Two of the most popular posts at Inkwatu over the few years of its existence are Wat Mongkolratanaram — Palm River Thai Temple and Songkran at Tampa’s Wat Mongkolratanaram and memories of Thailand. Wat Mongkolratanaram is a Thai Buddhist temple, but there are many other Buddhist traditions represented in the Tampa Bay area, many distinguished by the national origin of the group represented. The Inkwatu Vesak post examines some of them.
The Buddhist temple nearest my home, however, is St. Petersburg’s Vietnamese Phat Phap Temple (chuaphatphap.org). Yesterday, was the lunar new year (called Tet in Vietnam) which, for Asian and other cultures that follow the lunar calendar, is a major cultural and religious event. I went to Phat Phap to join in the celebration.
The grounds of Phat Phap have been undergoing a tremendous improvement with a meditation garden with statues in an expanded parking area. Much remains to do with this space, including adding sod, but the five new, beautiful, very large statues of the Buddha already form a circle and were honored and admired by the people attending the celebration.
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I love all the new Phat Phap statues, but my favorite is the Reclining Buddha (top of post) because it was at the golden Reclining Buddha in Bangkok (pictured left) that I had a profound transcendental experience that led me, eventually, to take lay vows (the Three Refuges) as a Buddhist. The Phat Phap Reclining Buddha is joined by two seated Buddhas (the following two pictures) and a walking Buddha (pictured at end). |
The most famous Vietnamese Buddhist monk in America is Thich Nhat Hanh who became famous for his attempts to promote peace during the Vietnam war. He has lived in exile until just recently when he was finally allowed by the Vietnamese government to return for two visits. He founded the Plum Village Meditation Center in France.
However, Thich Nhat Hanh is a Vietnamese Zen Buddhist, which is a different tradition than Phat Phap Temple.
Phat Phap Temple is in the Theravada tradition. Without going into too much detail, the Theravada tradition considers only the earliest Buddhist writing as being in its canon (book of scriptures), whereas other branches of Buddhism–Mahayana (which includes Zen) and Vajrayana (which includes Tibetan Buddhism)–also accept scriptures written later than the Theravada canon.
Despite these technical divisions (akin to denominations in Christianity) all Buddhists believe the same basics. The best, least sectarian, easiest to understand, short source of information on Buddhism, I believe, is by Barbara O’Brien (buddhism.about.com) who also has a good, free newsletter.
Notice in the picture below, the position of the Buddha’s hands. That’s a tradition of hand gestures, called mudras, that are found in both Hindu and Buddhist icons. Here (www.thaiwebsites.com/buddha.asp) are some photos and explanations of Thai Buddhas illustrating some of the Buddhist mudras with links to further explanations.
Not all Buddhas–and there have been countless Buddhas (“Buddha” is simply a Sanskrit word meaning “awakened one”)–are men. There are also women Buddhas. The most important and beloved is Quan Yin (called Quan’Am in Vietnam). Quan Yin also exists in a male form, Avalokiteśvara. I like the fact that the gender of Buddhas is mutable and can take different forms.
I didn’t take any pictures of the interior of Phat Phap temple simply because it didn’t feel right to me to do so since I was only a visitor. I realize that the Vietnamese community, themselves, were happily snapping family pictures inside while the monks chanted in front of the great golden Buddha. But I didn’t want to intrude, so instead, I sat, silently reciting as mantra the final line of the Heart Sutra which you’ve probably heard before: “Gate, Gate, Paragate, Parasamgate, Bodhi Svaha.” A great explanation of this line is given by Thich Nhat Hanh in this (www.purifymind.com/Heart17.htm) extract from The Heart of Understanding: Commentaries on the Prajnaparamita Heart Sutra
.HAPPY LUNAR NEW YEAR!!!
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
What a great post! And such terrific photos!
People forget that in Vietnam there is a sizeable minority of Theravadin Buddhists – I think there are at least a dozen Theravadin temples in Ho Chi Minh City alone. Great to see that Viet Theravadin communities are flourishing overseas too.
You sound like the perfect guest!
An American told me that from his experience at the temple, he knows more about Buddhism than most of the Viet Buddhist who show up at the temple. You do as well.
I, a Buddhist by birth, go to Chua Phat Phap (Temple Budda Principles) once a week for the past 2 years as a volunteer yet I didn’t know that it’s a Theravada one until I read your post here.
By the way, did you know they have sell Vietnamese Vegetarian food every Sunday morning?
Hi, Thanks for writing! Yes, I know about the vegetarian lunch. Unfortunately, I work at that time (I’m a church musician for a very liberal Christian church.) I really do like your temple. I also like the Mahayana Vietnamese temple in Tampa, but that’s a bit far for casual trips for me.
Hi I went to this temple today it was very nice and the monks were really polite and nice and helped answer alot of questions i had about buddhism