About us
A group devoted to spreading the teachings of (Chinese Zen) Buddhism through sitting meditation, book discussions, and other Dharma-related activities.
We welcome everyone to take part in this wonderful learning opportunity, to practice, discuss and study the Chan tradition. Most of all, through meditation, reading and discussion, we can apply the principles of Chan to daily life and enrich our spiritual practice.
About Dharma Drum Mountain (Ontario) Buddhist Association (DDMBA Ontario): DDMBA Ontario is a registered charitable organization with a TTC-accessible office and library in Toronto. Alongside other DDMBA affiliates around the world, DDMBA Ontario is devoted to promoting and facilitating the practice of Buddhist teachings through the Chan way of life. Our members are practitioners who are interested in learning the Buddha's teachings and the Chan way of life. By cultivating Chan mindfulness in everyday life, members benefit themselves and make positive influences to their communities, friends, and families. As such, DDMBA Ontario focuses on the application of compassion and wisdom, as passed down by the long tradition of Chan masters, and as now taught by Chan Master Sheng Yen and DDM’s monastic sangha.
Upcoming events
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A Day of Community Engaged Buddhism
William Doo Auditorium, 45 Willcocks St, Toronto, ON M5S 2H3, Canada, Toronto, ON, CAHonouring 2500 Years of Full Ordination of Buddhist Nuns (Bhikkhunī Ordination)
William Doo Auditorium, New College, University of Toronto, 45 Willcocks Street, Toronto
November 9, 2026, Monday, 2:00 pm to 8:30 pm
Free Admission. To register for the event, please email the name(s) of the attendees to
registration@appliedbuddhism.ca
2:00 pm to 8:30 pm:
Buddhist Community Booths
Refreshments served
3:00 pm to 4:30 pm:
Public Talk & Discussion (in *Mandarin Chinese 中文 – with English Translation)
Topic (Tr): Who Am I? Confucian Ethics and Relationships, the Western Individual, and Buddhist “Non-Self”
Speaker: Venerable Bhikkhunī Aloka
5:00 pm to 6:30 pm (meditation 5:00 – 5:15/ panel 5:15 to 6:15/ open discussion 6:15 to 6:30):
Panel and Discussion on The Past and Present of Bhikkhunī Ordination (of fully ordained Buddhist nuns)
Meditation
On selected poems in the Therīgāthā, Poems of Enlightened Nuns of India from 2500 years ago
Panelist: Visita Sirin Leelaratna
Historical overview of Bhikkhunī Ordination and its transmission to Sri Lanka (3rd Century BCE) and to China (5th Century CE)
Panelist: Venerable Bhikkhunī Thich nu Tinh Quang
Experience of a Canadian Buddhist nun receiving full ordination “underground” from her courageous preceptor in Vietnam
Moderator: Dr. Henry Shiu
Open Discussion
With audience on ensuring the continuation of Bhikkhunī Ordination and supporting a call for its recognition as Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO
Refreshments
7:10 pm to 8:30 pm:
Public Talk & Discussion (in English)
Speaker: Venerable Bhikkhunī Aloka
From the Ideal of Individual Autonomy to Buddhist Non-Self
Brief: What does it mean to be an individual, and who is the “I” behind the sense of self? This talk explores the Western idea of the individual and the Buddhist view of non-self (anattā) and dependent origination (pratītyasamutpāda), and asks how our understanding of the “I” may shape the way we experience freedom, responsibility, relationships, and wellbeing. It also considers what this Buddhist perspective might mean for us in an age of AI and information abundance.
Venerable Bhikkhunī Thich nu Tinh Quang was born in Canada. She acquired a B.A. in Philosophy, a Diploma in Human Services, majoring in Addictions and Mental Health, and did post-graduate training at the Gestalt Institute of Toronto. She has lived in the U.K. and periodically spends time at her monastery (Chua Buu Tich) in Ba Ria – Vung Tau, Vietnam.She teaches at Little Heron Zen Hermitage, in Hamilton, Ontario, at Wat Khmer Krom Buddhist Temple, and by request leads retreats at other locations. She is former Vice-President of the Board of Directors of Sakyadhita Canada.
Venerable Bhikkhunī Aloka 釋頓宇法師 Shi Dunyu is a Chinese Bhikkhunī and a 46th-generation Dharma Heir of the Linji Chan School. She serves as Senior Sangha Advisor of the Buddhist Embassy, Ottawa, Canada. She is a PhD Candidate (Thesis Defended) and Teaching Assistant in Theravāda Abhidhamma Buddhist philosophical psychology, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka.
Visita Sirin Leelaratna is Founder and President of the Buddhist Embassy® Canada**,** based in Ottawa. He initiated the federal e‑6893 petition for Buddhist Heritage Month, and he has pursued the Ottawa City Proclamation by the Mayor and Ontario petitions advancing formal recognition of Buddhist heritage in Canada. Through Sirin Park and related cultural‑diplomacy programs, he has worked to strengthen spiritual and cultural ties between Canada and the world, including efforts to establish a recognized Bhikkhunī Sāsana in Canada.
Henry Shiu is Shi Wu De Professor in Chinese Buddhism at Emmanuel College, University of Toronto. He has published widely on Buddhist philosophy and contemporary applications of the Dharma, including dementia care, ecological ethics, chaplaincy, and intercultural competency.
Presented by: Toronto Centre for Applied BuddhismSponsored by: New College, University of Toronto & Buddhist Education Foundation of Canada
1 attendee
Past events
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