Vancouver Centre for Western Buddhist monastics

I am Karma Tsewang Samdrup. I first became a sramanera (novice monk) in April of 1977. Afterwards, I discovered my life as a monastic in Canada was to be different from my teacher’s experiences in Asia. For five years I moved around to several cities looking for a supportive environment in which to practice. In 1982, Kalu Rinpoche (one of the Dalai Lama’s teachers) allowed me to enter into his first Canadian three year retreat on Salt Spring Island, near Vancouver, British Columbia on Canada’s west coast.

After finishing the three year retreat, I acquired a mobile home and continued to engage in solitary retreats. After some time, I returned to Vancouver and gave back my Bhikshu (full monk) precepts. I got married and had a son in 1995. When my son was five, he expressed some interest in becoming a monk. When he was nine years old, myself being divorced, we both received novice monk (sramanera) ordination.

During the summer of 2005 I again took Gelong (Bhikshu - full monk) vows. Realizing that many Western monastics do not have the support to fully pursue their study and practice of the Dharma, I have since opened my home with a view to create a monastery for Western ordained, called the Vancouver Monastic Center. The monastery is open to Western monks of any recognized Buddhist monastic lineage, though the education and training is in the Vajrayana tradition.

Many people have been inspired by my decision and have come forward with many generous forms of support including the renovation of my home into a monastic center.

Life for many Western Buddhist monastics

Many Western Buddhist monastics lack the support that Asian Buddhist monastics do. In Western culture, there is not yet a well-developed understanding among many Western lay Buddhists or the population in general, of the need to materially support monastics so that they can conduct their training. Buddhist monastics make training for the benefit of all beings their primary focus in life – rather than the pursuit of material things – and in return they can help provide spiritual support to the lay population.

Without material support, many Western Buddhist monastics have been unable to remain in monastic life, and have had to return to lay life.

Vancouver Monastic Centre needs help

Buddhist monastics can get by with few things: food to eat, water to drink, and in the Canadian climate and culture, a warm house to live in. Vancouver Monastic Center supports Western Buddhist monastics by meeting their basic needs.

Unfortunately, as has happened with some other Buddhist centres in the West, a situation has developed whereby a former student wishes to materially profit from our relationship, and is trying to take over the Centre. Although this person’s claims are spurious and have no factual basis, the legal system in Canada requires for this to be dealt with in court, and with significant associated legal expenses.

It is our wish for this to be taken to trial and dealt with as quickly as possible. We want the claims against us to be thrown out, so that we can return to focussing on our training. In the legal system it is possible for one party to pressure another even when the claims have no factual basis, due to the legal costs that must be incurred. But we don’t want to be bullied into giving away our Centre or even a portion of its value to somebody who is acting dishonestly and trying to take what is not theirs.

As monastics we have few material resources at our disposal, and so we are asking for help to take this case to trial. We have already used much of our resources and we have taken on jobs to help pay legal bills, but we would like to raise funds to bring the case to trial and get it over and done with. That way we can return to focussing on our training, and providing a home to Western Buddhist monastics.

The cost of a trial are likely to be quite significant. We believe that they will be $20,000, in Canadian dollars. If we can raise any amount towards that, it would help us tremendously.

Contributions of any size will be deeply appreciated.

If you have any questions, please contact Lama Tsewang at 604-401-7790.