Introducing the Mahayana Temple Blog

Welcome to the Mahayana Temple blog! In case you are unfamiliar with us, we are formally known as Eastern States Buddhist Temple of America, Inc. and we have three Buddhist temples located across the state of New York. We strive to provide a space of serenity and reflection where all are welcome, whether you’re a parishioner here for religious practice or a non-Buddhist visitor interested in learning more about the culture.

Here on our blog, we will be writing about the activity happening at our temples, from events to changes to simple moments of peace! Our current focus is on reconstruction efforts at our temple retreat in Leeds, NY. In upcoming blog posts, we’ll be giving updates on the process and sneak peeks of what’s to come.

Right now, we are pleased to share that we are moving forward with plans for a new Avalokiteshvara Hall, known as Kwanyin Dian in Chinese. Our goal is to have the proposed design ready for board presentation by February. Many of you who have visited our retreat may be familiar with our statue of the Thousand-Hand Avalokiteshvara. For those who are unfamiliar, the beautiful statue is almost 17 feet tall and hand-gilded by parishioner Zi Xia Li, a project that was made possible by a generous donation from parishioner Weng Mei Li and her family. 

 

Over time, the temple that houses this grand statue has weathered the elements. With heartfelt reverence, we feel it is time to offer this sacred statue a more suitable home—one that matches its spiritual significance and the devotion it inspires.

 

 

 

That’s why we are creating a new and improved Avalokiteshvara Hall that will provide a more spacious and majestic environment to enshrine the Thousand-Hand Avalokiteshvara and welcome in monastics, parishioners, and all other guests visiting our temple.

 

We’re very excited to be moving forward with this project. We’d like to extend our thanks to all the donors who have helped the project progress to where it is today and where it is going. Your generosity supports the continuation of our temple for present and future generations, and we are deeply grateful. If you feel moved to support the reconstruction, we invite you to use our new PayPal and Venmo accounts designated for reconstruction donations, linked below. May the merits of these efforts bring blessings to all.