibility and giving us the opportunity to be generous in every way to make Rinpoche, the Sangha and the retreatants as comfortable as possible. There were almost 50 Sangha in attendance, with most of them from Australia and New Zealand centres but many countries were represented. The gompa was created from a basketball stadium, beautifully decorated with thangkas (many borrowed from friends and other centres), and an altar and throne especially made for the retreat. Reflecting on the retreat today, there seems to be an endless list of people to thank and achievements to mention, and it is only because of the selfless dedication, enthusiasm and great stamina of so many that we were able to host such a massive event.

There was a long life puja for Rinpoche at the conclusion of the retreat, and one which was so heartfelt and full of gratitude for the extensive teachings given over the month. Rinpoche expressed happiness at the great effort and dedication of many Buddha House students and others who contributed to the success of the retreat, and offered over four hours of dedication to our centre and the ability to benefit countless beings in the future.

I had the good fortune to speak with Rinpoche many times during the retreat, a precious opportunity to discuss centre business and review our situation. Elaine Moore had expressed the wish to retire from the position of SPC, which she had held for over three years, and Rinpoche appointed Ankara Gittins to take on this most important role. Ankara has been a student at Buddha House for several years and has served on the SP committee prior to this appointment. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to both Elaine and Ankara for all they have done and continue to do to make the dissemination of the precious Dharma possible through Buddha House.

I thought it best to check with Rinpoche about my role as centre director, and to see whether it was beneficial to continue. It is natural for directors to feel that someone else could definitely to the job better than them, and confessed my shortcomings to Rinpoche. His response was to laugh heartily, and appoint Tony Migalka to join me as Co-director of the centre. Rinpoche requested Tony to help in whatever way he was needed, especially in the procurement of a bigger centre for us to grow into. I would like to take this opportunity to express my great delight in sharing this role with Tony, and find him to be a man of great humility, dependability and generosity. Tony is working constantly for the benefit of Buddha House and is following the advice of Lama Zopa Rinpoche with regards to practices necessary to assist in the removal of obstacles to the generation of the necessary funds for this next phase in our development.

There was an extensive report generated at the completion of the retreat, and this was forwarded to the FPMT education department to assist other centres hosting similar large retreats.

Every 18 months or so there is an international meeting of FPMT Inc staff, centre directors and those committed to work for the organisation. Last year the theme of the CPMT was "Foundation Training for Compassionate Service” and was hosted by the Maitreya Centre in Emst, Netherlands. This coincided with the 25th anniversary of the formation of the centre that was celebrated by a wonderful day of festivities at the end of the week long meeting. Rinpoche strongly encourages participation at these events, with benefits far reaching for everyone. I have represented Buddha House at the last few CPMT meetings, and this year was joined by Tony and Elaine. I was invited to attend this CPMT to train as a trainer, using the meeting as a way to develop skills to be able to assist others within the organisation. As the FPMT is growing rapidly throughout the world with establishment of new centres and projects, it is the intention of the FPMT International Office to train experienced people to assist in their development. In the future I hope to be able to share my experience as centre director to benefit those in our region needing support.

Buddha House is a centre that is well respected for our stability and extensive programme, and many marvel at the strong culture of volunteering within our community. The sharing of ideas and experiences amongst participants at these meetings is greatly beneficial and inspiring, and Rinpoche was very pleased at the number of delegates who were able to make great sacrifice to attend. His prediction was that the FPMT is only just beginning, and that in the near future we will be a shining light in the world!

The current executive committee of Buddha House comprises myself, Tony Migalka co-director), Ankara Gittins (SPC), Carole Armstrong (centre manager), Sue Johanson (treasurer), Lindsay Holmes and Becky Geisler. It is a committed and very hard working group of students dedicated to making clear and well considered decisions about centre activities. We generally meet fortnightly, and enjoy a respectful, harmonious and fruitful relationship. This enables us to work well together, a blessing given the responsibility we share for the smooth running of all aspects of the centre. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the committee members for the kindness, support and understanding selflessly offered – something I value and indeed rely on to enable me to function effectively in the role of director.

During 2004 our wonderful translator Ruth Gamble explained that she wanted to take up the offer of a full scholarship at ANU to continue her studies, starting towards the end of 2005. After much concerted effort on the part of many, we failed to convince her that she would be better staying with us at Buddha House and the search for a new translator began. Ruth was a graduate of the Lotsawa Rinchen Zangpo Translator Programme, established to extensively train interpreters for Tibetan teachers placed in western FPMT centres. Her professional attitude to work, combined with her competence and dedication to Geshe Pema Tsering, led us to feel confidence in the LZRTP and welcome the possibility of accepting another graduate here at Buddha House. After looking carefully at all our options, I extended an invitation to Rodrigo Sanchez, which he enthusiastically accepted. He had heard positive reports about BH, and is intending to arrive some weeks before he is scheduled to begin his contract in September in order to become familiar with Geshela and the programme. We will miss Ruth and her husband Jackie as we have enjoyed a wonderful relationship, and all the students have benefited greatly by her clear translation and willingness to assist us at any time. Many, many thanks Ruth and best wishes for your continuing study.

During 2003 Geshe Pema Tsering indicated to me that he definitely would like to remain at Buddha House as our resident teacher as long as it was beneficial. This is wonderful news, and we hope that he remains for many years and continues to teach. We are most fortunate to have such a kind and wise spiritual friend in our midst to guide us, and most aspects of Geshela’s care have been entrusted to Anthony Sweeney. Anthony is responsible for seeing that Geshela’s meal roster runs smoothly and takes care of any medical appointments and visa applications. He also makes all travel arrangements and accompanies Geshela when he returns to Sera during the Christmas break. Thank you so much Anthony.

Recently we welcomed Khensur Kangur Rinpoche back to Adelaide after twelve months at Sera Monastery in India. Rinpoche was delighted to tell me about the Yamantaka commentary given by His Holiness the Dalai Lama to many thousands of monks, nuns and lay people. Thirty years ago Rinpoche requested this of His Holiness, and finally the conditions were right for the teachings, which were held at Gyurmey Monastery. Ven Tenzin described to me the logistics of supporting so many Sangha at this event, and it made the Mahamudra Retreat seem so small! To the great joy of his many devoted students Khensur Rinpoche has decided to remain in Adelaide, wishing to fulfil the wishes of His Holiness that Geshes in exile broaden and preserve the teachings of the Buddha Dharma as much as possible. As he has fulfilled his obligations and responsibilities at Sera Monastery and Buddha House, Rinpoche feels that he can continue to satisfy the wishes of His Holiness by establishing a centre in Adelaide to be called Thekchen Shedrub Choeling. I am confident that Buddha House will continue to grow and develop alongside Thekchen Shedrub Choeling, supporting and working cooperatively to ensure that the people of Adelaide have access to the teachings of Lama Tsong Khapa in the Mahayana Buddhist tradition. As Geshe Pema Tsering is Rinpoche’s student, this means that they can both teach here in Adelaide, offering a richness not enjoyed by many. We are truly blessed to have this abundance, and it is with great joy that I offered my wholehearted support to Rinpoche and the new Dharma centre and look forward to a warm and close relationship.

For the past couple of years I have been reporting on the progress being made towards Buddha House officially being an affiliate of the FPMT. The mandala of enlightened activity of our precious spiritual friend Lama Zopa Rinpoche continues to expand, and an Affiliation Agreement is something legal to keep the centres together. This brings many benefits, providing long-term stability for centres and the organisation and creating a bond of common guidance from Rinpoche, which at the moment is devotional but not of a legal nature. In order to satisfy the requirements set out in the model rules for Australian centres, we are required to make some amendments to our constitution. We have been assisted in this process by lawyer and long-term Buddha House member Richard Bradshaw, who has made the proposed changes to be ratified at this meeting. He will explain the nature of these changes and assist us in all the legalities necessary in this situation. We will then be able to sign the FPMT Affiliation Agreement, thereby fulfilling the wishes of our spiritual director for the benefit of the organisation and the countless beings who we serve, now and in the future.

This would not be possible without the priceless support of the members and friends of Buddha House; those students who assist the programme by teaching, leading meditations and practices and being at the door to welcome and direct newcomers; all the volunteers who work long hours when Buddha's Bowl caters at WOMAD; office volunteers, who are the friendly and helpful face of the centre, patiently answering queries and making visitors comfortable; Marika, Anthony H and Ankara for a brilliant and informative newsletter and website; many, many more….

Buddha House exists due to their kindness and generosity, and it is an honour to be director of the centre and to work with such wonderful people.

Thankyou.