Mission Statement: Open Sangha Foundation

At the Open Sangha Foundation (OSF), we are building a support system for Western Buddhism. 

We are borrowing the best principles of Eastern Buddhism that have been lost in cultural translation: principles of openness, friendship (Sangha), and generosity (Dana): to build this support system. These are principles that have nurtured the lotus of the dhamma into blossom and broader cultural influence in the East, that we find lacking in the West.

At OSF, we believe that for Buddhism to thrive, we must work to plant the seeds of these principles in the broader Western culture. 

Our name, Open Sangha Foundation, does say it all:

1. Open. OSF is designed to facilitate inter-tradition dialogue, across the many varieties of Buddhism. Our ethos is that all sects of Buddhism share a common desire to liberate humanity from needless suffering. We stand against sectarianism and dogma, and in support of collegiality, earnest conversation, and collaboration to uproot suffering across all cultures and places.

2. Sangha. OSF seeks to create a sense of community among all Buddhists. We aim to bridge the language and cultural gaps between Western and Eastern Buddhists, and help Western Buddhists learn from the wisdom and practices of the East. We seek to establish pathways for Western and Eastern Buddhists to develop friendships and share traditions. We hope that Western Buddhists can understand and adopt more of the tried-and-true Sangha practices of the East, and through friendship, teach and help others. 

We know that for Westerners to deepen their Dhamma practice, it is essential to have a wide range of Dhamma friends. 

3. Foundation. OSF believes that generosity (Dana) is sorely lacking in Western Buddhism. We find it unfortunate that the teachings of the Buddha have become heavily commercialized in the West, with some retreats and teacher-training programs charging practitioners thousands of dollars. 

The Buddha himself said that the Dhamma must be free, because to charge money for the Dhamma is to destroy it. We have identified the origin of much of the commercialism of Western Buddhism to be cultural practices that emphasize paying for goods and services: in other words, one will not be able to eat if they teach the Dhamma for free. Fortunately, in the East, systems of Dana are prevalent, where lay practitioners freely provide donations to local Sanghas, that sustain and support Dhamma teachers and communities. 

We seek to promote and encourage Western practitioners to adopt the Dana model, instead of continuing to support the capitalist model that is so prevalent today.

In sumation: We are seeking to further deepen and embed the wisdom of the Buddha into Western society. We are acting to help liberate Westerners from suffering, through a holistic approach. We believe that through our model, of openness, Sangha, and Dana, we can make a real difference.