Oct 15, 2015

Posted in Uncategorized

About Us

Our temple was founded by Vietnamese monks and nuns for the benefit of all those wishing to experience Buddhism. Although it was founded by the Vietnamese sangha (under the guidance of Venerable Thich Thong Hai), An Lac bears no borders around any specific race or religion. The Mission was first established in 2001 as a small Buddhist temple in Oxnard, California. Our current facility was purchased in 2003 and provides our sangha with a more spacious shrine room, dining hall, and a separate facility for education and living quarters.

Ven. Thich Thong Hai


President,
Member of the Buddhist Sangha for more than 40 years.
B.A. (Hawaii), M.A.(U.P.),
President, An Lac Mission, CA.
Chan Khong Monastery,
International Buddhist Meditation Association, HI
Vietnamese Project Dana,
Executive Director, Buddhist Relief Fund,

Venerable Thich Thong Hai is an ordained disciple of Zen Master Thich Thanh Tu, President, Dai Dang Monastery of Truc Lam Sect, and Vietnam for more than forty years. After his escape from Vietnam he had to combine both Pure land and Zen Buddhist practices to meet the demands of his community who lost their home country.

Ven. T. Sutadhara


Director, Ventura Buddhist Study Center
Tripitakavedi (Bachelor of Buddhist Textual studies), B.A.(Sri Lanka), M.A.(Hawaii).

Venerable Tapovanaye Sutadhara entered the order of Buddhist Monks as a novice
in 1966, at Tapovanaya Buddhist Monastery, Mulleriyawa-New Town, Sri Lanka, under the tutelage of Late-Venerable Kudawelle Vangeesa Maha Thero, a renowned Meditation Master in Insight Meditation and Venerable Dodampahala Chandrasiri Maha Thero, Patriarch, Sri Kalyanivansa Chapter of Amarapura Sect, Sri Lanka.

He was a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Linguistics, University of Kelaniya,
Sri Lanka. During his career as an academic he held following administrative positions:
(1) Head, Department of Linguistics, (2) Coordinator, M.A. Degree Program (by Course work), (3) Head, English Language Teaching Unit, and (4) Senior Student Counselor.

Ven. Chuc Hien


Venerable Chuc Hien is a renowned Dhamma Master in Vietnam. After joining An Lac Mission he leads all the Vietnamese ceremonies and gives Dhamma Talks on Buddhism and teaches meditation in Vietnamese.

Photo by Andie Jael Haugen

Ven. Tue Dang

Venerable Tue Dang entered the order of nuns in 2005 as a pupil of Venerable Master Thich Thong Hai. Before her ordination she was a long time student of late Venerable Zen Master Minh Dang in Georgia, USA. She is a student of the University of The West, CA.

Ven. Tue Duc

Venerable Tue Duc entered the order of Buddhist nuns in 1984 at Bo De Temple, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. She became a fully ordained Bhiksuni in 1987. She earned a Diploma in Buddhist Studies in the year 2000 from the Buddhist University, Vietnam. Currently, she leads Vietnamese Buddhist ceremonies and activities at the An Lac Mission.