What Is Buddhism? Exploring Wisdom, Compassion, and the Path to Inner Peace

What Is Buddhism? Exploring Wisdom, Compassion, and the Path to Inner Peace
🗓️ Sunday, September 20, 2026
🕖 7:00 PM EDT (doors open 6:55 PM)
📍 In person: Toronto Theosophical Society, 792 Glencairn Ave, Toronto, ON M6B 2A3
💻 Online via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84270468992?pwd=4zCYipzRdRgsubISPaMWjBU9iuNQZv.1
💸 Free and open to the public — everyone welcome

Join us for an Open Heart Lecture with Jason Simard (Tenzin Gawa) in person or online.

Jason Simard's presentation offers an accessible introduction to Buddhism and its relevance to modern life. He presents Buddhism not simply as a religion, but as a practical path for understanding the mind, developing compassion, and cultivating lasting inner peace. The talk explores the Buddha's fundamental teachings on the causes of suffering and happiness, emphasizing that our experiences are shaped largely by our thoughts, emotions, and perceptions. Through mindfulness, ethical living, and meditation, Buddhism provides methods for developing greater self-awareness and emotional balance. Jason highlights how these teachings remain valuable in addressing contemporary challenges such as stress, anxiety, and the search for meaning and purpose.
The presentation also examines what makes Buddhism unique among spiritual traditions and how it can complement other religious or philosophical paths. Rather than requiring blind faith, Buddhism encourages personal inquiry and direct experience. Jason outlines the gradual path of study, reflection, and meditation available to beginners, emphasizing the importance of learning from qualified teachers and engaging with a supportive community. He offers practical guidance for those interested in exploring Buddhism, demonstrating how compassion, wisdom, and mindfulness can be integrated into daily life. Ultimately, the talk presents Buddhism as a universal and practical approach to personal growth, emotional well-being, and the cultivation of a more meaningful and compassionate way of living.

About the speaker:
Jason Simard, known by his monastic name Tenzin Gawa, is a Canadian Buddhist monk, teacher, and founder of the Paramita Centre in Montreal. His interest in Buddhist philosophy began in 2000, and in 2002 he became a student of the Tibetan Buddhist master Lama Lobsang Samten, under whose guidance he continues to study and practice.

Jason began teaching introductory courses in meditation and Buddhist philosophy in 2006. In 2010, he founded the Paramita Centre in Montreal to make authentic Tibetan Buddhist teachings accessible to modern Western students. He later expanded these activities to Ontario and helped establish the Paramita Centre Toronto, which officially opened in 2019. Through these centres, he has taught students in both French-speaking and English-speaking communities.

His monastic training includes ordination with Geshe Dawa in 2010, taking monk's vows with His Holiness the Dalai Lama in 2014, and receiving full monastic ordination in 2018. He regularly travels to India to continue his studies with respected Tibetan Buddhist teachers.

Today, Tenzin Gawa teaches meditation, Buddhist philosophy, and Buddhist psychology, emphasizing the practical application of compassion, mindfulness, and wisdom in everyday life. His mission is to help people develop greater inner peace and understanding through the timeless teachings of Buddhism.