The Pluralism Project at Harvard University

The Center and Community

Beginning in May of 2002, the Quan Am Monastery has been located at the Goodlett location in Memphis, Tennessee. The community consists of approximately 100 people, the majority of whom are Vietnamese with approximately 15 Caucasians. Of those 100, approximately 15 are between the ages of 5 and 25. Quan Am Monastery has two monks, with Thich Ngyuyen Tanh acting as head monk of the monastery.

Activities and Schedule

On Friday evenings a Dharma talk is given from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., and on Sundays there is an extended ceremony from 10 a.m. to 12 a.m. The service consists first of chanting in English and then in Vietnamese. Afterwards, the community has lunch together and afterwards the members often help with the upkeep of the monastery.

The monastery has a separate youth ceremony dedicated not only to the instruction of meditation but also Vietnamese. Children often play volleyball after the service.

The two main events the monastery hosts are Parent Day in September and Buddha's Birthday in May. Each of these days draws nearly 500 to 600 Vietnamese Buddhists from the Mid-south including Arkansas, Mississippi, and Alabama.

Daily activities of a monk at the monastery:
5:30-7 a.m. chanting/ meditation
6-7 a.m. chanting
7-7:30 a.m. breakfast of rice or cucumbers and melons grown in the monastery garden
10:30 a.m. offering of rice at the altar
11:30 a.m. lunch
12-2:30 p.m. Sutra study
3:00 p.m. offering to hungry ghost
4-5 p.m. mindful meditation
5-6 p.m. teach English to Vietnamese elderly
6-7 p.m. dinner
7-8:30 p.m. chanting/ meditation
8:30 p.m. day's reflection

American Context

Monasteries in Vietnam often have approximately one hundred monks to share the responsibilities of the monastary in addition to community members who offer their physical labor. However, Quan Am Monastery only has two monks to share responsibilities, and the majority of offerings from the community are usually monetary. Therefore, monks in Memphis have to conduct the every day duties of grocery shopping, driving a car, and other duties in which they must deal with the outer world. This gives the monks of Quan Am the unique opportunity to practice understanding through countering stress and anger with peace and compassion.