10/01/2026
United Gurung Buddhist Organization of America (UGBOA)
Core Philosophy and Principal Objectives
Core Philosophy
The core philosophy of the United Gurung Buddhist Organization of America (UGBOA) is to preserve and promote Gurung Buddhist religion, culture, traditions, language, customs, and identity while bringing together the entire Gurung Buddhist community in America through unity, equality, cooperation, education, social service, economic empowerment, and self-reliance.
UGBOA envisions a long-term future in which the present generation remains connected to its religion, culture, traditions, and identity while building a strong and lasting religious and cultural foundation for future generations.
Principal Objectives
1. Preserve and Promote Gurung Buddhism
To preserve and promote Buddhist teachings, philosophy, prayers, rituals, meditation practices, religious traditions, and spiritual practices that have been followed by the Gurung community for generations, and to pass this knowledge on to future generations.
2. Preserve Gurung Buddhist Life-Cycle Rituals from Birth to Death
To preserve, promote, and appropriately document the traditional Gurung Buddhist life-cycle rituals associated with birth, naming ceremonies, Chawor/Chewar, Gunyu-Cholo, marriage, and other family traditions, as well as death rituals and Arghum, while ensuring that these traditions are understood, practiced correctly, and thoughtfully preserved for future generations.
3. Preserve the Gurung Language, Script, and Cultural Identity
To preserve and pass on the Gurung language, traditional script, clothing, food traditions, folk songs, music, dances, and other distinctive elements of Gurung cultural heritage.
Particular emphasis shall be placed on preserving, practicing, and promoting traditional Gurung cultural traditions and programs such as Rodhi, Ghatu, Surathati, Khya/Khahuda, Ghahatu, and other authentic cultural practices.
4. Promote Unity Among the Entire Gurung Buddhist Community
To strengthen the shared understanding that “We are all members of the Gurung Buddhist community,” rising above differences in personal opinions, organizations, geographic locations, groups, or institutions.
UGBOA shall promote unity over division, cooperation over competition, and community welfare over personal interests.
5. Strengthen the Relationship Between Religion and Culture
To understand Gurung culture and Buddhism as complementary aspects of the community’s heritage and to preserve religious and cultural identity in a balanced and respectful manner.
6. Promote Buddhist Education and Ethical Living
To connect the Buddha’s teachings—including compassion, loving-kindness, non-violence, the Five Precepts, ethical conduct, meditation, and Dharma practice—with family life, community life, and everyday living.
To provide children and youth with knowledge of their religion and culture while encouraging ethical conduct, responsibility, compassion, and positive citizenship.
7. Support One Another During Difficult Times
To provide mutual assistance, support, and coordination, whenever possible, to community members experiencing illness, death, natural disasters, financial hardship, family crises, or other difficult circumstances.
To develop a strong community spirit based on the principle:
“Support one another in times of sorrow and work together in times of happiness.”
8. Support Education and the Development of Future Generations
To connect children and youth with Gurung language, culture, Buddhism, and ethical education while encouraging modern education, higher education, skill development, leadership development, and career advancement.
9. Promote Economic Empowerment and Professional Development
To encourage community members to support one another in business, entrepreneurship, employment, skill development, financial literacy, financial management, and economic self-reliance.
To share the knowledge, experience, and lessons of successful business owners and professionals within the community with younger generations.
10. Build a Successful and Self-Reliant Community
To create an environment in which one person’s knowledge, experience, skills, and success can contribute to the progress of others.
To develop the understanding that individual success is meaningful, but collective success is the greater strength of a community.
11. Increase the Participation of Women, Youth, and Children
To recognize women, youth, and children as important foundations of the community’s future and to encourage their education, personal development, leadership, and active participation in community affairs.
12. Prioritize Social Service and Community Responsibility
To establish the principle that social service should not be driven by the private interests of an individual, family, or group, but should be dedicated to the welfare, dignity, equality, unity, and overall well-being of the entire community.
13. Promote the Sharing of Knowledge, Experience, and Resources
To bring together the knowledge and experience of teachers, business owners, healthcare professionals, Buddhist teachers and lamas, students, professionals, technical experts, and experienced community members and utilize their collective knowledge for the development of the community.
14. Strengthen Religious and Cultural Connections Between America and Nepal
To encourage religious, cultural, educational, and social relationships and cooperation between Gurung Buddhist communities in America and Gurung Buddhist communities in Nepal and other countries.
15. Build Permanent Religious and Cultural Infrastructure
As part of its long-term vision, UGBOA shall encourage and support initiatives to develop Buddhist monasteries (Gumbas), Rodhi Houses, and cultural community centers for the Gurung Buddhist community in America.
These future centers should not be limited to places of worship. They should be developed as:
* Centers for Buddhist education and meditation
* Places for religious ceremonies, rituals, and prayers
* Centers for teaching the Gurung language and traditional script
* Places for Rodhi, Ghatu, Surathati, and other cultural programs
* Centers for children’s and youth education and leadership development
* Places for community meetings and social services
* A shared home where the community can come together and support one another during difficult times
This represents UGBOA’s long-term vision for building permanent religious, cultural, educational, and community infrastructure.
16. Build a Strong Foundation for Future Generations
UGBOA’s long-term purpose is not only to preserve today’s religion, culture, language, traditions, and identity, but also to create a strong foundation through which future generations can understand, value, practice, and proudly continue this heritage.
⸻
UGBOA’s Core Message
Preserve our religion.
Protect our culture.
Safeguard our language and identity.
Pass our traditions from generation to generation.
Preserve Rodhi, Ghatu, Surathati, and our distinctive cultural traditions.
Unite our community.
Stand together in times of difficulty.
Strengthen education and skills.
Promote business development and economic self-reliance.
Empower women, youth, and children.
Build permanent community structures such as Gumbas and Rodhi Houses.
Prepare and empower the next generation of leaders.
Make the progress of every individual a part of the progress of the entire community.
⸻
UGBOA’s Broader Vision
“When individuals are strong, families become strong; when families are strong, communities become strong. Only an educated, ethical, self-reliant, and united community can preserve its religion, culture, traditions, and identity for generations to come.”
Therefore, UGBOA is envisioned not merely as a religious organization, but as a shared platform for the Gurung Buddhist community that brings together:
* Religion and spiritual development
* Cultural preservation
* Social service
* Education
* Youth development
* Mutual support
* Professional and business development
* Economic empowerment
* Community leadership
* Permanent religious and cultural infrastructure
UGBOA’s vision is to build a united and self-reliant Gurung Buddhist community in America while preserving its heritage and creating meaningful opportunities for present and future generations.
Long-Term Goal
“Unity in religion, identity through culture, progress through education, economic self-reliance, support in times of hardship, and a permanent foundation for future generations.”
