Venerable Yin Kit Sik has for 20 years held the vision of creating this center for dharma study and practice.
Photos courtesy of Po Lam Buddhist Association

This fall a substantial redevelopment of the Po Lam Meditation Vihara, a meditation center for monastics and laypeople in Chilliwack, British Columbia, is to open.

The project vision has been cultivated over 20 years by Abbot Venerable Yin Kit Sik, the Po Lam sangha, and by devoted regional layperson Kwok (KS) Tse.  The Po Lam Buddhist Association project has been supported by donors from around the world.

The upper dhamma hall, as the custom-made glue-lam roof was installed, Winter, 2019.

Over these many long years, the Po Lam monastics have worked tirelessly to create a new vihara facility as a place for monastics and laypeople to cultivate happy mind, according to the ancient teachings of the Buddha.

Nestled in the heart of the Fraser Valley, and surrounded by beautiful, forested, mountain vistas, this new facility is comprised of three buildings. The massive, architecturally stunning central temple building is flanked by two smaller residential buildings, with the gentle slope of the roofs visible from all directions.

The main temple has two floors, each 10,000 square feet. On the upper floor is the meditation hall, framed with high, gracefully arched wooden beams, which is to be solely used for silent meditation.

Upon entering the meditation hall a visitor encounters the beautiful, golden 10-foot wooden Buddha statue, high upon a double-tiered platform, glowing serenely in the center of the hall. The overall impression is one of space, peace, and quietude.

Venerable Yin Kit with the 10-foot cedar statue of the Buddha, minutes after installation in spring, 2021.

The lower floor is a dedicated chanting hall, where ceremonies and community events will be held.

The dhamma hall is flanked by two-storied buildings on the east and west that will provide single-room accommodation for up to 60 participants, and 13 nuns. The facility includes a state-of-the-art commercial kitchen, and a spacious dining hall.

The vihara is adjacent to the 6.5-acre Precious Forest Farm, the monastic sangha‘s certified organic fruit and vegetable farm. Much of the produce grown here will be served during courses and events, either fresh from the garden or preserved for use in the winter months. The entire site is 10 acres.

The Mahayana monastic sangha, led by Venerable Yin Kit, also known as Sister Jessie to most laypeople, will organize day-long, residential, and community programs for anyone interested. Venerable Yin Kit is originally from Hong Kong.

Venerable Yin Kit and the carver, in China discussing details of the statue.

Understanding that many people in the West have little to no experience visiting a nunnery, the Po Lam nuns have become adept at welcoming newcomers and sharing their way of life. Meditation courses of varied length and type will offer a balance of meditation experiences, for new and experienced meditators.

The monastics also are planning opportunities for practitioners to experience monastic life at Po Lam for one or two weeks at a time. This immersive experience may include meditation, chanting the Diamond Sutra, working on the farm, and listening to dhamma talks.

The new facility’s extra meeting rooms will allow the sangha to expand their community service and engagement. Visitors and student meditators at Po Lam will have opportunities to serve in the kitchen, residences, and on the farm. Working alongside the monastic sangha, people will learn how to incorporate meditation, and the Buddha’s teachings, into their lives.

Venerable Yin Kit follows the example of her teacher, the monk Venerable Master Sing Yat, in always offering teachings without asking for any remuneration. Because the teachings are priceless, no price can be affixed to them. Therefore all courses and events are offered by donation, and contributions are joyously accepted so others can attend and participate.

Construction of the main building’s dhamma hall, and one of two residences, in the fall of 2019.

In 1994, Master Sing Yat sent Venerable Kit, and the late Venerable Yin Yeung, from Hong Kong to Canada. Master Sing Yat’s intention was to bring  to the West the way of life taught by the Buddha and ancient teachers.

Sister Jessie took robes as Venerable Yin Kit Sik in 1992, at Po Lam Zen Monastery in Hong Kong. Sister Jessie intuitively understood she would need to evolve the teachings she had received,  to connect with the Canadian community.

Before he passed in 2011 Venerable Sing Yat affirmed Sister Jessie’s understanding, saying that practice should be comprised of three factors: holding the precepts as one’s teacher, practicing the Satipaṭṭhāna (the four foundations of mindfulness), and walking the bodhisattva path.

Nuns’ practice here consists of these factors, seen in their daily meditation, chanting, working on the farm, and community service. Above all Po Lam is a nunnery, and coming here one feels the nuns’ deep practice, in their every breathing moment.

The temple complex beautifully lit near sunset.

For Venerable Yin Kit Sik, walking the path laid down by her teacher has been full of obstacles and delays. When the venerable speaks about the monastery dhamma project, she quickly points out that her efforts were only one factor, among many needed for the project to ripen.

Raising sufficient funds for such a substantial project is an enormous challenge, and many obstacles have delayed progress.

For instance transporting the custom-carved Buddha statue and lotus stand, from Fujian, China, to Canada, proved to be unexpectedly challenging..

Monastics, volunteers, and our rescue husky Goldie, harvesting corn in the summer of 2020.

The Buddha statue was envisioned in the mind and heart of Venerable Yin Kit to have a universal quality, to look familiar to people from around the world. The intention is to help people from all nationalities feel a connection with this representation of the Buddha.

The statue was carved in China from very old red cedar wood from Taiwan. It was shipped to Canada but then returned to China due to issues with import rules. Once the issues were resolved, the statue was again shipped to Canada, and finally placed in the meditation hall.

Venerable Yin Kit drew a dhamma lesson from this, saying that that confidence in the dhamma, and patience, tolerance and perseverance, are needed to weather these setbacks and keep moving forward.

Installing the statue was a moving and encouraging milestone, and auspiciously, just two weeks later Venerable Yin Kit welcomed a new novice nun to the sangha.

The certified organic farm with temple buildings in the background.

More than two decades have passed from inception of the temple to the groundbreaking in 2015, and now near-completion. Venerable Yin Kit, the Po Lam nuns, and devoted disciple Kwok (KS) Tse, have persevered with faith and confidence in the dhamma, despite a worldwide pandemic, construction supply chain issues, labor shortages, floods, ice storms, and other obstacles.

 Their steadfast determination demonstrates that even when we cannot control conditions, we can keep moving forward on the path with patience, perseverance, and unwavering commitment.

The winding road has been long and the difficulties many, but the years of tremendous efforts and generosity of so very many are about to come to fruition.