By: Peter B. Fox, W&M ’24
Located twenty minutes south of Salem, in the city of Turner, Oregon, Wat Buddha Oregon is a beautiful, up-and-coming Buddhist community. Founded in 1997, the Thai Buddhist organization, which was originally founded as a joint effort mostly by lay persons, has become an important Buddhist hub both for traditional Thai Buddhists in the region, as well as newcomers to the religion that are seeking to deepen their spiritual lives. This report will seek to evaluate the history and founding of Wat Buddha Oregon, its religious roots and traditions, administrative structure, and the ways in which the temple relates to other Buddhist communities in the Pacific Northwest and greater United States.
Wat Buddha Oregon is dedicated to serving the Thai Buddhist community of western Oregon and the greater Pacific Northwest, providing an outlet for its members, many of whom are recent immigrant families, to partake in the traditional Theravada traditions of their homeland. At the same time however, Wat Buddha Oregon is also invested in widening its scope to a larger American audience, as it encourages outreach opportunities to those less familiar with Buddhism and its teachings. On the whole, the temple lays out 5 primary objectives that it seeks to achieve. In their own words, they are:
- To hold Buddhist ceremonies.
- To be a spiritual place for the Buddhists in Oregon and nearby states
- To be a center of Insight Meditation and teach Buddhism in the U.S.A.
- To teach Thai cultures to U.S. born Thai children and foreigners
- To be a place of service to Thai Consular to connect and give assistance to the Thai community in Oregon
As previously stated, Wat Buddha Oregon was originally founded in 1997, although its temple was not fully completed until 1999. As the community has grown, the temple, which was originally on a 2.5 acre plot, has expanded to include an auxiliary hall, monk residencies, guest monk residencies, and a service building, which now extends over a 5 acre property. The temple also praises itself on its ability to exist in a prominent area, closeby to Oregon’s state capital and an interstate highway, while still being private, quiet, and sincere enough for an authentic monastic and worship experience. It was also in 1999 that Wat Buddha Oregon formally joined the “Council of the Thai Bhikkhus” of the United States. As the temple has expanded over time, it is interesting to consider how the community has combined traditional monastic elements with democratic and bureaucratic American ideals.
Wat Buddha Oregon’s founding is not credited to any single individual, but instead was founded by a collective effort of Thai Buddhists from all across the United States. The temple was largely created by lay persons, who later brought in monastics to serve at the new institution. Some of these original founders are credited on the temple’s webpage, such as professor of Biology Viroj Boonkoom, and Surapee Poonyagariyagorn, a teacher of traditional Thai dance. The founders of the temple came from all walks of life, which would later be reflected in the way the temple is governed. The first Abbot of the temple was the Ven. Samruay Karudhammo, who was brought in from a monastic Thai community in Chicago. In addition to working with multiple monks, the temple also features aforementioned democratic elements. The Administration of the Wat Buddha Oregon community includes ordained monks and an Abbot, but also includes featured lay people that are elected by popular vote via the lay community. The Board of Directors selects lay people to fill other administrative positions in a Board of Officers, such as a secretary, treasurer, and a chairman and vice chairman. In this way, the temple is run through three separate divisions: the advisory board, board of directors, and the board of officers, all of which include some of the monks, professionals like doctors and lawyers, and other laypeople. This system blends cooperation of monastics and lay people, and ensures a diverse group of leaders, in an adopted American model of administrative separation.
Today, the temple is home to three male monastics. The current Abbot is Ven. Subin Singthong, the senior cleric at the temple. He is assisted by Ven. Lee Krasaeto and Ven. Montri Chaiyo. Singthong and Krasaeto both serve on the board of directors, while Chaiyo serves as the temple’s secretary officer.
Wat Buddha Oregon, a primarily Thai community, is unsurprisingly one that practices within the Theravada tradition of Buddhism. As such, the temple community holds fast to the original teachings of the Buddha as those that are most critical. Wat Buddha Oregon advertises information containing the key aspects of the Buddha’s life, and that of his most important lessons, namely the 4 Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path. Wat Buddha Oregon also endorses and practices the teachings of Vipassana Meditation, the three mental states of Buddhism, and the five precepts of Buddhism and observes Vassa, the Buddhist season of Lent. Following these ancient teachings and traditions that the Buddha gave, Wat Buddha Oregon is committed to unlocking the “inner peace, wisdom, and compassion [to] continue to inspire people to lead more meaningful and fulfilling lives.”
In keeping with Theravada traditions, Wat Buddha Oregon hosts events that keep their community engaged in weekly, monthly and annual traditions. Importantly, although the temple is mostly composed of Thai immigrants and other Asian-Americans that could make the community viewed as belonging to “immigrant” or “heritage” buddhism, Wat Buddha Oregon also tries to encourage its local non-Asian community to engage in its events and traditions. For example, the temple features celebrations of traditional Thai and Theravada Buddhist holidays such as Magha Puja Day, Vassa, Kathina, and Loy Kathrong, while also hosting insight meditation classes in English every week. On their social media platforms like Facebook and YouTube, all of these events are given relatively even space and attention. A post about a traditional Thai meal and ceremony, with a mostly Asian crowd, is followed up by a post with mostly white converts practicing walking meditation. This type of shared community is thereby welcoming and enticing to ethnic Thais, non-Thais, Buddhists, non-Buddhists, and everything in between. The temple also works with local schools and universities to engage more people in learning about Buddhism. For example, in 2022, the temple hosted students from a local Christian school to answer questions about Buddhism and receive a lesson on insight meditation.
In fact, Wat Buddha Oregon also considers itself to be an “insight meditation center,” and offers meditation guides and classes that are more tailored towards individuals interested in secular meditation, and not necessarily religious meditation. As many Buddhist communities do in the United States, Wat Buddha Oregon also hosts Sunday services for adults and children, featuring chanting, food, and community building, playing off of the American Protestant tradition of Sunday as the day for religious observance. The temple expertly blends these two versions of American Buddhism, and allows its members, which in total number anywhere from 1,500 to 2,000 to come for what interests them most.
To provide just one example, Wat Buddha Oregon is a common place for local Theravada Buddhists to go on Vipassana retreats. At the time of writing this report, the most recent of these retreats took place in May of 2023, and was held at Wat Buddha Oregon. On their website, special instructions are posted about the rules and expectations for the 4 days of intense meditation and worship. For example, there are regulations, such as wearing modest white clothing, abstaining from any drugs and substances, and bringing your own toiletries and sleeping amenities. Members of the retreat are expected to strictly follow the eight precepts of Buddhism, including not eating after noon, not sleeping in beds, and even refraining from talking in most cases. These events are important as ways for members of the community to grow in their mindfulness and dedication to the Dharma, and further showcase why Wat Buddha Oregon has become an important resource for Buddhists in the region.
Finally, Wat Buddha Oregon also plays an important role in its geographical and larger cultural context, as it has quickly become prominent in its relatively short history. According to the Northwest Dharma Association, Wat Buddha Oregon is an important site that is consistently relied on for ceremonies, all holiday celebrations, and religious retreats for the region. Additionally, Lao communities, not just Thai, also host important events at the temple. The fact that it hosts events in traditional Asian languages, as well as English, and that it caters to a wide array of congregations, means it serves an important role in a greater Buddhist context in the Northwest.
Wat Buddha Oregon is a young Buddhist community that has only been around for a single generation, yet has already had a great impact on its community in Northwest Oregon and beyond. In about twenty years, it has accrued a devoted following, spearheaded by dedicated laypersons who want to see their Thai Theravada traditions and culture with a place of their own in their American lives. Taking influence from Western and Traditional means, the community has poised itself to remain a pillar of the Theravada tradition, and will continue to provide a community set on achieving lives of peace, mindfulness, and meaning.
Works Cited:
https://www.facebook.com/WatBuddhaOregon/
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