New London Buddhist Centre road show goes to Graz

London and Graz Sanghas together in the Graz Centre's beautiful meditation hall

On 6-8 November several members of the London Buddhist Centre had the amazing opportunity to discover the Diamond Way Buddhist Centre in Graz, Austria. During the weekend they were honoured to be guests of the Austrian sangha as well as being given the chance to present the New London Buddhist Centre project. These events are called “road shows” which mainly brings to mind fundraising activities. However, the most important meaning behind the trip to Graz was the exchange of experience, joint dharma activities and simply spending quality time together and having lots of fun.

The founding of the centre in Graz goes back to 1972 when Lama Ole Nydahl gave refuge for the first time after coming back from his studies in the Himalayas. In 1986 the first buddhists moved to a house in St.Peter, Graz, which became the centre for the next 11 years. Next to the centre they built a small but very powerful Stupa of Enlightenment. Since 1997 the new centre has been located at a renovated former farmhouse in Pfeifferhofweg in Graz-Andritz. In 1998 a stupa symbolising Buddha’s turning of the wheel of Dharma was erected. In English this kind of stupa is called a Stupa of Many Doors or Wisdom Stupa. The building of the stupa was supervised and inaugurated by Lopön Tsechu Rinpoche.

Stupa of Many Doors at the Graz Diamond Way Buddhist Centre

The experience has a deep meaning for our work in London. Here is just one of the comments about the road show: “A sangha weekend can’t easily be greater than the one the London and Graz sanghas had together last weekend. The perfect combination of dharma practice, lectures, meditation, joyful dance, and bliss. Thank you a million times for this event! Sangha friends from London transformed the Graz centre into a temple of bliss! It was so amazing.”

On the top of these amazing and enriching activities, and thanks to the great generosity of our Austrian friends, we managed to fundraise over €2,000 towards the New London Buddhist Centre. All the money came from selling the lecture tickets, donations towards food, t-shirts and vouchers which entitle the holder to a free weekend stay in the future New London Buddhist Centre – an idea that was originally used by the Graz sangha during their fundraising activities towards building the Graz centre.

Friends from London and Graz

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One Response to “New London Buddhist Centre road show goes to Graz”

  1. Paul says:

    It was really touching to get the messages of support and encouragement from the Austrian sangha after we’d visited. Hopefully in a few years we’ll be in such a position of stability, experience, and surplus. Really amazing place to visit. They also have a great retreat house!

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