The Pluralism Project at Harvard University

Despite the Texas and American flags hanging over the entrance gate, the beautiful Wat Dhammabucha Buddhist Temple is an unexpected treasure in San Antonio. A stunning Thai Buddhist monastery located on 12 acres of lush hill country land, the temple welcomes San Antonio's immigrants from Thailand and Laos. From the ornate Buddhist statues to the meditation paths passing by lotus leaves, and especially to the kind and welcoming monks who live and make their home there, the Wat Dhammabucha Buddhist Temple is a peaceful haven hidden in one of America's largest cities.

History

Built in 1983 on only 3.8 acres of land, the Dhammayutti sect of the Theravadan tradition, originating in Thailand. It follows the forest tradition of Ajahn Mun.

Description

Visitors enter the temple through a gate and up a long driveway, and the location, off remote Sawyer road, makes the rest of San Antonio feel worlds away. The main building houses the five monks who generally make their homes here, while the abbot has a separate residence. In the first main prayer hall, four large Buddhas await visitors, their details showing Chinese influence, the oldest being more than 1000 years old. The central, and largest Buddha, was created for the temple. Thai visitors from San Antonio and beyond come here to meditate and give offerings of food and fruit to the Buddha.

In a second, and smaller prayer hall, visitors can meditate before the remains of their former teachers, which are kept at the head of the temple. In the same room, photo albums tell the story of the temple, from its founding to the recent birthday of the abbot, which attracted Buddhists from America and Thailand. There is an adjacent library and a kitchen for preparing the communal meals.

Beyond the prayer halls, beautiful paths lead past a garden and lotus leaves which grow beside the abbot's residence. A smaller residence is also maintained for nuns to sleep in when they come to visit. The path through the property, called the "meditation path", is meant to provide clarity and solitude for those visitors seeking out the path towards mindfulness.

Activities and Schedule

The temple website offers a daily schedule of activities:
5 AM Morning Chanting in main temple hall
5:30 - 6:30 AM morning group meditation with bikkhus
10:30 AM offerings of meal for bikkhus
8 PM Evening Chanting Service
8:30 PM - 9 PM Evening group meditation

Every day, lunch is held at the temple for visitors, with a larger lunch on Sunday, when most locals come to visit. On Sunday afternoons, classes in Thai are held from 12:00 - 2:00 PM.