The Retreat Centre
Sudarshanaloka is a Triratna Buddhist Retreat Centre located on the Coromandel peninsula, New Zealand. It is home to a community of people who wish to deepen their practice of the Dharma in context of the Three Jewels of the Buddha, the Dharma and Sangha - a place of meditation, study and work on the living edge of spiritual practice, communicating the way of the Buddha. Sudarshanaloka is isolated and iconically elemental, the hills and rivers reflecting more of a mountain environment than a coastal panorama, offering the facility of spiritual practice for the benefit of all.
Our aspiration
'Sudarshanaloka' means 'Land of beautiful (or happy) vision.' This vision is not just about the beautiful view of the hills, water and native bush. 'Beautiful vision' is also about a sangha (spiritual community) of aspiring individuals living in accordance with Dharma through collective work and practise. A beauty and vision that arises in a community of like-minded people immersed in nature, practising the teachings of the Buddha immediate and visible all round. The working ground of the community is as custodians of Sudarshanaloka to keep the flame of Dharma alive for the benefit of all who wish ro follow the path, held as ideals in our Vision, Aspiration and Principles statement. We welcome you to this collaborative unfolding vision, Dharma.
Join the friends of Sudarshanaloka community
Opportunities we offer
At Sudarshanaloka we offer a varied programme of retreats and other events, facilities for Solitary retreat and opportunities to engage with the work of the community volunteering and supporting
The retreat centre can also be hired for retreats workshops and day events compatible with our ethical principles, when we have gaps in our own programme. For more information contact us
Triratna Buddhist community
Sudarshanaloka is part of the wider New Zealand Triratna Buddhist Community (TBC), which in turn is part of an international Order and community with activities in Australia, the United Kingdom, India, Europe, and many other countries around the world. Locally, in Thames, TBC also runs a small centre under the name Buddhaloka, the Thames Buddhist Centre. https://www.facebook.com/thamesbuddhistcentre/
Amenities
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large kitchen with 2 stoves, gas fridge, electric fridge
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7 bedrooms (2 singles, 5 dorms)
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2 toilets, 2 showers
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combined lounge and dining area, which has seated up to 40 (recommend comfortably 20)
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large elemental shrine room in the heart of the rain forest (seats up to 40 for meditation, yoga 20+)
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day room - community shrine room (seats up to 10 comfortably)
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we are 'off grid' and run on solar power, gas and local water
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mobile phone reception is poor, although higher up the land you might get a conversation
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a few camping sites
Looking after our environment
The Retreat Centre is off grid in the coastal hills of Coromandel which has presented us with an opportunity to develop ecologically sustainable utilities. This has been an ongoing process since the purchase of the land in 1993, evolving from the innovative and novel to our current effective ecological systems.
Together with Waikato Regional Council, we are committed to protecting kauri at Sudarshanaloka from Kauri Die-back (KDB) Disease. Please help us to do this by using the boot cleaning station in the car-park as soon as you arrive, and others when you come across them.
An animal pest control programme called the Suvana Project aims to reduce negative impacts of rats, stoats and possums on the bush and birdlife. We very gratefully acknowledge the support of Waikato Regional Council through their Small Scale Community Initiative Fund, and Predator Free Hauraki Coromandel Community Trust for enabling the success of the Suvana Project.
Health and Safety policies and guidelines
Sudarshanaloka is in accordance with New Zealand law on health and Safety to help ensure that all those who attend our activities are well cared for and supported including policy to do with vulnerable adults and children.
policies and guidelines