Ven. Polhi Podhi meditates inside the temple. "When I Pray, I respect Buddha, respect Dharma, respect Sangha, respect Bhikus." -Ven. Polhi Podhi

Sanghikaram Wat Khmer, Lynn, Mass.

Ven. Thon So Paon receives offerings from lay Buddhists during the Kathina ceremony, which is held for monks who have come out of an annual 3 month retreat that typically ends sometime between October and December.

Sanghikaram Wat Khmer, Lynn, Mass.

Ven. Sao Khom, Abbot (far right) watches monks folding their new robes during the Kathina ceremony.

Triratanaram Temple, North Chelmsford, Mass.

A little girl circles beneath her parents as the offer rice into the bowl of each monk. When somebody in the community dies, offerings are made in this way.

Sanghikaram Wat Khmer, Lynn, Mass.

This representation of Shakyamuni Buddha symbolizes the protection of the world and freeing all sentient beings from suffering. The crossed arms symbolize the Buddha's meditation while sitting, standing, walking and sleeping. On the left is a picture of Ven. Joun Nam who died in 1969 and is venerated as the king of monks in Cambodia.

Sanghikaram Wat Khmer, Lynn, Mass.

VInside his room at the temple, Ven. Polhi Podhi puts on his outer robe.

Sanghikaram Wat Khmer, Lynn, Mass.

Ven. Tim Nhol, 70 years old, prays inside his room.

Sanghikaram Wat Khmer, Lynn, Mass.

Lay people dance and play music while circling the temple during the Kathina ceremony.

Sanghikaram Wat Khmer, Lynn, Mass.

A nun from Cambodia, who splits her time between living with her family in Lynn and living at the temple, makes an offering of light.

Sanghikaram Wat Khmer, Lynn, Mass.

Lay Buddhists listen and chant with monks during the Kathina ceremony.

Triratanaram Temple, North Chelmsford, Mass.

Monks chant together during the Kathina ceremony.

Triratanaram Temple, North Chelmsford, Mass.

A Cambodian monk who lives at the Cambridge Zen Center gives advice to a lay Buddhist after a ceremony.

Sanghikaram Wat Khmer, Lynn, Mass.

After a Sunday service, a Buddhist family sits in front of the main altar.

Sanghikaram Wat Khmer, Lynn, Mass.

The temple empties out after a Sunday service in which monks chant prayers with lay Buddhists.

Sanghikaram Wat Khmer, Lynn, Mass.

A doctor from a mobile medical truck that provides free service to the Cambodian community joins participants in circling the temple to accumulate merit and offer respect during the Kathina ceremony.

Sanghikaram Wat Khmer, Lynn, Mass.

Ven. Kam Mom, 74 years old, receives alms from lay Buddhists as they circle the temple.

Sanghikaram Wat Khmer, Lynn, Mass.

This teenage "novice" will be eligible to become a monk after he reaches the age of 20.

Triratanaram Temple, North Chelmsford, Mass.

Ven. Polhi Podhi describes the life story of Shakyamuni Buddha, which is depicted in huge paintings around the inside of the temple.

Sanghikaram Wat Khmer, Lynn, Mass.

A lay Buddhist dressed in white prays in order to request precepts and Buddhist teachings.

Sanghikaram Wat Khmer, Lynn, Mass.

A young man visits the temple to pray with his friends (in the background) who have taken temporary ordination during the funeral of their grandmother. Temporary ordination is taken in order to benefit the future lives of their grandmother.

Sanghikaram Wat Khmer, Lynn, Mass.

As a result of witnessing the killing fields in Cambodia, this former monk suffered a stroke and lost his ability to speak. Here he offers rice into the bowl of each monk, which is a ritual offering performed when somebody in the community dies. The tattoos on his arms are written in Hindi and Pali and were done with the belief that they would strengthen and protect his body from guns and bombs.

Sanghikaram Wat Khmer, Lynn, Mass.

A lay Buddhist listens and chants with monks during the Kathina ceremony.

Triratanaram Temple, North Chelmsford, Mass.

A teenage "novice" takes out the temple's trash after the Kathina ceremony.

Triratanaram Temple, North Chelmsford, Mass.

Ven. Thon So Paon receives many offerings from lay Buddhists during the Kathina ceremony.

Sanghikaram Wat Khmer, Lynn, Mass.

A young girl offers incense in front of an altar filled with representations of the Buddha's body speech and mind.

Sanghikaram Wat Khmer, Lynn, Mass.

A mother and her two daughters rise together after a long ceremony. Behind them are huge paintings that depict the life story of Shakyamuni Buddha.

Sanghikaram Wat Khmer, Lynn, Mass.

A nun from Cambodia prays.

Sanghikaram Wat Khmer, Lynn, Mass.

Ven. Tim Nhol, 70 years old, meditates inside his room.

Sanghikaram Wat Khmer, Lynn, Mass.

Nuns pray together at the temple.

Sanghikaram Wat Khmer, Lynn, Mass.

Lay Buddhists pray together at the temple.

Sanghikaram Wat Khmer, Lynn, Mass.

During Kathina, monks chant together.

Triratanaram Temple, North Chelmsford, Mass.

During a funeral service at a graveyard in Lynn, Mass., senior monks join temporarily ordained young men while circling the coffin of their recently deceased grandmother in a clockwise direction.

Members of the Cambodian community carry a coffin during a funeral service in Lynn, Mass.

Monks chant during a funeral service in Lynn, Mass.

Monks chant while the casket is lowered into the ground at a graveyard in Lynn, Mass.

After the Kathina ceremony, a teenage "novice" takes out the temple's trash.

Triratanaram Temple, North Chelmsford, Mass

A woman offers incense.

Sanghikaram Wat Khmer, Lynn, Mass.

A father looks after his napping daughter at the end of a long service.

Sanghikaram Wat Khmer, Lynn, Mass.

A lay Buddhist practices his drumming for the Kathina ceremony.

Sanghikaram Wat Khmer, Lynn, Mass.

Young women look into the temple while wearing beautiful festive dresses.

Sanghikaram Wat Khmer, Lynn, Mass.

Lay people dance and carry offerings during the Kathina ceremony.

Sanghikaram Wat Khmer, Lynn, Mass.

A lay Buddhist carries offerings of towels and robes on top of her head during the Kathina ceremony.

Sanghikaram Wat Khmer, Lynn, Mass.

Lay people carry offerings during the Kathina ceremony.

Sanghikaram Wat Khmer, Lynn, Mass.

Children offer incense together.

Sanghikaram Wat Khmer, Lynn, Mass.

Ven. Polhi Podhi describes the life story of Shakyamuni Buddha.

Sanghikaram Wat Khmer, Lynn, Mass.

A lay Buddhist practices his drumming for the Kathina ceremony.

Sanghikaram Wat Khmer, Lynn, Mass.

Ven. Polhi Podhi describes the life story of Shakyamuni Buddha.

Sanghikaram Wat Khmer, Lynn, Mass.

Monks at the temple crafted this and other Buddha statues. The hand gesture symbolizes stopping war and gaining peace for every sentient being and every nation.

Triratanaram Temple, North Chelmsford, Mass.

Ven. Sang Yan looks on with dignity after the Kathina ceremony.

Triratanaram Temple, North Chelmsford, Mass

Inside the temple, Buddha statues and a silver stupa are adorned with electronic lights and decorations from Cambodia. A stupa is a symbol of the Buddha's enlightenment which is often filled with holy objects such as statues, texts, and relics from Shakyamuni Buddha's body.

Sanghikaram Wat Khmer, Lynn, Mass.

A lay Buddhist who has taken temporary ordination, holds a picture of his grandmother during her funeral in Lynn, Mass.

A lay Buddhist holds offerings for the Kathina ceremony.

Sanghikaram Wat Khmer, Lynn, Mass.

A painting of Shakyamuni Buddha is adorned with electric lights on the lotus and a spinning kaleidoscopic wheel behind the Buddha's head.

Sanghikaram Wat Khmer, Lynn, Mass.

Participants circle the temple together during the Kathina ceremony.

Sanghikaram Wat Khmer, Lynn, Mass.