Leadership

Our Organization and Leadership

The members of our Temple shall practice together according to the discipline, rules, and usages of the Grand Rapids Buddhist Temple, Heartside Mindfulness School of Mahayana Buddhism established to operate independently in the United States of America. 

Three groups form the structure of our organization. The Temple functions with the Board's oversight, the Dharma Council's teachings, and the participation and support of its members, the Sangha. The Grand Rapids Buddhist Temple is under the spiritual guidance of our Dharma Council who are responsible to our Board of Directors. 

As a volunteer-based non-profit, we are a working temple, which means the Board and the Dharma Council not only make decisions but must also act on those decisions.

Dharma Council

The Dharma Council is the body of ordained clergy that supports our Sangha by offering the teachings of the Buddha, from a variety of Buddhist backgrounds including Korean Zen, Soto Zen, and Tibetan lineages. We teach what we know—and all of our teachings originate from the Mahayana vehicle of Buddhism, meaning we share the Dharma (Buddha’s teachings) for the benefit of all living beings.