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Are you planning to visit a Buddhist temple in Toronto?
There are a lot of religions existing all around the world, and Buddhism is one of them. There is a significant population of people all around the globe who are firm believers of Buddhism. A lot of people look at Buddhism as a philosophy more than a religion.
Its main goal is believed to free humans from the cycle of pain and suffering. Buddhism was primarily started in India but soon spread across various Asian countries, though the beliefs differed slightly.
It won’t be wrong if we say that Buddhism has become famous in Asia and worldwide. There are many schools of Buddhism that have made their way into the West. Various temples focus on Buddhist beliefs and philosophy.
When it comes to spreading Buddhism, Canada is no exception as it has been widely spread in Canada. Various temples are focused on various schools of Buddhism. Each school of Buddhism has its own beliefs and rituals.
If we talk about Toronto in particular, Buddhism is famous there as well. There are numerous temples and non-profit organizations that offer and observe Buddhist teachings to the devotees and the tourists who believe in it.
If you believe in Buddhism, you can enjoy the retreats, meditation courses, and services for kids. You can also enjoy some other weekly benefits at any Buddhist temple in Toronto.
Top 10 Buddhist Temple in Toronto
1) Cham Shan Temple
Address: 7254 Bayview Ave, Thornhill, Ontario, L3T 2R6, Canada
Contact: (905) 886-152
Opening hours: Mon to Sun- 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM
About:
Cham Shan Buddhist temple is focused on Pure Land Buddhism, which is a major school of Buddhism. This temple follows two main rules: ‘ reach out with compassion and ‘perceive with wisdom’.
This temple is famous as the ‘Ten thousand Buddhas temple’ because it has miniature golf Buddhas within its territory.
This Buddhist temple also has the ‘Lord who looks down’ statue, where a thousand hands represent how he helps humans.
If you plan to go there, you can avail yourself of the worship services for both the devotees and tourists. This temple also offers guided tours for a better understanding of Buddhist philosophy.
2) Karma Sonam Dargye Long Temple
Address: 12 Maynard Ave, Toronto, Ontario, M6K 2Z9, Canada
Contact: (416) 653-5371
About:
Karma Sonam Dargye Long Temple is very active. This is a Tibetan Buddhist temple situated in Toronto. It organizes various events such as meditation classes, worlds peace prayers, offerings, and deity practise throughout the year.
Not just this, this temple is also a great place for you if you are interested in learning the basics of the Tibetan language, as it has been taught there on weekends, free of cost.
3) Toronto Buddhist Church
Address: 1011 Sheppard Avenue West, North York, Ontario, M3H 2T7, Canada
Contact: (416) 534-4302
Email: tbc@tbc.on.ca
Opening hours: Monday to Friday- 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Saturday- 12:30 PM to 4:00 PM (Closed on Sunday)
About:
This is another great Buddhist temple in Toronto, and it practices True Pure Land teaching (Jodo Shindhu). Toronto Buddhist Church says that it is a place “specially designed to make you feel peace.
Many events and classes are organized in this temple, including meditation courses, Sunday English and monthly Japanese services, various activities for kids, and lectures on Buddhism.
All the visitors and devotees are allowed to come and enjoy the services and events in the Toronto Buddhist Church. Nov just this, you can also purchase various books about Buddhism.
4) Buddhist Prajna Temple
Address: 313 Main St N, Markham, Ontario, L3P 1Z2, Canada
Contact: (905) 201-0066
Opening hours: Tuesday to Friday- 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM, Saturday and Sunday- 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM (Closed on Monday)
About:
This Buddhist temple is a non-profit Social charity organization. The Buddhist Prajna Temple is a great place for you if you are looking to find peace within yourself.
When this temple was founded, its main aim was to promote Chinese traditional culture. But, now, it is also focused to lead the people towards charity and humanitarian work.
Buddhist Prajna Temple is a good place to practice Buddhist doctrines and teachings. Everyone is allowed to enter this Buddhist temple. Not just this, you can also buy various books and CDs related to Buddhism within the temple.
5) Toronto Nichiren Buddhist Church
Address: 20 Caithness Ave, Toronto, Ontario, M4J 3X7, Canada
Contact: (416) 463-9783
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday- 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM (closed on Monday)
This is a Buddhist temple named after a Japanese monk Nichiren back in the 13th century.
Toronto Nichiren Buddhist Church is focused on Lotus Sutra’s teachings, which says that every person can achieve enlightenment and live happily as all of us have Buddha Nature. They believe that we all are Buddha’s children.
Just like all other Buddhist temples, this temple also organizes various events throughout the year. Moreover, this temple also offers various services twice a month as well as weekly morning services.
The Icy Canada team talked to Bhavik Sarkhedi, CMO at Write Right, about the places of worship in Toronto that significantly enrich the city’s cultural fabric and play a crucial role in fostering community among its residents. Here is what he said:
“I believe the presence of diverse temples and places of worship in Toronto significantly enriches the city’s cultural fabric and plays a crucial role in fostering community among its residents.
These sacred spaces not only serve as hubs for spiritual practices but also as centers where people from various backgrounds gather, share experiences, and celebrate their heritage and traditions together.
This diversity of worship places—from mosques and synagogues to churches and temples—reflects the multicultural makeup of Toronto, promoting inclusivity and mutual respect among its inhabitants.
Moreover, these religious centers often host cultural events, social services, and community programs, which are open to all, regardless of faith. This openness contributes to a broader understanding and appreciation of different cultures, enhancing social cohesion.
The intermingling of faiths and the cooperative spirit among these religious communities exemplify how diversity can strengthen societal bonds, making Toronto a vibrant and cohesive metropolis celebrated for its inclusiveness and community spirit.
This dynamic interplay of cultures, facilitated by the city’s varied places of worship, is fundamental to Toronto’s identity as a welcoming and diverse urban center.”
6) Fu Sien Tong Buddhist Temple
Address: 185 Niagara St, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 1C9, Canada
Contact: (416) 504-4486
Email: meditation.downtown@gmail.com
Opening hours: Monday to Sunday- 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
About:
This Buddhist temple is another temple that focuses on the Pure Land Buddhist school. But, the Fu Sien Tong Buddhist temple is of Vietnamese origin. If you are interested in Buddhism or believe in Buddhism, this is a great place to visit.
This Buddhist temple attracts many tourists, as its building is quite colourful from both outside and inside. This Buddhist temple building looks very contrasting to the general Toronto buildings around the Fu Sien Tong Buddhist temple.
When you visit this temple, you will find that there are red and gold complex symbols. Though this temple is small in area and size, the peace and warmth that one can find here are no less than any other Buddhist temple.
7) Riwoche Tibetan Buddhist Temple
Address: 28 Heintzman St, Toronto, Ontario, M6P 2J6, Canada
Contact: (416) 766-7964
Email: office@riwoche.com
Opening hours: Tuesday- 7:30 PM to 8:30 PM, Thursday- 8:00 PM to 9:00 PM, Saturday and Sunday- 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM (closed on Monday, Wednesday and Friday)
About:
This Buddhist temple is focused on the present age and Vajrayana Buddhism. People come here to grow spiritually through different means that include teachings, recitations, and meditation.
6 Buddha statues have been built by Tibetan methods within the temple. Not just this, the temple also has a Tara statue.
8) Ching Kwok Buddhist Temple
Address: 300 Bathurst St, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 2S3, Canada
Contact: (416) 603-8889
Opening hours: Monday to Friday- 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Saturday and Sunday- 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM
About:
Ching Kwok Buddhist temple is also a Vietnamese Pure Land temple. It is located in a city neighbourhood and is surrounded by old houses and parked vehicles. This Buddhist temple gives a rather oriental aura to the area it is situated in.
Ching Kwok Buddhist temple is a lively example of Chinese architecture. It has a red coloured building and has red coloured pillars inside the temple.
There are a lot of golden statues as well.
You can visit this Buddhist temple to enjoy various services that are offered there. Some of these services include offering ceremonies, dharma services, the study of Buddhism in English, and meditation classes.
9) Jing Yin Temple
Address: 722 Brimley Road, Scarborough, Ontario, M1J 1C2
Contact: (416) 267-8838
Email: info@tbjyt.org
Opening hours: Monday to Sunday- 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM
About:
This Buddhist temple is another great place to visit for people who believe in Buddhism. You can enjoy numerous services in this temple, including bathing ceremonies, cultivation sessions, fire offerings, yoga sessions, and mantra chanting.
Not just this, various religious practices also take place in this Buddhist temple. Many people who believe in Buddhism, and support the temple’s beliefs, donate money to the temple fund.
We interviewed Kim Christink, Founder and Owner of Bayridge Counselling Centres, on how cultural centers promote interfaith dialogue. Here is what he had to say:
“Most of these constructions are more than just places of religious activity. They turn into cultural centers from which a great number of events, social services, and educational programs are offered to the general public.
This serves the aspect of a sense of belonging and support for respective members of the faiths. The religious diversity in the city serves to promote inter-religious dialogue, hence slowly breaking stereotypes between communities, and thus a step up in understanding.
Festivals and holy days celebrated by the many and varied religious communities who make their home in Toronto add color, vibrancy, and yet another layer of richness to the social fabric of the city, in addition to their faith traditions.
This is the time when anyone from any culture could experience other traditions and cultures by knowing their neighbors. One by one, they have been built with individual designs, adding character and identity to the city, emphasizing the emotional bonding of the citizens.”
10) Zen Buddhist Temple- Toronto
Address: 86 Vaughan Road, York, Ontario, M6C 2M2, Canada
Contact: (416) 658-0137
Email: toronto@zenbuddhisttemple.org
About:
This Buddhist temple is focused on Zen Buddhism, which is one of the major schools of Buddhism. When the Zen Buddhist temple was founded in the early 70s, it served only the Korean-Canadian community.
But, in the present time, people of all communities and backgrounds are allowed in the temple. This temple offers various services, including meditation classes, monthly children’s services, retreats, daily practices for members, and one week stays for other methods.
Not just this, this Buddhist temple also offers public services on Sundays at 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM.
So, are you a believer in Buddhism? Do you want to get to know about Buddhist practices? Are you looking for a place to find peace?
Visit a Buddhist temple in Toronto and enjoy the services there. Have a break from your busy schedule, give some time to introspect, and think about how your life is going.
Guest Author: Saket Kumar
Last Updated on by Saket Kumar
Not even one Theravada Temple in the list. Interesting.