"Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without." -Buddha…read more Having just driven from Starke where I saw the first Atheist Monument in the USA, it was interesting to come to Gainesville and tour this wonderful peaceful retreat. It's quiet, it's beautiful and it's a serene atmosphere that is perfect for meditating or just clearing one's mind of the daily struggles. The temple grounds feature majestic Buddhist sculptures, including a 33-foot-long reclining Buddha, a 28-foot-tall seated Buddha, and a 45-foot-tall Avalokitesvara, a bodhisattva who embodies compassion. The statue depicting a young Buddha atop a solid granite globe was installed in 2019. All were hand-crafted in Vietnam and carefully installed here in Florida. It is free to visit. The paved walkways are handicapped accessible. There are benches throughout to provide the opportunity for peaceful reflection. Do be aware of the wildlife. [Review 353 of 2025 - 2005 in Florida - 23915 overall]

Running around town with my mom recently, we decided to explore some parks in town that we had…read morenever been to. I came across Tu Vien a Nan in my exploration of Google Maps, and figured that was something that might be interesting, so off we went! The grounds are well kept and the statuary is impressive. Numerous very large statues devoted to the Buddhist faith have been erected in the park, with a number of different areas designed for peaceful meditation and prayer. Just walking around the grounds is a pleasant experience, and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves for the hour or so that we were there. I highly recommend going here for an hour or so of peace.

We had visited the Kathina ceremony here this past weekend 11/04/24-11/05/24 and love the beautiful…read moretemple and temple grounds that was built here. Everyone were very friendly, especially to those out-of-state people like us who didn't know what to do or how to help out. Every temple carries a different way of how they want to do things and we didn't want to be in the way of the organizers. There were plenty of places to sit at. Once the monks finished eating, they had opened up the buffet line for all guests. I was amazed at how efficient the lines were. No one made the food trays messy, there were lots of foods left over for everyone, and the line went by very fast. The community really came together to also cleaned up afterwards. It's very serene here and I can't wait to visit again in the near future.

I'm not a Buddhist, but I just wanted to raise awareness of this place for those (especially in the…read moreCambodian community) in Jacksonville who are. This is a very sacred location, and it is not uncommon to see monks walking the grounds here. According to this site http://tinyurl.com/99sm84 the large Buddha statue inside and the statues outside were brought from Cambodia. The temple was built according to strict Buddhist rules. More info here: http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/043005/neR_18598073.shtml My rating is based purely on the beauty of this place (take a look at the pictures). http://static.px.yelp.com/bphoto/_7UW3VykM9xZhCFUmrMTfw/l http://static.px.yelp.com/bphoto/kkhn9vrHMRiynvpOrZFi0Q/l http://static.px.yelp.com/bphoto/GoNz5rKsNMCE2H75LkWEAw/l http://static.px.yelp.com/bphoto/YbWNlB_o_4SshnYGlAbujg/l http://static.px.yelp.com/bphoto/8DSY1YOfOx-S-7U_AAm4AA/l I went to a Cambodian ceremony a few months ago (with a friend), but we did not attend it here. We did have to take off our shoes before entering the inside of the temple as a respect to their culture.

This was a fantastic experience for me. I've been through lots and lots of acupuncture for my…read morechronic joint pain from sports injuries when I was younger. I've had taditional chinese, japanese, American fusion acupuncture and community acupuncture, but this was my first experience with tibetan acupuncture. David is kind and calm and extremely knowledgeable. The appointments are not very long, but this treatment had one of the most impressive effects that I've ever had. He knows enough to be precise for what you need individually instead of following formulas for treatment. We had a very helpful discussion of diet as well. I'm hanging around gainesville for a few more months to continue treatment with him. Absolutely recommend it!

From the owner: It matters not if medicine is old or new so long as it can cure.It matters not if theories come…read morefrom East or Westso long as they are true.

"Wat", no reviews? Let me fix that. This is a pretty hidden Buddhist temple, aka "Wat" that is…read moreutilized mostly by local Lao and Thai people for events and religious use. The location is very humble in a residential neighborhood located off of state road 46 in Sanford. The ground is mostly grass and unpaved with a large field/parking area. Towards the corner of the area is the actual temple with a huge bodhi tree, offering area with incense, and gilded statue likenesses of the Buddha. I've only been here for social events held during Asian new year and different food festivals. The area has minimal shade, but mostly it's very warm so bring sunglasses and sunblock for daytime events. Bring a folding chair if you plan to sit or a beach towel. The events held here are always cash only, so if your find yourself heading here for food or new year festivities, bring cash. If you don't spend all your money on food or beer, you can usually pick up some nice Lao/Thai cooking instruments or food items to go. Also the temple is always happy to accept donations for the local Monks of cash or food offerings. Be warned, there are only two bathrooms located near the temple area and the lines are long during popular festivals. Enjoy coming here for special events and it's a nice reprieve from the hectic Central Florida lifestyle. Things seem to move slower here and it's a nice place for self reflection...and the occasional serving of papaya salad.

Our visit was brief but gave us an opportunity to speak with a resident Phra (monk) about the…read moretemple and festivities. There are interspersed gardens of palms and citrus trees with a small structure toward the east end of the property. Festivities are infrequent but seem to bring devout Thai, Lao, Cambodian practitioners from miles around. We were welcomed to cite our prays inside the temple which was beautifully adorned with offerings and Buddha statues. Buddhist temples are a sacred place for prayer and reflection. All are welcome to practice and pray within. Would like to be here when there is a festival. Please post if anyone knows a date of a celebration.

Great place to learn. Teachings are inspiring. Everyone is friendly and positive. Beginner to…read morelong time practitioner will gain from attending.

This is a great place to learn how to properly meditate.I enjoy the music,the lecture,the questions…read moreand the guided meditation.I encourage all walks of life to try this Buddhist Center.Meditation heals the mind.

Robert Jacobs, the founder of Awakened Heart Yoga & Meditation, is an excellent teacher. He is warm…read moreand personable, with a great sense of humor. His teaching is from the heart, and is informed by his many years of meditation practice and study of ancient yogic scriptures. I highly recommend taking one of his courses!

I just moved to Orlando and was searching for a Buddhist temple to go to on Sundays. We saw that…read morethis is the largest temple and decided to see it on a weekday. They don't do tours on weekdays but there is a schedule on their website for tour dates and classes. They had a Buddha celebration one weekend and it was so fun! They had multiple performances and booths full of food that i missed eating. I highly recommend coming here just to see how beautiful this temple is even if you're not Buddhist!

Many cultural events held here. One of the largest Buddhist…read moreorganizations in the world with hundreds of beaches. Many choices of vegetarian lunch. Can learn to speak, read and write mandarin. Tai chi classes , origami classes etc.

This Buddhist temple has been around for a very long time (I believe it opened as early as 1990)…read more And I've been coming to this temple since 2003. It was different back then. Now they have innovated and changed a lot of things for the newer generations. The old folks are still going every Sundays. There aren't that many young kids nowadays. The people are very nice and passionate, as well as respectful.

This center offers Modern Buddhism, geared for busy people. Classes include guided and silent…read moremeditations, brief teachings on practical application of Buddha's wisdom, and discussion. Everyone is welcome, especially new meditators. Retreats, workshops and pujas (chanted prayers) are scheduled regularly. Located in a small strip center, it offers a beautiful and peaceful meditation room and dedicated people. Only open at scheduled class times. Has bookstore.

From the owner: Meditation classes and practical Buddhist teachings, retreats and workshops…read more Everyone welcome!

This is the best Buddhist temple I have ever been to. It is…read morea beautiful place of peace, harmony and love of one and all. The teachings of this Buddhist monk is the best I have observe anywhere. We were here as a second day of mourning in the passing of my beloved aunt. All the nuns, staffs and Buddhist monk made us all feel at home. We were in prayers and the monk's teachings is something that I have always live by. The prayer was an emotional, and spiritual lesson in philosophy, way of life, in healing and support all under one roof. After the ceremony we were all invited to a vegan lunch. It was an absolute spiritual experience for me and helped in our mourning. The site is huge that includes a beautiful indoor prayer area, a lotus pond and beautiful outdoor Buddha statue , a stage where community functions takes place, an eating area where vegan meals are offered and vegan ready cooked food or vegan frozen egg rolls that one can buy. It is a community of love, support and harmony all in one. It is the teaching of "goodness" as the monk pointed out in each and everyone of us.