As an expert in Buddhism, I have always been fascinated by the spread of this ancient religion to different parts of the world. So, when I discovered that the largest Buddhist temple in North America is located in Minnesota, I was intrigued. The Las Vegas Buddhist Temple and Asian Cultural Center, formerly known as the Lotus Temple of the Nevada Buddhist Association, is a magnificent structure that stands as a testament to the growing popularity of Buddhism in the United States. The temple was established in 1978 under the sponsorship of the United States Buddhist Association, an organization of American Buddhists of Chinese origin. It was named after San Sheng-yen, a renowned Buddhist teacher who visited the United States for the first time that year.
This temple is a symbol of unity and diversity, as it welcomes people from all backgrounds and cultures to learn about Buddhism and its teachings. But the Las Vegas Buddhist Temple is not the only one of its kind in the US. Immigrant Buddhist congregations have been established all over North America, reflecting the diverse origins of Buddhism. The first Theravada monastic community, Washington Buddhist Vihara, was founded in 1965 by Sri Lankan monks in Washington, DC. And in 1981, the Buddhist Association of the Dharma Realm opened Developing Virtue Secondary School, the first Buddhist high school in the country. According to various sources, the oldest Buddhist temple in the US is Kwan Yin Temple, which was established in 1880.
Located on the islands, this temple has a rich history and is considered a sacred place by many Buddhists. Another notable temple is Mu-Ryang-Sa Buddhist Temple in Honolulu, Hawaii. This large Korean monastery has occasional meditation groups in English and is known for its distinctive broken-roof appearance. The roots of Buddhism in the US can be traced back to the end of the 19th century when the Young Men's Buddhist Association was founded in San Francisco. In 1899, the North American Buddhist Mission was established, which later took its current form in 1944. Today, the Mid America Buddhist Association, officially established in 1994, is the largest Buddhist center in the Midwest. Interestingly, a Pew study has shown that Americans tend to be less biased towards Buddhists compared to other religions.
This is a positive sign for the growing acceptance and understanding of Buddhism in the country. The Ekoji Buddhist Sangha is a shared-use building that houses several different sanghas or Buddhist groups, further promoting unity and diversity within the Buddhist community. As Buddhism continues to spread and evolve in the US, it has also been influenced by its Asian roots. Each new community that settled in the country brought with them their own traditions and practices, resulting in a diverse range of temples and organizations. However, many Asian-American Buddhists believe that non-Asian Buddhism is still in its formative and experimental stage, but they have faith that it will eventually mature and become a religious expression of exceptional quality. The term 'American Buddhism' encompasses all Buddhist groups in the United States, including Asian-American Buddhists who were born into the faith.
They make up the largest percentage of Buddhists in the country and have played a significant role in spreading Buddhism to different parts of America. One such example is the Colorado Buddhist Association, also known as The Denver Temple, which was founded in 1991 and is the oldest Chinese Buddhist organization in Colorado.
