In the suburbs of Allison Park, Pennsylvania, just outside of Pittsburgh, you will find the new home of a Buddhist community, the Pittsburgh Buddhist Center (PBC). The recently relocated religious Center is situated in a wooded, creekside glen, appropriately located to amplify their outreach and to provide better living quarters for their resident monks. PBC has been growing together as an American Buddhist community since September 2006. Before their move in 2021, the center was located in a much smaller house the Natrona Heights neighborhood.
Beginnings
Under the spiritual guidance of Rev. Nehinne Ariyagnana Thero, the original Center was founded with the support of the members of the Sri Lankan Association of Western Pennsylvania. In particular, Dr. Ananda Gunawardena, Dr. Chandrasiri Jayakody, and Nalin Ranatunga were among the Buddhist laypersons of the Sri Lankan Association who were involved in forming the community with Drs. K & Ranjini Siripala and Mr. Damitha & Padma Karunararatne as the original Center team members. In 2007, the dedication ceremony of the new Buddhist center was attended by monks from several states, government representatives, and the Sri Lankan ambassador to the United States.
After having spent the Rainy Retreat at PBC, Sri Lankan native Bhante Soorakkulame Pemaratana assumed the position of chief abbot in 2008, which he retains to this day. As the community grew under his tutelage, yearly and monthly programs developed, and weekly activities became regular.
Three years later, the community welcomed the support of Sri Lankan monk Bhante Punna, and in 2017, Bhante Metta traveled from overseas to serve PBC. Over the years, the community enhanced its public engagement and charity efforts, and abbot Bhante Pemaratana received a Ph.D. in religious studies from the University of Pittsburgh. During the pandemic, the online presence of PBC has expanded to aid in the spiritual development of those at home.
Monks and Community
Sue Goodwin, an active member of the community since 2008, expressed to me how grateful the community is to have three resident monks living at the temple in Allison Park. Sue characterized their presence as one that greatly contributes to the atmosphere of peace in the community. She went on to say abbot Bhante Pemaratana, with whom I exchanged a few brief words, has been an invaluable guide and teacher with international acclaim. He occasionally travels back to his temple, Sripathi Piriven Maha Viharaya in Kuliyapitiya, Sri Lanka to lead and serve there. The American community supports the two orphanages that this temple runs. While Bhante Pemaratana works to complete a fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania, the responsibility of leading PBC is a collective effort for the monks and other lay community leaders. Most recently, the community has welcomed a new Sri Lankan monk, Bhante Kamalasiri, and is grateful for his support.
While PBC was founded primarily as a Sri Lankan center, active community member demographics are truly a mix. Sue Goodwin provided me with an estimate that around 60% of the community is of a Sri Lankan background, while the remainder is a diverse group of Pittsburgh locals. Religious background is not an issue, and inclusivity is valued. The front page of the website states that “the temple is open to people of all religions.” Sue represented the attitude of the community well when she said, “If you have an active mind and want to explore ideas, you’re welcome.” In terms of age, people of all ages attend events, including families. In fact, meditation classes for children are offered every Sunday at 7 pm.
Events sponsored by the Pittsburgh Buddhist Center are not exclusively offered to Buddhists, nor are they only held at the temple. Every year, the whole of the Buddhist community of Pittsburgh gathers to celebrate Vesak, the holiday celebrating the life, death, and enlightenment of the Buddha. On this day, all the Buddhist organizations rent a church in downtown Pittsburgh, and a few hundred people attend. Afterward is a peace ceremony at the river. Also, Abbot Bhante Pemaratana participates in an interfaith organization of religious leaders within the greater Pittsburgh area. The senior class of a local Christian high school pays a yearly visit to PBC for a project in their curriculum. It seems that the center is enthusiastic about interfacing with those outside their religious affiliation and educating others about the Buddhist tradition.
Growth
As I have described, the PBC community has grown significantly since its inception in 2006. Before the move to the Allison Park location, renovations were made in the Natrona Heights house to expand the meditation room. Most recently, another center has been founded in Cleveland, Ohio. It was just dedicated as the Cleveland Buddhist Vihara and Meditation Center.
To support this growth, the nonprofit Pittsburgh Buddhist Center relies on charitable donations from the community. Many highly educated Sri Lankan immigrants support the center financially. All events are free of charge, but those who benefit from the services of the center come together to keep it afloat. Gift giving is a norm for visitors to the temple. In terms of supporting the resident monks, non-Buddhist Pittsburgh locals understand their position within society and often give freely to them.
In exchange, the monks provide services and teach classes to the community. Every week, meditation groups gather on Tuesdays at 6pm. On Wednesdays at 7pm, Sutras are chanted before the meditation. As I mentioned before, there is a meditation class for children every Sunday at 7pm. PBC meets every month, and the Sri Lankan members of the community prepare a meal for everyone to share. One month out of the year, the monks cook for the rest of the community. In November, those of traditional American upbringing prepare a Thanksgiving feast as a gesture of gratitude to the Sri Lankan community members. Most recently, a Christmas lunch was prepared on December 19th, and a talk was given about Christian Love & Buddhist Compassion. On New Year’s Day at 3pm, PBC will be hosting a special New Year Blessing Service. More information on how to participate in this event is on their website.
Meditation
Meditation remains the biggest draw for people who attend events hosted by the center, and meditative practice is foundational to what PBC stands for. When speaking with Sue on the subject, she pointed out that meditation is growing in popularity. More and more westerners are turning to meditative practices to find peace of mind. Sue did express a concern that the modern approach to meditation may be a bit self-centered, though. She told me how important loving-kindness practice is to the monks and laypeople of PBC. Instead of using meditation solely to improve their own mental faculties, meditation in this temple is aimed at improving the lives of others.
Every meditation session hosted by PBC includes both metta (loving-kindness), and mindfulness. Around half of the meditation is dedicated to wishing wellbeing, happiness, peace, and love to oneself and to others. Then, mindfulness is cultivated by using the breath as a meditation object. Focus and awareness are then cultivated to create a sense of mindfulness. By teaching meditation and engaging in the practice, PBC offers the Pittsburgh population the tools they need to shift their mindset into a mode of service and peace, with a great emphasis on service.
This approach to meditation greatly resonated with me, as I have been practicing breath mindfulness meditation for some time now. Before speaking with Sue, I only occasionally incorporated metta into my routine. Hearing her emphasize the importance of metta for showing up for others and being a force for positive change in the world made me rethink my daily meditative routine. After around a week of practicing both metta and mindfulness each morning, I have seen a positive change in my outlook as well as my actions. I feel like I have learned a valuable lesson about meditation, and metta will remain an integral part of my routine from this point forward.
Conclusion
From an outsider’s perspective, the Pittsburgh Buddhist Center seems like a very welcoming and open-minded environment. While remaining true to their Sri Lankan roots as a Theravada community, they actively participate in the American culture that they are embedded in. Unlike many other American Buddhist centers, their monastic structure remains in place, which greatly contributes to their ability to guide the population in spiritual matters. PBC’s focus on service means that they consistently work to show up with an attitude of mindful loving-kindness.
I would like to thank Sue Goodwin and Bhante Pemaratana for taking time out of their busy schedules to talk to me about the Pittsburgh Buddhist Center. Thank you to everyone in the PBC community for being a force for positive change in Pittsburgh. For those who are interested, there are many ways that you can get involved with PBC. The best way to learn more is by visiting their website here: PBC website. Many of their events are accessible via Zoom and YouTube Livestream. They have two YouTube channels, one for live events, and one for recorded Dhamma talks. You can visit them here: PBC Live, Pittsburgh Buddhist.
Andrew Holland, 12/21/2021