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The Truc Lam Buddhist Temple is located on the corner of Ashland and Wilson in a beautifully restored building. The Temple serves as a gathering place for the tight knit vietnamese community who come here to meditate, reflect, and observe deep rooted traditions. They practice a form of Buddhism called Trúc Lâm school that was founded by King Trần Nhân Tông. Every Sunday they offer a service that starts at 10 am and runs close to 2 hours. Prior to service the basement is a bustling hubbub filled with children practicing their blocks, kicks, and punches over the sounds of the women cooking up a delicious feast for the free afternoon lunch. Upstairs you can find the men discussing topics amongst themselves in vietnamese while seated at the long tables on the main floor. By 10 am most of the adults migrate to the top floor to partake in the chanting and meditation lead by the resident monk.
The Abbot (the head monk of the temple), the venerable Thich Hanh Tuan, usually leads the service. He was out of town, however, so the Reverend Thich Thong Chanh took over the duties. He is originally from Vietnam and has been in the states for a few years. He is a full fledged monk and has been training since he was a child.
They have an open door policy to new initiates as well as the curious so feel free to drop by as everyone at the temple is very friendly and welcoming.
See the rest of the series here.
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