Toronto Meditation Guide

Phone: (416) 658-0137
Email: toronto@zenbuddhisttemple.org
Website: www.zenbuddhisttemple.org
Address: 297 College Street, Toronto, ON, M5T 1S2

Zen Buddhist Temple began in Montreal in 1968 and moved to Toronto in 1972. The Temple is affiliated with the Buddhist Society for Compassionate Wisdom, a North American Buddhist order founded in 1967 by Ven. Samu Sunim, Korean Zen Master. The Buddhist Society promotes cultivation of wisdom heart in everyday life for the sake of peace and happiness of all beings, along with formal Zen training and doctrinal understanding. The Temple provides meditation instruction, kido chanting, sutra study and recitation; cultivation of bows and prostrations; and manual work practice, such as woodwork, gardening, writing and editing, and handicrafts. The Temple serves the general public and the Sangha on three levels: one, as a monastery for retreats; two, as a Temple, providing public services and meditation instruction, as well as services for children, weddings and funerals; and three, as a community for Buddhist holidays, observances, festivals and other events.

Background

Lineage

Korean Zen

Activities

Public Services are held on Sundays at 9:30 am and 4 pm. The Temple also provides an Introductory Course in Meditation in two formats: one over five consecutive Thursday evenings; the other, from Friday evening to Saturday at Noon. These courses are each held approximately every other month. For details please visit our website. As well, the Temple offers a Membership Program. Practicing members may attend meditation sittings on Sunday mornings at 6:30 am and Wednesday evenings at 6:30 pm, as well as daily morning meditation Monday through Friday at 5:30 am. Retreats are held regularly throughout the year, ranging in length from one to five days. A Visitor’s Program is available for those who wish to spend some time living in the Temple. They follow the Temple schedule and participate in Temple programs in the mornings and/or evenings.

Biography

Ven. Samu Sunim was born in Korea in 1941. Orphaned during the Korean War, he entered a Buddhist monastery following a period of homelessness. He studied Zen (Son) under Master Solbong Sunim at Pomo-Sa monastery in Pusan. In August, 1967 he arrived in Manhattan, New York City and founded Zen Lotus Society (now Buddhist Society for Compassionate Wisdom). After moving to Toronto in 1972 he completed a three-year solitary retreat before beginning his teaching career. Since that time he has established temples in Toronto, Chicago, Ann Arbor (Michigan) and Mexico City.

Comments

The Buddhist Society operates Maitreya Buddhist Seminary through local temples: A three- to five-year residential or non-residential training program for those who aspire to become a priest or lay Dharma teacher.