John Waite was one of the founder of the Buddhist Council of Western Australia (BCWA) which was formed around 2005. John was interviewed by Sol Hanna who was also one of the founder of BCWA. Both also participated in getting the Federation of Australian Buddhist Councils off the ground around the same time.
The link to the Treasure Mountain Podcast provides some of John Waite’s background and history.
Creating Child Safe Buddhist Organisations
Following the teachings of the Buddha against creating harm to others, the BCWA is committed to ensuring the safety and well being of children and young people in our Buddhist communities. The BCWA urges its members and friends of BCWA to become child safe organisations that always put the best interests of children and young people first.
A child safe organisation does the following:
All Buddhist groups have legal obligations to ensure that religious workers have a working with children check and are aware of their responsibilities as mandatory reporters under state laws.
National Principles for Child Safe Organisations
The BCWA endorses the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations. We strongly encourage all member and Friends of BCWA organisations to adopt Child Safety Policies and Codes of Conduct relevant to their state’s legislation and their particular needs.
The BCWA has provided the following tools and resources to help ensure children and young people are safe and protected whilst at our Buddhist centres.
The National Principles for Child Safe Organisations were developed in 2019 to provide a nationally consistent approach to creating organisational cultures that foster child safety and wellbeing. These principles reflect ten child safe standards recommended by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, but also have a broader scope that goes beyond child sexual abuse to cover other forms of potential harm to children and young people.
The National Principles are:
Link: National Principles for Child Safe Organisations website
The BCWA Endorses the Oath Against Harm in the Practice of the Dharma
The Buddhist Council of Western Australia (BCWA) is committed to ensuring that our nation’s Buddhist organisations are free from harm and are safe places for all people. The BCWA stands against any form of abusive behaviour, including: physical, sexual, psychological and financial abuse.
The BCWA has joined hundreds of Buddhist individuals and organisations in Australia and around the world to endorse the Oath Against Harm in the Practice of the Dharma, a statement that affirms the importance of ethical behaviour in our spiritual communities, especially in the context of inappropriate teacher-student interactions.
The Oath was developed by the Alliance for Buddhist Ethics (ABE) and sexual abuse survivors, encouraging Buddhists from all traditions to take a stand against abuse in our communities.
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Oath Against Harm in the Practice of the Dharma
In the practice of the Dharma, I hold the student-teacher relationship to be a sacred connection which prioritises the spiritual development, maturation, and well-being of the student.
Similarly, I hold that Dharma organisations exist to provide safe environments which allow those who practice the Dharma to thrive in supportive communities, founded on aspirations of good-will for all, and supported by a strong ethical foundation of non-harming.
I acknowledge that any behaviour which would be categorised as abusive—whether emotionally, physically, financially, psychologically or sexually—or which is exploitative, coercive, or an abuse of power, or which attempts to cover-up such behaviour, is harmful and unnecessary in the practice of the Dharma. It is unacceptable in all circumstances.
I am aware that harm has been caused by failures to meet these standards in the past, and I declare my commitment to maintaining them for the well-being and benefit of all. May this commitment help the Dharma to flourish, both now and in the future, and may it help to alleviate suffering and create a more compassionate world.
Find out more about the Oath Against Harm on the Alliance for Buddhist Ethics website.
A gathering of WA Buddhist women collective with Thubten Chokyi and Thubten Yangchen took place at the King’s Park Botanical Garden appreciating the caring of each other and caring for our earth. Apparently, it is said that around this area was where indigenous women used to gather and caring for the land.
The Cambodian Buddhist Society of WA celebrated its 20th year anniversary on 26th November 2022. Its center started with only a few thousand dollars among a small group of Cambodian community and ended up with an established center at 56 Scott Road, Kelmscott 20 years later.
In celebration of Pride Month in Western Australia, join us on a guided meditation followed by afternoon tea and discussions on LGBTQIA+ identity, faith and spirituality with Venerable Chokyi at the Hayagriva Buddhist Centre. Open to all regardless of identity, orientation or religious/spiritual beliefs.
19 November 2022 (SAT)
2:00pm – 3:00pm
Hayagriva Buddhist Centre
64 Banksia Terrace, Kensington WA 6151
Tel: (08) 9367 4817
Cost: Free (Donation welcomed)
Venerable Chokyi was ordained with Kyabe Lama Zopa Rinpoche in 2006 and has recently relocated to Perth after many years of service at the Vajrayana Institute, Sydney and Chenrezig Institute, Queensland. Committed to learning and teaching the Dharma to benefit all beings, Venerable Chokyi has conducted many meditation retreats and is a much-loved mentor to students, known for her great depth of wisdom, good humour and huge heart.
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