Buddhist Temple celebrating 27th anniversary

Ven. Rath Sam, head Buddhist monk at the Cambodian Buddhist Temple on Hazeldean Road in Stittsville, stands beside one of the golden lions which stand at the laneway entrance to the Temple with the Temple, which is marking its 27th anniversary, in the background.

Posted May 31, 2012  

By John Curry

EMC news - The Cambodian Buddhist Temple in Stittsville is celebrating its 27th anniversary this coming Saturday, June 2.

While the Temple has only been at its current Hazeldean Road location since 2004, the Temple's history goes back to 1985 when the Cambodian community in Ottawa created the Ottawa-Hull Cambodian Buddhist Association Inc., with the Temple originally located on Arlington Avenue in Ottawa.

In 1987, the Temple relocated to Morisset Avenue in Ottawa where it remained until 2004 when it moved to 5883 Hazeldean Road in Stittsville which it has set down roots.

The mission of the Cambodian Buddhist Temple is to promote the teaching of the Buddhist faith in the National Capital region, to provide religious services and educational instruction in the Buddhist faith, to provide religious, educational, cultural, charitable and social services to the community and public and to serve the cultural, social and charitable needs of the community.

This coming Saturday, June 2, to mark the Temple's 27th anniversary, there will be a morning of special events at the Temple to which everyone is welcome. This will include a ceremony at 10 a.m. which will include paying respects to the Triple Gem, Taking the Five Precepts, and a Dhamma Lecture. A history of the Temple will be recited at 11:30 a.m. All of this will be followed by a noontime lunch to which everyone is invited.

The Temple now boasts a pair of golden lions and a flag display along its Hazeldean Road frontage as the Temple tries to present an interesting appearance to those who pass by on the Hazeldean Road. An outline of the history of the Temple is soon going to be placed on a cement monument which sits along the Hazeldean Road frontage, letting everyone know the Temple's story up to the present time.

This Cambodian Buddhist Temple serves the Cambodian community from across the National Capital area. Its present premises can accommodate the Temple's regular gatherings but for major events, the Temple must rent an off-site hall in order to accommodate the numbers attending. This is because at times those associated with a Temple in Montreal travel here to attend these special celebrations.

Ven. Rath Sam, who came to Canada from Cambodia as a religious worker in 2009, is the head Buddhist monk at this Cambodian Buddhist Temple in Stittsville as well as head of its department of expertise and information.

Born in Cambodia, he was ordained a Buddhist monk in 1998.

He holds an Associated Degree of Law and a Bachelor's Degree of the Humanities from university in Thailand.

Coming to Canada in 2009 to become the Temple's religious and spiritual leader, he has focused on building up the Temple, improving its appearance and working to include in its activities all segments not only of the Cambodian community in Ottawa but also the general community as well.

"I like to get the people together," he says, noting that traditionally Cambodian groups tend to stay apart and not integrate. He has been working to change this and also to make the Temple a part of the overall community.