What happens at a monastery?

The life of a monastery revolves around following the instructions of the Buddha: practicing generosity, practicing ethics, and training the mind.

Every morning, Winnipeggers come to the monastery and offer food to the monks. While here they have the opportunity to learn how to practice the Buddha’s teaching in their daily lives. If they have questions or need advice, the monks are available to talk with them. The monks encourage them to follow the five training precepts the Buddha gave to lay people.

Using the material support offered by the lay people, the monks can then spend their time devoted to meditation, study, and discussions on the Buddha's teachings.

In the evenings and on the weekends there are activities organized for the public to come to learn and practice the Buddha’s teachings. Some of these focus on meditation, some focus on learning, and some focus on devotional practices like chanting. There are some activities especially for young adults and children.

From time to time lay people will gather at the monastery to organize social service activities such as blood drives and collections for local food banks.

You might also be wondering...

• "Is there really a Buddhist monastery in Winnipeg?"
• "Can non-Buddhists benefit from your activities?"
• "What do Buddhists believe?"
• "Who are the monks? Who are the lay people?"
• "What can I expect when I visit?"