Dhammadinna
House
Dhammadinna Hous began as the Theravada Buddhist Contact Centre in1977. The centre was formed by Klaas de Jong at his home at 62 MontereyStreet, Wacol. At the Vesak Day ceremonyconducted in 1978, the house wasnamed Dhammadinna House, in memory of the heroic and selfless devotion to the Dhamma by the Bhddhist Nun Dhammadinna. In 1979, the Theravadian Buddhist Contact Centre united with the DhammaStudy Group of Maleny to form thte Buddha Dhamma Association of Queensland. The combined group conducted activities at both Dhammadinna House and Maleny.
In January 1980, Dr. V. Gunasekara, Mr. A. Groening and Klaas de Jong formed the founding committee of the Buddhist Society of Queensland at Dhammadinna House. In 1982, the Buddhist society of queensland separated from Dhammadinna House, ceasing to use of its facilities.
Dhammadinna House remained open, continuing its initial objective of providing a meeting place and facilitiesfor all Buddhists. In 1978, Dhammadinna House began a newsletter for all Buddhists, the Queensland Buddhist News. This was published until its editor , Klaas de jong, moved to edit Metta: the Journal of the Buddhist Federation of Australia, from 1983 to 1986. Vietnamese Buddhists met at Dhammadinna House until they obtained their own premises and the Brisbane Zen Group met at Dhammadinna House in its early days. Dhammadinna House hosted the Buddhist Federation of Australia Biennial Meeting in 1981 and through initiatives of Dhammadinna House, the Buddhist Council of Brisbane was convened in 1982.
In 1982, Dhammadinna House altered its objectives. Two Buddhist centres in Brisbane now had resident monks; the Brisbane Buddhist Vihara and Loden Mahayana Compassion Centre. With these centres providing many of the religious practices of Buddhism, Dhammadinna House devoted itself to the study of Early Buddhism.
From 1985 until 1989, the Dhammadinna House Newsletter was published, replacing the Queensland Buddhist News.
Dhammadinna House had no official structure; the coordinator was the member in whose home meetings were being conducted. Dhammadinna House had no official membership requirements.
DHAMMA PRACTICE
Many Dhamma scholars have lectured at Dhammadinna House , including the Venerable Shanti Bhadra, Ven. Ananda Mangalaq, Ven. Mahinda and Ven. Davuldena Gnanissara. In 1984, Dhammadinna House emphasised the Vipassana practice outlined by David Maurice. Dhammadinna House considers the Pali texts representing the Buddha's own words its "Resident Teacher".
By Klaas de Jong (extracted from the "Theruwana" July 2001)