Gold Coast Dharma Realm

About

Gold Coast Dharma Realm (GCDR) is a Buddhist retreat centre. Incorporated in 2002, GCDR became a registered exempt institute in Queensland in 2007 and GCDR is organized and operated for charitable, religious, and educational purposes.

Story

Gold Coast Dharma Realm (GCDR) is a branch of DRBA. The Dharma Realm Buddhist Association (DRBA), formerly known as the Sino-American Buddhist Association, was founded by the Venerable Master Hsuan Hua in 1959. It was established as a state and federally approved non-profit religious and educational corporation for the purpose of bringing the orthodox teachings of the Buddha to the entire world.

World-renowned Gold Coast is located on the east coast of Australia, one hour's dirve south-west of Brisbane.

Upon entering the Gold Coast Dharma Realm gate, you will find six buildings circling a lovely landscaped area. The names & functions of the public buildings are shown below.

1. Buddha Hall. (Go here for information about the centre, to attend daily & evening chanting and rituals and for the noon vegetarian meals in the dining area).
2. Blessings House. (Go here to attend meditation classes, Dharma talks, and healing training and practice, as well as to enjoy the library and reading area).
3. Harmony House. (Go here for Saturday morning yoga classes).

In addition, Sangha House & Dharma Hall are the monastic areas and Wisdom House is a lay residence.

The Arahan Trail gate leads to a wandering path through the bush. Eighteen stone images of Arhats grace this area. These larger-than-life sages are depicted in extraordinary stances: some staring, shouting, yawning, kicking; some smiling, sharing, caring, giving. One tames dragons, another quells a tiger, one rides an elephant, another reveals the Buddha in his heart. All of them show how sages use expedient means to draw us in and make us curious so we wonder what sagehood is all about.

As host, a stone image of Shakyamuni Buddha sits in the central pavilion. The open arena there is used for special ceremonies and outdoor classes—weather permitting. The birds congregate in the lofty trees above the Arhats, each singing it special song and reminding us of the lines in the Amitabha Sutra passage that says there are always rare and wonderful varicolored birds singing forth harmonious and elegant sounds in the Western Pure Land.