About Dhamma Vihara

• Promote the teaching of the Lord Buddha;
• Engage in and facilitate Buddhist, Theravada religious activities;
• Foster inter-religious harmony; and
• Engage in charitable and welfare activities as appropriate.

1. Promote the teaching of the Lord Buddha through:

• weekly Dhamma Talk (sermon related to Buddhism) and discussion for the youth group and adults;
• weekend (held on Saturday) Sinhala Language and Buddhism School for children;
• annual and other special religious activities (Dhamma and meditation programs) with the participation of foreign and interstate monks.
• the quarterly news letter; and
• the web site to educate about the activities of the association.

2. Engage and facilitate Buddhist, Theravada religious activities:

• Offering of alms giving (breakfast and lunch) including the evening ‘Puja¹‘ to the Lord Buddha and resident Thero (incumbent monk) and reciting of Sutras²‘, daily thrice a day;
• Conduct and organise three full-moon day³‘ (which are called Poya Days) anniversary programs (Vesak, Poson and Katina⁴) that are important for Buddhist and other monthly full-moon day religious (Sill⁵) programmes from 8:00 am to 4:00 p.m. for adults in the temple;
• Conduct annual Sil program from 9:00 am to 1:00 p.m. for children in the temple; and
• Participate in special religious events in temples/houses of Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Burma, Cambodia and interstate temples of Sri Lanka.

  1. Offer flowers and drinks, chant Sutras and conduct a short sermon.
  2. The word .for Buddhist scripture in Pali.
  3. The most important religious observances are held on full-moon days.
  4. Are full-moon days with religious significance; Vesak: The dnv of birth, enlightenment and death of Lord Buddha; Poson: The day Buddhism was introduce to Sri Lanka and etc.
  5. Sil is the promise not to break the 8 Noble Truths as mentioned by Buddha.

3. Foster inter-religious harmony:

• Organise the annual educational tour for children; and
• Organise the annual Sinhalese and Tamil New Year calibration that falls in April.

4. Engage in welfare activities as appropriate:

• Fund raising activities for the temple and other charitable purposes;
• Voluntary service with the participation of the Youth Group and the adults;
• Assist new immigrants and students to establish themselves with minimal government support;
• Visiting patients in hospitals or homes and blessing them by chanting Sutras (Pirith) and comforting them for mental upliftment;
• Bless pregnant and recent mothers according to our culture;
• Visit homes and conduct Buddhist sermons and chant Sutras to bless occupants (especially for older people);
• Every weekend/sometimes week days, organise the following religious activities; and
  1. Conduct religious services at funerals and deliver the funeral orations;
  2. Chant Sutras to bless devotees on birthdays.
  3. House warming activities; and
  4. Bless couples who get married.
• Engage and resolve personal issues/family disputes amicably and by discussion.

5. Other activities:

• Conduct January 1 st annual ceremony to bless devotees for the New Year;
• Keep the temple and the garden clean and tidy;
• Conduct Buddhist religious activities for Sri Lanka national events such as the New Year celebrations, organised by other Sri Lankan associations and the Sri Lanka High Commission (e.g.. independent celebration)
• Conduct religious activities in relation to a death, on the seventh day since the death, and the burial of ashes according to the Sri Lankan tradition.