TERMS OF SERVICES

Star-lighting Buddhism Practitioners Association ABN 69 628 302 906 (referred to in these terms and conditions as 'we', 'us', or 'our')  is a registered not-for-profit organisation established with the primary goal of advancing Buddhism in alignment with the Mahayana tradition. Its objectives are designed to promote the core values of Buddhism, foster spiritual growth, and contribute to the well-being of individuals and communities. The specific objectives of the organisation include: 

(a) Reinforcing the Concept and Practice of Mahayana Path: The organization is dedicated to reinforcing the teachings and practices of Mahayana Buddhism. This includes supporting individuals in their study and practice of the Mahayana path, which emphasizes the cultivation of wisdom, compassion, and the aspiration to attain Buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings.

(b) Practicing Mahayana Teachings to Create a Compassionate and Harmonious Life: The organisation strives to promote the practice of Mahayana Buddhist teachings to help individuals live compassionate and harmonious lives. Through the integration of these teachings into everyday life, the organization aims to reduce suffering, foster compassion, and cultivate peace and understanding within individuals and communities. 

(c) Practicing and Teaching Meditation, Chanting, Contemplation, and Prajna Wisdom: The organization is committed to offering teachings and guidance in various Buddhist practices, including meditation, chanting, contemplation, and the cultivation of prajna wisdom. These practices are essential in the Mahayana tradition for achieving mental clarity, spiritual growth, and enlightenment. The organisation provides opportunities for individuals to deepen their spiritual practice through these disciplines.

(d) Undertaking Other Activities Consistent with Promoting the Buddhist Religion: The organization will engage in other activities that are in line with the promotion and dissemination of Buddhist teachings. This includes organising Buddha’s Birthday Ceremonies and celebrating Buddhism-related festivals. 

By fulfilling these objectives, the organization seeks to support the spiritual development of its members, enrich the wider community, and contribute to the propagation of Buddhist values and teachings, fostering a world filled with compassion, wisdom, and harmony.

 

WEBSITE

By using this website you agree to be bound by the terms and conditions set out on this webpage. If you do not accept these terms and conditions, you must refrain from using this website.

This website is owned and operated by Star-lighting Buddhism Practitioners Association ABN 69 628 302 906.

1. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

Unless otherwise indicated, all materials used on this website (including text, graphics, logos, icons, sound recordings and software) are subject to copyright, trade mark or other intellectual property rights that are owned or licensed by us. You may only access and use these materials for non-commercial or personal use, except to the extent permitted by law or where you have received prior written approval from us.

2. LIABILITY

We make no warranties or representations about this website and all of the events or any of its content and will not be responsible to you or any third party for any direct or consequential loss suffered in connection with the use of this website.

To the maximum extent permitted by law, we exclude any liability that may arise due to your use of our website, events and/or the information or materials contained on it. You agree to indemnify us for any loss or liability arising out of your use of this site and the events by a breach of the terms and services. 

All information provided by us in the website and events is provided in good faith. We do not make any representations or warranties about the accuracy, reliability or completeness of the information on the website, however, it will endeavour to keep the site updated.

We accept no liability for any failure to comply with the terms and conditions of use for this website and events where such failure is due to circumstances beyond our reasonable control.

The terms of services do not attempt or purport to exclude liability arising under statute if, and to the extent, that such liability cannot be lawfully excluded.

Limitation of liability

We do not accept responsibility for any loss or damage, however, caused (including through negligence), which you may directly or indirectly suffer in connection with your use of the website or any linked website, nor do we accept any responsibility for any such loss arising out of your use of or reliance on information contained or accessed through this website.

3. EXTERNAL LINKS

Our website may contain links to websites operated by third parties. Those links are provided for convenience and may not remain current or be maintained. Unless expressly stated otherwise, we do not endorse and are not responsible for the content on those linked websites and have no control over or rights in those linked websites.

4. UPDATES

We may change these terms and conditions at any time by updating this webpage, and your continued use of the website following such update will represent an agreement by you to be bound by the terms and conditions as amended.

COURSE AND EVENT LIABILITY

By enrolling in our courses or event, you acknowledge and agree that the following terms of liability:

1. Intellectual Property: Unless otherwise indicated, all materials used in the course and event (including text, graphics, logos, icons, sound recordings and software) are subject to copyright, trade mark or other intellectual property rights that are owned or licensed by us. You may only access and use these materials for non-commercial or personal use, except to the extent permitted by law or where you have received prior written approval from us.
2. Personal Responsibility: Participants are responsible for their own physical, mental, and emotional well-being during the course. It is recommended that individuals consult with a healthcare professional before participating in any course or meditation practice if they have any concerns regarding their health or suitability for the activities. 
3. Liability for Personal Property: Participants are responsible for their own property during the course. The organization is not liable for any loss, damage, or theft of personal items that occur while attending the course or any associated activities.
4. Participation at Your Own Risk: All participants engage in our courses voluntarily and at their own risk. While we strive to create a safe and supportive environment, the organization is not liable for any personal injury, health issues, or emotional distress that may arise during or after participation in the course.
5. Media Consent: Participants may be photographed, recorded, or filmed during the course for promotional, educational, or documentation purposes. We do not use stories or images of people in advertising or promotional material without your consent. You must not make any recording of the event without our prior written consent. You hereby consent to our taking photographs and making recordings of the event and to the use and dissemination of the photos and recordings in any medium for any purpose. If a participant does not wish to be photographed or recorded, they should inform the organization in writing prior to the course.
6. Course Modifications and Cancellations: The organization reserves the right to modify or cancel any course, event, or activity in the event of unforeseen circumstances. In the event of cancellation, participants will be notified promptly by email and offered an option to reschedule. 
7. Confidentiality Information: The organization is committed to maintaining the confidentiality and privacy of all participants. We shall not disclose and shall use its endeavours to prohibit and prevent the unintentional disclosure of any confidential information concerning any interests of the participants which may come to knowledge. Any discussion, materials, or content shared during the course that are not publicly available will remain confidential. Participants agree not to disclose or share any proprietary course materials or private conversations outside the course unless explicitly permitted by the organization. 
8. No Guarantee of Results: The organization makes no promises regarding the outcome or results of participation in the course. While the course provides guidance and teachings based on Buddhist principles, individual results depend on the personal engagement, practice, and effort of each participant. The organization does not guarantee specific outcomes such as mental clarity, enlightenment, or spiritual development. 
9. Emergency: In the event of an emergency during the course, the organization will take reasonable steps to address the situation and ensure the safety and well-being of all participants. This may include seeking immediate medical assistance or evacuation if necessary. 
10. Force Majeure: In the event of a force majeure event, the organization will make reasonable efforts to inform participants of any changes to course schedules or cancellations as soon as possible by email. If a course or event is affected by a force majeure event, participants will be offered the option to reschedule the course. 
11. Right to Refuse Participation: The organization reserves the right to refuse participation to anyone whose behaviour is disruptive, harmful, or inconsistent with the values of the organization. This includes actions that interfere with the peaceful and respectful environment required for meditation and study. Participants will be asked to leave due to inappropriate conduct. 
12. Modification of terms: The organization reserves the right to modify these terms at any time. Participants will be notified of any significant changes to the Terms of Services, and continued participation in the course will be considered acceptance of the updated terms. 

BOOKING AND CANCELLATION POLICY

To participate in our courses, individuals can easily book through our website. We kindly request that if you need to cancel your booking, please inform us at least 1 week in advance through email to allow us to accommodate other participants. If necessary, you can also reschedule your course through our website at your convenience. 

MARKETING

We use images, videos and other marketing collateral in its digital and print media. Any intellectual property rights in these materials belong to us and must not be used or reproduced in any way without our written consent. We do not use stories or images of people in advertising or promotional material without their consent. 

DONATIONS AND REFUNDS

We are registered as a not-for-profit with the Australian Charities and Not for Profits Commission. All pricing and transactions on this website are stated in Australian Dollars (AUD). 

By completing a donation you certify that:

• you accept the Terms of Services and the Privacy Policy,
• you understand you can cease communication, or access and change your personal information by emailing [email protected]

We only use your information to process your donations and communicate with you about our charitable objectives.

Online donations

This website is enabled for online donations using a secure donation server. However, despite the security on the website, you should be aware that there are risks in transferring information across the Internet.

We record the donor's name, address, email, telephone, and amount donated in our donation database. Our donation database is protected by a secure account ID and password, to help protect it from misuse, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. For more details on the collection and use of donor data, please see our Privacy Policy.

Refunds

To seek a donation refund you must contact us within 14 days of donation by email to [email protected]. 

Any donations made through the website by a user inserting that user’s credit card details is final and not disputable. Where there has been an unauthorised use of a user’s credit card, and the unauthorised nature of that use is proved on the balance of probabilities, then the donation may be considered for refund.

We thoroughly consider all requests for a refund and will ensure that genuine errors are corrected, however we are under no obligation to give refunds and the decisions on refunds will be at our discretion. If you would like to request a refund please provide details of how you made the donation, the amount, the date and the circumstances justifying your request.

Recurring Donations

The Donation Debit Services Agreement governs any agreement by you to provide recurring donations to us.

To cancel recurring donations, notification is required at least 10 business days prior to the next scheduled payment date to effect any cancellation.

Any recurring donations that are self-managed by the donor, such as via a direct bank debit or Stripe can be cancelled or altered at any time.

PRODUCTS OR SERVICES (if applicable)

Certain products or services may be available exclusively online through the website. These products or services may have limited quantities and are subject to return or exchange only according to our Return Policy.

We have made every effort to display as accurately as possible the colors and images of our products that appear at the store. We cannot guarantee that your computer monitor’s display of any colour will be accurate.

We reserve the right but are not obligated, to limit the sales of our products or Services to any person, geographic region or jurisdiction. We may exercise this right on a case-by-case basis. We reserve the right to limit the quantities of any products or services that we offer. All descriptions of products or product pricing are subject to change at any time without notice, at the sole discretion of us. We reserve the right to discontinue any product at any time. Any offer for any product or service made on this site is void where prohibited.

We do not warrant that the quality of any products, services, information, or other material purchased or obtained by you will meet your expectations, or that any errors in the Service will be corrected.

MODIFICATION OF SERVICES

The organization reserves the right to modify these services at any time. Participants will be notified of any significant changes to the Terms of Services by email, and continued participation in the course will be considered acceptance of the updated terms. 

PRIVACY

These terms and conditions also include our Privacy Policy that can be accessed by clicking the link on this page. 

DISPUTE

If any disputes arise concerning the use of the website, events, course performance, service or the interpretation of these Terms of Service, both parties agree to the following process before resorting to legal action: 

1. Internal Mediation: Both parties will first engage in good faith internal mediation to resolve any disagreements or disputes
2. Independent Mediation: If internal mediation fails, the parties agree to seek mediation with an independent third-party mediator. Each party will bear their own costs for the mediation process.

JURISDICTION

Your use of the website and these terms and conditions are governed by the laws of Queensland, Australia.