By: Cindy Duong
The Missouri Buddhist Meditation Center is based in Hazelwood, Missouri, a suburb on the outskirts of St. Louis, Missouri. Established in 2008, the center was founded by its current “President Resident Monk” Venerable Tawalama Bodhiseeha Thero.
The Missouri Buddhist Meditation Center practices the Theravada Buddhist tradition (most referred as “Way of the Elders”). This practice is dominant in South Asian countries (Sri Lanka, Thailand, Burma, Laos and Cambodia).
Founder’s Background
Venerable Tawalama Bodhiseeha Thero was born on August 29, 1969, in Galle District in Sri Lanka, to devout Buddhist parents. In 1983, he was ordained as a Samanera, as he prepared to be fully ordained as a Bhikkus. Then, in 1989, Venerable Tawalama Bodhiseeha Thero received Upasampada (became bhikkhu). After completing his secondary education at Viharamahadevi Monastic College and Indasara Senior Monastic College, Venerable Tawalama Bodhiseeha Thero received his bachelor’s degree in Buddhist studies and Pali from the Buddhist and Pali University of Sri Lanka, 1996. He would then earn his masters in Pali and Buddhist Studies at the same institution in 2002. For the Theravada Buddhist monk, Pali holds immense importance as it is the language in which the Buddha’s teachings are preserved in the Tipitaka. Many Buddhist meditation centers highlight the significance of Pali on their websites, emphasizing its role in deepening one’s understanding of the Dhamma and meditation practices. This is shown in Missouri’s Buddhist Meditation Center’s website as there are quotes in Pali from the Dhammapada. Then, in 2007, Venerable Tawalama Bodhiseeha Thero established The Missouri Buddhist Meditation Center.
Theravada Buddhism
Theravada Buddhism or “The Way of the Elders” is the most dominant form of Buddhism that is practiced in South Asia. Additionally, it is regarded as the oldest and most authentic form of Buddhism, as its scriptures are rooted in Pali Canon with strict following of Buddha’s teachings on conduct, wisdom, and meditation. Drawing directly from Missouri’s Buddhist Meditation Center “The Theravada tradition is the oldest and most authentic version of the Buddha’s teachings now surviving. It preserves the original doctrines and practices taught by the Buddha over 2,500 years ago.” Its basic teachings are the Four Noble Truths and Noble Eightfold Path, with the goal of achieving Nirvana. Theravada emphasizes the ideal of the arhat, one who attains enlightenment through personal effort and dedication, contrasting with Mahayana bodhisattva. Theravada monks follow a strict monastic lifestyle, observing 227 rules and dedicating themselves to meditation and scripture study. Key practices like Vipassana (insight meditation) and Samatha (concentration meditation) help form mindfulness and the understanding of impermanence. Theravada Buddhism emphasizes attaining self-liberation through one’s own efforts. Meditation and concentration are vital elements of the way to enlightenment.
Practices and Rituals
The Missouri Buddhist Meditation Center is dedicated to creating a safe space for the Shanga (monastic and lay community) to come together, foster support and encouragement through spiritual practices. On its website, it still has events from 2021 and hasn’t been updated with the 2024 schedule. However, in 2021, the center was hosting meditation sessions every Saturday from 4- 5 PM. Monks from the center would lead the meditation session to help practitioners refine their meditation and mindfulness skills. Additionally, the center also has “Sunday Schools” for those in the community. These classes occur every Sunday from 2:30- 3:30 PM. These classes teach fundamental Theravada Buddhist principles (The Four Noble Truths, The Eightfold Path, Meditation, etc.), to children in the community.
Ceremonial Gatherings Hosted by the Center:
Katina Ceremony:
The Missouri Buddhist Meditation Center hosts a Katina ceremony (robe ceremony) annually. However, the most recent dated flyer on the website is from August of 2023. The ceremony is a significant event as it marks the end of Vassa (rainy season retreat), a period during which monks remain in their monasteries to meditate and study. The focus of this ceremony is to offer new robes to monks, to express gratitude for their devotion. Additionally, they are also given food and other donations. This act of kindness and generosity is believed to produce good merit for both the monastic and Lay community. The Katina ceremony plays a large role in strengthening the ties between Shanga, as lay people support monks through their spiritual path, while monks provide spiritual guidance through teachings and meditation. Additionally, the center will engage in collective religious practices such as chanting, meditation, and reflection. By promoting generosity and mutual support, the center strengthens the Theravada Buddhist community in St. Louis, Missouri.
Vesak Full Moon Poya Day:
The center hosts important Buddhist ceremonies and holidays like the Vesak Full Moon Poya Day. This is significant in Theravada Buddhism as it celebrates the birth, enlightenment, and death of the Buddha. Some activities include chanting early Buddhists texts, such as the Dhammapada, and engaging in group meditation to cultivate mindfulness and reflect on the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path. Additionally, the center encourages Theravada practitioners to practice generosity with offerings to the monastic community and acts of charity to those in need. Furthermore, the center will include Dhamma discussions by monks, which offer guidance on Buddha’s path to Nirvana and commitment to his teachings. Hosting the Vesak is important as it fosters a sense of community and provides the opportunity for practitioners to gain a deeper understanding of Buddha’s teachings to embody in their everyday life.
Sacred Buddha’s Relic Exposition:
Since 2014, the Missouri Buddhist Meditation Center has been hosting an exposition of the Buddha’s relic ceremony for practitioners. The sacred relics were brought from Sri Lanka and housed in the Missouri Buddhist Meditation Center since August 29th, 2014. The exposition of Buddha’s relic holds spiritual significance to Buddhist practitioners, serving as a tangible connection to his teachings. Relics inspire faith, reflection, and dedication as it reminds the Shanga of Buddha’s path to enlightenment, while encouraging those to stay focused on their spiritual path. Furthermore, the relic ceremony provides an opportunity for Laypeople to generate good merit through offerings and acts of kindness. Therefore, the Missouri Buddhist Meditation Center, by hosting an event venerating relics, fosters a sense of community by bringing all Theravada practitioners together.
Community Demographic and Financial Needs:
The Missouri Buddhist Meditation Center is primarily composed of community members of South Asian descent, which reflects the founders background in studying from monastic colleges in Sri Lanka and Dhama lessons being in Sinhalese (native language of Sri Lanka). However, the center welcomes all individuals from diverse backgrounds, creating an inclusive environment for all. While demographic data is not available, the events and gatherings hosted by the Missouri Buddhist Meditation Center welcomes many Theravada practitioners for spiritual support. Although the center does not ask for financial donations regularly to support their center, they have asked practitioners to donate as they expand their building. The original building is a two-bedroom house, however as the community center expands, it is in need of a larger space in order to host events and activities. The center is seeking financial support to reach their goal of $900,000 to build a space for the Theravada Buddhist community.
Relationship with Other Buddhist Communities:
The Missouri Buddhist Meditation Center refers to the Buddha as “Lord Buddha” as a way of showing respect for this enlightened spirit. The title “Lord” emphasizes his path to achieve full enlightenment and serves as a representation for practitioners to achieve Nirvana. Additionally, this title makes the Buddha more digestible to those from Western religious backgrounds as they can recognize him as a reverend figure in the Buddhist community. Furthermore, the use of “Sunday School”, which is more familiar to Western families, makes Buddhism teachings more accessible as it narrows the cultural gap. Therefore, allowing new practitioners to recognize and understand Buddhist teachings in a Western environment.
Additionally, the Missouri Buddhist Meditation Center actively fosters community among other Buddhist temples and centers in the St. Louis area. In particular, the center has built a strong partnership with a local Buddhist Vietnamese temple. According to their Facebook, both communities have come together to participate in ceremonies, celebrate Buddhist holidays, and share teachings. Through these visits, it has provided cultural and spiritual exchanges, as they learn from each other’s practices. Furthermore, these exchanges are valuable as they represent diversity among the Buddhist community, while fostering a more welcoming community.
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