Sat, Jan 24
|Location is TBD
Five Lectures on Learning Buddhism
Led by Ven. Guo Yuan, abbot, Dharma Drum Retreat Center. The aim of Buddhist practice is to awaken wisdom and compassion - to free ourselves from delusion and to benefit all beings. True learning manifests in a peaceful mind and a life of service, guided by clarity and kindness.
Time & Location
Jan 24, 2026, 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. EST
Location is TBD
About the Event
These classes include sitting meditation, moving meditation, lectures, and Q&A sessions.The event will be conducted in English.
Email Contact: program@ddmbaontario.org
About Ven. Guo Yuan, abbot, Dharma Drum Retreat Center
In 1985, our abbot, Guo Yuan Fashi, encountered Master Sheng Yen’s teachings while attending a seven-day retreat in New York. He became a disciple before finally leaving his job in Toronto, Canada, to become a monk in the Chan tradition. He was ordained in 1987 in Taiwan. Then, for over twenty years, he accompanied and worked as translator to Master Sheng Yen in various Chan meditation retreats around the world. In 1991, he studied Theravada Buddhism for a year in Thailand. Upon his return, Guo Yuan Fashi was elected abbot of both the Chan Meditation Center (CMC) in Queens and the Dharma Drum Retreat Center (DDRC) in Pine Bush, New York. His responsibilities include attending interfaith services, teaching meditation, and giving lectures on Buddhism. In 2006, he became the director of the International Chan Retreat Center in Dharma Drum Mountain, Taiwan. In 2016, he returned to Pine Bush to become once again the abbot of DDRC. Fluent in Mandarin, Vietnamese, and English, he leads Chan retreat in many countries around the world.