Wat Buddharangsi of Miami is a Western Buddhist community located in Florida. This Wat (temple) was built for the community to experience the peacefulness of the Thai Theravada tradition in the presence of monks and the temple’s honored Buddha statue. Monks residing here welcome people from the community to join their meditation in an atmosphere of peace and joy.
The idea to build a temple was introduced in 1979, and originally, Wat Buddharangsi was named the Thai Temple of Homestead. Wat Buddharangsi is made up of five buildings, including a bell tower, that in total took over six years to complete. While planning the complex, Noppom Poochareon focused on a design that would emanate serenity and tranquility throughout the religious hall and classrooms.
Construction of the temple however, caused a significant amount of stress. Both the architect and minster of the congregation, Ajarn Surachett, met with opposition from banks and other investment institutions when attempting to finance the project. The two organizers also had to fight for permits even after an extensive search for an appropriate location. Eventually, five acres were found and the First National Bank of Homestead, Florida agreed to loan the money.
Paying back these loans took a toll on the Thai community in Florida. They accepted help from villages back home in Thailand, and architect Noppom Poochareon even paid for a few things himself. Even once the money was found, setbacks to construction kept occurring. The blueprints had to be redrawn many times before they finally met building codes. Once construction finally began, Hurricane Andrew caused damage to the building. Six years later, the temple was at long last completed. The finished complex was a long-awaited accomplishment for the architect, and a dream come true for the minister of the Miami Buddhist congregation, Ajarn Surachett.
Ajarn Surachett was born in Thailand in 1939 and is considered the founder of Wat Buddharangsi. Being the eldest boy of 8 children, by tradition he was required to become a monk when he turned 20 years old . Until he reached the customary age, Ajarn Surachett worked on his family’s farm after he finished his elementary education. Surachett could read and write, and was happy tending the farm with his family. He was not particularly excited about entering the monastic life. However, tradition suggests that the eldest son only has to serve for a short interval, usually a 3-month stint during the monsoon season, which Surachett decided to honor. He entered the village temple of his hometown, Wat Nong Boua, where he discovered a fascination with the religion.
Finishing Thai elementary school is equivalent to being educated through the American fourth grade. Considering his brief education, Surachett made the impressive decision to study Pali and Sanskirt in the monastery. He learned these languages in order to get a better understanding of the Buddha’s teachings. When he was not teaching, Surachett was meditating or giving back to his community through all kinds of service. Surachett was so driven to understand Buddha’s words and so dedicated to his studies that he even completed a masters degree in history. This accomplishment could not have been realized without the help of his temple and his community. Most of his education was sponsored by his parents and Wat Nong Boua. With such generous help, he was able to further his education at the Marble Temple in Bangkok, and finish at the Nava Nalanda University in India.
Though Surachett excelled in his education and enjoyed being a part of the temple, he returned to his family’s farm when his father became ill. Fortunately, his father did get better and Surachett did not have give up his monastic life. Surachett returned to the Temple without guilt.
Surachett was very content at the Marble Temple, but the Thai community in Miami, Florida requested to have a minister. Thai culture has many aspects of Buddhism interwoven into its core. Thai people living abroad often ask for Buddhist monks to preside over a Buddhist place of worship. The Thai Embassy usually obliges these requests by asking Thai community leaders to volunteer a monk. Surachett was willing to go to the United States of America, though was not ecstatic about living in Miami. Confirming his fears, upon arrival, he found that he had no permanent place for his congregation. First, he resided in an apartment outside the city. Eventually he was able to rent a house for himself that he also used as a Wat (temple). Surachett knew that a house was not adequate nor suitable for hosting a Buddhist congregation, especially not if he wanted to host events! So, Surachett requested funds and permission to design a Wat in Miami, resulting in the Wat Buddharangsri one can visit today.
Inside the temple resides Wat Buddharangsi’s pride and joy, the Buddha Statue.
The statue of Buddha is a copy of the Phitsanulok Buddha in Thailand. The Buddha currently at the Temple was constructed in Thailand and then shipped from there to Miami. This was quite the endeavor as the statue weighs about five tons. It cost the community over 60,000 dollars when accounting for shipping, handling and creation. The Buddha’s height and name were taken into important consideration. Historic accounts of the Lord Buddha’s life and astrologers were consulted. Finally it was decided that the statue was to be 80 inches tall and would be named “Phrabuddhadhammachinaraj.” The Wat Buddharangsi Community is very proud of their Buddha statue and how it plays into their daily traditions and religious beliefs.
The Buddhists at Wat Buddharangsi of Miami practice the Theravada tradition as preserved by the elders. The Theravada tradition is prevalent throughout Thailand as well as other South-East Asian countries like Burma and Cambodia.
Theravada is understood as the unchanging tradition, the way that was preserved by the elders. These elders, a group of monastics, took Buddha’s teachings literally and resolved not to change practices and rituals, even as time and other cultures evolved.
Wat Buddharangsi of Miami emphasize the teachings of the First Sermon. The sermon, also known as a ‘sutra,’ is titled the ‘Discourse of the Turning of the Wheel of Dharma.’ Appropriately named, it is the first teaching that the Buddha ever publicized. In his teaching, the Buddha explained the value of the Middle Way, enlightenment, and Nirvana. He describes that achieving Nirvana means you are free of suffering.
Theravada tradition, which Wat Buddharangsi subscribes to, believes that Nirvana is the ultimate goal, and the reason why Buddha began to teach. Buddha explains in his first sermon that Nirvana can be obtained by adhering to the Middle Way. Wat Buddharangsi monks keep this in mind. They also observe his words about helping people and happiness.
The Buddha proclaims that monks should travel and spread Buddhism for the
“welfare of the many, for the happiness of the many, for helping the world, for the good, welfare and happiness of gods and men.”
Wat Buddharangsi monks take this to heart as evidenced in their community service and outreach. Wat Buddharangsi monks believe it is incredibly important to teach people the ways to be happy, escape suffering, and achieve Nirvana.
The temple currently hosts mostly Thai monks. The presiding abbot, Phrasiridhammavidhet (Phramaha Surachesth Boonnom) is also Thai. The temple teaches Thai traditions and celebrates Thai holidays. They invite everyone to participate in their events and learn about Thai culture and Buddhism.
The monks invite all to participate in the events that they host and to learn about the Thai Theravada Buddhist Tradition. The Temple has an excellent relationship with the surrounding community and is renowned as an education center. Wat Buddharangsi even has its own Yelp page, populated with five star reviews that praise the monk’s patient teachings and the beautiful grounds of the temple.
On a daily basis, the Wat Buddharangsi of Miami is open everyday from 7am-5pm. During these hours, visitors may approach and speak with the monks when they are available. Guests can also give monks alms in the form of food, drinks, money and daily necessities during these times. Besides daily unscheduled interactions with the monks, the temple offers weekly meditation on the weekend in both Spanish and English for about 2 hour sessions. These sessions also teach different concepts and values of Buddhism.
Wat Buddharangsi prides itself for being an education center. Monks at the temple love getting group visits from students at all levels of education. Students from nearby colleges, including the well known University of Miami, are welcome to learn about the Buddhist eight precepts, monastic life and other traditions. Students from the public school education system, elementary, middle and high, also visit the temple to speak to and learn from the monks.
The temple even hosts a summer school with the approval and help from the Chandrakasem Rajabhat University in Bangkok Thailand. Wat Buddharangsi also recieves assistance from the Thai-American Association of South Florida to teach the culture of Thai Buddhism. In the curriculum, you will find language, dance, customs and manners, in addition to Buddhist teachings.
Wat Buddharangsi also welcomes groups from other churches and has hosted well-known government entities like the USDA. In addition, the temple hosts outreach events and traditional Thai holiday festivals in an attempt to educate the community. On Buddhist holidays, the temple even opens its doors for weekend retreats. One example of a successful outreach event was the “Change Your Mind Day.” On this day, Wat Buddharangsi joined up with other South Florida Buddhist organizations to host a day of meditation and free lectures. It was quite a hit and spread Wat Buddharangsi’s fame. As more people came to visit, the reputation of the Temple grew. Today it is considered an exemplary Buddhist Education Center.
Websites used:http://thaitemplemiami.com/en/
Rachel Plescha