This is my temple…read more The monk of this temple, Zhi Ming Sifu, is a kind hearted and patient man. There are celebrations of buddhist/chinese holidays beyond the usual meditation and chanting. If you pass by, you should feel welcomed to stop in and visit. It is a peaceful place.

I am a seasoned meditator, who can't go to sangha night in my home sangha because I work. Our…read moresangha is small and as yet has not reached it's full potential. So there's little programed on the weekends either. I've been looking around for another sangha that I can join in with to meditate with others. I'm also a little curious. I'm pretty committed to the Triratana Buddhist Community, but I'm also curious about other sanghas. So on Yelp there are 10 places listed in Queens. I chose to visit two today. I went to Lin Yan Shan Buddhist Temple of New York first. I talked with a monk coming out a door. He was talking to me until some Chinese people walked by and felt he had to open the door for them, and walked away abruptly from our conversation. He'd said that was a Pure Land outfit. I like to chant and all, but this place felt too ethnic for me, and while it seemed like a lovely place, I didn't see anyone who wasn't Chinese. And while the monk was pleasant and nice, he was surprised I knew that he chanted to Amitabha, which I felt was a bit condescending. Yes, westerners can know something about Buddhism, it's not just something of the east. So it's on to the next one. I ended up at the Ch'an Meditation Center in a very interesting neighborhood in Elmhurst. I was scared to walk in, but was warmly greeted by a Hispanic woman, who introduced me to an African American gentleman. I talked a little while with two women monks, with monk outfits and shaven heads, and the three dots on their heads where I speculate candles burnt down in a ritual, but that's just speculation. Then I talked to Dr. Rikki Asher, who seemed very down to earth and encouraging. I think I'm going to go back sometime--I will update if I do. I googled Rikki Asher and she's a professor at Queens college, and does silk art. Reading reviews on Rate My Professor, seems like it's a site for disgruntled students to vent negativity, though there were many that were positive. It's weird I know these things about her now, because I was writing this review, and wanted to know more about her. Her silk screens are pretty cool. My experience of her was that she was warm and open. They have a very active schedule with movie night, beginners night, Dharma classes, one day meditation retreats and Tai Ji Quan (gentle and relaxing Chinese therapeutic exercise). They are connected to a retreat center upstate in Pine Bush. They had free books, I took one on the Bodhisattva vow. Two thirds of the books are in Chinese and the place does have a distinctive Chinese flavor. They have a quarterly magazine. So I walked out of there with a lot of information and their website, and a desire to go back in. A diverse and welcoming place which I hope to go back to.

My parents are two devoted Buddhists at Chan Meditation Center. You would often see them there on…read moreSundays and Mondays. My husband and I only started going to Chan Mediation Center two years. I enjoy going there on Sundays too, but I guess Monday Buddha Name Chanting is one of my favorites. At the end of chanting, you sit and meditate after a busy working Monday. It feels very tranquil...

I really recommend this temple! I am a disciple in this temple and the people in the temple is nice…read moreespecially the master!!! They offer food every weekend and after services! They have certain ceremonies and services depending what day and what time of the year it is!!! Recommend 10/10!!

People are so kind, warm, and welcoming. They provide very thought-provoking discussions on Sundays…read morefrom 10am-12pm and then provide delicious vegan food! I highly recommend everyone check it out for themselves.

This was a beautiful True Buddha School (Zhenfozong) temple, but it was closed during the covid…read moreepidemic. It no longer exists.

Amazing Buddhist temple. Must see and must visit if you are in the area…read more 1) The main temple opens only for special occasions. So, if you are lucky, they might be open for those special days. But, you are allowed to walk around the main temple and take pictures, etc. 2) The annex temple is open to the public. It was very nice and calm. 3) Sundays are the busy days for the temple.

Only Theravadin Buddhist Temple in Philadelphia -- and it's only 10 minutes away from my house! I…read morelucked out. It's much more focused at the supporting Thai community, but they're so welcoming and kind. This is my Sangha.

keep practicing mindfully concentrated breathing meditation to calm the elusive haphazard…read moreconstrcton of the human mind best place to meditate is the nybv spencer street in queens village namobuddhaya

From the owner: We offer you an opportunity to read and learn about Buddhism in the Theravada tradition. Theravada…read more(Pali: Thera=elders, vada=doctrine) or the "doctrine of the elders" represents the school of Buddhism that draws spiritual inspiration from the Pali Canon (or "Tripitaka") generally accepted by scholars as the oldest record of Buddha's teachings. Imparting knowledge with a view toward developing and improving another's knowledge is Dhammadana in Buddhist terminology. The Buddha teaches us to appreciate the value of wisdom since it is the most valuable asset for a living being: hence, the need for us to develop our minds, as well as to help others to develop their knowledge. There are two ways to achieve this end. One is by reading extensively on Buddha Dhamma. The other is by questioning that may invariably lead to discussion. It shall be our endeavor to provide satisfactory answers to such queries. Discussions on the following topics are welcome on this page: Buddha Dhamma Buddhist History Buddhist Culture Personal queries relevant to Buddhism

My trip to Maharaja Temple, on March 24, 2023. Grand street…read morestop on D train was where I got off. It was 5 minutes walk from the station to the temple. I was ecstatic and very curious, wanting to explore this temple. Pic 1 Once I got out of the station, I saw this wonderful mural of a rabbit. This is the year of the rabbit and an amazing artist exhibited his artwork beautifully. It was a bright, colorful picturesque, and to me, symbolized a yearning for the forthcoming spring, waited so long by many people. Pic 2 I'd reached the front enterance of the temple, saying to myself "what a magnificent temple." There were many foreigners coming in and out of it. A little history about Maharaja Temple. It was founded in 1962 and is the oldest Chinese temple on the eastern coast of the United States. It was initially founded to fulfilled the needs of Chinese Buddhist in the greater New York area. Now, it is open to the public. Pic 3 As I entered the temple, I saw red color everywhere. I lit the incense and went over to pray to the beautiful Buddha. Pic 4. As I entered further into the temple, I was astounded to see this enormous statue of the Golden Grand Buddha. He was adorned with, what looked like, fire behind his head, and fresh flowers infront of him. I stood there, in awe, and felt so tiny compared to him. And again, there was red everywhere. To my amazement, I stopped and asked a Chinese women passing by, what does the red color means? She said that it means good luck for the people. I wasn't satisfied with her answer, so I looked this up online. It said that red has been Chinese's color of power, celebration, fertility, prosperity, and repelling evil. That covered everything. From now on, red is my favorite color. Pic 5. The exhibitions of the History of Buddhism was displayed with pictures of Buddha with captions on the bottom of each picture. There were 32 pictures alltogether, that lined each side of the walls. Buddhism is believing in faith, so much needed for humanity. Pic 6. I was satisfied viewing everything and decided to head out. Before I reached the train station, I stopped at a local market on Grand street and bought a big Bass Bonanza. He was very fresh. I looked into his cleared, lucid eyes, and he starred back at me, suspiciously, not sure of his future. I finally went home. Chow!!

I felt very welcome inside. There is no fee to enter. I found it interesting…read more New York City's largest Buddhist temple is located at the foot of the Manhattan Bridge. It contains New York City's largest Buddha a 16-foot-tall gold statue which is sat on a lotus. Visitors can also find prints depicting the life of the Buddha on display, and spaces for families to pay tribute to deceased relatives.

I don't think most people outside of the neighborhood know this place exists. But real talk, the…read moreHan Ma Um Zen Center is one of the coolest things in NYC and of course, it happens to be smack dab in Flushing, Queens. One doesn't have to be buddhist to appreciate the gorgeous architecture and it's a destination that could certainly use more recognition. Founded in over 30 years ago, the temple is belongs to the largest buddhist order in South Korean, the Jogye order. There are only a few branches in the United States and it's only fitting to have something like this near the 2nd largest Korean community in the United States (#1). They're open each day from 10AM to 9PM. If entry is not available (#2), then consider walking around the grounds for a beautiful photo on a sunny day. It is about a 25 minute walk from the Main Street subway and residential street parking is available. ______________ (#1) Second only to Los Angeles. (#2) COVID is still happening.

Beautiful building. It is one of those sites that you don't realize you're in a neighborhood as…read moreopposed out in a rural area. A gem of a place hidden to locals. Check it out