All Oaxaca residents want to be happy and not suffer like all living beings, but most people don’t know how to be happy on a continuous basis. My vision is to establish a permanent teaching center here to share Kadam Dharma, Buddha’s instructions on how people can overcome their suffering and find the real meaning of their life, which is permanent inner peace free from problems.
In my search within Buddhism for the past sixty years, I have found a reliable path to liberation and enlightenment. I want to introduce everyone to what I have learned. The center will provide an established venue for me and other “resident teachers” to provide these powerful teachings to the community.
My joy increases everyday, and I want to continue to share this experience with others as a teacher and an example. Others’ happiness and freedom are of primary importance and at the same time, sharing these teachings gives me the opportunity to complete my spiritual path. In our dharma teachings, people will learn they can abandon their suffering permanently and attain permanent inner peace and happiness.
I am seventy nine years old and an ordained Buddhist monk. My Buddhist path started in the 1960’s, and eventually led me to the beautiful people and City of Oaxaca.
I’ve lived in Oaxaca for ten years, and after three years I was requested by residents to teach Dharma. I started a small group and have had classes each week into the present.
My students wrote a letter to the main center for Kadampa Buddhism in England requesting that we become a qualified Kadampa Center in Oaxaca. After that, I spent six months in England in 2023 learning how to become a qualified resident teacher with the understanding I would return to Oaxaca. After returning, I’ve been working toward this goal step by step.
The pivotal moment when my commitment to take this action became more solid was when I was able to rent a three bedroom house and an adjoining space for classes. I received a one time only gift to move in and a financial cushion that allowed us time to develop our vision of a qualified Dharma community, dharma classes and meditation.
Since living in Oaxaca for the past ten years and teaching each week for seven, I have taught over 500 individuals.
I am now the qualified Kadampa Resident Teacher in Oaxaca and have been given the honor of establishing a qualified Kadampa Buddhist Center here.
In the past I haven’t had my own space, but now we do, which is a major achievement for our growing community. This is our next big step and I am confident we will succeed.
The foundation for a center has been built and now the real work begins.
The next big milestones include:
- To earn enough recurring income for the center can grow and stay focused on serving the community.
- Become a fully qualified Kadampa center, and attain legal status under the Kadampa umbrella. This will allow the center to host other Resident Teachers and continue on indefinitely into the future.
The overall budget to attain these goals is US$3000 per month, which we aim to generate from sponsors, lodging in the center’s spare bedrooms, and extended retreats.
Of our total budget goal of US$3,000 per month, $2,000 is for rent and the balance is for operating expenses and developing the teaching and retreat programs.
I receive a small social security payment each month. We are all volunteers, and all class contributions go back into supporting the center.
Now that we have a house I can offer short retreats with accommodations and the money that is generated goes to the center and house improvements.
Currently we have a volunteer team of three: Resident Teacher, acting Admin Director and acting Education Program Coordinator.
