I recently attended the 70th annual Teriyaki Bazaar. Wild to think that I've been attending this…read moreevent for decades now, as well as making it a tradition to take my son over the years too. Pro Tip: come early to avoid the lines. We arrived close to 11:00am. Found a parking spot of the road. Ticket lines were short. We were 3rd in line for chicken. It tastes exactly as I remember: falling of the bone deliciousness. We stuffed our faces, grabbed some beers and explored the Hall. A lot of the floral arrangements were already sold. Bake sale seemed to be abundant this year. Homemade goods booths are always my favorite. I picked up two jars of pickles this year for my Best Friend who couldn't come. There was no gambling, no plant sale, no Inari sushi, no kids games and no history exhibit. This temple holds a very special place in my heart. It was sad to see that it was significantly smaller with less booths and exhibits. I understand it's a lot of work, without the volunteers it isn't possible. I guess I need to fly back to volunteer next year!

Started going here in the 9th grade. Met some great people from here from attending the Sunday…read moreservices and Sunday school and from joining the youth group. Lots of great Volleyball practices and tournaments with Dennis and Debbie, Mr. Ito and Marcus. Rev. Hamashita did my older brother's wedding. She also did the funeral services and 49 day service when my dad passed. Lots of great memories here. Oh the mochi pounding days! Watch out for your fingers. That's something everyone should experience. The Teriyaki Bizarre in July is always a great fun event for families and check out the Obon festival right after that if you're interested in the traditional Japanese style of dancing to honor the ancestors and those that have passed. The Sunday services are open to all and it's good to have new blood. It is sad to see the elder Japanese that helped mold the temple for so long thin out.

My experience at Odiyan has inspired me to follow my dreams. I continue…read moreto be involved when time permits creating sacred art. A caring attitude toward each other and Odiyan's vision keeps me involved. Alan O.

I've lived and worked both at Odiyan and nearby Ratna Ling Retreat Center for almost 3 years around…read more2012 to 2015. Since then I've come back regularly every year for a few weeks or a couple of months at a time. Odiyan is a hidden gem, an otherworldly place, like no other I've ever been. Life at Odiyan is very simple, work is very hard, but the time you spend there is so so worthwhile, heart opening and life changing. The way the community immerses itself into spiritual practice at Odiyan is through work, the daily practices and study. There's a lot to do at Odiyan. The grounds are immense and breathtaking wherever you look, and the amount and scope of projects are remarkable. The Buddhist teachings manifest at Odiyan as sacred symbols, temples, prayer wheels, stupas, books, online programs, and the grounds of this amazing unique mandala. Life and work at Odiyan are one. People there embrace the projects as their own, and the grounds as their own home. Having your mind and body immersed in the beauty of Odiyan's nature, and in the sacredness of what you work with, puts you face to face with your own idea of self, and with the purpose of being here in this planet. You meet your own resistance, and your own potential as human being to overcome it. Odiyan teaches you that you can be and accomplish much more that you ever thought you could. This is not your typical meditation retreat center, it's a place where people come to engage with concentrated spiritual practice that manifests through their work in the sacred art and construction projects, the gardens, care for the land and animals, the kitchen work and the practices and classes. My life was transformed by working and living at Odiyan and with this community, and for that I will always be thankful to this amazing community and its Founder. I don't think there's many other places on earth were you can have such a powerful experience. I would recommend anyone that is seriously considering a spiritual path or that loves simple life and hard but fulfilling work to try Odiyan for at least 6 months. This is the most amazing place to take an extended break from you habitual, worldly life.

If you've never been to the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, you should definitely visit! ‍ We stopped…read moreby on our way to Mendocino, and it was amazing. We really enjoyed walking around and exploring the beautiful and peaceful grounds. The City of Ten Thousand Buddhas is a large Buddhist monastery in Ukiah, California. The community includes a temple, schools, a vegetarian restaurant, and an animal sanctuary. The "Ten Thousand Buddhas" refers to the thousands of Buddha statues lining the walls of its temple. It is known for its peaceful, meditative environment and its emphasis on spreading Buddhist teachings, especially the principles of non-violence, vegetarianism, and mindfulness. We dined at the Jyun Kang Vegetarian restaurant and had crispy noodles and vegetables, fried rolls, and sweet and sour protein balls. All were very tasty!

I have been inspired to visit here for a while and finally found the chance…read more The campus is very well kept. Love seeing the peacock family touring around with a nice diversity of the family members and their squirrel friends. I love how friendly people here are. I especially appreciate my experience at the bookstore/gift shop. They helped me find the perfect GuanYin for my meditation area and showed me many tips. I only wish that they can host somewhat frequent weekend retreats. I would love to come back to practice over the weekend. Many thanks to the wonderful people practicing here or helping out here. They also offer free books too at the hall. Would come back for another visit tmrw.

I've been more in touch with my spirituality lately so have been visiting more temples. The power…read moreof prayer is real. Stopped at this beautiful Cambodian temple with the gang, and prayed for a lot of things and people. I was so immersed in my thoughts that I didn't even take as many photos as I normally do. Just know this Buddhist temple has many beautiful statues representing multiple reasons: peace, love, positive energy, happiness, etc. So -- if you're in the area, stop in to visit the beautiful grounds and say hello to the monks who reside there. Keep praying y'all.

(Please reference my photos of our last visit to see the challenges this Wat is facing now, this is…read moremy updated, concerning review, please reference my last one to see what it used to be like). For some time now, the board and the leaders have changed at this organization. The change has consequently created some concerning rifts and made the new organization leaders act in some questionable ways. I hope you might read this review not to deter you from entering this temple, but so that if they do allow you to enter, that it might grant you an awareness and deep compassion that might also affect those around you. So yes, the people voted and like so many countries and "democracies" out there, new people were brought into this Wat to tend to prior complaints about "a poor looking temple". These people have big plans to have bigger statues, sturdier buildings, and corporate minded monks. And it's just what we need at buddhist temples; just like some others pointed out-- I mean how dare a place of worship LOOK poor? I mean what are they doing even housing buddhist monks who practice austerity to provide walking examples of how to implement moral instruction---those monks should have jobs and maybe even pay rent just like the rest of us who worship there! Well, that wish just came true. The new leaders have requested that monks that live there, if they are not aligned with the new changes, must pay rent. And when they do not, those new organization leaders find the legal support to evict those monks who want to uphold true buddhist values so that they are forced into the streets, obliging them even more so to fully implement the sacred doctrines that the Buddha has taught them to embody. And now we spectators are witnessing a moment of darkness and deep internal struggle that is so a part of the duality of life, hoping that the darkness will recognize its interdependence with its equally needed opposing force, so that the sacred balance can be restored both at this temple and in the hearts of those who frequent it. I witnessed all these changes the last time I visited this temple as members of the community rallied up to support the monk that was ousted but we were not allowed to enter as the gates were chained and locked. Even as a little girl, the gates of buddhist temples were never locked. This meant that I could always come into say a prayer to an ancestor or light some incense hoping that my mantras might be heard at anytime of the day. It meant that even without an appointment or a phone call, that in the most hopeless of times, I could show up unannounced to find my mother feeding the monks to fulfill her duties as a layman by filling the stomachs of the monks who live there, who chant into the night when our dead are gone to ensure us that we might get a glimpse of a life far from samsara. Now you see, I gave this place 3 stars because even as the gates of this temple are locked to me and selective community members, the gates of enlightenment are not. They remain open inside me and to those of us who still choose unity, compassion, and the path towards true nirvana even as the quaint Sunday days of community and worship are taken from us, with not even an inkling of hope that they might return. They remain open as the false ideologies of despotic regimes have not completely dissipated from some of the minds of those they used to tyrannically rule. Finally, these internal gates remain open because the moral values and philosophies are the true foundations of a temple and even if I stand alone, I will stand---- no I will sit here, and maybe under a tree, until we all have been awakened.

Serene and beautiful monastery grounds. Happy to discover a hidden gem in the hills. When you first…read moreturn in you'll drive along a small tree-lined road and go up the hill to their gated entrance. You may have to call their intercom to enter through the gate if they are not currently hosting an event. When you first visit, go to the reception office for an intro about the monastery and their activities. You can join their regularly scheduled meditation classes and dharma classes. The building to the left of that is where they hold Buddhist classes and talks. To the left of that is a small hill and walking nature loop to see a Kuan Yin statue placed within a circular, eight petaled lotus mandala. The walk has beautiful views of the surrounding distance. Down towards the right is the temple, which is only open to the public during events. They recently finished some renovations inside their main temple and outside gardens. The gardens behind and below the temple opens to expansive views too, yet is still undergoing construction. You can see a small pagoda with a Kuan Yin statue and a rectangle platform with a statue of the Buddha. Inside the temple, it is common etiquette to remove your shoes, place them in a shoe cabinet along the wall, and wear socks inside (no bare feet allowed here) during events. There are bathrooms and a water station too. I joined a recent Friday meditation gathering and it was nicely organized and run very well. They have a welcoming sangha community too.

Beautiful scenery and grounds. The peace I felt was incredible. I love it here. I highly recommend.read more

So... would you like an update? It's worse. I am not knocking all the amazing teachers that come…read morethrough there, or Kornfield etc... just the elitism in the way its run. I mean, they say in their mission statement they're grounded in Buddha's teachings. I'm sorry, I still don't see it in action. I suppose I have to admit that this exclusiveness approach is serving some people in the community, and so I up my stars to two, but my heart knows this is anything but Buddha like. I don't wish to be negative, but I do feel, especially in times like these, that it's important to be honest and authentic. Small "elitisms" (if you will), are part of a larger dynamic. Its time we started looking at little closer at the reasons behind our choices. Thanks for reading. May all beings know peace.

First I'd like to say, Spirit Rock founding Teachers: Thank You for having created this wonderful,…read moremagical space for people to learn more about how to go deeply into ourselves. Learning how to focus is so important in the chaos of our world and I believe this is a path for Peace. Second I'd like to say: If you are planning to attend a retreat for more than just a few days, prepare yourself. It's important to know there are a people who don't know how to sneeze into their elbow or just stay in their room when they are ill. Wear a mask if at all possible to prevent getting a cold. There are no open windows in the meditation hall so make sure you protect yourself. I didn't and now I have a raging cold. If food is important to you, bring your own extra food. If you are just a little bit late to the food line for breakfast, lunch or dinner, you will find most of it has been eaten. To be fair, they keep boiled eggs and dates for folks in the refrigerator. But, I was sorry I didn't bring my own extra food and was hungry most of the time. The coffee is wonderful, which made is bearable. I also had the misfortune of having an upstairs neighbor just over my head in the dormitory who kept late hours and dropped all kinds of mysterious objects during the night just as I was going to sleep, so I didn't get much sleep. The Manager of the retreat was helpful and created a sign for the door letting everyone know to maintain noble silence even in their room. Unfortunately, the neighbor didn't read the note on the door. The teachers were fine and the instructions were helpful, so it was worth it for me to go there. I wish I would've felt more protected, but maybe that's my job. That's why I'm writing to you so if you are planning to go you will be advised of what you might need to know to protect yourself. I've been to Spirit Rock many times and realize that maybe this is what happens when a business even a spiritual business grows and becomes more like a production line. Hope this is taken in a good spirit. That is my intention. Namaste

Happy that there's a local Thai buddist temple in the Fairfield area. The monks are friendly…read more Sometimes they have festivals where volunteers make authentic Thai food to get donations in for the temple. They also have events for Thai citizens to get their Thai passports and Thai ID cards renewed. Very convenient!

Beautiful temple with very nice monks. Come and see for yourself…read more Wat Chaimongkol is well known by supporting from the people in different locations such as Bay areas, Fairfield, San Francisco and etc. Later on, June 25, 2009 is regarded as the best auspicious day of the time 9 A.M. and 9 minutes. All monks officially moved in living until now. Nowadays, Wat Chaimongkol is also officially acknowledged as a member of Assembly of Thai Monks organization so that it is a legal institutation in both secular and religious views. The total area of the current place is nearly a half of an acre with two buildings. In the big building with 2,422 sq. ft., there are 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 1 reception room, 1 kitchen room and 1 dining room. In the small building with 900 sq.ft. there are 2 bedrooms 1 store-room and a 2 car garage. The space between two buildings is suitable for doing activities. Moreover, there is a large area at the front suitable for 10 cars parking excluded from the area of main road and than of informal education school.

It's a beautiful place and the people are even better. It's not what I expected it's so much more.read more

As a former member of SGI-USA, I had heard a lot from them about "the Priesthood issue", which was…read morea covert way of referring to strained relations with Nichiren Shoshu. I was told the Priests are greedy, mean, and power-hungry. However, this couldn't be further from the truth. The Priests are kind, warm, and approachable. The members are open, caring, and loving. The Temple and its administrators value the privacy of the members. I have taken many friends as my guest to the Temple, out of my pride and love for this Temple. It is a very comfortable, even transformative place to be. I find myself making excuses to go there weekly, all the way from Fremont to Pinole! If you are interested in creating peace, joy, and fullfilment in your life, the Buddhism of Nichiren Shoshu is for you! Come check out our Temple!!!

This temple in Concord houses five Thai monks from the Luan Pu Mun lineage of the Thai Forest…read moreTradition (http://www.mybuddha108.com/bio/achan_mun.html). The temple was established twelve years ago to serve the needs of the local Thai community. Welcoming all those interested in Theraveda Buddhist practice emphasizing meditation leading to quieting the conceptual mind and following The Buddha's moral precepts. The monks refrain from gainful employment and rely on the generosity of the lay members for food clothing and shelter. In accord with Buddha's advice the monks stop eating after noon each day to relieve the lay community of the need to respond to their food needs for breakfast lunch and dinner. This temple has the loving support of local SE Asian expats as well as Westerners devoted to Buddhist philosophy. If you are interested in this mission please stop by to see for yourself. Morning chanting 6:30 to 7:30 am, Food offering followed by community meal 10:00 am to 12 noon daily, Daily 1:00 to 4:00 pm quiet meditation space, Sunday's 12:30 pm dharma talk (Thai Language). Most of the lay community speak English and one of the monks is fluent in English. Setting in a tree covered converted residential home.

I came here for the first time with my gf who is thai i wanted to be supportive of her culture and…read moreto learn more of her religion this place has taught me the meaning life, love, and harmony, and that is to love yourself more and never give up on anything!

I love this temple Every time me and my husband went to…read morethis temple always make me feel happy and want to praying. Some temple we attend it make me feel scared and not happy, but this one we always go. I recommends this temple because they are always welcome everyone not like some temple at Stockton and sacramento.

I am so glad that the temple is open post Covid. I needed a place to quiet the mind and practice my…read moremeditation and Wat Buddhanusorn is a perfect place for anyone seeking peace. The temple is open for anyone who wants to practice meditation inside or outside of the temple. There is a nice pathway that circles the temple and not a lot of people come here during the morning or afternoons. It's free and open to the public, social distancing is practiced and everyone wears a mask (even the monks). I have been back to my Tuesday evening meditation group here for almost a yr, thanks to Covid (jk), via Zoom. We still meet through zoom bc it is so easy for anyone who lives far away, or can't make it with the commute. I really enjoy talking to Ajahn Maha Prasert, the Abbott at the temple and he is so kind and easy to talk to. The Abbott really cares about the well being of people and I am so blessed to be a part of this community. I really feel so welcome every time I come here. I'm non-Thai and it doesn't matter because everyone here is so kind and will help you if you are new. It's a really lovely community between the sangha and lay people. I really feel like I'm in Thailand at times, lol! If you're missing Thailand and the beautiful Thai community this is the place to be! I'm so glad it's available to anyone for free.