The Buddhist Council of New South Wales is a charitable, not for profit organisation set up to help Buddhist temples and Buddhist societies in New South Wales and to represent the Buddhist community to mainstream society. The Buddhist Council represents more than 100 Buddhist organisations within New South Wales.

We are a member of the Federation of Australian Buddhist Councils (FABC), which is the peak body representing Buddhist organisations throughout Australia. We assist State Government agencies such as the Community Relations Commission, the Department of Health, the Department of Corrective Services, and the Department of Education and Training. We also work with Commonwealth Government agencies such as the Department of Immigration and Citizenship.

How did we start?
On the instigation of the World Fellowship of Buddhists, a meeting was held in 1984 in Sydney to establish a regional branch of the WFB. The many existing Buddhist organisations subsequently came together to form the Buddhist Council of NSW as a representative umbrella body to promote co-operation across the Buddhist community.

How diverse is the Buddhist Community?
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, there are nearly half a million Buddhists in Australia. Australia’s Buddhists reflect Australia’s policy and tradition of multiculturalism: Tibet and Other (9%), Vietnam (31%), Australia (20%), Cambodia, Laos (10%) Malaysia and Indonesia (9%), China and Taiwan (7%), Thailand (6%), Sri Lanka (5%), Japan and Korea (4%).

Because of this cultural diversity, Buddhist practices vary between countries and traditions. Bringing all Buddhist traditions and groups together and respecting the distinct value and heritage of each tradition, the Buddhist Council’s vision is to help all Buddhist groups and traditions to thrive. The Buddhist Council seeks promote peaceful living skills and wholesome values across all communities in NSW through collaboration with government, community groups and other faiths.

What are some of our activities?
o Facilitating volunteer chaplains to go into hospitals to provide pastoral care to patients and their families
o Facilitating volunteer chaplains to visit prisons on a regular basis to assist offenders in their rehabilitation and helping them to start a new life
o Arranging volunteer teachers to attend government schools on a weekly basis to give lessons in peaceful conduct, life skills and human values
o Representing the multi-cultural Buddhist community at public inter-faith functions
o Sending free books all over Australia to anyone wanting information on Buddhism