When visiting Centres and Temples – what is expected?
Many people are shy of visiting centres or temples because they think that: a) they will be asked for money b) they will be harassed about converting and followed up by calls, spam email, and stuff like that. First: the teaching of Buddhism is always free. Going along to a temple is free and meditation teaching is usually free. The Buddhist belief is that religion should be free, open and truthful. It is a custom, if you go to a temple, to take a small offering such as flowers or food. If you talk to a master for long periods, you may wish to leave a small donation. For some activities – public talks, meditation courses, retreats – a charge is made, because the expenses involved in organising them can be substantial. If you have a strong interest and are sincere but have a financial problem, this can be discussed with the organisers. The teaching is not supposed to be denied to people who lack financial accumulation. It is very, very rare for anyone to have people try to convert them a
