City of Ten Thousand Buddhas - Sites of Interest

Sites of Interest

• The Jeweled Hall of 10,000 Buddhas: Finished in 1982, the hall is adorned with streamers, banners, lamps and is graced in the center by the presence of an 20-foot (6 m) statue of a thousand-handed Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva, popularly known as Guan Yin in Chinese and Chenrezig in Tibetan. Rows of yellow bowing cushions are lined upon the red carpet. Walls are adorned with 10,000 images of the Buddha, molded by Hua.
• Hall of No Words: This is where Hua often held classes for his disciples in the early years of the city. The abbot's quarters, where Hua dwelled, were on the second floor. This was also where Hua lay in state during the 49-day mourning period. Now, it is a memorial hall that contains relics of the Buddha, Master Hsu Yun, and Hua. It is closed to the public and opened on special days.
• Dharma Realm Buddhist University: In order to raise the level of education among Sangha members and train people to propagate Buddhism, Hua founded the Dharma Realm Buddhist University in 1976. The university aims to educate students to become wise and virtuous leaders in the world. Instead of merely transmitting academic knowledge, it emphasizes a foundation in virtue, which expands into the study of how to help all living beings discover their inherent nature. The university is working for accreditation in the near future, though no specific timetable has yet been announced.
• Jyun Kang Vegetarian Restaurant: The university canteen, which serves only vegan food. The goal is to serve healthful nutritious food full of the good karma of non-harming.
• Tathagata (Rulai) Monastery: The dorm rooms for monks (left home persons) and male lay persons persuaded toward the monastic lifestyle.
• Great Compassion Courtyard: Dorm rooms for guests and visitors.
• Bell and Drum House: Houses the instruments that are played daily to ready monastics for daily practice.
• Institute for the Translation of Buddhist Texts: This facility was active in the early years at the city as a center for translation and as a residence hall for nuns and laywomen. The Institute has since moved to Burlingame, California.
• Tower of Blessings: Hua allocated the Tower of Blessings as a home for the elderly monastics residing in the city.
• Wonderful Words Hall: Site for daily gatherings to listen to Hua's taped lectures in the 10,000 Buddhas Hall.

• Five Contemplations Dining Hall: Completed in 1982, it is where the monastics and resident lay community follow the formal monastic style in taking their lunch meal. Only pure vegetarian food is served here, and the hall can seat over 3,000 people.
• Instilling Goodness Elementary and Developing Virtue Secondary Schools: The elementary (kindergarten through 6th grade) and secondary (7th grade through 12th grade) schools were founded by Hua in 1976. The schools are divided into two divisions, Boys and Girls, and teach such classes as meditation, yoga, Buddhism, and World Religions. Many foreign and non-local students also reside on campus in school dorms for the duration of the school year (excepting Winter, Spring, and Summer vacations). As of Spring 2006, there were about 130 students in both divisions.
• Organic Farm: A ten-acre CCOF-certified organic farm, whose produce supplements the meals in the dining hall.