E-Vam institute is an urban Buddhist centre dedicated to preserving, promoting and disseminating the Kagyu school of the Tibetan Vajrayana tradition.¹ Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche IX (1955-2012) established E-Vam Institute in 1982, two years after his arrival from India. It first operated out of devotee’s houses in Kew, Hawthorn and Carlton, before the community purchased its current premises in Parkville 1991.²  Between 1996 and 1997, the institute purchased a historical guesthouse in Healesville and founded Maitripa Centre.³ Set on 53 acres of forest and well-established gardens, it features accommodation, meditation halls, and an on-site cafe.⁴ 

E-Vam Institute offers weekly meditation sessions, day-long retreats, a youth group, and multi-week education courses. In keeping with its Statement of Purposes, it encourages intellectual inquiry and meditation. A particular highlight of their annual programme is the Buddhist Summer School, which began 1984.⁵ This four-day retreat provides the opportunity for participants to discuss and explore topics related to philosophy, practice, and engagement with other Western disciplines. 

By: Juewei Shi and Sioh Yang Tan 

References: 

¹ “Statement of purposes,” E-Vam Institute, accessed August 6, 2026, https://evaminstitute.org/statement-of-purposes/. 

² “History of Buddhism in Victoria,” Buddhist Council of Victoria, accessed August 6, 2026, https://bcv.org.au/history-of-buddhism-in-victoria/. 

³ “History,” Maitripa Centre, accessed August 6, 2026, https://maitripacentre.org/the-venue/history/. 

⁴ “Venue hire,” Maitripa Centre, accessed August 6, 2026, https://maitripacentre.org/venue-hire/. 

⁵ “Buddhist Summer School 2026,” E-Vam Institute, accessed August 6, 2026, https://evaminstitute.org/event/save-the-dates-buddhist-summer-school-2026/.