he Dharma Realm Buddhist Association (DRBA), formerly known as the Sino-American Buddhist Association, was founded by the Venerable Master Hsuan Hua in 1959. It was established as a state and federally approved non-profit religious and educational corporation for the purpose of bringing the orthodox teachings of the Buddha to the entire world.

In 1962, Master Hua accepted his disciples' invitation to come to America. In 1966 he set up an in-residence Buddhist study and practice center in San Francisco. In 1970 the center moved to larger quarters and became one of Northern California's foremost Buddhist centers, Gold Mountain Monastery.

Later the Association founded a number of other centers: The International Institute for the Translation of Buddhist Texts (1973), The Sagely City of Ten Thousand Buddhas in Talmage (1976), Gold Wheel Sagely Monastery in Los Angeles (1976), Gold Buddha Sagely Monastery in Vancouver (1984), Gold Summit Sagely Monastery in Seattle (1984), Avatamsaka Sagely Monastery in Calgary (1986), and Proper Dharma Buddhist Academy in Taiwan (1989). The Sagely City of Ten Thousand Buddhas also houses Dharma Realm Buddhist University, Developing Virtue Secondary School, and Instilling Goodness Elementary School.