At Panditarama Sydney Meditation Centre (PSMC), we strive to provide a comfortable, supportive environment for all meditators, visitors, and Sangha. A vital part of our community life is our kitchen, where nourishing meals are prepared to support the physical well-being of those practicing meditation and participating in Dhamma activities.
To better serve our growing community and improve efficiency, PSMC is excited to announce a new kitchen renovation project at our existing building. This upgrade will provide a modern, functional, and hygienic space that meets the needs of our daily operations, meditation retreats, and community programs.
The kitchen is the heart of our centre, providing:
The renovation will ensure that the kitchen:
Improves workflow for meal preparation and service
The kitchen renovation will include:
The kitchen renovation is more than a construction project—it’s an investment in the well-being of everyone at PSMC. By upgrading our kitchen, we can provide better meals, create a safer and more efficient workspace for volunteers, and support the growing number of meditation retreats and community programs.
This renovation project relies entirely on the generosity of our devotees, Dhamma friends, and supporters. Every donation, no matter the size, helps us continue to provide a nurturing environment for meditation, learning, and community life.
By contributing to the kitchen renovation, you are directly supporting the health, comfort, and spiritual growth of meditators, monks, and all members of the PSMC community.
Since its establishment, Panditarama Sydney Meditation Centre (PSMC) has grown into a vibrant place for meditation, learning, and community activities. Founded by Venerable Sayadaw U Pannathami under the blessings of Most Venerable Sayadawgyi U Panditabhivamsa from Yangon, Myanmar, PSMC has continuously served as a sanctuary for those seeking peace, mindfulness, and the teachings of the Buddha.
To better serve our growing community and expand our facilities, we are excited to announce our new building project, approved by Fairfield Council, which will transform our 4.5-acre Horsley Park property into a more functional and welcoming meditation centre.
PSMC conducts a wide range of activities, including:
To support these activities efficiently, we need modern, dedicated spaces for meditation, dining, parking, and Sangha ceremonies.
Sima Hall
The Sima Hall is a sacred space for the Sangha. It is where ordinations, Kathina ceremonies, Patimokkha recitations, and other formal monastic rituals are performed. The Sima Hall ensures that our centre fully respects the traditional requirements of Theravada Buddhism.
Significance of the Sima Hall
The Sima Hall (Ordination Hall) is a vital part of Theravada Buddhist practice:
Dhamma Hall
The Dhamma Hall will be the heart of meditation at PSMC, providing a spacious and serene environment for retreats, sitting meditation, and group teachings.
Car Park & Property Fencing
A safe and accessible car park, combined with proper fencing, will ensure convenience and security for all visitors and meditators.
Dining Hall
The new dining hall will serve nutritious meals for retreats and daily practice.
This is a large-scale project with an estimated total cost of AUD 6.5 million. It will only come to fruition with the ongoing generosity, commitment, and support of our devotees, Dhamma friends, and donors. Every contribution, big or small, helps us continue our mission to spread the Buddha’s teachings and provide a peaceful sanctuary for meditation.
We invite you to join us in making this vision a reality and help create a lasting monument to the Dhamma and the Buddha Sasana. Your support will benefit generations of meditators and ensure that PSMC remains a place of learning, peace, and spiritual growth.
Together, let us build a home for meditation, learning, and the practice of Dhamma.
We greatly appreciate and welcome your kind generosity to help support the continuous development of the centre.
© 2026 PSMC. All rights reserved.
At the age of 80, the Buddha sensed his life was nearing its end. He continued teaching until his final moments, offering guidance to his disciples on maintaining harmony and staying committed to the path.
The Buddha passed away peacefully in Kushinagar, entering Parinibbana—the final liberation from the cycle of birth and death. His teachings, preserved for over 2,500 years, have since spread throughout the world and remain a source of wisdom and transformation today.
The Buddha’s life demonstrates that profound inner peace and liberation are attainable through understanding, ethical living, and mindfulness.
For the next 45 years, the Buddha travelled widely across northern India, sharing his teachings with anyone eager to learn—monks, nuns, farmers, royalty, merchants, and people from all walks of life. His teachings emphasised wisdom, moral conduct, mindfulness, compassion, and the potential for every being to awaken.
He established monastic communities, guided thousands of followers, and offered practical teachings that continue to resonate today. The Buddha taught in a simple and accessible manner, focusing on understanding the mind, cultivating virtue, and realising inner peace.
Soon after his enlightenment, the Buddha travelled to Sarnath, where he delivered his first discourse to five former companions. This teaching, known as the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, introduced the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path. With this, the Sangha—the community of monks—was born, marking the beginning of the spread of the Dhamma.
Siddhartha eventually settled beneath a fig tree in Bodh Gaya, vowing not to rise until he discovered the truth. After a long night of deep meditation, he awakened to a complete understanding of reality, the nature of suffering, and the path to liberation.
At this moment, Siddhartha Gautama became the Buddha—“The Awakened One.”
At 29, Siddhartha made a courageous and transformative decision. Leaving behind his royal life, his family, and all worldly luxuries, he embraced the life of a seeker. This departure, known as the Great Renunciation, was the beginning of his spiritual journey.
He travelled across northern India studying with respected teachers and practising intense forms of meditation and asceticism. Though he mastered these methods, they did not bring the liberation he sought. Realising that extreme self-denial was not the answer, he abandoned harsh austerities and turned toward a balanced approach—a path later called the Middle Way.
Although Siddhartha grew up sheltered, a series of life-changing encounters expanded his understanding of the human condition. While visiting the city beyond the palace walls, he saw an elderly person, a sick person, a corpse, and finally a serene wandering monk. These four sights deeply affected him. They revealed the inescapable truths of aging, illness, and death—and showed him that a spiritual path might offer liberation from suffering.
These moments awakened a profound inner questioning that could not be silenced:
What is the cause of suffering, and is there a path to true peace?
Siddhartha Gautama, who would later become the Buddha, was born around 563 BCE in Lumbini, a region that is now part of Nepal. He was born into the royal Shakya clan to King Suddhodana and Queen Maya. Tradition describes his birth as peaceful and auspicious. After his mother’s passing one week later, Siddhartha was lovingly raised by his aunt, Queen Mahapajapati.
Growing up in the city of Kapilavatthu, Siddhartha enjoyed a privileged and protected life. His father, wishing to shield him from the hardships and uncertainties of the world, ensured he received the finest education, martial training, and a life surrounded by comfort. At the age of sixteen, Siddhartha married Princess Yasodhara, and together they had a son named Rahula.
