I'd always wanted to see this temple, as I lived nearby. My purpose was to find a place of solace and peace, where I could meditate.
In a curious mix of shabby wooden buildings on ill-kempt grounds in a rural part of the countryside, this Thai Buddhist Temple lies. There are many sects of Buddhism, and this is only one of many. For those who imagine clean lines and a simple environment, with a few well-placed Buddhas and tasteful décor, this isn't it. Imagine instead, an oriental bazaar with a hodge-podge of everything at the altar. Florid, cheesy even. However, everyone has different aesthetic tastes, so I instead concentrated on the ambiance and staff.
I was met by a staff volunteer who introduced herself three times and twice asked if this was my first visit. Was she even paying attention? We went to the main meditation room, where she told me the precise seat out of many in which she wanted me to sit. Being a guest, I obliged. Having told her that I'd come to meditate, I closed my eyes while she wandered off. However, after barely two minutes, she came back and started chatting. She asked me if I wanted to join the staff and other guests for lunch.
Go with the flow, I figured. Besides, it was a lovely invitation and I wanted to experience the place. We went into the lunch hall, where she introduced me to the monks, showed me photos of the staff, and served me very spicy food (everyone else was allowed to pick what they wanted from a buffet). Then she proceeded to talk non-stop, about herself, how much she was doing for the monastery, and how much it cost per month to run. I would have liked some of the other food from the buffet, but was not invited, although all the other guests were. At the end of the meal, while I was trying to talk with one of the other guests, someone put on some very loud chanting. I never got to the meditation hall to meditate.
The biggest problem there was a large-ish, quite vicious dog whom this woman told me was the monastery's "guardian dog." When I arrived, she told me to hold out my hand so the dog could sniff. I did, but he poked me with his nose. Then I felt his teeth on my leg. He was pulling my pants. "Oh," he does that," the woman said, laughing. The dog did that a couple more times.
By the time I was ready to leave, after lunch, the dog followed me, nipping some more. At no time did this woman call off the dog. I was almost at the parking lot when what felt like a bite, came forcefully down on the back of my calf. Fortunately, the skin wasn't broken and my pants weren't torn (although they were quite wet). I got into my car super fast.
I have rarely been to a place as dysfunctional as this. A dog that attacks guests, that has not been taught any boundaries, is an accident waiting to happen. The place does a nice job with its meals and does feed the hungry, but if you still want to visit after this review, make sure to bring mace. I'm serious.
This is not an example of compassion and responsibility, which I understood are some of the foundations of Buddhism. This place was as phony as the fake flowers in the meditation room. If you want to attend a serene, high-frequency temple (although without anyplace to walk outside), visit EMAHO in Phoenix. read more