Wat Buddhavas of Houston
Encyclopedia
Wat Buddhavas is a Buddhist Temple located on Spindle Dr. at Antoine Rd. in Houston, Texas
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Ethnic Composition: Mostly Thai and Laos, with a growing non-Thai/Laos population.
Resident Monks: Most Venerable Sunthorn (Abbot), Phra Ajahn Ken Kamalo (reverend), Phramaha Nuan Rommai, Phramaha Lekh, Phramaha Chanchai, Phramaha Apinan, Praseangdao and Samanera
Michael (Novice Monk).
Tradition: Theravada
holds regular services in Thai
and English
at 11 a.m. on Sundays. The monks pray every morning at 8 a.m. and every evening at 8 p.m. The monks pray by chanting in Pali
. Also, there is a meditation
class every Sunday at 1 p.m. led by Phra Ajahn Ken Kamalo. There are many festivals held throughout the year, including the very popular Loy Krathong
Lotus Flower Festival and Songkran (Thai New Year), which is also part of the Thai
celebration.
Every year towards the end of May, Visakha Puja is celebrated to honor when the Buddha
was born, attained enlightenment
, and achieved parinirvana
, which according to tradition all occurred on the same days. Laypeople
come to the temple in the morning offering food and monetary donations to the monks and temple. Laypeople place rice in the alms bowls of monks as they walk by. In Thai/Lao tradition, this is a way of 'tom boon' (gaining good merit or good karma). Towards the end of the celebration, the monks temporarily ordain nuns and laypeople around the temple 3 times in order to commemorate the 3 significant events in the Buddha's life: Birth, Enlightenment, and Parinirvana.
and Lao
immigrants and their children, but has gained a following from non-Thai/Lao Americans. Since the meditation classes have started in 2007, a medium-sized group of non-Thai/Lao Americans have started attending regularly.
.
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
.
Quick Stats
Leader/Title: Most Venerable SunthornEthnic Composition: Mostly Thai and Laos, with a growing non-Thai/Laos population.
Resident Monks: Most Venerable Sunthorn (Abbot), Phra Ajahn Ken Kamalo (reverend), Phramaha Nuan Rommai, Phramaha Lekh, Phramaha Chanchai, Phramaha Apinan, Praseangdao and Samanera
Samanera
A samanera ) may be translated as novice monk in a Buddhist context. The literal meaning is 'small samana', that is, small renunciate where 'small' has the meaning of boy or girl. In the Vinaya monastic discipline, a man under the age of 20 cannot ordain as a bhikkhu, but can ordain as a samanera...
Michael (Novice Monk).
Tradition: Theravada
Theravada
Theravada ; literally, "the Teaching of the Elders" or "the Ancient Teaching", is the oldest surviving Buddhist school. It was founded in India...
Activities and Schedule
The templeTemple
A temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out...
holds regular services in Thai
Thai language
Thai , also known as Central Thai and Siamese, is the national and official language of Thailand and the native language of the Thai people, Thailand's dominant ethnic group. Thai is a member of the Tai group of the Tai–Kadai language family. Historical linguists have been unable to definitively...
and English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
at 11 a.m. on Sundays. The monks pray every morning at 8 a.m. and every evening at 8 p.m. The monks pray by chanting in Pali
Páli
- External links :* *...
. Also, there is a meditation
Buddhist meditation
Buddhist meditation refers to the meditative practices associated with the religion and philosophy of Buddhism.Core meditation techniques have been preserved in ancient Buddhist texts and have proliferated and diversified through teacher-student transmissions. Buddhists pursue meditation as part of...
class every Sunday at 1 p.m. led by Phra Ajahn Ken Kamalo. There are many festivals held throughout the year, including the very popular Loy Krathong
Loy Krathong
Loi Krathong is a festival celebrated annually throughout Thailand and certain parts of Laos and Burma .-Overview:...
Lotus Flower Festival and Songkran (Thai New Year), which is also part of the Thai
Thai people
The Thai people, or Siamese, are the main ethnic group of Thailand and are part of the larger Tai ethnolinguistic peoples found in Thailand and adjacent countries in Southeast Asia as well as southern China. Their language is the Thai language, which is classified as part of the Kradai family of...
celebration.
Every year towards the end of May, Visakha Puja is celebrated to honor when the Buddha
Buddha
In Buddhism, buddhahood is the state of perfect enlightenment attained by a buddha .In Buddhism, the term buddha usually refers to one who has become enlightened...
was born, attained enlightenment
Enlightenment in Buddhism
The English term enlightenment has commonly been used in the western world to translate several Sanskrit, Pali, Chinese and Japanese terms and concepts, especially bodhi, prajna, kensho, satori and buddhahood.-Insight:...
, and achieved parinirvana
Parinirvana
In Buddhism, parinirvana is the final nirvana, which occurs upon the death of the body of someone who has attained complete awakening...
, which according to tradition all occurred on the same days. Laypeople
Laypeople
Laypeople may refer to:* laity, members of a church who are not clergy* layman, someone who is not an expert in a particular field of study...
come to the temple in the morning offering food and monetary donations to the monks and temple. Laypeople place rice in the alms bowls of monks as they walk by. In Thai/Lao tradition, this is a way of 'tom boon' (gaining good merit or good karma). Towards the end of the celebration, the monks temporarily ordain nuns and laypeople around the temple 3 times in order to commemorate the 3 significant events in the Buddha's life: Birth, Enlightenment, and Parinirvana.
Demographics
The congregation consists of ThaiThai people
The Thai people, or Siamese, are the main ethnic group of Thailand and are part of the larger Tai ethnolinguistic peoples found in Thailand and adjacent countries in Southeast Asia as well as southern China. Their language is the Thai language, which is classified as part of the Kradai family of...
and Lao
Lao people
The Lao are an ethnic subgroup of Tai/Dai in Southeast Asia.-Names:The etymology of the word Lao is uncertain, although it may be related to tribes known as the Ai Lao who appear in Han Dynasty records in China and Vietnam as a people of what is now Yunan Province...
immigrants and their children, but has gained a following from non-Thai/Lao Americans. Since the meditation classes have started in 2007, a medium-sized group of non-Thai/Lao Americans have started attending regularly.
Teaching Programs
Wat Buddhavas has a Sunday school in which children that attend learn how to read, write, and speak Thai. Children learn Thai history and culture. The children are also taught Buddhism and learn about the Buddha's life. Other classes offered are Thai classical dance and the fighting style Muay ThaiMuay Thai
Muay Thai is a combat sport from Thailand that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. It is similar to other Indochinese kickboxing systems, namely pradal serey from Cambodia, tomoi from Malaysia, lethwei from Myanmar and muay Lao from Laos...
.