Caledon Living, Summer 2012 ed.
Have you ever wondered, when driving up Airport Road North of Caledon East, about the origin and purpose of the distinct white, yellow and gold temple complex and pond on your right hand side? Caledon Living can answer those questions after meeting with Vilaysith Sanoubane, Chairman of the Board of Directors for Wat Lao Veluwanaram. After the hard struggles many new immigrants face, he works as an electrical engineer, living in Brampton, and serves as a volunteer for the temple. He was kind enough to give me a tour and brief history of this fascinating example of Laotian culture, built in our beloved Caledon countryside.
The complex, actually a Laotian Buddhist temple, is named Wat Lao Veluwanaram of Ontario, which can be broken down as follows: Wat means temple and Lao indicates the origin of the people, while Veluwanaram is the name of the temple itself. Located on seventy-three acres of land at the intersection of Airport Road and Finnerty Sideroad, the temple is the residence of five Laotian monks. The Town of Caledon was chosen to allow quiet reflection and worship for those seeking enlightenment, as well as to be close to the natural world, much like Buddha himself came to enlightenment under the proverbial Fig Tree in Buddhist writings.
Wat Lao Veluwanaram of Ontario is much more than a place to exercise the Buddhist faith; it is committed to keeping Laotian culture alive in Canada. Laotians have been a welcome immigrant group in our great country, Canada, since 1979. In that initial year, Vilaysith was actually on the second flight to Montreal from Southeast Asia. We are very lucky that people like Vilaysith chose Canada and Caledon as their country and place of worship, adding a unique element of diversity to our colourful mosaic.
The monk council, together with the Laotian community, purchased the property on Airport Road in November of 1997. The temple received its building permit in October of 2003. Officially opened on July 1st 2006, Canada Day, Vilaysith explains that they chose Canada’s patriotic holiday to express their wishes and prayers for a place with very special connections to Canada and its growing future as a multicultural society. The opening ceremony was attended by the Mayor of the Town of Caledon, Ms. Marolyn Morrison, as well as Councilman Richard Paterak, Mark Frawley, Director of the Niagara Escarpment Commission, and the late Dr. Chris Cameron who, before his tragic automobile accident, provided the monks with free medical services. In addition, there were over forty Laotian monks and many other dignitary guests.
The Monk’s Council is presided over by the Master Monk, who has been a practising Laotian Buddhist monk for over sixty years. All five of the current monks were recruited directly from Laos. Laotian Buddhist monks are of the Theravada sect, the oldest surviving Buddhist school, generally conservative and closer to early Buddhism. The duty of the monks at the Wat is to preside over the religious ceremonies servicing the Laotian-Canadian community of over three hundred families in the GTA.
In ceremonies, which typically last two hours, men and women sit cross-legged on the floor with the Master Monk providing the sermon from a slightly elevated dais located below a golden statue of Lord Buddha. From this focal point of the room, at the highest elevation, Buddha presides over all of the congregants. Chanting begins in Bali, an ancient Balinese tongue, the original language of Buddhism, and is followed by the sermon spoken in the Lao language by the presiding monk. The ceremony ends with three hits of the large ceremonial gong and three bows to the statue of Buddha.
The recurring symbolism of three, including the three-part ceremonial robe worn by the monks, represents the “Three Jewels” of the Buddhist faith. These “Three Jewels” include the Buddha himself, either the historical prophet or the Buddha ideal that is the highest spiritual potential that exists within all beings, the Dharma or Teachings of the Buddha and, lastly, the Sangha, the community of those who have attained enlightenment, generally the monks themselves.
Aside from delivering sermons on designated Sundays of significant importance in the Laotian calendar, the monks interact with their community outside of the Wat itself by performing blessings for new houses and making special trips to bless those who are ill, as well as providing aid and services to people dealing with the recent death of a loved one. All religious rites are performed at an individual’s request.
Laotian Buddhism’s Key
Vilaysith stated that Buddhists strive from an early age to be better people by following the 5 Basic Principles of Buddhism. These principles seem remarkably similar to basic principles espoused by many of the world’s great religions:
• To refrain from killing human beings
• To refrain from stealing
• To refrain from committing adultery
• To refrain from telling lies
• To refrain from drinking alcohol
Buddhism is a way of achieving “nirvana,” not the early 1960s’ or 1990s’ grunge phenomenon, but by the alleviation of personal suffering through compassion, kindness and meditation. It is the state of ultimate enlightenment, free from suffering.
Predating Christianity by more than 540 years, Buddhists begin their calendar from the year 563 B.C.E., making April 15 the start of year 2555 according to Laotian tradition. 563 B.C.E. was the year of Siddhartha’s (later the Lord Buddha’s) birth to royalty in what is now Nepal. His mother’s dream, on the night that marked his miraculous conception, foretold his fate as a great holy man who would practise self-denial and share his acquired knowledge with others, so that all souls would be able to end the cycles of their own suffering.
Buddha’s knowledge extends to Four Noble Truths, an Eightfold Path, and Five Basic Principles. For Buddhists at Wat Lao Veluwanaram of Ontario, these tenets characterize the ceremonies taking place within the temple.
All Are Welcome to Visit
Buddhists, by the nature of their beliefs, are warm and welcoming, and their Wat Lao Veluwanaram extends an invitation to all residents of Caledon and beyond to visit their place of worship and broaden their cultural horizons while trying, as we all do, to become better people. May they, and all of us, succeed in that noble goal.