Thai temple hidden within Long Beach. They usually have food on Sundays ranging from $3-$10…read more... pretty tasty, you trade dollars into tokens. This was my first time here. It's nice that there's some sort of Thai representation in Long Beach... They have a mini parking lot that you access by taking the anal alley way but there's also plenty of street parking.

Went today and saw only one stall available until June 15th. Apparently the food court here is…read morepermanently closing. Food was mediocre.

I wanted to try something new so I attended a service here. The revered was very helpful when I…read morecalled. Its great to explore different things. We born into our religion typically and its awesome when you visit a new congregation and you immediately feel welcomed. I have heard of Buddhist temples before but never a Buddhist Church.

From the owner: - Sunday Service - Meditation practice (Tuesday evening &…read moreThursday morning)

Stopped by on the first day of the lunar new year. it's starting getting packed. Very festive…read moreand lively vibe. Parking will be a hassle but you can park couple street and walk over. Still a great and nice temple to go in LB.

Been to this beautiful temple many times. Never been here for a Lunar New Year celebration. So…read moredecided to visit on Lunar New Year. It is very hard to find parking here, unless you come very early in the morning. This temple is always packed on the weekends, but it is even more busy on Lunar New Year. We drove around in circle trying to find parking here. We end up parking about 5 blocks away. If you can, don't park inside the temple's parking lot, you would have a hard time leaving, since others will parked and block you in. If you plan to stay all day, then that is fine, but if you just want a quick visit to pray, then I suggest you find parking on the streets nearby. After walking for 5 blocks to get to the temple, we can feel the positive, happy vibe, and the good feeling when we finally got inside the temple. Everyone was praying outside the temple, inside the temple. It was so crowded. After we did our prayers, we headed out to the side and back yards. Every weekends and on special occasions, such as Lunar New Year, they have complimentary temple foods. All vegetarian of course and desserts. Lines can be long. But you should be able to find a place to sit and enjoy their delicious foods. I especially like their noodle soup bowl. Although the foods are complimentary, it is good to donate some money to the temple. Give whatever you feel comfortable. Beside the complimentary foods, they have several vendors selling foods to go. They also have the sugar cane drink station. They made fresh to order, very refreshing. Always feel at peace when I visited here. Temple is very nice, both inside and out.

Pre-pandemic, this temple was a smaller lot that eventually extended to what it is now. During…read morenon-celebratory days will allow for parking on the lot, but during days of observance and celebration, you'll have to find street parking. Parking in the neighborhood is impacted, so it's best to just get there early. The monks here speak various languages and chant in Pali. If you only speak English, some do speak English, so don't shy away from asking questions. Volunteers and temple devotees are usually on site to help with inquiries. If you read Khmer, this temple has the chants pre-printed in booklets in Khmer, so you can follow along. For those who are not familiar with temple schedules, monks eat before noon, so all the substantive services occur in the morning. I visited for the Killing Fields Memorial Center annual observance, which is every April 17th. DO: - Bring something to share or offer. Donuts and coffee are usually staples because it's an easy, economical, portable breakfast. I brought individually wrapped pastries to add to the mix, because it's self contained and there's usually children who are finicky about their foods who will eat them. - Take off your shoes when stepping onto the straw mats or seating area in front of the monks. - Because of previous point (taking off shoes), do wear shoes that are easy to take off. It's not uncommon for some folks to wear slip-on's or flip flops... don't judge. - Do help clean up after services and eating. After dharma talk, lunch and fellowship, help clean up. At least clean up after yourself or your group. DON'T: - Do not touch the monks. Women, do not try to shake their hands or otherwise make any physical skin-to-skin contact. My fingertip accidentally touch a monk's hand during a blessing of a commonly held item, and I got some harsh lip service back in the day. Learn from my experience. - Do not double dip. So, there's sort of an art to community eating. After dharma, the monks bless the congregation and food and everyone goes eat. If getting your own personal portion and you go for seconds, get a new plate/bowl each trip. Use buffet etiquette. Secondly, if you are eating family style amongst friends/family, place a serving spoon for each dish. It's a pandemic, let's not spread the funk. I enjoy going to this temple because its spacious. Parking is a headache, but, again--go early. Dharma talks have been informative and practical.

My favorite place to gain my merit with Alms giving to my teacher. Meditation and calming the mind…read moreis the only way in liberating harmful thoughts.

You must take in other cultures experience the world right here in Long Beach by experiencing the…read morecultures that are here. You can find great adventures in our own back yards. Open your eyes and mind.

Every summer, the Gardena Buddhist Church transforms into a lively street party for the Obon…read moreFestival -- and I never miss it. The entire block shuts down for colorful Obon dancing under the glow of paper lanterns, while the air fills with the sizzling aroma of chicken and beef teriyaki. Rows of food stalls tempt you with chewy dango, fresh musubi, fluffy shaved ice, and ice-cold drinks -- the ultimate fuel for dancing the night away. This year, Labubu even showed up to hang out and dance with us, and it made the night extra fun and unforgettable. Between the music, the laughter, and the mouthwatering food, it's a joyful way to celebrate tradition and community, one bite and one dance step at a time.

I have been trying to attend the services at the Pure Land Buddhist center for awhile now…read more Apparently the hours of operation have changed from what is posted on this page. However, I keep returning as this feels like a perfect fit...after decades of searching. So, once I gain entrance to, and attend some services and dharma classes, I will be sure to write an article. Namaste

My mom started coming here after she heard her friends talking about how it brings them peace and…read morehealing. Every time we come to visit the Statue of Mary, so many people leave beautiful flowers. It's such an amazing sight to see. You can definitely feel the energy and blessings when praying here. It gives me a sense of peace when I'm talking to Mary. Side Note: Parking can be tough sometimes, but be patient because people come and pray, pay their respects and then leave, so you'll be able to find a spot to park. Also be courteous of the neighbors who actually live in this area.

Nice gift shop and well staffed, that made the whole trip worthwhile. The place is kind of strange…read morebut it is a peaceful place to visit.

The issues with the Service Dogs has been resolved and I am beyond grateful to be able to report on…read morethe genuine sincerity, love, peace, and welcomeness I felt attending a gathering this morning, with my Service Dog, Luke. Upon arrival I was greeted and ushered to join those already present. Folks were introduced and someone was pointed out who graciously assisted me in joining in to the best of my ability at this stage where I am still learning the correct pronunciations for the offerings. The group's prayers were naturally melodic and I can't think of a better way to spend a few minutes on a Sunday. I look forward to returning many times, as I was invited to consider SGI my new Global Family.

I came here after a very big trauma in April 2019. I called ahead and spoke to someone who was very…read morekind regarding my situation and they said this was the place I should be and in the beginning I loved it. It really helped regulate my nervous system And I very much appreciated. Franz and the way he helped guide beginners. What I did not appreciate was a woman who was also a beginner and craved support on an almost competitive level. She was very much attended to and a bit of a trauma dumper. I left for a while because of her, she just kept showing up in my space, but that was my choice to leave. Fast forward to the pandemic I did try to rejoin online and I was met with that same woman who I did try to extend an Olive branch to, since she was struggling and kept "showing up". She was the same trauma dumper, yet didn't remember me. But something that came to light is that I was not allowed to join the book group that she had created. As I got better, I thought about going back in spite of this woman, but then I saw that she is part of faculty Ultimately I decided that a group that would support someone with that behavior, in the way that they did is not the right group for me. I probably should have and I thought about contacting leaders in this group, but at that time, my nervous system was not in a place to defend myself and it's somehow felt small and petty. Better to let her have her way. However, six years later, I see that this is not the Buddhist way, which is the way they follow. I was not shown loving kindness in a time when I really needed it.

I have been attending classes at Long Beach Meditation for years. The teachers are all wonderful,…read morekind, and knowledgeable. Most programs are donation based but they also offer fee-based retreats where you can apply for a scholarship. The facilities are clean and inviting. They serve cold and hot water for tea. You don't need to bring any sitting gear (though you can) as they provide cushions, benches, and chairs. LBM also offers classes online which is super convenient! The community is so welcoming. If you're looking to learn how to meditate or you already have a practice but you want to sit with other people, try one of their classes. I can't recommend this place enough. It has changed my life!

I've been going to this temple almost five years now and am so excited about all the changes we've…read moremade to our temple this year. We just had an amazing remodel of the interior with vibrant red carpet and freshly-painted white walls! After a lot of hard work and donations, we were able to plant a lot of flowers and trees around the building as well. Our temple is now a beautiful little refuge providing a peaceful atmosphere to reflect on our purpose of life. This Pure Land Temple (Jodo Shinshu Shinrankai) has a broad range of lessons and topics spanning from simple kindnesses we can do to improve our daily life to tackling life's biggest questions in our advanced lectures. The staff and translation team is warm and friendly, and you can ask them questions anytime. We also have many round-table discussions which encourage participation, deep questions, and sharing about our experiences. We also have chanting service available if you would like to join or just observe. Our chanting is a meditation on gratitude toward Amida Buddha. You can learn more about this and what Pure Land means at the temple though. At our center you can seek refuge from modern life and learn the teachings of Buddha. They also have a wide assortment of inspirational books and even Japanese Animes on Buddhism as well. In fact, if you were ever interested in learning Japanese language or culture, this is a great place to come to explore. Yokoso! Our temple also visits local libraries, Starbucks, and hold events at people's homes. For fellowship, we go out on hikes, karaoke, visit museums, and have potluck parties. However, the purpose of our temple is solely aimed at helping you discover your purpose of life. It's to find out who you are and discover absolute happiness in this lifetime! I hope you drop by and check us out!

I highly recommend this group to people who are spiritually searching…read more The people at this center are incredibly friendly, welcoming and genuinely care about even first-timers. The service is in Japanese, but this doesn't matter because it is a chanting meditation using a book which is easily followed. After the chant there is a short lesson in English. Then there is a 30 minute break before dharma talks separately in English and Japanese. During the break member socialize and talk to all. I can only speak for the English dharma talks, which are very good. Yuichi is very well organized, and is adept at answering questions, even if they don't necessarily relate to the topic. It's obvious his knowledge is broad and his understanding is deep. If you can't make it to Gardena, he and Bita (the manager) conduct meetups throughout the region.