History

by Benita Ameratunga,
ATBA President

The ATBA was started in 1980 with about 25 people attending the inaugural meeting. They included Asians of different ethnic origins, as well as New Zealanders.
A committee was elected and the aims and activities of the association were outlined.
Meetings were held every month in rotation at the home of a committee member. The program started with a Puja followed by a Dhamma talk by a guest speaker or visiting monk or a member of the association.
The first aim of the association was to establish a centre in a easy accessible place, so that the Theravada Buddhist Monks could reside for the teaching, practice and propagation of Buddhism in Auckland and surrounding areas.
After much fund-raising the present house was bought and renovated to suit the purposes it was required for. During the process it was discovered that many members had hidden talents in the way of carpentry, building, electrical work etc. as a result it was possible to payoff the mortgage in record time.
At about the same time the Wellington Theravada Buddhist Association came into being. The members bought a block of 43 acres of native bush at Stokes Valley, 29 miles from Wellington. They then invited two monks from Ajahn Chah’s forest monastery tradition who were residing in England, to come over to establish a forest monastery.
It was decided that the two monks, Venerable Viradhammo and Thanavaro, would attend to the spiritual needs of the ATBA as well.
An arrangement was made for each monk to visit Auckland in turn every month. They would stay for five days and carryout an intensive program of Dhamma teaching, meditation instruction and workshops and an open day session.
Later on these visits were extended for longer periods with the monks visiting Whangarei and Hamilton for teaching with Auckland as the base.
Visiting monks from overseas also stayed at the ATBA’s Vihara for varying lengths of time and offered teachings.
As a result of these arrangements, much of the energy and funds of the ATBA were used to help in the establishment of the Wellington Buddhist Monastery, named Bodhinynarama by Ajahn Sumedho.
After many years the ATBA felt that this was not a satisfactory arrangement and resolved to try to provide facilities for one or more monks to reside in Auckland. Its membership had increased to about 500.

Vimutti Buddhist Monastery

In 2000, the ATBA bought 72 acres of farmland at Bombay, South Auckland, with the vision of starting a Buddhist Monastery and Meditation Retreat Centre. Major Expenditure on the project included up-grading the 0.8 km long driveway to the property, installing underwater ground cables for power and telephone along the driveway, installing water and sewage systems and power and telephone lines for buildings.
A small hall, a kitchenette and a toilet block were built and also twin kutis with toilet and bathroom facilities.
The generosity of members and supporters together with grants from various organizations enabled the ATBA to develop the property to a level where the presence of a resident monk was needed to be the spiritual guide and director of the ATBA and the monastery.

The ATBA and Vimutti since the new Abbot

Ajahn Chandako is an American who has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Comparative Religions. He ordained in Thailand as a Buddhist Monk at the age of 27 in 1990. He has traveled extensively in Tibet, Nepal and India and has lived with some of the great meditation masters of today.
More recently he has taught in Australia, Europe, and the United States.
The ATBA is very fortunate that a monk of this caliber has shown great compassion in accepting the position of abbot of Vimutti Buddhist Monastery.

Vimutti has progressed a great deal through the vision and enthusiasm of Ajahn Chandako. Physical developments include reforestation of the property, planting of memorial trees in memory of departed loved ones, a new road to the back of the property, a kuti for a resident monk and a small dining cottage for the monastic sangha.
Spiritual progress and development under Ajahn Chandako cannot be quantified.
He teaches a monthly Day of Meditation at Vimutti on a Saturday which is well attended.
He conducts the Sunday evening programs at the Vihara in Harris Road on two Sundays a month. These always attract a full house.
He has taught two Meditation Retreats of three days and ten days respectively which were well attended.
A Good Kamma Day, a day of community service and merit is held at Vimutti on the second Saturday of each month. This is an opportunity to help with building projects, tree planting, gardening and sprucing up the monastery.
A large bronze Buddha statue was cast in Thailand in January 2006 especially for Vimutti. Other very generous donations have also been made since his arrival.
All in all, the serenity and peaceful atmosphere of Vimutti which strikes you as you turn down the drive, is due to his presence, as is the increase in the membership of the ATBA.