International Buddhist Meditation Center (IBMC)

Memorial Service for Ven. Thích Thiên-Ân, Ven. Havanpola Ratanasara and Ven. Karuna Dharma

3/18/2019

IBMC held a annual memorial service remembering our beloved mentors Ven. Dr. Thich Thien-An, Ven. Dr. Havanpola Ratanasara and Ven. Dr. Karuna Dharma on Sunday March 10, 2019.

Ven. Dr. Ratanasara was a prominent Theravada monk and the teacher of Ven. Shanti and Ven. Veneetha. Ven. Thích Thiên-Ân is the founder of IBMC. Ven. Dr. Karuna became the Abbess of IBMC when Ven. Thien-An died in 1980. In November 2012, Ven. Karuna retired after 32 years as Abbess and Ven. Hsanti became the new abbot of IBMC on Nov. 11, 2012 . He was given the certificate of authority at the going away party for Ven. Dr. Karuna Dharma. After the retirement Ven. Dr. Karuna moved to Northern California to live close to family and friends. She passed away On February 22, 2014. She was 74.

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IBMC Holds Its Annual Ullambana Ceremony September 09, 2018

9/10/2018

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IBMC held its annual Ullambana ceremony this year on Sunday, September 9, 2018. The ceremony is a time to help those who have died and are still suffering. It is based on the Ullambana Sutra in Mahayana Buddhism, where the Buddha teaches his disciple Maudgalyāyana how to obtain liberation for his mother who was reborn into a lower realm of existence.

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Five and Eight Precepts Ordination Ceremony – June 24, 2018

6/25/2018

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IBMC held a five and eight precepts ordination ceremony on June 24, 2018. Steven Anthony Martin Nunez (religious name: Subodha) was given the three refuges and eight precepts. Russell Charles Leong (Jagat) and Adrian Mathew Gross (Sugat) were given the three refuges and five precepts.

Taking Refuge confirms that one wants to become a Buddhist, and one accepts the Buddha as the enlightened teacher, the Dharma as the guide to the spiritual path and the Sangha (Buddhist community of monks, nuns, and novices) as the supporting spiritual community. Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha are also known as the Triple Gems.

Three Refuges

I take refuge in the Buddha
I take refuge in the Dhamma
I take refuge in the Sangha

Buddhists live by the Five Moral Precepts. These are the most basic code of ethics undertaken by upāsaka and upāsikā (male/ female lapeople).

The five precepts
I undertake to observe the rule:

to abstain from taking life
to abstain from taking what is not given
to abstain from sexual misconduct
to abstain from false speech
to abstain from intoxicants

The eight precepts are an enhanced version of the Five Precepts. Eight precepts are consisting of five precepts with three additional precepts.

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Memorial Service for Ven. Karuna Dharma, Ven. Thích Thiên-Ân and Ven. Havanpola Ratanasara - March 04, 2018

5/12/2018

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IBMC held a four-year anniversary memorial service for Ven. Karuna Dharma on March 04, 2018. The ceremony remembered the life of Ven. Karuna Dharma, the former Abbess of IBMC and a prominent American Buddhist nun, who passed away four years ago.

The service also honored the lives of Ven. Thích Thiên-Ân, the founder of IBMC, and Ven. Havanpola Ratanasara, a prominent Theravada monk and the teacher of Ven. Shanti and Ven. Veneetha.

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