dharma centre

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{{short description|Non-monastic Buddhist centre in a community}}

A Dharma Centre (Sanskrit) or Dhamma Centre (Pali) is a non-monastic Buddhist centre in a community.

According to the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition, the function of these centres is to preserve and spread the teachings of Buddhism.{{cite web |url=http://www.fpmtmba.org.hk/dod/dodpg3_3_0111.htm |title= A Perfect Human Rebirth|accessdate=18 November 2007 |work=Mahayana Buddhist Association |last=Khensur Lobsang Thubten Rinpoche}} Many of the larger centres have lay residents.{{cite web|url=http://www.jigmela.org/words/living-in-dc.htm |title=Living in a Dharma Center |accessdate=18 November 2007 |author=Lama Jigme Rinpoche |date=1 March 2003 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071010062311/http://www.jigmela.org/words/living-in-dc.htm |archivedate=10 October 2007 |url-status=dead }} According to the New Kadampa Tradition, dharma centres provide the focus of a local Buddhist community and provide facilities for study, practice and living by moral precepts.{{cite web |url= http://kadampa.org/en/centers/dharma-centers/ |title= Kadampa Dharma Centers |accessdate= 18 November 2007 |format= |id= The official site of the New Kadampa Tradition |archive-date= 6 March 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160306160030/http://kadampa.org/en/centers/dharma-centers |url-status= dead }}