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, temple and monastery visits have always been filled with a great sense of togetherness and the thought that perhaps there is something after life on earth. Even now, a few hours in a quiet environment, absorbed in the sacred relics of the old religion, and the intoxicating breath of fire, are more than enough to take me back to those journeys of my childhood. Whether you are a Buddhist like my family and I or just curious about the culture and traditions behind Buddhism, treat yourself to a trip to Chuang Ven Monastery in Kent, NY for a glimpse into Buddhism.
Built on 125 acres of land by Chia Theng Shen, the Chuang Ven Monastery in Kent, NY was erected with the hope of providing North American Buddhists with a place for regular dharma meetings. Chuang Ven Monastery consists of the main buildings: Great Buddha Hall Kuan Yin Hall and 5 smaller structures: Dining Hall , Ying Guang Hall, Thousand Lotus Memorial Terrace, Tai Shu Hall and Woo Ju Library.
Walking from the parking lot to the inner area of the monastery, you are met by a large gravel path guarded by two Fu. Dogs at the mouth of the throat. There are stone objects in the way, in other words each. At the end of the road is the Great Buddha Hall, an impressive lare structure with a large number of stone steps leading up. from the base to the entrance of the building. Built in the style of the Tang Dynasty (618 AD-907 AD), it was constructed without any internal columns supporting the ceiling, which results in a large space that can accommodate up to two thousand people. Inside the Great Buddha Hall is a 37-pedal statue of Vairocana Buddha. This is the largest Buddha statue in Western Hemisphere – Europe, North America and South America, and certainly one of my most important I saw the sentence!
Directly southwest of the Great Buddha Hall is the Kuan Yin Hall, also built in the Tang Dynasty style. Kuan Yin Hall is home to not one but two historical treasures. It is the first and largest statue of Kuan Yin Bodhisattva in the world. The statue is believed to have originated from the greatest seat of Buddhism in China, Pu-Tuo Shan – a mountainous island in the East China Sea. A statue in the Ming dynasty, the statue was born about 700 years ago. According to the Kuan Yin wooden statute, it was marked by the Tang Dynasty over 1,000 years ago. This six-foot tall statue shows a seated Kuan Yin with a facial expression of great serenity.
Adjacent to the Kuan Yin Hall is the Dining Hall, and attached to it, the living area where the nuns reside. While we were there, we treated ourselves to a filling $5 dollar/person lunch. The staff, all the volunteers were some of the nicest people I have ever met. Behind the Kuan Yin Hall is the Ying Guang Hall. The monks of Chuang Ven Monastery live in this hall. The Thousand Lotus Memorial Terrace is located a short distance north of the Dining Hall. Constructed of stone, visitors will need to climb a small hill before reaching it. Here the urns of the deceased are kept in a semi-circle, typical of the design of the Lotus Memorial Terrace. Ceremonies are held annually, in the spring and autumn, where the ashes of the deceased are placed on the Thousand Lotus Memorial Terrace.
Tai Hsu Hall stands next to the Seven Jewels Lake. In the building it is mainly used as an activity ash for English speaking programs. A meditation session takes place every Sunday from 9:30 – 10:30 AM, followed by a Buddhist book discussion group that ends at noon. A vegetarian breakfast is served on Sundays from noon to 1PM.
Across the Seven Jewels Lake is the Woo Ju Library, which now contains more than 70,000 books. The majority of books are Buddhist reference books sutras in Chinese, Japanese, Korean, French, German. Ancient documents of the famous Duan Hwang Cafe are also preserved in this library. Tibetan sacred books are also collected here, makin Woo Ju Memorial Library is one of the few libraries in the United States. A selection of Tibetan religions containing rich books. The library has regular hours on weekdays when it is open to the public. The library’s main reading room overlooks the woods and the Seven Jewels Lake, offering a pristine look into nature and a view of the Great Buddha, Kuan Yin Hall and the Kuan Yin statue next to the lake.
Whether you are a Buddhist or not, in Chuang Ven Monastery you will more likely than not be in awe of the beauty of nature and the tranquility of life. The monastery also offers retreats, in which you will have the opportunity to live inside the monastery for a short time. It is located on Route 301 in Kent NY; You won’t regret seeing this!
