Sonam on The Dharma Centre in the 1960s
In December 1961, after five years travelling in the East, Bhikkhu Ananda Bodhi was invited by the English Sangha Association to teach in England, where he established a Buddhist vihara and meditation centre.
After forming a contemplative centre at Johnstone House in Eskdalemuir, Scotland, and teaching there for a year, he offered it to the Tibetans, who named it Samye Ling.
The Bhikkhu returned to Canada in September, 1965 and resumed teaching in Toronto. Under his direction, the Dharma Centre was organized in March-April, 1966 and bought 400-acres outside Kinmount, Ontario. The property was a deserted mink-farm and was purchased for $4,500 from absentee owners through Bowes and Cocks, a realtor in Bobcageon. Four donors held it in Trust.
Meanwhile Tony (now known as Sonam Gyatso) wrote to the Bhikkhu in Scotland, mentioning there was a “beaver dam = swamp.” Impressed by that, the Bhikkhu returned to Canada to have a look at the property. While he was on the Dharma Centre’s new property, two deer ran across the path whereupon he immediately put down $500 of his own as a deposit. Funds to pay the full amount were raised mainly through students and practitioners in Toronto and Peterborough.
In the early days it was very peaceful on the property, but no birds were in evidence at first due to the previous mink-killing activity. But the Bhikku (who would later be known as Namgyal Rinpoche) said they’d return, which they did. Jim Bell lived there as the caretaker and later on meditation cabins were built, meditators came up on weekends and some settled in Kinmount.
Although a tax-exempt charitable organization, the original Dharma Centre paid land taxes on the property, in good faith, until 1972. At that time the organization was incorporated as the Dharma Centre of Canada, to which the tax-exempt ownership was transferred from the Trust. In the 70s, a temple was built and the property became a meditation retreat centre.
When we bought the property the only buildings on it were: one house (which is the bare bones of what is now our expanded and renovated Main House) and a hill house (still Hill House) that were both derelict, a barn which was soon demolished (leaving just the stone foundation), a couple of outhouses, and two or three long mink-coops, which proved to be good for meditation walking inside.
Part of the barn foundation is now home to a Mahakala/Karma Pakshi shrine below and a retreat cabin above. (A Mahakala shrine was originally located in the now-abandoned cabin in the backwoods (known as Log Cabin)) In the 80s, the mink coops became the bathhouse, an herb garden and a parking lot. A 30-ft square temple was built together with the Tara cabin, which was originally designed by Ted Bieler for Choephel (Mrs. Raff). In the mid-70s a Tibetan stupa was built under the direction of Karma Thinley Rinpoche and a Theravada Buddhist pagoda was built in the early 80s under the onsite direction of Sayadaw U Thila Wunta.
(Tony) Sonam and the Axe
While laying the logs for the log cabin in the backwoods, Tony was using a double-sided axe to trim them to size. When one swing went astray, he cut a deep gouge in his ankle. Ever ready for anything, Irwin Burns immediately patched it up with the tinfoil wrapping from the inside of a pack of cigarettes. Then off to Minden, to the only hospital in the area, for treatment. So much for smoking. You never know when things might come in handy. (Btw he still has the scar on the right ankle.)
Lama Sonam Gyatso