Message from anicolai

[Anonymous]

I visited the Hsi Lai Temple in Hacienda Heights. It's about 60 miles from the valley. but the temple is enormous (on 15 aces), comprised of architecture from the Ming & Qing dynasties. Apparently founded by Hsing Yun the temple is for the Fo Guang Shan (Buddha's Light Mountain) Buddhist Order. According to their website, it is a Mahayana Chinese Buddhism monastic order. They have outreach programs, classes in meditation, book publishing, a book store, tea shop, and a museum with lots of art and an actual Shakyamuni relic (they say). The place is a wonderful exhibit of all kinds of interesting facets of Buddhism, not the least of which is its effort to bring Buddhism into the contemporary world. They told me that schools come all the time and are given tours. I just think this is fascinating. If only it weren't so far. Still I think it would be worth it to take a class on a field trip.