Progress Report on Vihara Renovations

Day 3
Work is progressing and all rooms are beginning to show improvement.
Due to the hard work by the painters, the "house doctor"and volunteers.

Vihara Renovations

The alterations at the Vihara in 1 Caldercuilt Road have now been completed.
This entails a complete redecoration of the Vihara.
Because of the extent of the work involved, professional decorators have had to be employed. Costing considerable amount of money .
Your support and generosity would be greatly appreciated in helping to pay for the work involved.
If you would like to contribute to……


01. Laying a carpet in the shrine room.
02. In the monk’s bed rooms.
03. In the library room.
04. Re tiling the bath room
05. Making blinds for the shrine room,monks bed rooms and library.
06. Paint 60 litres
07. Professional chargers are approx.£1000.

It is hoped that the work at the Vihara will be completed by the 20th of June 08.
Any contributions however small would be gratefully accepted and should be made directly to the Vihara.

Happy Wesak! May All Beings Be Happy!

Wesak 2008

5th Annual Wesak Celebration at the Hidden Gardens

The fifth annual Wesak celebration was held in the beautiful surroundings of Glasgow’s Hidden Gardens on a sunny Saturday 10th May and was a great success. The celebration was enjoyed by Buddhists from different traditions as well as number of non-Buddhists.

Wesak is a chance to remember the story of how the Buddha gained Enlightenment and to reflect on what it might mean for individual Buddhists to move towards Enlightenment themselves.
The opening ceremony began with chanting and a procession led by Venerable Rewatha (Scotland’s Buddhist Vihara), Shanthikektu (Friends of the Western Buddhist Order) and Karl Kaliski (Cloud Water Zen Group), and the Bodhi Tree was placed at the outdoor shrine.
A range of activities were on offer for the children who attended, including storytelling, mask and card making and a drumming workshop.
Over 400 people attended for the DANSELA (donation of lunch), which was generously prepared by devotees of Scotland’s Buddhist Vihara.
The subject of this year’s symposium was ‘Generosity’, and the discussion was chaired by Professor Perry Schmidt-Leukel, Professor of Systematic Theology and Religious Studies at the University of Glasgow. The discussion was led by Venerable Rewatha, Karl Kaliski and Dharmacarani Ratnadevi and was concluded with an interesting question and answer session with the audience.
Our thanks go to FWBO Glasgow Buddhist Centre, the devotees of Scotland’s Buddhist Vihara who prepared the delicious Sri Lankan food, the Cloud Water Zen Group, Rokpa House, Global Exchange Volunteers, staff of the Tramway and Hidden Gardens and all who attended on the day.

Wesak at the Hidden Gardens

Wesak at the Hidden Gardens
Saturday May 10 2008

Welcome to the fifth celebration of Wesak at the Hidden Gardens of the life of the Buddha. Wesak is a chance to remember the story of how the Buddha gained Enlightenment and to reflect on what it might mean for individual Buddhists to move towards Enlightenment themselves. Our theme this year is generosity (dana) and there’ll be plenty of opportunities to give and to receive. Throughout the day, there will be information, craft and activity stalls scattered throughout the Hidden Gardens and Tramway.


11.00 Opening procession (from backdoor of Tramway – assemble in Tramway 4 if wet)

followed by Welcome, offerings and chanting (Tramway 4)

12.00 Meditation (Tramway 4)

Mask and card making workshop (Tramway – near back door)

Storytelling (Yurt)

12.30 Dana - donation of lunch (Boilerhouse)

1.45 Meditation (Tramway 4)

Walking meditation (The Rill)

Drumming workshop for children of all ages (on lawn – in Yurt if wet)

2.30 Symposium: Generosity (Tramway 4) Ven Rewatha (Scotland’s Buddhist Vihara), Karl Kaliski (Cloud Water Zen Group) and Dharmacarani Ratnadevi (Western Buddhist Order). Short talks, discussion and audience Q+A. Chaired by Prof Perry Schmidt-Leukel, Professor of Systematic Theology and Religious Studies, University of Glasgow

4.00 Closing ritual (on lawn – Tramway 4 if wet)

With an ancient Buddhist chant: 'SABBE SATTA SUKHI HONTU' – may all beings be happy. Let’s hear it in as many languages as possible! We’ll end with a brief recitation of some of the Buddha’s words on loving kindness.

Birthday Blessings…..

Devotees and close friends of Venerable Rewatha organised a surprise Birthday Blessings on Sunday 27th April 2008. Venerable Rewatha conducted a Puja and delivered an impromptu speech about his life as a monk. He was humbled to receive his surprise guests and gave warm and heartfelt thanks for all the support offered to the Vihara and related charity work during his 7 year stay in the United Kingdom.

Venerable Rewatha explained that birthdays are time to reflect on one’s life to date and provide an opportunity to re-evaluate our contributions to the wider community.

We would all like to take this opportunity to wish Venerable Rewatha a Happy Birthday and best wishes for the coming year.

Wesak Dana

Wesak, the Biggest Buddhist Festival in Scotland will be celebrated at the Hidden Gardens, No 25 Albert Drive, Glasgow on Saturday 10th May at 11.00am to 4.00pm.

This year’s theme is Dana(generosity).On Wesak day we offer free food to all as an example of the practice of generosity. We encourage everyone to develop kindness, compassion and generosity.

If you would like to participate in offering Dana on Wesak day, please be kind enough to contact the Vihara (0141 5632262) to donate the food items shown below before 08th May in order that food for the festival may be prepared.

(Thank you very much for your generosity)