At Chandrakirti Meditation Centre, we welcome volunteers who have a genuine interest in Buddhism to live, work, study, practice and meditate with us. As part of the Buddhist philosophy we value the principle of compassionate service. Offering service to our Centre is far more than a convenient lodging – it is about learning how to apply mindfulness and Buddhist teachings in your daily life. We encourage volunteers to make the best use of our programme and attend all classes while staying at Chandrakirti, as well as to use the peaceful environment for study, meditation and contemplation.
We ask everyone visiting and working at the Centre to abide by five ethical precepts:
- Protect living beings – refraining from killing even tiny insects
- Respect others belongings – refraining from stealing
- Speak truthfully – refraining from: lying, gossiping or violent speech
- Respect our centre as a space of spiritual development and contemplation – refraining from: sexual conduct, inadequate or aggressive behaviour, playing music or using our centre for entertainment purposes
- Cultivate clarity of mind and body – refraining from: using intoxicants, alcohol, tobacco, etc
By offering your service as a volunteer, you’ll also have the opportunity for many benefits. We have a highly qualified resident teacher, Geshe Jampa Tharchin, who teaches meditation, mindfulness, and Buddhist philosophy. We offer FPMT education programs including the five-year intermediate course the Basic Program. There is a lovely community of people supporting and attending the centre, and staff and senior students who can share experience of practising Buddhism. Our facilities include an excellent library, meditation hall, and many holy objects for circumambulation and merit-making activities.
Typical volunteer activities include cooking, housekeeping, gardening, maintenance, and guest services. We take into account your interests as a volunteer, and if you have special skills encourage you to apply to see if we have a project that is a good fit for you. We have found that a minimum of a two-week stay works best for everyone.
We ask volunteers to contribute $20 per day in exchange for food, accommodation, and use of facilities. The volunteering hours are 4 hours a day for 6 days. All weekly classes are offered free of charge. We receive many applications, so to avoid disappointment encourage you to apply at least a month before you are available to come.
