Buddhist Discussion Centre Australia

Library Heritage Collection

Providing a Heritage Multilingual Reference Library for Buddha Dhamma Scholars and Practitioners.

The Buddhist Discussion Centre Australia Heritage Collection is housed at the Buddhist Discussion Centre Australia, 33 Brooking Street, Upwey, Victoria, 3158, Australia. To view or use the collection by appointment please contact Frank Carter by email at wbu@bdcu.org.au

On 25 May 1989, the Buddhist Discussion Centre Australia acquired the John D. Hughes Collection.

Our Heritage Collection was sourced by the Founder of the Buddhist Discussion Centre Australia, John D. Hughes, for over four decades and continues to grow as a multilingual reference library.

It consists of an extensive range of Buddha Dhamma reference material to assist in the cultivation of Buddha Dhamma practice and provides a comprehensive resource for Buddha Dhamma study and research.

Our Collection is the oldest Buddha Dhamma library in the state of Victoria, Australia, at the same site. We are listed by the Australian Libraries Gateway, a web based directory at www.nla.gov.au/libraries

The Buddhist Discussion Centre Australia Heritage Collection includes:

  • Reports of Bhavana courses and Teachings held at the Centre.

  • Rare and valuable Buddha Dhamma Texts including the complete Buddha Dhamma Canon.

  • Commentaries by renowned Buddha Dhamma Teachers.

  • Buddha Dhamma ‘Books of Guidance’ in English and various foreign languages.

  • Buddha Dhamma journals and newsletters.

  • Audio recordings of Buddha Dhamma Teachings.

  • Buddha Dhamma artefacts and ritual objects from all traditions and original works of calligraphy.

  • Video recordings of Buddhist Monks and Nuns and lay persons.

  • Buddha Dhamma data-warehouse including electronically formatted texts and pictures.

  • In-house journals.

  • Historical memoirs of key events of Buddha Dhamma.

  • Dictionaries, encyclopaedias and reference books.

  • Chan Paintings by John D. Hughes.

Inviting Your Involvement

The Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd. intends to make our Collection more accessible to Dhamma Scholars and Practitioners World Wide via the ongoing development of a website catalogue.

By becoming a Member, we encourage you to access our information bases for research purposes. We invite you to participate in our Centres’ activities and/or to donate books and journals, to help yourself by helping others.

The Buddhist Discussion Centre Australia Heritage Collection still requires monetary donations to fund these worthwhile projects. We invite the donation of Buddha Dhamma texts, commentaries and Dhamma material to assist with the growth of our Collection now and throughout the 21st Century.

This will help us create a more complete reference resource and allow Buddha Dhamma Scholars and practitioners to research topics.

Your donation will aid practitioners to maintain our Heritage Collection and will aid in the development of the library, as we have a policy of collecting five copies of a text before we lend one copy.

Your contribution to the Collection will not only increase our library’s holdings, but will also contribute to lifetimes of learning and preserve Buddha Dhamma material for future practitioners. Our guidelines specify 500 years at least.

No Tax deductibility is available for these gifts.

Your donation is a meritorious action and will set many good causes for this life and your future lives.

It is rare to meet with written Buddha Dhamma. Your involvement now, will increase the probability of you meeting with written Buddha Dhamma in the future.

We encourage Buddha Dhamma practitioners to involve themselves in the activities at the Buddhist Discussion Centre Australia to make the vision for our library achievable.

May you be well and happy.