Visits to a monastery or temple have always been one of my favorite things to do with my family. Looking forward to my trips to Asia, where Buddhist monasteries are much more prevalent than they are in the United States, visits to temples and monasteries were always filled with a great sense of togetherness and the thought that perhaps there is something after life on Earth. Even now, a few hours spent in quiet surroundings engaging in the rituals of this ancient religion, and breathing in the intoxicating smell of incense are more than enough to take me to those trips during my childhood. Whether you are Buddhist like my family and me or curious about the culture and traditions behind Buddhism, treat yourself to a trip to the Chuang Yen Monastery in Kent, NY for a look into Buddhism.
Built on 125 acres of land donated by Chia Theng Shen, the Chuang Yen Monastery in Kent, NY was erected with hopes that it would provide North American Buddhists with a place for regular Dharma Assembly. The Chuang Yen Monastery consists of 2 main structures: Great Buddha Hall Kuan Yin Hall and 5 smaller structures: the Dining Hall, Ying Guang Hall, Thousand Lotus Memorial Terrace, Tai Shu Hall and Woo Ju Library.
Walking up from the parking lot to the inner area of the monastery, you are met with a large gravel path guarded by two Fu Dogs at the mouth of the entrance. Along the path are stone entities, each with a different expression. At the end of the path is Great Buddha Hall, a lare impressive structure with a large number of stone steps that leads from the base to the door of the building. Built in the style of the Tang Dynasty (618 AD-907 AD), it was constructed without any internal pillars supporting the ceiling, which results in a large space that can accomodate 2,000 people. Within Great Buddha Hall is a 37 foot statute of Budda Vairocana. This is the largest statute of Buddha in the Western hemisphere – Europe, North America and South America, and certainly, in my opinion one of the most impressive I’ve ever seen!
Directly southwest of Great Buddha Hall is Kuan Yin Hall, which is also built in the style of the Tang Dynasty. Kuan Yin Hall is home to not one but two historical treasures. The first is the largest colored porcelain statue of Kuan Yin Bodhisattva in the world. The statue is believed to have originated from one of the most important centers of Buddhism in China, Pu-Tuo Shan – a mountainous island region in the East China Sea. Dating back to the Ming Dynasty, the statue is about 700 years old. The second is a wooden statute of Kuan Yin dating from the Tang Dynasty at over 1,000 years old. This six foot tall statue shows Kuan Yin seated with a facial expression of great serenity.
Connected to Kuan Yin Hall is the Dining Hall, and attached to it, a living area where the nuns reside. While we were there, we treated ourselves to a filling $5 dollar/person vegetarian lunch. The staff, all volunteers were some of the nicest people I’ve ever met. Behind Kuan Yin Hall is Ying Guang Hall. The monks of Chuang Yen Monastery live within this hall. The Thousand Lotus Memorial Terrace is located a little ways northwest of the Dining Hall. Constructed of granite, visitors will need to climb a small hill before reaching it. Here urns of the deceased are kept in a half circle design that is characteristic of the Lotus Memorial Terrace. Ceremonies are held every year, during the Spring and Autumn where the ashes of deceased are placed in the Thousand Lotus Memorial Terrace.
Tai Hsu Hall stands next to Seven Jewels Lake. The building is used mainly as an activity cener for English speaking progras. A meditation session is held every Sunday from 9:30 – 10:30 AM followed by followed by a Buddhist book discussion group that ends at noon. Vegetarian lunch is served on Sundays from noon to 1PM.
Across Seven Jewels Lake is the Woo Ju Library which currently contains more than 70,000 books. The majority of the books are Buddhist reference books including sutras in Chinese, Japanese, Korean, French in German. Ancient documents from the famous Duan Hwang Cafe are also kept in this library. The holy books of Tibet are also collected here, makin the Woo Ju Memorial Library one of few libraries in the United States containing a rich selection of Tibetan religious books. The library has regular hours during weekdays when it is open to the general public. The largest reading room of the library faces the woods and Seven Jewels Lake, offering a pristine look into nature and a view of the Great Buddha, Kuan Yin Hall and a statue of Kuan Yin by the lake.
Whether you are buddhist or not, the Chuang Yen Monastery will more likely than not leave you in awe of the beauty of nature and the tranquility life can bring. The monastery also offers retreats in which you will have the opportunity to live within the monastery for a short period of time. Located on Route 301 in Kent, NY; this is a visit you won’t regret!
