ZHU-LIN BUDDHIST ASSOCIATION

Dr CLOSE (Port Adelaide) (15:15): This past weekend, I was privileged to attend the Zhu-Lin Buddhist Friendship Dinner. I thoroughly enjoyed the evening and thank my kind hosts for their invitation and for their hospitality. The performances, speeches, ceremony and food were wonderful.

The Zhu-Lin Buddhist Association of South Australia was formed in 1986 and established by people from China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Cambodia, Singapore and other parts of East and South-East Asia. The association is part of the Pure Land school of Buddhism and is within the tradition of Mahayana Buddhism. The teachings of compassion to all, gratitude, the ephemeral nature of all things and our journey to enlightenment are evident in any interaction with community members.

The Zhu-Lin Buddhist Association provides religious, cultural and charitable welfare services to the community, including marriage, funeral and burial services and counselling services for youth and any other member of the community who might seek help. The generosity of the community and its dedication to compassion across the world were shown by the community recently raising $50,000 for disasters in China and Burma.

The association conducts tours of its temples for schools, churches and other interested groups. The tours normally include basic Buddhist teaching, an introduction to meditation sessions and an introduction to the history of the temple and to the cultural and artistic aspects of Buddhism. I can personally attest to the warm welcome given to visitors to the temple and encourage anyone to go to the temple, meet the kind people and learn something of the teachings of the Buddha.

The Zhu-Lin community is constantly growing. Their first temple was set up in a garage and, due to the tireless efforts of the community in the early 1990s, the temple at Ottoway, in the Port Adelaide electorate, was built. Earlier this year, I attended the New Year celebrations at the temple, and it provides a welcoming and impressive place for people to gather and celebrate.

Now the community is starting the next development for their temple: the building of a magnificent pagoda. The four-storey building will take up to three years to complete, and the community is still actively raising money. The building has started right next to the temple, will house Buddhist symbols and artefacts and will be used for social, community and educational purposes.

The four storeys each has significance. The ground floor will be the Hall of Gratitude; the first floor, Happiness; the second floor, Inspiration; and the third floor, Peace. The pagoda will, therefore, be a tangible monument to the core teachings of the Buddha. I wish the community well in their endeavours and look forward to many years of visiting both the temple and the pagoda.

The SPEAKER: The member for Goyder.