The True Buddha Diamond Temple: Globalization and Community

Temple Location and Global Context

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 into 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 its 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.

Multilingualism and Community Integration

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 Gelug (True Buddha Diamond Temple of New York). The temple's location in a multicultural neighborhood populated largely by middle-class individuals from all walks of life reflects its commitment to community integration and cultural accessibility.

First Encounters and Online Presence

Chinese is the main language of the True Buddha organization website, and many of the True Buddha materials showcase its cultural connection to Asian heritage. This multilingual approach extends to the organization's global operations, allowing it to serve diverse populations while maintaining connections to traditional Buddhist sources.

First encounters with the temple included its online presence, which was evaluated prior to visiting, and a preliminary phone call. Online reviews of the temple, such as those on Yelp, were also consulted. The website of the True Buddha Diamond Temple is in many respects a crude one, suggesting that perhaps the temple does not have sufficient financing or interest in using the web as a marketing tool for its organization. The dated appearance of the website and the difficulty in forming expectations about a visit reflect limited investment in digital outreach.

The Grand Master's Image and Core Teachings

The Yelp review proved helpful in preparing for the visit. There was only one reviewer on Yelp, someone who had been a member of the temple when it used to exist in lower Manhattan. The reviewer appreciated that it had moved because "it's better and easier to find parking in the street versus the temples in Chinatown or Flushing" (Tillie K). This practical observation underscores how the temple's relocation served the accessibility needs of its community, particularly those arriving by personal vehicle rather than public transit.

From the temple's own website, the master's image shows him 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.

However, the image of "Grand Master" Sheng-Yen Lu appears 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. The prominence of the master's personal image and the veneration it receives stand in tension with fundamental Buddhist philosophical teachings about ego and self-attachment. This contradiction raises questions about the authenticity of the organization's religious mission versus its commercial interests.

As the Yelp reviewer Tillie K has stated, "this temple is more of a profit organization than the non-profit organization" it claims to be. In spite of that critique, 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 interviewed, the early evenings tend 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 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.

Conclusion and Future Research Directions

Future research should focus on the proliferation of Buddhism throughout the world. A globalized faith, Buddhism is also diverse. Greater attention needs to be paid to temples like these, which can be considered for-profit organizations capitalizing on the cachet of Buddhism as well as the cultural relevance of Buddhism to expatriate Asians. The claims made by the "Grand Master" are spurious and comical, and warrant special attention. When analyzed in light of writings by genuine Zen and Tibetan Buddhist masters, it becomes apparent that the True Buddha lineages are nothing more than marketing copy.