Hsi Lai

Tuesday, June 8, 2010
11:45am – 2:45pm

For my first visit to a foreign place of worship I chose the Hsi Lai Buddhist Temple in Hacienda Heights. In preparation, I researched the temple itself, learning, among other things, that it is the biggest Buddhist temple in California, and is dedicated to Ch’an Buddhism, a derivative of Zen. I also brushed up on the basic tenants of Buddhism.

I have visited a Chinese Temple before, on a trip to China, and I was interested to see the ways that this temple was different, being in America. It was mostly the same. The design and décor of the temple itself was actually more extravagant than the one in China. The monks looked and seemed exactly the same – quiet, polite, friendly, and devoted. The mix of worshipers also differed little. The majority there appeared to be just visiting, with a few pious worshipers who seemed very focused and devout. The average age was around 50. I spoke with a woman there who told me that she was a practicing Buddhist, but that she visits the temple only a few times a year. I watched her burn incense and place it in some sort of oven, but I had a difficult time understanding her explanation of this practice.

What surprised me most about this visit were ways that the Temple was similar to my own Eastern Orthodox Church. Of course, the belief systems are worlds apart, but many of the practices, like the burning of incense, prostrations, the silence, and an attention to beauty were all familiar to me.

My prayer time after was very good - I felt that the similarities between my church and the Buddhist temple was a wonderful way in which I could relate, and possibly minister to, people from that culture.