Residential Life
As one of the few Buddhist boarding schools in the US, our picturesque campus and student residences are located in the vibrant city of West Sacramento just right across from the City Hall of West Sacramento, 5 minutes away from the Capitol Building of California and downtown Sacramento, 16 minutes away from the California State University, Sacramento campus, and 20 minutes away from the University of California, Davis campus. Our convenient location offers our students access to tourist attractions, museums, historic landmarks, shopping centers and university tours for many of our school field trips. Boarding students get to experience living in a wholesome distraction-free atmosphere guided by daily Buddhist practices and mindset, including restricted personal television, computer and cellular phone usage, mandatory religious services, community service to practice responsibility and positive work ethics, and participation to many of our monastery’s special events, such as Honoring Elder’s Day and Cherishing Youth Day. Our dormitories generally house one to two students with private bathroom per room. Seniors have priority for singles and doubles are generally reserved for juniors and elementary students on a case by case basis.
A Buddhist Residential Curriculum
Our boarding students follow a Buddhist Residential Curriculum to guide mindfulness, concentration practices to help students manifest the virtues of responsibility, ethics, fraternity, loyalty, and righteousness. Boarding students have mandatory religious service such as Flag Ceremony, Meal Offering, Evening Recitation, and special Dharma events hosted throughout the year. We believe that students’ fundamental way to success and achieving their dreams is not only through strong academic foundations but manifesting the Eight Virtues. Students understand that Buddhist practices are more than just a curriculum, it’s a way of life to better understand themselves and to be pillars of their society by demonstrating and exhibiting virtue.
Diversity, English and Chinese Immersion, and Spiritual Life
International and domestic students from all over the world and the United States share our residential facilities and provides boarding students a home away from home. Our students will learn to live, have interaction and exposure with the English language and commonly Chinese. About 40% of our faculty and staff resides on campus, also acting as dorm supervisors, sous-chefs at the kitchen cooking and preparing students’ meals, and working alongside and supervising students during community service. Our goals for students boarding at CDR IGDVS is to practice independence, academic rigor, work ethics and responsibility, and possess the following attributes:
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Cherish life with a pure vegetarian diet and practice frugality.
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Understands the fundamental teachings of Buddhist philosophy and ethics and integrating them into their daily lives at CDR IGDVS.
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Manifests the virtues of respect, selflessness, trustworthiness, and kindness as a boarding student.
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Practice and incorporate meditation in daily life to increase awareness, concentration, positive reflections, and attentiveness.
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Understand and acknowledge the wholesome practice and attendance in accordance with Buddhist is more than just a curriculum, but a way of life.
Day in a Life of a Boarding Student
Dining
Students enjoy and partake their daily meals with the community at the City of Dharma Realm at designated times. Meals are buffet style with freshly cooked and prepared entrees, fruits, desserts, and snacks, and on occasion organic options. Our boarding students follow only a sattvic vegetarian diet with no
eggs, chives, leeks, onions, garlics, and shallots. There are no microwave access for students, so many finish their meals in one sitting and practice frugality by not wasting food. Students learn to take only what they need. Keeping leftovers and casually throwing away food are strongly prohibited.