Growing a Dharma community

General discussion, particularly exploring the Dharma in the modern world.
Post Reply
dharmafootsteps
Posts: 475
Joined: Sun Apr 30, 2017 8:57 am

Growing a Dharma community

Post by dharmafootsteps »

I was wondering if anyone has any experience of growing a community in their area, or finding enough interested people to host occasional events.

I'd love to bring some teachers to my city, even if it means stumping up a lot of the cost myself, but there's not a big Dharma scene there. There's just one small centre belonging to a Rinpoche from a different lineage, who lives elsewhere in the country. I'm wondering how I make sure enough people show up to make it worth the lamas time.

There also aren't any lamas resident in the city, or anywhere particularly close by. So I feel even though there isn't much Dharma there now, it might be possible to spark some interested if some great teachers were to visit, and if I could get some people with a spark of interest in the teachings in the door.
Fortyeightvows
Posts: 2948
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2014 2:37 am

Re: Growing a Dharma community

Post by Fortyeightvows »

I think it will be easier for you since there aren’t any other centers around.

When you host teachings you should reach out to the rel department at the local universities and invite the people to attend.

It isnt unheard of to rent a bus to pick up old people and bring them to the teachings.
Fortyeightvows
Posts: 2948
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2014 2:37 am

Re: Growing a Dharma community

Post by Fortyeightvows »

Surely other have some more recommendations they can add.
User avatar
Kim O'Hara
Former staff member
Posts: 7047
Joined: Fri Nov 16, 2012 1:09 am
Location: North Queensland, Australia

Re: Growing a Dharma community

Post by Kim O'Hara »

Fortyeightvows wrote: Sun Aug 18, 2019 4:55 am Surely other have some more recommendations they can add.
People could help you more if you gave more information in the first place - basic stuff like country, city/urban/rural, which tradition you want to support, what kind of role you're willing to take on ... what might work for your situation is quite dependent on local factors.

:coffee:
Kim
Fortyeightvows
Posts: 2948
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2014 2:37 am

Re: Growing a Dharma community

Post by Fortyeightvows »

I think this topic is potentially very relevant to many people.

We read on this forum so many times that there is not group near me, I never see teachers in real life, etc.

How many thread do we see people who are genuinely interested in Buddhism, but have no connections?

many people recommend this or that livestream. But the world needs more. People need more.

The situation was well said here:
Queequeg wrote: Sun Aug 04, 2019 4:39 pmThe richness of lived Buddhism is not transmitted here. We simply don't have the infrastructure. We don't have neighborhood temples where one can stop by to light incense and pray for money and love, or spend time volunteering to sweep the grounds, do landscaping, attend regular services. We don't have pilgrimage destinations and routes.
Last edited by Fortyeightvows on Sun Aug 18, 2019 1:34 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Fortyeightvows
Posts: 2948
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2014 2:37 am

Re: Growing a Dharma community

Post by Fortyeightvows »

Kim O'Hara wrote: Sun Aug 18, 2019 5:33 amPeople could help you more if you gave more information in the first place - basic stuff like country, city/urban/rural, which tradition you want to support, what kind of role you're willing to take on ... what might work for your situation is quite dependent on local factors.
So for the sake of discussion, let's say a city of about 70,000

Catacaos Peru
Kraljevo Serbia
Bismark USA

Op did give some context:
dharmafootsteps wrote: Thu Aug 02, 2018 2:00 amThere's just one small centre belonging to a Rinpoche from a different lineage, who lives elsewhere in the country.
So, let's say a town of about 70,000 and there are maybe only one or two small Buddhist centers or groups and those might be the only Buddhist institutions within a 700 mile radius.

What to do?
Chanh Dao
Posts: 13
Joined: Fri Mar 08, 2019 11:08 am

Re: Growing a Dharma community

Post by Chanh Dao »

Well we can use the internet to organize and find others to practice with.

Meetup.com is a good option for starting a group and advertising it to others.

Going to progressive minded book stores or colleges, maybe retirement homes or other such communiity spaces that might be interested and posting flyers of your intentions and contact information
Get together somewhere to start practicing and discussing the Dharma.

Eventually maybe you can invite some teachers to come and teach/practice with you.

Also while not always the case there are sometimes Dharma centers even monastaries where one would not expect them. They are not always so easy to find.

Anyway good luck.
Fortyeightvows
Posts: 2948
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2014 2:37 am

Re: Growing a Dharma community

Post by Fortyeightvows »

Some relevant posts from another thread:
pemachophel wrote: Thu Oct 13, 2016 6:56 pm There are many practices you can do without a Teacher until a Teacher is found. These include screening Dharma videos, listening to Dharma tapes, having a Dharma book club, taking Refuge in front of an image of the Buddha, developing Bodhicitta,making offerings to the Three Jewels, practicing charity and engaging in other "good works" in the name of the Dharma/Bodhicitta, reciting the sutras, reciting various dharanis that do not need transmission, even reciting certain mantra that do not need transmission.

I know of a number of Dharma groups (from back in the early 70s) that coalesced as a group before they had a Teacher and then actively invited a Teacher to lead them. In some cases, the first Teacher turned out to be a perfect fit and those groups are now full-fledged Dharma centers. In some cases, the first Teacher was not a good fit, but eventually a Teacher Who was right for that group was found. For instance, I believe a small group of Gurdjieffian students who wanted to practice Tibetan Buddhism invited Dodrubchen Rinpoche to teach them in western Massachusetts. That didn't work out, but eventually they found Chogyal Namkhai Norbu and became the American seat for the Dzogchen Community.

One suggestion would be to start a group for anyone interested in exploring the Buddhadharma and then, after a few months, try inviting a Lama to see what happens. You could first meet that Lama in person, or you could chose someone from off the Internet. There are a number of authentic Lamas on Facebook. I'd be happy to make some suggestions when the time came. I feel confident that either Lama Thubten or Lama Orgyen Whom I mentioned in my previous post would be willing to visit a fledgling Dharma center on a trial basis. But I can also think of some other Lamas as well, some American, some Tibetan. Of course, there are also Teachers of other traditions. "Where there's a will, there's a way."
Fortyeightvows
Posts: 2948
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2014 2:37 am

Re: Growing a Dharma community

Post by Fortyeightvows »

Fortyeightvows wrote: Fri Oct 14, 2016 2:46 am Call around the bigger cities nearby and find any decent monk who knows the local language. Rent a local hall or something to have the monk come to give a talk. If the temples are in the suburbs then you you won't even need to pay for a hotel or anything, but if you have an extra room that's good. Then invite all your friends and anyone in the neighborhood to come. find a cheap place to have the talk and you won't be out much money. Some of the most rewarding empowerment and teachings I've ever been to have taken place inside sponsors living rooms. If you advertise it well you will end up meeting other people interested in buddhism. It take only a little bit of money and you can gauge interest.
Fortyeightvows wrote: Fri Oct 14, 2016 5:32 pm The overhead for a small event like that is reasonable. You can probably even find a place to host it for free like a library or something.
Just make sure everyone who attends signs in with their phone number and email, then keep that paper so you can give them a heads up about future events.
omnifriend
Posts: 39
Joined: Thu Jun 09, 2011 5:42 am

Re: Growing a Dharma community

Post by omnifriend »

I agree old people are a good demographic for religious events they are contemplating their mortality and have free time
Post Reply

Return to “Dharma in Everyday Life”