White Lotus Buddhist Center has been fortunate to have a lovely and usable space in which to host activities and introduce people to the Dharma. However, it is not our own building but leased from Immanuel Baptist church and resides within that church structure. The church obviously has priorities and activities that differ from those of White Lotus.  Although we have positive relations with the church, there are reasons we now feel it necessary to establish our sangha in a building/property of its own.

In our current situation:

• There is no residence for a Resident Lama nor overnight accommodations for visiting Lamas, translators and retreat participants. Since he arrived in 2017, our Resident Lama has been living with sangha members, changing accommodations every year or two. This is, obviously, not an ideal situation.
• The shrine room is uncomfortably crowded with more than 35 participants.
• There is a steep staircase up to the 2^nd floor where White Lotus is located with no elevator. This is a problem for our increasingly elderly sangha as well as any handicapped people who may like to participate.
• There is no kitchen to prepare tea and meals for Lamas or our sangha – during retreats and teachings or social gatherings.
• There is little room for the storage of texts, ritual items, brocades, furniture etc.
• In effect, we are limited in many ways – especially in holding the temple open daily for those who may want to help or come to meditate outside of regular program sessions.

Monthly expenses – just to keep the Center operating now:

• Rent $1100
• Operations $400 (includes insurance, PO Box, internet, web hosting, house supplies, shrine supplies, office supplies etc). This does not allow for new thangkas or statues etc.

What we need:

Ideally, we would need a facility of approximately 2,500-3,000 square feet of space.

• to accommodate 45-70 people for Dharma events – teachings, retreats, drubchens and daily practices.
• to provide a place for social gathering, complete with a kitchen and serving area.
• space for storage of ritual items, texts, furniture.
• space for a store
• Shedra classroom. Shedra (or school) is the ideal setting for imparting not only the basic tenets of Buddhadharma but also for teaching the sutra and tantra texts that lead to liberation.
• office
• a space for a children’s class and play area
• Lama residence – residential housing for a Resident Lama/Khenpo with a bedroom, bath, sitting room and small kitchen as well as accommodations for visiting Lamas and translators (2 more bedrooms and a bath).
• Guest room
• Devotional/contemplative garden, stupa

With a new building would come new expenses:

• New thangkas $3,000
• New shrine cabinet and throne $10,000
• New carpets $10,000
• The ideal setting would be a large lot (1 acre or more) in Rochester or a nearby suburb on a quiet street with room for a parking lot, a contemplative garden and stupa. In today’s Rochester real estate market, a suitable property as described above in a relatively safe neighborhood would cost between $300,000 and $600,000 depending on condition and location.