About EBS
Our Mission:
To foster the ecumenical study and practice of Buddhism, grounded in mindfulness, wisdom, and compassion.
Our Code of Conduct
The EBS community adopted a Code of Conduct for all members, practice leaders, and volunteers participating in programs at EBS
Our program offerings include:
Tibetan Vajrayana practices of Nyingma, Kagyu and Sakya schools
Zen practices of Kwan Um, Soto, and Mindfulness in the Plum Village tradition
Theravada practice in the Thai Forest Tradition
Silent Meditation sessions, 7 half-hour sessions per week
Buddhist Recovery program on Sunday afternoons
Yoga classes twice a week
Weekend retreat programs lead by senior teachers in all traditions
Donations are tax deductible:
The Ecumenical Buddhist Society of Little Rock is a tax-exempt non-profit religious organization supported entirely through donations from people attending our programs and services. All donations to EBS are completely tax deductible.
EBS Bookstore:
We provide hard-to-find Buddhist books and practice materials including incense, statues, malas, and other Dharma-related items in our bookstore. Special orders and gift certificates are available.
Our History:
In the early 1980's a group of people meditating in a variety of traditions began to meet at the Unitarian/Universalist Church and sponsor Vipassana retreats. At the same time, Anna Cox was bringing Tibetan Buddhist Lamas (primarily from the Gelukpa tradition) and other Tibet-related events to Little Rock. In 1990, Jay McDaniel began bringing Keido Fukushima Roshi for an annual Zen retreat and lecture at Hendrix College in Conway.
These groups began to cooperate. Later, they formed the Ecumenical Buddhist Society and elected a board of directors. The name was chosen because the members did not want the organization to represent just one tradition.
In the early 1990's, Charles Hicks offered the beautifully renovated carriage house behind his Gans Place law firm offices for the EBS meditation center. In 2005 the community outgrew the carriage house and moved to 1015 Second Street. In 2013 EBS moved to its current location at 1516 W. 3rd Street.
About Our Building here
Please visit the Orgyen Medicine Buddha Blessing page to learn more about this special ceremony conducted at EBS in September of 2021 as part of the celebration for the purchase of our building.
2024 Board of Directors
Doug Holmes, President
Roger Hawkins, Vice President
Laura Weems, Secretary
Cheryl Woodard, Treasurer
Paul Carreras
Molly Carson
Michael Crenshaw
Ben Heacox
Lisa Kessler
John Matlock
Mick Wiggins
The board meets monthly on the second Thursday from 5:30 to 6:30 pm. Board meetings are open and anyone is welcome to attend.
For general inquiries or comments to the board, email ebs@ebslr.org
To inquire about volunteering, email volunteer@ebslr.org
To inquire about donating, email donations@ebslr.org
Contacting EBS
Physical Address:
1516 West 3rd Street
Little Rock, Arkansas
United States 72201
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 561, Little Rock AR 72203
T: 501-376-7056
E: ebs@ebslr.org
EBS FaceBook Page:
www.facebook.com/ebslr
EBS FaceBook Group:
www.facebook.com/groups/ebslr