Melbourne’s Deer Park Dharma Centre, located 45 minutes west of the city, will celebrate its one-year anniversary this coming Vesak day. Vesak commemorates the birth of the historical Buddha, Shakyamuni, and is observed by Buddhist organizations and communities around the world.
Deer Park Dharma Centre’s Zen garden. From Thich Linh Tan
After purchasing the residential property in February 2014, the center’s abbot, Venerable Thich Linh Tan, along with his students and supporters, converted the existing house into a Vietnamese Mahayana Dharma center over the following three months, before the official opening and inauguration took place on Vesak day 2014. Facilities now consist of the main shrine room and meditation hall, the monks’ living quarters, an elaborate Buddhist library with texts in both English and Vietnamese, a kitchen and dining area, and a beautiful Zen garden complete with an open-air meditation hut. Minor adjustments and renovations to the property continue to take place.
“The one-year anniversary celebration will take place on 30 May and will begin with a ceremony that includes the recitation of gathas [verses] and conclude with the bathing of the baby Buddha,” revealed Venerable Thich Linh Tan. “We are very fortunate to have senior monks from various traditions as our guests to help with proceedings and to help us celebrate.” After the ceremony he will give a short talk on the meaning and significance of Vesak, which will be followed by an offering of food to the monastic sangha and then lunch for everyone in attendance.
Born in Vietnam in 1972, Venerable Linh Tan moved to Australia with his brother and sister in 1986. He took novice vows in 1999 and was fully ordained in Paris in 2002 under the late Grand Master Thich Huyen Vi, the founder of the Linh Son World Buddhist Congregation, which has over 50 branch temples worldwide. His master passed away in Taiwan on 11 April this year.
Venerable Linh Tan lived in India from 2005–11, studying Sanskrit and Pali at New Delhi University. He moved back to Australia shortly afterward. He often travels overseas to give teachings, and in 2012 founded the Nalanda Institute in London to cater to a core group of students, whom he visits whenever his busy schedule permits.
Deer Park Dharma Centre’s Zen garden. From Thich Linh Tan
Regular activities at Deer Park Dharma Centre include daily evening chanting sessions, which conclude with a brief Dharma talk on weekdays and longer talks on weekends, bimonthly repentance ceremonies, and a Sunday afternoon Dharma class which is integrated with the study of Pali. The center also runs regular retreats for its members and visiting students from London. Personal consultations with members and supporters are offered on request.
Outside the center, Venerable Linh Tan gives teachings at Collingwood Library, near the city, on Friday evenings, and on Sunday mornings at nearby Quang Minh Temple. On special occasions he also teaches at Linh Son Temple, the Tibetan Buddhist Society, the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion, and to the general public.
“Although most of the members of our center are around middle age, we do have a priority to teach the children and youth. We hope to implement this more in the near future,” said Venerable Linh Tan. “Our intention is to teach and share the pure Dharma within our community and with the wider Buddhist community, as well as with the Australian community as a whole, wherever and whenever possible.”
Future plans for the center include initiating its own website as well as a website for the Nalanda Institute in London.