Teo Chew Temple 本頭公廟 has been a national treasure for many decades. I only learned about this place…read moresince I start of CoVid pandemic. My company was looking to do a virtual lion dance performance. Then, I found Teo Chew Temple Lion Dance Team. Recently, the temple added a virtual guide by scanning the QR code on the door. You will get the description of each God in English. That was a lifesaver. Because the volunteers spoke only Vietnamese and very little Chinese. English is not a spoken language at the location at all. Teo Chew Temple is a must-see place for tourists. It's right off of the side street by Kim Som on Bellaire Blvd. there are plenty of parking as long as it's not a Buddhist holiday with celebrations.

We stopped by Teo Chew Temple for Lunar New Years last February to pray & wish for blessings for…read morethe New Year. This temple is really huge. It's a popular temple with nice Buddhist statues of different Gods. It's a nice temple, but the inside can be a fire hazard since there's so much smoke coming from everyone's incenses whenever people pray. Aside from that, it is a nice temple.

Tucked amidst the vibrant neighborhoods of Little Saigon, Chinatown, and Alief in Houston, Texas,…read morethe Chua Linh Son SW Temple stands as a beacon of tranquility, a testament to the enduring beauty of serene simplicity. This sanctuary may not share the widespread recognition of its more illustrious counterparts, but therein lies its charm: an authentic Vietnamese Buddhist temple, full of humble grace and inviting peace. From my very first encounter on Chinese New Year's day, I was captivated by the comforting rhythm of the monks' chanting, the earnestness etched on the faces of the devotees, and the encompassing atmosphere of reverence. As a newcomer, I joined approximately twenty people, locals, and visitors, seated on cushioned wood floors, drawn into this circle of unity and mindfulness. Meditating amidst them, I experienced an overwhelming sense of serenity, a respite from the outside world's chaos. The temple's exterior matches the inner tranquility with its beautifully crafted small garden, which houses a variety of statues and a grand raised altar. These carefully placed structures add a tangible touch to the spiritual experience, while the stillness of the garden invites moments of quiet contemplation. The Head Monk, a pillar of kindness and wisdom, is nothing short of a treasure. His thoroughness and approachability radiate warmth, encouraging visitors to dive into the meditative practices and prayers. With him and a dedicated nun maintaining this sacred place, there is always a sincere welcome waiting for every guest. This holds true even when the temple is busier during ceremonies or religious holidays, ensuring that every person experiences the temple's gentle embrace. Food here is another avenue of spiritual communion - simple, vegetarian meals that nourish the body and soul alike. Add to that their affordable post-funeral services, and it becomes evident that Chua Linh Son SW Temple is more than a place of worship; it's a community of care and support. Nestled in a corner of the temple grounds, a quaint little gift shop offers souvenirs that embody the temple's calm energy. These mementos serve as gentle reminders of the peace one can find within these sacred walls. Although it doesn't often receive significant donations for maintenance or lavish renovation, the temple's resilience shines through, a testament to the devotion of the limited staff and volunteers who pour their hearts into preserving this spiritual haven. In conclusion, Chua Linh Son SW Temple is an undiscovered gem, a sanctuary of peace in the vibrant southwest area of Houston. I encourage anyone seeking a moment of serenity, or perhaps a deeper spiritual connection, to visit this beautiful temple. Every donation, regardless of size, helps support the temple's continued operation, allowing more people to experience its serene magic. So, come and find your peace here. Let's show this temple the love it so readily gives to each visitor.

Beautiful landscaping and ground! Serene! Wish I had more time to see everything! Will likely…read moreneed multiple visits!

I came here today (Saturday) with my mother. We are new to…read morethe practice of buddhism, and we make a substantial effort to be as respectful as possible. Today, we mistakenly thought that Saturday was the day for english instruction. Upon entering, I removed my shoes and greeted the woman at the front desk with a smile. She did not smile back. This did not make me feel welcome. Me and my mother proceeded further inside the temple, which is BEAUTIFUL by the way. We did take a moment to take it all in. There was no instruction or teachings going on, so we decided to seat ourselves quietly just to observe the beauty of the temple. There was a lively looking woman doing some work on the flowers. I decided to ask her what days of the week do I come for english teachings. Once again, I keep smiling at people to greet them, but they keep frowning! (I want to be clear and say that this is a normal faint smile that you do when you say hello to someone, I definitely was not doing anything weird or threatening) At this point I am thinking, Am I doing something wrong, or are these people really not pleased to have me here for any reason? She directed me to ask the lady at the front desk..so I went to ask. I respectfully stood outside of the room, waiting until she didn't look occupied. She greeted me with a disgruntled "Yes?" And I asked her my question. She answered me curtly, and I proceeded back into the center room of the temple. Me and my mother discussed plans for coming back, and then we decided to leave. As we were leaving, there were VERY kind women practitioners who were more friendly than the 2 workers I am discussing in this review. The woman at the front desk, closed the door on them as they were in prayer. She said "It's getting hot, sorry about that." And did not even say goodbye to us as we left. I am sure they have amazing teachings, its a shame I came on the wrong day! But overall, for a beginner practitioner who is a little unsure of themselves..I did not feel very welcomed or embraced in these interactions I had..I will not be returning. I don't know if these people were having a bad day, or if I did something wrong. But it was very uncomfortable for me. A temple is supposed to be a place where someone can take refuge, and feel safe around other compassionate people.

A little history of this temple and me: When I migrated from Taiwan more than a decade ago, I was…read moreshocked at how Buddhism was so difficult to find in America. Fortunately, my family was contacted by someone from Jade Buddha Temple. Even though I used to live in Baton Rough, LA, Jade Buddha Temple has ever since been my spiritual center to this point. Anyway onto the review! --- Located relatively close to the Houston Chinatown, Jade Buddha Temple is easy and convenient for visitors to access from the city without losing the serenity of the usual temple ground. In front of the temple is a large pond surrounding a tall, standing statue of Kwan-Yin (Avalokiteshvara). If the day is not too hot, the pond has benches surrounding it, so you can admire the pond and contemplate under the gaze of the merciful Bodhisattva. The temple's largest building is the Hero's Hall (The Main Hall), which houses the namesake jade Buddha statue with Maitreya (Popularly known as fat Buddha) as the cheerful greeter to those who enter the Hall. This is where services and festivals are held, but outside these times, the Hall is a silent yet serene ground to simply sit and behold. Quietness without coldness, simplicity with majestic extravagance, Jade Buddha's Main Hall is truly something that both practitioners and non-practitioners to visit to witness the spirituality and the art of Buddhism. Behind the Main Hall is a court yard that is followed by the second building, Kwan-Yin Hall, which houses the traditional Chinese Kwan-Yin in front and Cundi Avalokiteshvara in the back. In contrast to the more extravagant Main Hall, Kwan-Yin Hall displayed Zen simplicity in its decor, so it is no wonder that this is the Hall where the usual mediation sessions take place. Jade Buddha Temple offers many weekly scheduled events, almost all free, to the visitors that include yoga, mediation, service, and sermon. Although most of the staff and the reverends are Chinese-speaking, Jade Buddha Temple has English-oriented events for non-Chinese visitors. The Temple also has some volunteer opportunities to help maintain the temple ground and logistics. At certain times of the year, the Temple hosts traditional festivals including Buddha's birthday to pray for the welfare of all sentient beings. Whether you are a Buddhist or not, Jade Buddha Temple is worth to visit at least once if you are in the Houston area. The staff and the reverends at the Temple are very friendly and will happily answer any questions relating to life or Buddhism for you! You should temporarily escape from the loud urban environment and take refuge in the Jade Buddha Temple to relax, pray, or simply admire what Buddhism is all about.

This place is a gem, Everyone here is so nice and so kind…read more You can breath peace and harmony here. It feels like never wanting to leave. It was my first time and the monks took their time to patiently teach me the different positions for meditation. After a 20 minute meditation the chants came and they were heavenly; we walked around in circles and then after the session was over, we went to a different room for the teaching. The master spoke so wisely and so calmly;it felt like I was in peace with my mind for the first time in my life. After that, they gave us food. Free food. WOW Free meditation Free teaching Free food Noble people. I am so glad there are still superior beings in this world. Thanks Chung Tai Zen Center, you are a true blessing from God.

A friend mentioned this place on twitter and I decided to Google and see what it was about. I've…read morebeen wanting to get into meditation for some time now. I went to their website and noticed that they offer free meditation classes, free tai chi classes, along with other classes. I decided to sign up for the meditation class and I am there now every Wednesday. The classes last 12 weeks I believe. Upon entering the Center you are immediately welcomed by the people at the desk. Shifu also greets you and you just feel like you belong. The energy in the center is amazing. You are at peace when you enter. You are surrounded by kind minds. The meditation sessions are two hours long. The first session is where we meditate and the second session is the dharma talk where we learn about Buddhism. I have only done meditation here. I have yet to try out the other classes that are offered. This is a great place and anyone looking for a fresh start or just an introduction to peace of mind this is a great place to start and you will feel like family.

This is a small temple that's still under constructionin the Sugarland area, but is very nice and…read moreclean. We visited Lien Hoa Temple for Lunar New Years last February from Louisiana, and everyone was so kind and generous when we stoped by to pray and receive blessings from Buddhist monks. Beautiful Buddhist statues around the area. Very peaceful.

I had just went on a nice long run at Archbishop park and wanted to stop by this awesome temple I…read morefound nearby. I get a thrill from finding places like Lien Hoa Temple. Ive been to many around Houston that people would be surprised to find. There is a sense of calmness amongst all of this chaos within these temples. Which is why I try finding different ones frequently. I definitely believe Houston needs more places like this to show our diversity and to promote cultural knowledge.

Have been coming here since 2019 . Seeing the development is amazing . Very nice family hereread more

Beautiful temple. There's a Thai temple (wat) as well as a Chinese Mahayana shrine. Temple /…read moremeditation room was open to visitors when we went on a Sunday afternoon.

I came to Fo Guang Shan Chung Mei Temple 佛光山中美寺 was because my neighbor recommended. This is a…read morebeautiful place to visit. It has a Sunday service with monks and prayers spoken in Chinese Mandarin. Fo Guang Shan Chung Mei Temple 佛光山中美寺 is part of the International Buddhist Progress Society (IBPS). Located in Stafford, this temple sits on 89 acres of land. It officially opened in 2001. Fo Guang Shan as 佛光山 in Chinese translates to "Buddha's Light Mountain", was founded by Master Hsing Yun 星雲大師 in 1967. Fo Guang Shan is the largest monastery in Taiwan. There are over 300 branch temples worldwide. As far as I know, besides Houston, there is one in Austin and Dallas. I got a chance to try vegetarian food at Water Drop Teahouse. Prices were reasonable and food was delicious. Because most of the vegetation was damaged from a recent arctic blast. The garden was not as green as I wanted. So, I'll be back this summer. p.s. I uploaded 40 photos to go with my review. You need to use a computer see them at https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/fo-guang-shan-chung-mei-buddhist-temple-stafford?userid=jwPVqdHpVHCBfAe4pZBbgA

Buddhist temple, open to all to visit. On a large plot of open land, with a burial temple (and urn…read moreresting place) across the street. The nuns and volunteers there can give tours, help with translations and provide booklets. They have a library, rooms for study and rented out for teaching kids. They have a place for vegetarian food, too, which I heard was good (though I didn't have a chance to try it). The founding monk that created the temple in Taiwan passed away recently, so they had ceremonies for Founder Master Hsing Yun. They'll also chant for your loved ones if they pass away, you have to work with them ahead of time. One thing I do wish they did was put how long each service was expected to be; ended up taking an extra 45 minutes to go through some unexpected Q&A at the end from the founder's question lists. They have some translation services (audio in English) for services, and they do try to seat people - mostly more devout monks and acolytes in the knee height benches for prayer session. They have incense and a number of pathways outside. Services are mostly in Chinese, but they do have some parts in English and pinyin books for those who can't read Chinese. For those who are just visiting in respect (other religions) they did try to press them to follow along in the books, but I can see how people can be turned away. It'd be more interested if the books were also translated to English so you knew what was being chanted. Screens on either side have Chinese and pinyin to help with the chants. Donations were welcomed, and gift shop is open. You can also sponsor one of the many buddhas and plaques in the temple.