Buddhism the True Buddha Diamond Temple Is

Buddhism The True Buddha Diamond Temple is located in a residential neighborhood in Flushing (3332 148th Street), allowing it to be intimately connected with the community and fully integrated with it. As with many Buddhist organizations, the True Buddha society is a global one and this temple is a branch of a worldwide organization known as True Buddha. The True Buddha Diamond Temple in New York is therefore part of a global community with strong roots in Asia.

In addition to its exemplifying the globalization of Buddhism, the True Buddha Diamond Temple also exhibits the different ways languages are used in liturgical and community settings. This temple is multilingual, with their website in both English and Chinese, in addition to the languages of all the other countries the organization is located in including South American nations and nations throughout Asia. The True Buddha Diamond Temple has a globalized business model, facilitated by multiculturalism and linguistic diversity.

It also uses the universal languages of ritual to communicate core elements of the Buddhist doctrine and way of life. First encounters with the temple included its online presence, which I evaluated prior to visiting, and a preliminary phone call. I also read online reviews of the temple, such as those on Yelp.

The website of the True Buddha Diamond Temple is in many respects a crude one, showing that perhaps the temple does not have sufficient financing or interest in using the Web as a marketing tool for its organization. I was surprised to notice how dated the Website for the temple looked and how difficult it was to get an idea of what to expect from visiting. Therefore, I used the Yelp review to help prepare me for the visit.

There was only one reviewer on Yelp, and it was someone who had been a member of the temple when it used to exist in lower Manhattan. The reviewer appreciates that it has moved because "it's better and easier to find parking in the street vs. The temples in Chinatown or Flushing," (Tillie K). Certainly, the True Buddha Diamond Temple seeks to entrench itself into the community, which is largely comprised of middle class individuals from all walks of life.

Given the multicultural neighborhood in which it is located, the True Buddha Diamond Temple welcomes persons from all ethnic and racial backgrounds, as well as people from other religious backgrounds who view Buddhism as an adjunct to or replacement for whatever religious tradition they are accustomed to. The teachings of the True Buddha Diamond Temple are derived from multiple Buddhist source texts, the "Grand Master's" writings and lectures, and related texts from various Buddhist lineages including Tantra and Gelupa ("True Buddha Diamond Temple of New York").

From the temple's own website, I gleaned that there is a master who places his smiling image seated on a lotus in what appears to be modeled after a Tibetan thangka-style mandala. The image is symmetrical, and the master wears a large crown. Both his hands are in a complex mudra position, and he sits cross-legged donned in burgundy robes with a golden shawl. He is surrounded by flowers.

Coupled with his beaming smile, the flowers, the lotus, and traditional imagery are designed to impart a sense of peace and connection with the Buddhist lineage. The problem with the image the "Grand Master" Sheng-Yen Lu's image is that it seems to go against the core precepts of Buddhist practices, especially those the "Grand Master" purports to teach, such as Zen, which avows "no-self" as a doctrine. As the Yelp reviewer Tillie K.

has stated, "this temple is more of a profit organization then the non-profit organization." In spite of that, Tillie K. And many other temple members do return because in exchange for their financial contributions and purchases, they receive teachings perceived to be valuable intellectually, psychologically, and spiritually. Moreover, the temple provides solace and social support. A large number of persons visit the temple after work, and according to the staff members I interviewed, the early evenings tends to be the busiest time of day during the week.

There are an equal number of male and female visitors to the temple, although the rector admitted fewer females show up for the later services. Families are of course welcome, although young children are discouraged from attending some of the meditation sessions in order to maintain a quiet environment. Some of the rituals offered are not available to new members or beginners, but for the most part, the True Buddha Diamond Temple does not have a noticeable hierarchy. The rituals performed in the temple include both personal and collective rites.

Personal rites include the lighting of incense, which is performed in a prayerful manner. This rite tends to be performed more frequently by Asian visitors. One person I interviewed said that the lighting of incense is frequently performed as homage to the ancestral spirits, such as grandparents who have passed away. Rituals are central to the Buddhist and other Asian traditions. As the Seattle branch of the True Buddha School points out, "Performing virtuous deeds, chanting and paying homage to Buddhas are important.

In addition, to advance the level of practice, it is necessary to do the inner cultivation which involves a long period of training." Indeed, a visit to the True Buddha Diamond Temple in New York shows that ritual and religious teachings are the core purpose of the business. The number of flyers and pamphlets, as well as books and DVDs for sale, shows how lucrative and profitable the act of disseminating ritual has become to the True Buddha Diamond Temple.

With a global empire spanning five continents, it is no wonder the True Buddha Diamond Temple remains a thriving enterprise. The connection with its Asian heritage allows for "special worships" that families can pay for in order to perform rites that Western or other visitors might not understand because they are there more for the philosophical teachings or meditation (Tillie K). Chinese is the main language of the True Buddha organization website, and many of the True Buddha materials showcase its cultural connection.

On special occasions, the True Buddha Diamond Temple holds feasts with free food. These tend to fall on moon days and other holidays. These celebrations provide a social ambiance, allowing members to meet one another and share the temple also with their friends and families. In addition to these feasts, the True Buddha Diamond Temple holds regular workshops and seminars. The True Buddha Diamond Temple occupies a relatively small geographic footprint in Flushing, and its architecture is relatively simple,.