I recently had the opportunity to visit the Avatamsaka Monastery, although not on typical terms. However, I thought that I would comment on my experience a little bit. The Avatamsaka Monastery follows the Five Schools of Mahayana Buddhism; Vinaya, Chan, Sholastic, Esoteric, and Pure Land School. It was initially manifested in Calgary in the mid eighties, nestled into a small little nook in Ramsay. Currently, the Monastery's new building sits along the Bow River. As I walked over to this location this past Saturday morning, it was very serene. The building itself is stunning, and as we entered the main area, this continued. My friend and I actually attended the Monastery this past weekend because of an event that was going on, one of the Monastery's notorious veggie buffets. When we arrived, we were guided up the stairs to a beautiful, large room, as beautiful as the main floor area downstairs, but full of vibrancy, balloons, and tables full of food. The buffet itself was $12, which was awesome, and we were provided with a plethora of vegan food stemming from a plethora of different regions in Asia. Selections included pho, dumplings, sushi, turnip cakes, bean curd, curried vegetables, as well as some delicious teas. This was an interesting way to experience the Avatamsaka Monastery for the first time. The atmosphere emanated warmth, and I think that I would be back again. Many of their activities and events such as meditation classes, lectures, and day trips are open to the public. If you are thinking of visiting the monastery for the first time, their website is also very comprehensive, providing guidelines about what to expect, etiquette for your visit, and other useful things. (27/30) read more