The Buddhist Faith Fellowship is a nurturing and politics free spiritual community that is dedicated to the classic Buddhist teachings with the goal of helping our congregants realize their spiritual and psychological human potential by transforming suffering (dukkha) into inner-happiness, well-being, and tranquility of mind. Our programs are currently available in-person and online to the general public. No experience and knowledge of Buddhism is necessary in order to attend our gatherings.
Established in 2001, we have become one of Connecticut’s most established and experienced Buddhist organizations. Since our founding, with the vision and guidance of our lead teacher, Rev. Daishin Senpai M.A., our non-sectarian Fellowship has offered a full array of spiritual activities that include bimonthly Online Practice & Talk meetings, weekly in-person 12 Step Buddhist group and Stoa Buddhist Philosophy Group gatherings: our other activities include end of life programs, retreats, mindfulness, meditation and contemplative practices, and plenty of opportunities to learn about and practice Buddhism in the contemporary American context.
Visit our online bi-monthly Practice & Talk Meetings on Sunday mornings at 9 p.m. to learn how to transform your life through Buddhist philosophy and practice.
Our Story
Our community began in April 2001 during Hanamatsuri, the Buddha’s Birthday, with the mission to learn and practice the Buddhist teachings and share them with our generation and culture. After studying with and receiving transmission from the Venerable Thich Tri Hoang, and later becoming a student of the late Dr. Taitetsu Unno via his NoHo Lay Teacher’s Program, our founding teacher, Rev. Daishin Senpai M.A., decided to take a bold step and established a Shin Buddhist congregation in Connecticut. Meeting initially in his little apartment in Bristol, Connecticut, the fledgling community quickly over grew the space and consequently moved its gatherings to a community room at the Elmwood Community Center in West Hartford before settling at the College of East Asian Studies, at Wesleyan University in Middletown in 2004. Thereafter, we had become a vibrant non-sectarian Fellowship that had grown to have a variety of Sunday morning programs, and courses, workshops, and retreats, and host special groups like our 12 Step Buddhist Group, New England Institute of Buddhist Studies, and Buddhist Family Practice programs.
For over a decade our activities were located in Middletown, Connecticut but during the Covid-19 health crisis in 2020, our various groups met solely online. On account of our radical online orientation, we had experienced an unforeseeable boon of expanded national and international participation in our gatherings. These days, our groups gather either solely in-person and or in-person with concurrent Zoom access at various locations in Central Connecticut.
Come as you are
For disciples and seekers. For individuals and families. For young and old. For men and women. For the highly educated and not so learned. For believers and non-believers. For the lucky and for the less fortunate. For straight and gay. For any race and ethnic group. For blue collars, white collars or no collars. For the healthy and the sick, For locals and from abroad. At Buddhist Faith Fellowship, labels do not matter; the Buddha’s message is for everyone, for all humankind and sentient beings. Come as you are.
Join Buddhist Faith Fellowship’s Facebook Group. This interactive open space is a great place to learn about Buddhism, share knowledge and experiences with the teachings, and keep in touch with the Fellowship’s activities. Click the Facebook icon to enter.