Statement of Intention

Uganda Buddhist Centre

Founded 2005

Statement of Intention

            The Uganda Buddhist Centre, founded in 2005,  is a major initiative in the heart of Africa which intends to provide the first stable source of Dhamma in Uganda. Most importantly, we consider the Buddha's Teachings to be a form of medicine that can end suffering and transform ordinary human beings into perfectly compassionate and perfectly wise beings. 

            The Uganda Buddhist Centre aims to create an enduring home for the preservation and transmission of the Buddha's teachings by venerable and respectful masters established in Dhamma, and to continue to develop a landmark of Buddhist culture and teaching in Uganda and Africa as a whole. As as step towards these aims we have established and built a Centre, including a temple, where people can gather to receive and practice spiritual instruction, learn meditation, volunteer among other activities and projects.

Our Audience

            The audience for the Ugandan Buddhist Centre's activities will be both Buddhist and non-Buddhist,  from near and far. The centre's educational practices and community projects will include local, regional and international Buddhist students and practitioners. Many expatriates and foreign visitors to Uganda are Buddhist, however while the number of Ugandan Buddhists is relatively low the new temple will increase the awareness of Buddhism and meditation practice.

            The Uganda Buddhist Centre's community outreach, inter-religious dialog and cultural events will serve the interests and needs of the general public, including religious groups, local  educational organization and curious visitors. Those visitors are welcome to become members of the Uganda Buddhist Centre and attend any or all of the activities and programs. Already, many visitors from around the world have visited our temporary Temple.

Background

            For The Uganda Buddhist Centre was established in April 2005 in Kawempe, Uganda, and used rented space. In early February, 2006 we acquired a new property overlooking Lake Victoria. Situated on a hillside, the Uganda Buddhist Centre is a short distance from Kampala (the Ugandan capital) and the international airport. Thus far, Uganda Buddhist Centre's facilities include:

1.      A Temple, currently being completed, including a small library and reading room, and a single room accommodation.

2.      A property managers house

3.      Volunteer facilities including campsites, and shelter for cooking/working.

4.      Outdoor Meditation sites (sitting and walking) with views of Lake Victoria.

These accomplishments have been supported by generous benefactors from abroad.

Our Future

            As you may very well be aware, when a community from a traditional Theravada Buddhist countries needs a center for its spiritual and cultural activities, people simply come and offer their labor and efforts to build it with the Bhikkhu Sangha. Support from the community is voluntarily and spontaneously offered out of a deep appreciation for the value of the Buddha's teachings and its effectiveness. In such countries, active fund raising is not specifically necessary.

            Due to this, the first major stage of Uganda Buddhist Centre found support from members in countries other than Uganda, such as Japan, Brazil, Thailand and the U.S.A. The Centre's future endowment will, in at least the near term, need funding from international sources until a strong Ugandan Buddhism community develops. On the following page are listed our general and specific development objectives, which help explain our path in Uganda and Africa.

We appreciate and thank you for taking the time to read about the Ugandan Buddhist Centre. You are personally welcome to visit our Centre to study, practice, volunteer or visit. If the journey is too far for you, then please feel free to visit www.UgandaBuddhistCentre.org where you can get up-to-date news about the Centre and view photos from our site.

Our Objectives

General Objective

            The Uganda Buddhist Centre is a major initiative to secure a firm and lasting spiritual home for Buddhist Teachings, and its Practice, on Ugandan and African soil. This is accomplished by the the establishment of a Centre for Study and Practice of (Theravada) Buddhism, thus creating the first Buddhist Centre in Uganda and massively increasing Buddhism presence in Africa.

Specific Objectives

 A.   To establish an enduring home for venerable and respectful Representatives of Bhikkhu-Sangha, thus assuring preservation and transmission of the Lord Buddha's Teachings.

 B.   To continue the development and maintenance of Uganda Buddhist Centre as a landmark Buddhist cultural and teaching centre in Africa.

 C.   To assist a Venerable Teacher to reside full-time at the centre.

 D.   To create a stable and sustainable endowment for ongoing projects and activities.

 E.    Some future projects

 a.    To initiate and create programs to serve the community with social, cultural, ecological, educational and other humanitarian services.

 b.    To initiate programs that will assist people afflicted by violence or HIV/AIDS infection.

 c.    Translate Dhamma texts into Ugandan languages such as, Lugandan, Swahili, etc.

 d.    To purchase solar power generating equipment.

Operating Principles

            The programs and ceremonies organized at the Uganda Buddhist Centre will be widely offered to the public free of charge, reflecting our commitment to universal access to Dhamma. Since our foundation we have been committed to supporting all programs by donation only, without depending on business enterprise.

            This is in keeping with the Buddhist principle that spiritual activities should be conducted in a a manner  free of commercial interests. Honoring this principle means we rely entirely on the generosity of benefactors, and we always remind them of the importance of understanding this interdependence between the students and the teachers of Dhamma.