Public Interest Litigation against the Bodh Gaya Temple Act 1949

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Darjeeling, India -- Shri WANGDI TSHERING s/o Late Shri Mingyur Tshering, aged 77 years and a faithful follower of Buddhism has filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India for handing over the management of The Bodh Gaya Temple over to the hands of Buddhists as The Bodh  Gaya Temple Act 1949 which expressly vests control of the most sacred temple of the Buddhists into the hands of Hindus is ultra vires Article 25, 26, 29 and 30 of the Constitution of India.

The PIL filed by Shri Wangdi Tshering through Advocate Shri J P Dhanda has been listed for hearing on 13-02-2012 in the Honorable Supreme Court of India.

The Bodh Gaya Temple in the state of Bihar is the holiest place for all the Buddhists for it was here that Lord Buddha attained enlightenment and is regarded as the birthplace of Buddhism religion. It can be called the Mecca of Buddhism but this very sacred temple is controlled by Hindus by way of  The Bodh Gaya Temple Act 1949. That in the past Buddhists, Devotees, Monks and common people from all over India agitated in Bodh Gaya for many years against the illegality of The Bodh Gaya Temple Act 1949 with even self immolation bids by monks but to no avail. Therefore, it was realized that no Government agency or the authorities that be are going to redress this illegality and grievance of the Buddhists.

The petitioner, Shri Wangdi Tshering who is a public spirited person, an old Buddhist as also an educated man felt deeply the injuries caused to the feelings of the Buddhists. At the same time the petitioner realized that it is a public cause and individuals cannot make much efforts much beyond what has already been made by way of agitations. It was in these circumstances and for the common cause the petitioner has knocked the doors of the Apex Court by way of a Public Interest Litigation.

The relevant provisions of The Bodh Gaya Temple Act 1949 being challenged are as given below :

That the section 3(1) of the Bodhgaya Temple Act, 1949 reads:-

3(1) As soon as may be after the commencement of this the 1 (State) Government shall constitute a committee as hereinafter provided and entrust it with the management and control of the temple land and the properties appertaining thereto.

3(2) The committee shall consist of a Chairman and 8 members nominated by the (1) (State) Government, all of whom shall be Indians and of whom four shall be Buddhists and 4 shall be Hindus including the Mahanth.

Provided that if the Mahanth is a minor or of unsound mind or refuses to serve on the committee, another Hindu Member shall be nominated in his place.

3(3) The District Magistrate of Gaya shall be the Ex- Officio Chairman of the committee: Provided that the 1 (State) Government shall nominate a Hindu as Chairman of the committee for the period during which the District Magistrate of Gaya is non-Hindu.

Articles of The Constitution of India which are hit by The Bodh Gaya Temple Act 1949 are as given below :

Article 25 : Because the Right to Freedom of Religion is a Fundamental Right as enshrined in Article 25 of the Constitution of India. Article 25 (1) Guarantees to every person, and not merely to the citizens of India, the freedom of conscience and the right freely to profess, practice and propagate religion.

Because under Article 25 of the Constitution of India the rituals and observances, ceremonies and modes of worship considered by religion to be its integral and essential part are also secured.

Article 26 : Because Article 26 of the Constitution of India provides freedom to manage religious affairs. It reads- Subject to the public order, morality and health, every religious denomination or any section thereof shall have the right:

a. to establish and maintain institution for religious and charitable purposes;

b. to manage its own affairs in matters of religion;

c. to own and acquire moveable and immovable property;

d. to administer such property in accordance with law.

Because the Article 26 of the Constitution of India deals with a particular aspect of the religious freedom. Under this Article every religious denomination or a section of it has the guaranteed right to establish and maintain institutions for religious and charitable purposes and to manage in its own way all affairs in matters of religion. Rights are also given to such
denomination or a section of it to acquire and own moveable and immovable properties and to administer such properties in accordance with law.

Article 29 : Because Article 29 of the Constitution of India provides protection of Interests of minorities. As indicated above Buddhist Community is a minority community and its interests are requested to be protected. But the particular provisions i.e., Section 3 (3) of the The
Bodhgaya Temple Act, 1949 is ultravires the provisions of the Constitution of India under Article 25, 26 and 27.

Article 30 : Because Article 30 of the Constitution of India provides Right of minorities to establish and administer educational institutions. The Buddhist community is a minority community and as the protection of their rights to establish and administer the Educational Institutions similarly the Buddhist community has a right to head their own places of worship
like the Bodhgaya Temple. But the great injustice is being perpetrated as the section 3 (3) of the Bodhgaya Temple Act, 1949 ultravires the Constitution. It provides that a Hindu instead of Buddhist will be the Chairman of the Bodhgaya Temple.

Hence Shri Wangdi Tshering has approached the Hon'ble Supreme Court with a prayer to:

a. issue an appropriate writ /order or direction directing the quashing of Section 3(3) of the The Bodhgaya Temple Act, 1949;

b. issue an appropriate writ/order or direction directing that the Head of the Bodh Gaya Temple will be a Buddhist and not a Hindu;

c. issue an appropriate writ/order or direction directing the necessary amendment in the The Bodhgaya Temple Act, 1949 in Section 3(3) substituting the Chairman of the Committee administering the Bodhgaya Temple as a Buddhist and not a Hindu;

d. issue an appropriate order or direction for handing over the management of the Bodh Gaya Temple including the Mahabodhi Tree and Vajrasan as defined in section 2 of the Bodhgaya Temple Act 1949 to the Buddhists.

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Buddhist temple in Bedford embraces its Thai traditions

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Except for the statues of Buddha at the entrance, the Boston Buddha Vararam Wat in Bedford looks more like a New England home than a religious temple with its roots in Thailand.

Medford, MA (USA) -- The three arches in front are due for some adornment, said Rojana Laplume, a temple member; that is on the “to-do’’ list, along with finishing work on the monks’ living quarters upstairs.

<< Community aims for wider reach with fund-raiser
The Boston Buddha Vararam Wat in Bedford. The Boston Buddha Vararam Wat in Bedford. (Jonathan Wiggs/Globe Staff)

To help with such work, as well as upkeep costs, the small community of Buddhists, predominantly from Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia, is reaching out to a wider audience, with its first fund-raising dinner and concert set for 6 to 10:30 p.m. April 8 at Springstep in Medford.

Even with some decorative detail, the exterior, with its clapboard siding and white trim, will still undoubtedly blend into the suburban residential landscape on North Road in Bedford. But stepping inside transports visitors to another land. A large golden Buddha is surrounded by flowers and smaller statues; announcements in curly Thai script are posted around the entrance; and the abbot, or head monk, wearing a simple saffron robe, receives visitors warmly and offers blessings.

“I’ve been here a long time, I guess, but I always come here to say my prayers,’’ said Laplume, who commutes from New Hampshire.

She came to this country from Thailand in 1971, and later married a Canadian, but likes to keep the connection to her homeland.

“It’s your roots,’’ she said. “You don’t forget where you actually came from.’’

The temple relocated to Bedford from Malden in 1998, and took up residence in a house that was torn down in 2008 to make room for the new temple, which opened in 2009.

The community is fairly small. Between 30 and 50 people visit the temple on Sundays; holidays draw 200 to 300 people, Laplume said. People come from all over New England and even New York to celebrate, pray, receive blessings, and make offerings.

Money is tight in part because, unlike some temples, the Boston Buddha Vararam Temple does not charge a joining fee, said Laplume. So, donations have to cover about $14,000 a month in expenses.

The community includes those who do not identify as Buddhist. The temple offers meditation classes, lessons in traditional Thai music and dance, and a Thai language school, which has about 50 students, both adults and children.

Buddhism in Greater Boston has grown over the last two or three decades, according to Diana Eck, a professor of comparative religion at Harvard. The growth has come not only from immigration but also from Euro-Americans and African-Americans who have embraced Buddhism, she said, often through an interest in meditation.

“Many of them do think of themselves as Buddhist, and many go on thinking of themselves as Jewish and Buddhist, or Episcopal and Buddhist,’’ said Eck. “It would be interesting to see what they put down on a religious preference form.’’

It’s not unusual for temples to struggle with funding, said Eck. In the Thai tradition, the temple members support the monks, who do no work for money. Still, temples in Greater Boston that she has followed have become more established over the last couple of decades.

“All of them have done pretty well when you consider the fact that they are all basically from the ground up,’’ said Eck.

There are several distinct Buddhist communities in Boston, generally based on the country of origin, which have some differences in the way they practice, said Eck. But unlike some other metropolitan areas, Boston doesn’t have a unified Buddhist community, where Buddhists from other temples would necessarily support the Bedford temple.

“There isn’t really that kind of pan-Buddhist identification,’’ she said.

Temple members hope the fund-raiser will change that a bit, increasing membership but also expanding outreach to the wider public, who may be interested in learning about Thai culture or Buddhist meditation.

“This will be the start event, and we will try to gather more people to be long-term donors for our temple,’’ said Duangpon Pongphasuk, a classically trained singer who studied at the New England Conservatory and is performing at the fund-raiser.

She said the temple is important for people from Thailand to hold onto their culture here, but she also hopes people with no ties to Thailand or Buddhism will attend the fund-raiser to learn about another culture.

“It’s not only for Thai people,’’ she said of the event. “And meditation is not only for Buddhists. It’s for everyone who wants to . . . relax and to learn,’’ she said. “We fight a lot in this world. We need peace.’’

Tickets to the April 8 fund-raiser are $100. For more information, go to www.siamsmileevent.weebly.com.

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Monks guide temple toward a new image

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Beijing, China -- As the old saying goes, "Change comes from within."

It is a message that is being embraced at the Shaolin Temple, where resident monks are striving to improve the holy site's image after a storm of criticism last year.

Since February, at least 20 monks at China's most famous Buddhist monastery have been working as free guides for tourists.

Among them are graduates from Buddhist colleges, and each one has received two weeks of training, said Zheng Shumin, the temple's publicity director.

"It's an honor to introduce the temple's glorious history to visitors," Yan Xin, a monk in his 20s, said on March 17.

He had already led two groups that afternoon, during which he interpreted ancient poems engraved in stone tablets, and told stories about the many calligraphy and painting works.

"I practice martial arts every day and keep in good physical shape, so I don't feel tired," he said.

The free tour guide service was set up after a public relations crisis in December, when the temple was criticized by the National Tourism Association for its poor conditions and services.

The association said its inspectors had found disorderly parking facilities, an abundance of over-bearing souvenir sellers, as well as many people dressed like monks offering fortune-telling services or products.

After the criticism, People's Daily reported that police in Dengfeng had detained more than 63 people for violating tourism regulations, while four employees of the Shaolin Temple were dismissed. Ten tourist guides were also suspended.

However, Zheng said that the new guide service simply extended the temple's practice of asking monks to lead groups when important figures visited or during major Buddhism events.

Yang Chaofei, a college student who was led by Yan, said his guide had made his trip unforgettable.

"The monks are very patient, and their introductions always enlighten me because I believe in the Buddhist religion," he said. "It was a totally different feeling compared with the guides used by most commercial tourism companies."

Yang said the service had improved his impression of the Shaolin Temple, adding that he believes it will "shorten the distance between the monks and the public".

Despite praise from visitors, some remained skeptical that the guide service was really free, largely due to the fact that in the past they had encountered people dressed like monks who were trying to charge fees.

"The monks say the service is free, but I'm afraid they will charge us at the end of the tour, or try to get us to buy souvenirs," said Ren Juan, 43, who was visiting with her friends.

"We don't want to ruin the experience by having conflicts with monks."

A public bus driver who did not want to be identified said the number of complaints from tourists and city residents about the Shaolin Temple have greatly reduced since the warning from the tourism authorities.

"Compared with the past, the Shaolin Temple appears to have developed a completely different image in recent months," he said. "The city government has kept a close watch for any illegal or disorderly activity."

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Georgia State University students joints the temple stay program at Un Mun Sa temple.

Home Asia Pacific North Asia S/N Korea Temple Stay

Cheongdo, South Korea -- On March 13th, a group of students from Georgia State University joined the Un Mun Sa temple Temple Stay program for 2 nights and 3 days.

<< Un Mun Sa, located in Cheongdo

Together, they practiced eating out of the bowl (balwoo kongyang), making lotus lanterns, and practiced various Buddhist rituals such as the morning and evening chantings and the 108 prostrations.

These students experienced Korean Buddhism through various activities that they would have never experienced else where.

Their day begins at 3am with their morning chanting session.

Georgia State University and Un Mun Sa temple have been accepting students every 2 years from 2003 as a Korean culture experience program.

These students also receive “hwa-du” (meditation keyword) from their masters during their stay to reflect upon.

The Temple Stay program provided a unique opportunity for the students to experience traditional culture and the lifestyle of Buddhist monks in this ancient temples that have carried on the heritage of Korean Buddhism for the last seventeen hundred years.

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Acclaimed Chef Thomas Keller visits CheongAm Sa temple

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Kimchon, South Korea -- Acclaimed chef Thomas Keller, his team of 14 chefs and dining room personnel flew to Korea to present Keller’s brand of French cuisine. On March 19th, 2012, Thomas Keller, owner-chef of The French Laundry, visited CheongAm Sa temple in Kimchon, Korea.

Keller says that he has been inspired greatly through traditional Korean temple food. In his own words, Keller’s creations depend upon ingredients of the highest quality.

However, Keller states that he has been fascinated by the beauty and simplicity of Korean temple food, and that the simplicity of it all is what mesmerizes him most about this traditional style.

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China to expand oldest Buddhist temple

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Beijing, China -- China's oldest Buddhist temple, built 1,943 years ago, is to be renovated.

Baima Temple, or the White Horse Temple, will be expanded into a cultural park of 87 hectares in eight years, the religious affairs authorities said.

According to the People's Daily, the temple, located in Luoyang city, was the first Buddhist shrine in China and is considered "the cradle of Chinese Buddhism" by most believers.

The expanded complex will include an area for 10 exotic shrines that will come from foreign countries, the official said.

An Indian shrine and a Thai shrine have already risen in the courtyard.

Construction is expected to start in April.

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Monk who is sold on ISB: Japanese creating management model to attract Gen Y to Buddhist temple

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Keisuke Matsumoto is creating a management model to help Buddhist temples in Japan attract Gen Y based on his learnings from the Hyderabad B-school, reports Kala Vijayraghavan

Tokyo, Japan -- A year ago, a 32-year-old Buddhist monk completed a post-graduate programme from the Indian School of Business (ISB), Hyderabad, the B-school that's known to have everyone from dancers to scuba divers as students.

Keisuke Matsumoto from the Komyoji temple in Japan is now busy putting to practice his learnings by creating a new management model for modern Buddhist temples in Japan. His focus is to attract more members of the millennial generation to these places of worship.

Matsumoto is working on updating Buddhist temples to meet the modern needs of people without disturbing their religious traditions.

He is also recommending the MBA programme of ISB to other monks so that they can pick up basic lessons in management that can help in running temples and coping with issues better through analytical and strategic thinking.

Komyoji is an old temple - one version has it that it may have been built as long back as in 1240 -- located in the centre of Tokyo and belongs to Jodo-Shinshu Hongwanjiha, one of the most popular traditional Buddhist schools in Japan. The temple location has several corporate offices and Matsumoto is keen to innovate to attract youngsters working in the area.

"As a Buddhist monk, being an MBA graduate doesn't make any difference to my position or rank in the temple. But it makes a difference to the quality of my work," says Matsumoto. "While Buddhism is my life, I am not satisfied with its current situation. To promote Buddhism among modern people, we have to make it more relevant," he adds.

One way to do that is via management studies. For instance, Matsumoto points out that he is now applying management guru Michael Porter's Five Forces Analysis - a framework to determine the attractiveness of a market - to develop strategies to manage temples.

Matsumoto has also launched the Young Buddhist Association with the help of college friends and has hosted a music concert in the premises of the temple.

Before embarking on his MBA, Matsumoto had opened a cafe-like open space in the temple where visitors - who have made appointments in advance - can relax with a beverage and snacks. "I don't ask visitors to donate money. It completely depends on the visitor's will. The objective of the temple cafe is not for business or to make money. It is a communication centre between temple and visitors," explains Matsumoto.

Since returning to the temple with an MBA in tow, Matsumoto has re-jigged the temple cafe. Initially, it was conceived as a place for relaxation and comfort as well as an opportunity to throw in some teachings about Buddhism to visitors. "But after ISB, I have noticed that the project also has another important role from the marketing perspective.

At the temple cafe, I can get extremely useful information from visitors about how people see Buddhism, what kind of activities are expected in the temple, and how we can improve our service," says the monk. "So I redefined the temple cafe from just a service delivery place into a centre for communication between temple and people," he adds.

Matsumoto has done a joint research on "Buddhism and economy" and personal research on "performance measurement in modern Buddhist temples." According to him, Buddhist monks in Japan are expected to double up as good managers as well as a religious leader, and there is a critical shortage of monks who have good management skills. Matsumoto is now sharing his learnings at ISB about effective ways of management with other monks.

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Cambodia's 'Second Angkor' Temple Enshrouded in Mystery

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Siem Reap, Cambodia -- It's still entwined in mystery and jungle vines, but one of Cambodia's grandest monuments is slowly awakening after eight centuries of isolated slumber, having attracted a crack archaeological team and a trickle of tourists.

<< Restoration work continues around one of 34 towers at the Buddhist monastery of Banteay Chhmar in northwestern Cambodia.

"It takes awhile to unfold this temple — and everywhere there are enticements," says John Sanday, the team leader, as he navigates through tangled undergrowth, past dramatic towers and bas-reliefs and into dark chambers of the haunting monastic complex of Banteay Chhmar.

What drove Jayavarman VII, regarded as the greatest king of the Angkorian Empire, to erect this vast Buddhist temple about 105 miles from his capital in Angkor and in one of the most desolate and driest places in Cambodia remains one of its many unsolved riddles.

At its height in the 12th century, the empire extended over much of Southeast Asia, its rulers engaging in a building frenzy which produced some of the world's greatest religious monuments. Called the "second Angkor Wat," Banteay Chhmar approaches it in size, is more frozen in time than the manicured and made-over superstar, and has so far been spared the blights of mass tourism of recent years at Angkor.

In 2011, an average of 7,000 tourists a day visited Angkor, one of Asia's top tourist draws located near the booming northwestern city of Siem Reap. Banteay Chhmar saw an average of two a day, with no tour buses and bullhorn-wielding guides to disturb the temple's tranquility or traditional life in the surrounding village.

Abandoned for centuries, then cut off from the world by the murderous Khmer Rouge and a civil war, Banteay Chhmar didn't welcome visitors until 2007, when the last mines were cleared and the looting that plagued the defenseless temple in the 1990s was largely halted. A year later, the California-based Global Heritage Fund began work at the site under the overall control of the country's Ministry of Culture and now spends about $200,000 a year on the project.

Sanday, a veteran British conservation architect, assembled a team of 60 experts and workers, some of whom were with him on an earlier restoration of the Preah Khan temple at Angkor. Others were recruited from the surrounding community and although barely literate, Sanday says they're among the best he's worked with in Asia.

Challenging them are hundreds of thousands of stone blocks from collapsed shrines and galleries scattered helter-skelter within the 4.6-square-mile archaeological site. Towers teeter, massive tree roots burrow into walls, vegetation chokes a wide moat girding the temple. Three-quarters of the bas reliefs — rarely found at other Angkorian temples — have fallen or been looted, the most notable being eight panels depicting Avalokiteshvara, an enlightened being embodying Buddhist compassion.

Thieves sheared off four panels with jackhammers, smuggling them into nearby Thailand where two are widely believed to be decorating the garden of a Thai politician. A pair has been recovered and the others are still at the temple, although only two still stand.

"We've been struggling away with this gallery for nearly two years now," says Sanday at another bas-relief, one depicting a figure believed to be Jayavarman VII leading his troops into battle. In vivid detail, the ancient sandstone wall springs to life with charging war elephants, soldiers plunging spears into their enemies and crocodiles gobbling up the dead.

Nature and time have proved the culprits: the vaulting protecting the 98-foot relief collapsed, exposing the wall to monsoon torrents, which seeped downwards to wash away the masonry and loosen the foundations. Pressure from the weight above toppled sections of the wall or forced it to lean.

"He's going to have to come down," says the 68-year-old architect of the king's image. A section of the wall is angled dangerously outward, he explains, so it must be dismantled, the foundations reinforced and the sandstone blocks meticulously numbered, charted, then set back into place.

Nearby, two young Cambodian computer whizzes are pioneering a shortcut to the reassembly process through three-dimensional imaging. The work-in-progress is one of the temple's 34 towers recently damaged in a severe storm. Some 700 stone blocks from the tower have been removed or collected from where they fell and each one will be videographed from every angle. Since like a human fingerprint, no stone is exactly alike, still-to-be-finalized software should be able to fit all the blocks into their original alignment after they are repaired.

"We hope that with one push of the button all the stones will jump into place to solve what we are calling 'John's puzzle,'" says Sanday.

When an original block has gone missing or is beyond repair, either an original stone from elsewhere on the site is used or, as a last resort, a new stone will be inserted. "My philosophy is to preserve and present the monuments as I found them for future generations without falsifying their history. So often people tend to guess what was there," he says.

The Global Heritage Fund, he says, is also intent on involving the community. "We can't protect Banteay Chhmar. They have to be the protectors. So they must gain some revenue from the temple," Sanday says.

The Community Based Tourism group, which the fund supports, is training locals to become guides and devising ways to derive more income from tourism, part of which is funneled into betterment of the entire village.

Sanday and local organizers, however, hope Banteay Chhmar's remote location will spare it from a mass tourist influx. Thus he is not keen to have it listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, something the Cambodian government is pushing for.

"I often come here in the late afternoons, when the birds come alive and a breeze stirs," Sanday says as fading sun rays, filtered through the green canopy, dapple the gray, weathered stones.

"It's peaceful and quiet here, like it used to be at Angkor. This is a real site."

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Buddhist temple raises RM15,000 for charity

At 7pm on new year?s eve, a temple spokesman announced that it had collected a total of RM15,000 from 30 stalls selling everything from cakes to ice-cream and Chinese New Year decorative items.

Organising chairman Tnay Siong Leng said the amount would be distributed to four non-governmental bodies evenly.

?We wanted to do what we can up to the very last minute,? Tnay told The Star.

He said new year?s eve was chosen for the temple?s charity sales because, ?there were hardly anyone working yesterday, so they could all come help out?.

The sale was also in conjunction with Fa Yuan Vihara?s fifth anniversary and second anniversary since the opening of its renovated premises.

The recipient NGOs were Sarawak Children?s Cancer Society, Sarawak Cheshire Home Kuching, Society of the Blind Sarawak and Pibakat, an association for parents with disabled children.

Deputy Works Minister Datuk Yong Khoon Seng, who was an invited guest, said he always felt ?encouraged to see youths engage in social work?.

?I hope others will see what Fa Yuan Vihara followers have done here and be inspired to contribute back to society,? Yong said.

?The act of giving selflessly is essential to Buddhism. It is also just as important to give from our hearts, without expectations of rewards. Everything that comes from the heart is beautiful.?

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Vietnamese Buddhist group evicted from Utah temple

SALT LAKE CITY — A complicated legal dispute has left members of a Utah religious group out in the cold.

Members of the Vietnamese Unified Buddhist Association of Utah worshiped outside Sunday morning, displaced from the temple at 1185 W. 1000 North.

A legal battle is brewing about who owns the property, and members of the congregation of more than 100 fear it could take the beloved temple away them.

The congregation was notified Saturday morning that it would not be able to access the temple until the matter is resolved in court.

Members of the congregation say their church is being threatened by religious abuse, greed and real estate fraud.

"I think we cherish the place of worship very seriously," said Thuan Tran, founder of the Vietnamese Unified Buddhist Association of Utah.

About 10 years ago, the Utah organization agreed to donate the property to the American-Vietnamese Unified Buddhist Congress in the USA, based in Monterey, Calif., for safekeeping and to provide spiritual guidance.

Last year, that deed was transferred to Buddhist monk Thich Tri Lang without the Utah group's knowledge. Now, the monk has evicted the group, and the temple is being used by a handful of the his local followers.

"Suddenly we were forbidden to do our service on the property where we (have been meeting) for the last 15 years," Tran said.

The eviction has been heartbreaking for those who have worshiped at the temple. The temple serves as a church as well as a sacred burial ground for loved ones who have passed on, including Tran's mother.

"We have the moral duties to safeguard and care for the ashes," he said.

The ashes of Diep Ngoc Thi Veong's husband also are at the temple. Veong, whose husband was a colonel in the former South Vietnamese armed forces, visits the site every Sunday and prays for him.

"Because I want him to hear every Sunday my prayers for him," she said through a translator.

Today, members of the congregation pray that their church will be returned to them.

"They love this place, and they love their religion," said April Nguyen, a member of the congregation, "and they will come here every day if they can."

On Sunday morning, the adult members of the congregation prayed outside the temple, while the children had Sunday school in the parking lot.

It's a testament to their faith, which has been unwavering in this time of hardship.

"Like today, it's very cold, and winter's coming," Tran said.

There are about 15,000 Vietnamese people in Utah, and about 75 percent to 80 percent of those are Buddhist, Tran said. The temple at 1185 W. 1000 North is one of several in the Salt Lake Valley.

Attempts to reach the attorney representing the American-Vietnamese Unified Buddhist Congress in the USA and Thich Tri Lang have been unsuccessful.

Contributing: Jared Page

Email:

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Buddhist temple expands

Parishioners who transcend religious backgrounds and an architect whose dying wish was for the opening of a Buddhist meditation hall will have their hard work fulfilled Saturday.

Nestled behind high hedges along Old N.C. 86, Chapel Hill’s Won-Buddhism Meditation Temple has served the community for nearly a decade.

And this weekend, it will add a new meeting space that follows the vision of Rev. WonGong So and architect John Hartley, who died of cancer in June.

Rev. So, a native of South Korea and graduate of the University of Maryland, came to Chapel Hill in 2003 to teach Won-Buddhism.

“I had a great hope that people would be interested in the benefits of these teachings,” she said.

Won-Buddhism, which began in the early 1900s, replaces the worship of Buddha with the “Won” — the Korean word for “circle” and a symbol that represents truth.

Rev. So said Won-Buddhism’s message of self-awareness and discovering order in a chaotic world has appealed to members of the Chapel Hill community.

“This place could help people find the way of peace and happiness,” she said.

Parishioners previously met in the living room of a converted house sold to the group by one of its members, Chon Shoaf, who is also a Baptist deacon,

But as more attended regularly, the space became cramped. By 2005 Rev. So and roughly 30 temple members began planning an expansion — a new dharma hall.

Over the next five years, members raised about $525,000 for the hall, and construction began in fall 2010.

Hartley, who was a member of the temple, led the planning and construction of the new hall. He was a career architect who had a passion for blending nature with architecture, Shoaf said.

“John was open-minded and always wanted to have fun and try different things,” he said.

Rev. So said the hall became a work of love for Hartley, who worked on plans until his death.

“John worked very sincerely and very joyfully,” she said. “He was very happy when he was working on the hall.”

Parishioners spread his ashes in a garden named for him.

“We pour so many blessings to his soul,” Rev. So said.

Parishioners said they are excited about the opportunities the new hall offers. The 2,600-square-foot space will fit more people and offer more room for stretches and exercises.

The hall’s dedication ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday and will be followed by lunch. On Sunday, there will be a meditation service and an open house.

John Delconte, a practitioner who grew up Catholic, said Won-Buddhism has appeal regardless of one’s spiritual experience.

“They don’t care if you practice another religion,” he said. “The ultimate goal is to drop our selfishness and find a more outward perspective.”

Contact the City Editor at city@dailytarheel.com.

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Buddhist monks live simple life at rural temple

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Hurricane Creek, Alabama (USA) -- Up a dirt road, on five acres of sloping wooded grassland, Buddhist monks chop wood and carry water. Following a centuries-old balanced daily practice of meditation, physical work, formal ceremonies, vegetarian meals and discussion of the teaching, the monks of the small remote mountain temple welcome those who join them in search of inner peace.

<< Courtesy photo/Linda Sutch Buddhist monks, Reverends Meido Tuttle (left) and Clairissa Beattie, stack wood at the Wallowa Buddhist Temple on Hurricane Creek.

Sounds like a scene from ancient China?

It's happening right here in Wallowa County, about a quarter-mile uphill from the Hurricane Creek Grange, at the Wallowa Buddhist Temple.

Visitors come from afar to retreat for a week or so, usually one-by-one. Local folks take time for inner reflection, individually or in small groups meeting Sundays and Wednesdays for a morning of meditation and discussion.

Walking paths wind through pine and aspen on the forested temple grounds, ideal for quiet contemplation. Sitting quietly on a bench along Hurricane Creek, a guest or a resident monk may find solace by the tumbling glacial waters.

Speaking with the priest of the temple, Reverend Meido Tuttle, one may find a spiritual refuge. A familiar brown-robed figure in the county since she came to settle here nine years ago, Rev. Meido freely offers a kind ear, a cup of tea, and good practical wisdom to those who ask it of her. After more than 30 ears as a contemplative monastic, Rev. Meido has come to embody the compassionate teaching of her tradition. Also practicing at the temple under her guidance is Reverend Clairissa Beattie, a younger monk who came from Portland last October after 10 years of monastic training.

The Wallowa Buddhist Temple is a log cabin heated mostly with wood, so the monks are kept busy splitting and stacking firewood. During the summer heat, Rev. Meido waters young fruit trees by hand where drip hoses don't reach. Seeing her carrying water in buckets recently, a neighbor couple kindly insisted on the monks using their nearby faucet.

Living simply, day-to-day practice is pretty down to earth. Monks are vegetarian, celibate, and endeavor to live on alms. The tradition is known in Japan as Soto Zen, also referred to as "farmer Zen" because of the emphasis on training within the conditions of a normal everyday life, making it possible for anyone to practice.

Here at the Wallowa Buddhist Temple, the practice is called Serene Reflection Meditation, and scriptures are sung in English to western plainsong accompanied by a church organ.

A small congregation and other benefactors from the community provide the monastics with the basics of food, clothing, medicine, and shelter. The temple monks offer a place dedicated to this practice and the teaching, which springs from a lifelong commitment to follow the path of the Buddha. A man who lived over 2,500 years ago in India, the historical Buddha found within himself the key to ending suffering, and offered a way for all to do the same by looking within.

Buddhists attempt to live life in accord with the Precepts: to cease from that which may cause harm, to do only good, and to do good for others. One place to start is by caring gently for all creatures. On a recent Sunday morning, a memorial was held in the small ceremony hall for a beloved cat who passed away. Buddhist memorials for humans are held at the temple as well, as are weddings, and naming ceremonies for children.

The temple has become a part of life for many in the county, Buddhist or not. Now known far and wide is the traditional Indian meal held at Russell's at the Lake restaurant every spring, a sell-out event organized by congregation members Erin Donovan and Jane Harshman who began the Friends of Wallowa Buddhist Temple to offer their support.

Last autumn they also organized the first "Sitting Potato" benefit dinner held at the Coffin House for about 40 people. "It was a cozy gathering of friends around simple, delicious food and then a thought-provoking film," Donovan said.

These evenings were so successful that Donovan, Harshman, and a fundraising committee headed by Chris Geyer decided to combine the potato bake with a silent and live auction Saturday, Oct. 22, at the Wallowa Lake Camp (the Methodist campground).

There will be musical entertainment and the chance to bid on some unusual items, ranging from art and vacation homes to gift certificates and experiences. All these have been donated by some 50 local artisans, musicians, businesses, and individuals who value the temple.

"The monks offer so much, this is our way to give back," comments Harshman. "The time that I spend in the temple is very peaceful, and from that I gain so much - from the sitting times, the spiritual counseling that is offered, and the community gatherings. Participation in these benefit events gives me an opportunity to use what I have learned from Buddhism."

The Oct. 22 benefit, dubbed "Sitting Potato's Big Night," is focused on raising funds toward building additional retreat accommodations at the temple. The congregation and friends of the temple are enthusiastically coming together to volunteer building materials, expertise, and labor for the project. Construction is planned for 2012.

Geyer was moved to help generate funds for the project through a sense of community spirit. He explains: "The second annual Sitting Potato Dinner and Auction is an opportunity to support the Wallowa Buddhist Temple. It is a wonderful reminder that we are all connected. When we focus on what we have in common and not what differentiates us, we can accomplish great things."

The temple is generally open for visitors and offers meditation instruction upon request. While the Wallowa Buddhist Temple depends entirely upon donations for its continued existence, all of its activities and services are offered without charge. If you would like to come for a visit or wish to offer your help toward the building project, please call ahead at      541-432-6129 to make arrangements.

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Oxnard Buddhist Temple holds its annual Obon Festival

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Oxnard, CA (USA) -- Erika Ishii was putting last-minute touches on her friend Kimi Matsuoka's makeup as the two prepared for their dance.

<< Nathan Revard, from left, Tomo Nakamura and Master Sumi Arimura of the Bonsai Club of Oxnard put on a demonstration at the Oxnard Buddist Temple Obon Festival on Saturday.
Photo by Chuck Kirman // Buy this photo

Dressed in traditional and colorful Kimono-style robes, Ishii and Matsuoka are part of Azuma Kotobuki Kai, a traditional Japanese dancing group from Ventura County. The two were getting ready to perform at the Oxnard Buddhist Temple Saturday as part of the temple's annual Obon Festival.

"My sisters have done this for years and it got me interested," said Ishii. "It's really a graceful and traditional dance and it's a lot of fun." Though not Buddhists themselves, the girls said that dancing at the festival was still something they loved to do.

According to the Rev. Henry Adams, the Obon Festival is based on a scripture called Ullambana, that was spoken by the Buddha. A monk named Mogallana saw his mother suffering in the world beyond this one that she had passed into. Mogallana asked the Buddha what could be done to relieve her suffering. The Buddha told the monk that nothing would help her other than that the monk practice generosity in this life. The monk did so and saw his mother was relieved of suffering.

"We celebrate the Obon as a way to practice generosity and gratitude," said Adams. "This is our way of sharing that gratitude with others." Adams was dressed in traditional Buddhist fuho robes and a wagesa stole.

Adams, 33, and originally from Minnesota, studied in a student exchange program in India as a high school teenager. "I had a lot of questions and Buddhism answered those for me," Adams said.

"The Oxnard Buddhist Temple was originally founded by Japanese immigrants to the area," said Adams. "But Buddhism traces its roots to India and from there it spread throughout Asia and then the world. There are even some records of Buddhist communities among the Greek empire." The temple practices the Jodo Shinsu form of Buddhism tracing its roots to a 12th century monk of the same name.

"We have about 100 families in membership," said Yasuko Kujiraoka, who teaches at the temple's Dharma school. "We run a school that is sort of like Sunday school for churches

"It's all about the kids and we try to get them to incorporate Buddhist teaching into their everyday lives," she said.

The festival features a number of foods, most of them Japanese in origin like sushi, udon noodles, gyoza and teriyaki. Adams said that many Buddhists practice vegetarianism, but that the Oxnard temple does not. There was also a Dharma service in the temple held at 4:30 in the afternoon.

"The Dharma service is kind of an introduction to Buddhism and all the chants are in English," said Adams. "We also do an incense offering and teach people how to do it."

There were crafts and game booths and the Oxnard Bonsai club did a Bonsai demonstration for guests. "Bonsai has a lot of Buddhist influences," said Adams. The tradition of growing and trimming juniper bushes as well as other plants, comes originally from Japan.

"My wife has come to it every year," said Kent Hollenback of Ventura. "This is my first time coming. The kids are grown and out of the house, so I figured I had to come and see what I was missing."

Hollenback said he was most interested in the Bonsai demonstration.

"I learned a lot about that. I didn't know they used a variety of different plants," he said.

"My father in-law lives close by," said Mike Contreras of Oxnard. "We come every year and I learn something new each time."

Contreras said he was a practicing Catholic with an open mind.

"I like to broaden my horizons," he said. "The food is pretty good, too."On the web: www.oxnardbuddhisttemple.org

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1891 Church becomes Buddhist temple

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Buddhist temple finds new home in NE Portland church building

Portland, Oregon (USA) -- The old white building that stands near Woodlawn Triangle in Northeast Portland is now the new home of the Heart of Wisdom, a Buddhist temple.

The church building has housed three congregations in the past 100 years, starting in 1891 as Methodist Episcopal congregation, then a Ukrainian Orthodox Christian congregation in 1959 and finally, in 1968, the home of the Church of the Living God.

The members of the Church of the Living God had recently started to dwindle and the building faced foreclosure. The Zen Community of Oregon heard news of that the building would face foreclosure, met with the pastor and offered him a fair price of $205,000.

Buddhists, who believe in karma ? that the actions have consequences ? didn?t want to start off their new church by taking advantage of someone?s bad luck.

While they possibly could have paid less if the building went to the auction, the Zen community members did not want to benefit from someone?s misfortune. Now, the building is under construction with a new roof, furnace, newly painted walls and a repaired Douglas fir wood floor.

The Buddhist religion thrives on the idea of taking pride in one?s work, taking care of one?s equipment and tools and to be able to reflect on the results of one?s work.

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Gere visits Buddhist temple in S. Korea

SEOUL - HOLLYWOOD star Richard Gere - a Buddhist and a longtime campaigner for the rights of Tibetans - on Tuesday visited a Buddhist temple during a visit to South Korea.

Gere will later this week also attend an opening ceremony for an exhibition of photographs entitled 'Pilgrim' which he took in Tibet and at other sites devoted to the religion.

With his wife and son he toured the Jogye temple in central Seoul, the headquarters of the religion's biggest sect in South Korea.

'I was able to encounter Buddhism through Zen Buddhism and I think it is not a coincidence that I am here at the Jogye Order, which is also Zen Buddhist,' Yonhap news agency quoted him as saying.

'I heard Korean Buddhism has a long legacy and I think it is important to maintain the traditions.' The 61-year-old actor, star of Pretty Woman and Chicago, was greeted by the head of the Jogye Order and then went inside the main temple to bow low before a statue of the Buddha.

He will hold a press conference in the city Wednesday and attend the opening ceremony for the photo exhibition the same day. -- AFP

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Actor Richard Gere, Drawn by Karma To Borobudur, Planning Temple Movie

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Magelang, Central Java (Indonesia) -- Hollywood star Richard Gere arrived at the eighth century Borobudur Temple on Sunday ahead of a Buddhist ritual today — in a trip that officials said would make the actor Indonesia’s “informal tourism ambassador.”

<< US actor Richard Gere greets Indonesian performers after watching a traditional dance at the Borobudur temple in Magelang in Central Java province on June 26, 2011. (AFP Photo)

Gere, a Buddhist activist, comes to Indonesia fresh from a tour of South Korean temples and is set to take part in a procession and meditation at the Mahayana Buddhist monument.

“I’m happy and amazed to be here,” he said at a press conference at Magelang’s Manohara Hotel. “It’s not just an ordinary journey for me but also a spiritual journey.”

He said his arrival at Borobudur was “karma,” a term for the force generated by a person’s actions which affects future ones.

Gere said he was particularly interested in coming back to make a movie about the discovery of Borobudur in 1814 by Sir Stamford Raffles.

“I won’t make a film like the kind that Julia Roberts made in Bali,” he said, referring to the hit “Eat Pray Love”

“I want to make a film about the history of this temple. I really want to do this.”

Gere had been scheduled to visit the nearby Hindu temple complex of Prambanan, but the plan was scrapped after his flight to Yogyakarta’s Adisucipto Airport was delayed.

Joko Sutono, head of the Prambanan temple’s management, expressed disappointment at the unfortunate turn.

“We had prepared a welcome drink for him and his family,” he said. “We also planned to present them with flowers from Prambanan.”

Purnomo Siswo Prasetyo, Borobudur’s management director, said Gere’s visit was nonetheless expected to boost tourism in the area, home to several other Buddhist and Hindu temples and the ancestral seat of Javanese culture.

Before flying to Yogyakarta with his wife, Carey Lowell, and son, Homer James Jigme Gere, Gere was in Jakarta to meet with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Jero Wacik, the culture and tourism minister.

Gere will stay in Magelang and fly out on Tuesday for a family vacation in Bali.

Jero said his visit would be invaluable in raising the profile of the temple, after it had to be closed off for an extended period last year due to ash from the erupting Mount Merapi nearby.

“We were looking for an international figure who could relate closely to Borobudur, and that figure is Richard Gere,” he said, adding that the actor had previously expressed an interest in visiting the monument.

“He’s now become Indonesia’s informal tourism ambassador, for which he’s not being paid at all,” the official added.

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