About Our Community
Photo courtesy of Võ Văn Tường
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 Mission bears no borders around any specific race or religion. An Lac Mission has not only been a spiritual home, but it’s also a place of cultural learning, education, and charity work for the Vietnamese community, as well as Sri Lankan and American Buddhists. Today, An Lac Mission is a non-profit organization that aspires to human excellence through the practice
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Photo courtesy of Andy Malmin
Most Venerable Thich Thong Hai
Abbot - An Lac Mission and Chan Khong Monasteries in Hawaii, Los Angeles, & United Kingdom
Abbot - Bao Quang Monastery, Santa Ana, CA
Vice President of External Affairs & Director of the Department of Charity of the Vietnamese American United Buddhist Congregation
Vietnamese Project Dana,
Executive Director, Buddhist Relief Fund,
Most Venerable Thich Thong Hai has devoted over four decades to his role as an ordained disciple of Zen Master Thich Thanh Tu, serving as the President of the Dai Dang Monastery within the Truc Lam Sect in Vietnam. When he left Vietnam, he skillfully integrated Pure Land and Zen Buddhist practices to address the unique needs of his community, which had experienced the loss of their homeland.
Photo courtesy of Andy Malmin
Director, Ventura Buddhist Study Center, Tripitakavedi (Bachelor of Buddhist Textual studies) (BSDP, A'pura, Sri Lanka) B.A.(Kelaniya, Sri Lanka), M.A.(Hawaii, USA). Abbott of Camarillo Buddhist Center
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.
His academic, administrative, and student counseling experience at the University of Kelaniya in Sri Lanka combined with his Buddhist practice enriched his career as the Director, Ventura Buddhist Study Center, An Lac Mission, Ventura, California.
Venerable Tapovanaye Sutadhara
Venerable Thich Chuc Hien
Department of Culture of the Vietnamese American United Buddhist Congregation
Venerable Chuc Hien (Thầy) is a renowned Dharma teacher in Vietnam. After joining An Lac Mission, he leads all the Vietnamese ceremonies and gives Dhamma Talks on Buddhism and teaches meditation in Vietnamese. Thầy is also known for his poetry and translating Buddhist texts from classical Chinese to Vietnamese.
“Our practice should be supported by the people around us, and we can learn how to support them in return. We support them by looking deeply so we can recognize the seeds of peace, joy and loving kindness in them. We touch these seeds, we water these seeds every day in order to make other persons bloom like flowers. And when these persons bloom like flowers, we all become happier. We have to help each other in our practice. The practice of meditation is not an individual matter. We have to do it together.”
— Thich Nhat Hanh