Zu Lai Temple: The Largest Buddhist Temple in South America
Dear friends,
Another inspirational and beautiful study temple and now in South America. It is incredible when students and sponsors meet, decide to do something good and go ahead with their plans, great places like this can manifest. I sincerely rejoice in seeing this place. I pray very much to the Buddha it will grow more and branch out. The beautiful people of South America will benefit from Buddha’s teachings.
Tsem Rinpoche
Zu Lai Temple: The Largest Buddhist Temple in South America
By Venerable Miao You, Buddhistdoor Global | 2015-12-21
Zu Lai Temple entrance. Image courtesy of the author
Zu Lai Temple is the first branch temple of Fo Guang Shan Monastery (Buddha’s Light Mountain Monastery) in South America, and is acknowledged as the largest Buddhist temple on the continent. Situated in Cotia, a rural area of São Paulo in Brazil, the temple belongs to the Humanistic Buddhism movement founded in 1967 by the Chinese master Hsing Yun (b. 1927). This new movement is a blend of the eight traditional schools of Chinese Buddhism, among them Pure Land and Chan (Zen), and aims to foster peace and harmony throughout the world. Based in the city of Kaohsiung, the order is one of the largest charity organizations in Taiwan and has over 200 branches worldwide. Affiliated organizations are the Buddha’s Light International Association and the University of the West.
The temple in Brazil was established initially in April 1992, when Master Hsing Yun was invited to São Paulo to give a Dharma talk and for the inauguration of Templo Budista Kuan Yin. The talk so touched one member of the audience, the late Mr. Chang Sheng Kai, that he offered Master Hsing Yun his villa in Cotia, which became the first Fo Guang Shan temple in South America. Many people praised him for his generosity and said he was a 20th century Anathapindika, the wealthy layman who offered Jetavana Monastery to the historical Buddha, Shakyamuni. Master Hsing Yun then named the villa Zu Lai Temple, meaning “Temple of the Tathagata” (Tathagata is an epithet of the Buddha). Most of the nuns who had accompanied Master Hsing Yun to Brazil returned to Taiwan, leaving only the Venerable Jue Cheng (later well known as Mestra Sinceridade in Brazil), the temple’s first abbess and the current abbess of Fo Guang Shan Malaysia and Singapore. Based in Brazil from 1992 until 2006, Venerable Jue Cheng remains an important figure in the temple’s activities today. The Buddha’s Light International Association – Brazil Chapter was founded on the same occasion, with Mr. Shih Tze Lin elected president and Chang Sheng Kai, vice-president. Thus, there was no conscious decision to open a temple in Brazil—it occurred through auspicious “causes and conditions.”
Rear garden, Zu Lai Temple. Image courtesy of the author
As time passed, the villa-type temple was too small to accommodate the growing number of followers, who included Brazilians as well as residents of Taiwanese and Chinese descent. The generosity of these local devotees enabled the acquisition of the adjacent land, and the groundbreaking ceremony was held in the year 2000. After three years of construction, on 5 October 2003 a brand new Buddhist temple in the Chinese Tang dynasty (618–907) style was inaugurated, with an overall project area of 150,000 meters square and a constructed area of 10,000 meters square. Although Buddhism had reached China in the Han dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE) it was during the Tang that it became well known and widespread, and so the Tang style was selected for the temple in the hope that Buddhism would be just as well accepted in Brazil.
The temple consists of a main hall flanked by secondary buildings on either side, in the symmetrical arrangement characteristic of Chinese architecture. The multi-inclined roof features typical upturned flying eaves and glazed tiles specially imported from Taiwan, and is topped by a decorative ridge of tiles; it was installed by craftsmen brought over from Taiwan. The complex is situated in a large Zen garden, with a wooden bridge and a pond.
Statues in the Arhat Garden, Zu Lai Temple. Image courtesy of the author
When they see the temple and its magnificent Chinese architecture for the first time, visitors are amazed. It offers a peaceful place for meditation and religious practice, and a great opportunity for spiritual improvement. The temple’s amenities and activities are all free of charge. The new temple has become known as the “Pure Land” of Humanistic Buddhism in South America and receives about 10,000 visitors a month, mainly from Brazil itself. Currently, there are six ordained monastics residing there, all of whom are nuns. The abbess Ven, Miao Yen and vice-abbess Ven. Jue Xuan are from Taiwan, while the rest of us are from Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brazil. Although we all have permanent resident status, every few years we are transferred to another Fo Guang Shan temple, elsewhere in the world.
Meditation retreat, Zu Lai Temple. Image courtesy of the author
Like the other branch temples of Fo Guang Shan, Zu Lai Temple follows the four Main Objectives established by Master Hsing Yun:
To propagate Buddhist teachings through cultural activities
To foster talent through education
To benefit society through charitable programs
To purify human hearts and minds through Buddhist practice
To this end, we organize regular activities such as religious ceremonies and rituals, and hold celebrations on auspicious occasions like Chinese New Year, Vesak (Buddha’s birthday), and Sangha Day; we also offer courses in meditation, Chinese language, vegetarian cooking, Kung Fu, Tai Chi, and so on to the public on demand. In 2003, we established the “Sons of the Buddha” (Filhos de Buda) project to provide shelter and activities for children from the slums—they are often left to fend for themselves while their care-givers are at work, and it is important to keep them off the streets, where drug dealers abound. The project provides supplementary education for children aged 6 to 17, offering free courses like football, music, dancing, computer skills, and English. We teach the children ethics, Buddhist principles, and meditation, and provide scholarships for those who go on to university. Currently there are 150 students enrolled.
Visiting an orphanage. Image courtesy of the author
In 2004, the temple also established Zu Lai Buddhist Institute (Instituto Budista Zu Lai – IBZL) on the premises, giving those interested in Buddhism an opportunity to learn more. It offers a one-month internship program where students receive monastic training, follow a daily routine, and attend classes such as Buddhist history, introduction to Buddhism, sutra study, and meditation. Visiting homes for the elderly and orphanages are part of our activities as well—we sing and dance together, give them hugs, and bring them gifts and daily necessities. At the popular Brazilian cultural festival “Festa Junina” we hold a public event, issuing special invitations to residents of local old-age homes and orphanages, and to children from the cancer hospital and Sons of the Buddha. Normally, people drink alcohol and eat roast meat during the festival, but we have changed it to vegetarian food and non-alcoholic drinks. We have also adapted traditional festival games like “Escape from Prison” where, to get out of jail, “prisoners” have to memorize the Five Precepts and Three Acts of Kindness instead of paying a bribe! The temple’s activities have been well received by the community, as shown by the growing number of participants. This year, there were 3,000 people at Festa Junina (up from 1,000 in 2006), and 7,000 at Chinese New Year (up from 4,000 in 2006).
Chinese New Year celebration. Image courtesy of the author
According to Master Hsing Yun, we do not need to seek enlightenment elsewhere but can actualize our true nature right now, in this very birth. He also believes that to transform our world, we must be actively engaged in it. “Community transcends the individual,” he says, “and in doing so, fulfills the individual in the most complete way possible.” In South America, Zu Lai Temple is playing its part to spread the Buddha’s Light.
Venerable Miao You currently resides at Zu Lai Temple. She is from Malaysia, and has lived in Brazil for more than nine years. She was ordained at Fo Guang Shan in Taiwan in January 2006.
Source: http://www.buddhistdoor.net/features/zu-lai-temple-the-largest-buddhist-temple-in-south-america
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Zu Lai Temple, at the historic site in Brazil is such a beautiful place ,seem to be the largest Buddhist temple in Latin America. Beautiful temple with magnificent Chinese architecture which is a great place for meditation and religious practice . Looking at the pictures in this post tells all. To me it looks more like Japanese Chinese mixed architectural design. The temple has cultural activities and many other activities held daily to help the locals.
It’s a place for all to have an opportunity for spiritual improvement.
The activities have been well received by the community and finally Buddhism is spreading fast in Brazil . Rejoice to those who made it possible for the benefits for the locals as well as foreigners going there for retreat. It’s a great sharing following the Buddhist traditions.Thank you Venerable Miao You for all the beautiful pics.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this.
I rejoice for Master Hsing Yun and his dedicated students that had enabled the spread of the Dharma to parts of the world where Buddhism is not common. Such a beautiful space! I especially love the image of meditation in the gardens. Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this article.
Rejoice for the Dharma to take root in Brazil which has been a stronghold for Catholicism, for many years now.
Feeling quite chuffed also as that this temple from Malaysia is under the management of a Malaysian nun. Many Chinese Philosophers have mentioned that the community transcends the individual, I think I cannot agree more to that. I rejoice that this center reaches out to its community to benefit them and share with them the Buddhist traditions.
I rejoice for Master Hsing Yun and his dedicated students that had enabled the spread of the Dharma to parts of the world where Buddhism is not common. It goes to show that collective efforts with one heart can bring about a beautiful success. With Zu Lai Temple, so many people benefitted, in receiving dharma teachings & activities and community support. Its the ripple effect of spreading peace and harmony to reach further and further into hearts of the people.
Kechara Forest Retreat too, manifested due our precious Guru’s vision of a place providing world class education, where the Sangha and lay people will co-study together. This possibility came from dedicated students of Rinpoche and may we continue to share the same vision as our Guru and work with one heart to bring it to full fruition.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing the success story of Zu Lai Temple and the dedication that had been put into its continual success.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this beautiful temple in South America.
Its such a beautiful temple from i saw from the images.A big hand clap to those who made it possible bringing Buddhism to South America.
The temple’s activities have been well received by the people there.
Thanks again for sharing this article at least i know now there is such a beautiful temple in S America .https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/current-affairs/zu-lai-temple-the-largest-buddhist-temple-in-south-america.html
It is very wonderful to see Buddhism spreading in the Western world such as in Latin America. Fo Guang Shan is doing a very good thing, opening a temple in Latin America with 4 main objectives which are; to propagate Buddhist teachings through cultural activities, to foster talent through education, to benefit society through charitable programs, to purify human hearts and minds through Buddhist practice.
I really like the concept of the Zu Lai temple, the way they designed it to the way they’ve modified a local festival into a celebration for people gather and have fun is wonderful.
I also really like the projects they are doing to benefit old age homes, orphanages and etc.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this wonderful story!
It is very exciting to see such a grandeurs temple like Zu Lai Temple being set up in Brazil. It is the largest temple in Latin America. Zu Lai Temple is a branch of Fo Guang Shan, hence it follows the four Main Objectives established by Master Hsing Yun:
• To propagate Buddhist teachings through cultural activities
• To foster talent through education
• To benefit society through charitable programs
• To purify human hearts and minds through Buddhist practice
We rejoice in seeing this beautiful temple benefitting people in the Latin America. Thank You Rinpoche for the sharing.
Humbly, bowing down,
Stella Cheang
Such a beautiful space! I especially love the image of meditation in the gardens. Meditation is a very powerful tool and method to enhance the works of our mind and also to optimize the potential of our minds as well. Learning and developing this skill in such a conducive environment is such a blessing!
It is also very inspiring to see the temple reach out to the community such as the elderly homes, orphanages and children on the streets. These are efforts that leave a tangible impact on the community. That is the purpose of Dharma, to alleviate the suffering of sentient beings.
It is also exciting to see the creative way the temple engage with people. Transforming a local festival into an occasion for people to gather, have fun and be dharmic is very compassionate. It shows that the Dharma is inclusive of all regardless of our origins, culture and tradition. It also reveals the wisdom of the 3 Jewels where meat and alcohol that creates suffering is replaced with consciousness through a vegetarian diet and non-alcoholic beverage.
Thank you for this post. My Kechara Forest Retreat become a space like this where people gather with wholesome and holy intentions to create a legacy of benefitting others.
Thank you for sharing about this wonderful temple with us. It is very inspiring to see such a large and thriving Buddhist community based in a country where the practice of Buddhism has not historically been strong. It is good to see that more and more people are seeing the benefit of the Buddhist practices all over the world.
I have not been to see many temples myself, but this looks like one that is full of very beneficial activities and that really benefits the community and looks like a very conducive environment to practice meditation to transform the mind for a better life.
This really reminds of Kechara Forest Retreat. I remember visiting three years ago and there was only tropic rainforest, and lots and lots on mud. But over time and through the effort of many people, we known have Kechara Forest Retreat, a wonderful place to do retreats and meditations.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this article. Rejoice for Master Hsing Yun and Fo Guang Shan as they managed to built a very successful Buddhist temple in South America.
It is a beautiful place and very conducive for people to meditate and to seek dharma practice there. Hope more temple of such is built in other parts of the world to benefit more people.
Many people would be surprised, but buddhism may be a minority religion here in Brazil, but has taken root with us for years. We have the biggest japanese community outside of Japan, they brought buddhism with them in the first place! After the 60’s mostly westerners such as me began practicing buddhism, mainly in the zen and varjrayana tradition. One nyingma high lama, Chagdud Rinpoche made residence here, and constructed a huge tibetan temple in pure tibetan style. There are more big centers and temples. And also some very good brazilian teachers from almost all traditions. I believe that Brazil has the best buddhist infrastructure of latin america, and maybe the third world outside of Asia. All the images are from temples here, from tibetan, japanese and chinese traditions. But there are theravada teachers and monastics too, like Rev. Bhante Vipassi in Rio de Janeiro.
Dear Thiago Albuquerque,
I am most happy to see your sharing here. It is wonderful that Buddhism has taken root in the rich and diverse culture of Brazil. Thank you for explaining more information with us. I feel Brazilians are very open and spiritual people.
I very much hope Buddhism will grow in Brazil even more and in South America because many people will find answers to many questions. When they have answers they will have more peace and this will make the society more happy. Buddhism can contribute very much to the Brazilian nation and I pray it continues to. I pray Brazil will grow more, be always at peace and have more spiritual growth.
Longos Brasil ao vivo
Thank you for sharing. Nice to see you here.
Tsem Rinpoche
Thank you Rinpoche La!
Sure your compassionate activity benefitted people here also! Look also at these photos, all are well respected brazilian Dharma Teachers. The first one, Lama Michel Rinpoche is gelugpa, disciple of HE. Gangchen Rinpoche. Then nun Rev. Coen, a very well known in the country and also very wise soto zen teacher. Lama Padma Samtem of Nyingma. Last is Ricardo Sasaki, a theravadan, who also practiced zen and japanese pure land in the past. Also look at our NKT temple, by Ven. Geshe Kelsang!
May all beings benefit!
Wow thank you for these lovely pictures and sharing Thiago Albuquerque. It’s really nice to see such exchanges and sharing. It is inspiring and encouraging. Nice to see that Dharma is taking root in Brazil and what wonderful Dharma teachers you have there 😀 May the Dharma grow strong there.
Are people very receptive there? What do they like most about Vajrayana Buddhism? Do they ask a lot of questions?
Dear Joy Kam
We are an extreme open country and people. Most brazilian are of mixed ethnic and religious background. I for exemple have in my family jewish practitioners, catholic, eastern orthodox and practitioners of african religions. Many brazilians practice a blend of african and amerindian sprirituality with roman catholicism. The japanese brought buddhism, inclunding shingon (japanese vajrayana) in the early 20th century. Dharma is flourishing with us more than one century! People in vajrayana centres just love doing pujas, Tara being a very popular deity, the most practiced being Red Tara, who was popularized by Chagdud Rinpoche. Recently a kalachakra empowerment was conducted in our capital, Brasilia. I rejoice inthe interest for my country by you all, please pray so that Dharma may flourish evermore among us!
Thanks
Thiago
Thank you for the beautiful photos Thiago!
Wow this is simply wonderful news! We all know through the building of our own Dharma centre here in Malaysia, how difficult it can be to build a temple especially in a place where Dharma has not taken root. So I can imagine how much hard work and effort went through in building The Largest Buddhist Temple in South America!
Congratulation to Fo Guang Shan Monastery for spreading the Dharma fearlessly all around the world! The temple grounds are beautiful and very conducive for people to do meditations and enhance their spiritual development. I absolutely love their garden where the held their meditation retreat… it is such a perfect environment.
After many years listening to Rinpoche’s advice on aesthetics, I now understand better why everything needs to look ‘perfect’ and ‘pristine’ green and natural as best as possible. This is because it helps create a ‘healthy’ conducive environment that puts the mind at peace so that it can focus on healing from within.
Rejoice in the beautiful Zu Lai Temple and creating another nerve centre where enlightened beings can be produced.
Many people would be surprised, but buddhism may be a minority religion here in Brazil, but has taken root with us for years. We have the biggest japanese community outside of Japan, they brought buddhism with them in the first place! After the 60′s mostly westerners such as me began practicing buddhism, mainly in the zen and varjrayana tradition. One nyingma high lama, Chagdud Rinpoche made residence here, and constructed a huge tibetan temple in pure tibetan style. There are more big centers and temples. And also some very good brazilian teachers from almost all traditions. I believe that Brazil has the best buddhist infrastructure of latin america, and maybe the third world outside of Asia. All the images are from temples here, from tibetan, japanese and chinese traditions. But there are theravada teachers and monastics too, like Rev. Bhante Vipassi in Rio de Janeiro.
Dear Rinpoche
Thank you for posting this article. I rejoice for the success of Zu Lai temple and its administration. When we are thinking about Buddhism, Brazil or South America is hardly what we have in mind. But Master Hsing Yun and his disciple were successful in gaining support and build such as beautiful temple.
I am very happy to see the pictures of their activities and the temple is so beautiful. I pray for their continued success.
Valentina
Rejoice for Foguangshan. Foguangshan’s founder and spiritual guide Master Hsing Yun is a true Bodhisattava. His organization has pread all over the globe, even to seemingly improbable places like Africa and South America. Improbable because there is no history of Buddhism in those continents, but Master Hsing Yun’s disciples are able to make it there with perseverance and devotion. They build temples, teach the Dharma, do charities, help the locals, a great deed to spread Buddha’s enlightened words to all corners of the earth.
Thank you Pastor Seng Piow for sharing this news. Do you remember in the US when we visited Hsi Lai, another Fo Guang Shan temple? It looked very similar to this one in Brazil, and it wasn’t just an empty building but somewhere that was bustling and an active place of worship and learning. The Fo Guang Shan people are a group whose practice deserves admiration and respect, and there is a lot we at Kechara can learn from this group who have operated and maintained a thriving spiritual organisation for decades.
It’s also good to see another Buddhist group engaging in social work. I read that historically, Buddhist groups do not have a reputation for engaging in community works; from my personal experience actually, people have told me that they are pleasantly surprised by Kechara Soup Kitchen’s work, for example because Buddhist groups are not known to engage in activities like this. So social work becomes a modern method of reaching out to others, which matches what is said that Buddhism adapting to the different environments where the teachings spread, to appeal to the laity and attract them to the Dharma.
I rejoice that such a huge Buddhist temple is built in Brazil. What’s surprising is that the abbess of the temple is from Malaysia just like the abbot of the Kuan Yin temple in Hong Kong built by Li Ka Shing is from Malaysia as well. It’s wonderful to hear of fellow Malaysians playing an important role in spreading the Buddhadharma in various parts of the world.
What stood out for me in this article is that the temple provides “shelter and activities for children from the slums”. They teach them “ethics, Buddhist principles, and meditation, and provide scholarships for those who go on to university.” Making a huge difference in the community gives others hope in their destitute situation. It also inspires others to assist the less fortunate and bring out their own compassionate nature.
Thank you Pastor Seng Piow for sharing this great news!