Mahayana Temple

I recently discovered that there was a Buddhist temple within an hour driving distance of my home. The Mahayan Temple is a retreat of the Eastern States Buddhist Temple of America, the oldest such Buddhist temple on the eastern United States and founded by Annie Ying. It's construction began during the late 1960s and opened to the public in 1971. 

Currently, the temple sits on 166.5 acres of land and includes several ponds, an extensive vegetable garden, and numerous structures, including the Grand Buddha Hall, the Guan Yin Hall, the 500 Arhat Hall, the Seven Storied Jade Pagoda, the Earth Spirit Bodhisattva Hall, a three-unit temple dedicated to the spirits of the land, and an obelisk marking the burial site of members of the Ying family.

 

Website: https://en.mahayana.us/

In addition, there is a structure on the property known as the Joy Cottage. This building is essentially a rentable space with five bedrooms, a full kitchen and living area. It looks really nice and was built around 2019. Architecturally, it looks different than most of the other structures on the temple grounds, more Japanese (or perhaps historically Tang Dynasty Chinese?). The rear of the structure contains a Zen garden with stepping stones, a Buddha sculpture, and some landscape features with medium and large types of gravel/stones.

Overall, the grounds of the temple make for a pleasant walk, similar to a stroll garden. However, it should be noted that many of the structures are in need of serious repairs. As a garden, the scenery is beautiful, but plantings need much work. As I have noted elsewhere in this blog, creating a garden (or temple) requires long term upkeep and regular maintenance. Perhaps the temple will benefit from a future benefactor who can financially contribute to the process, ensuring that the temple, and its grounds, continue to provide the joy that comes from visiting retreats and gardens.