Search Buddhist Channel
All Faiths Welcome At Buddhist Temple
by YOON BYUN, The Hartford Courant, September 1, 2007
New Hartford, Connecticut (USA) -- It's more still than it is quiet. You hear the occasional friction between cloth fibers when someone moves a body limb for circulation. Deep breaths, unsynchronized, come from every corner of the room. You can't think about your grocery list, your upcoming weekend or your day at work. You must empty your mind.
<< Sue Yen Sunim ("Sunim" is Korean for monk) walks around the pagoda with Greg Zbell, right, of Meriden and Sheila Ivain, far left. The temple attracts a diverse crowd of congregants of other eligions as well as Buddhists. Photo: YOON BYUN
Each Wednesday and Saturday, occasional seekers, temple members and Buddhists alike experience this healing meditation at Dae Yen Sa International Buddhist Temple in New Hartford. Tucked away down Kinsey Road off Route 202, the small road sign written in Korean and English is the only hint of the temple's 25-year existence - nine years on East Main Street in Torrington and 14 years at its current location.
Master Dae San Sunim ("sunim" is Korean for monk) came to Connecticut 35 years ago from Korea to build a temple. With the help of temples in New York and in Korea, Master Dae San purchased a spot in New Hartford and built one, with all the statues, pillows, robes and ornaments coming from Korea.
The membership today is about 400, mostly Korean who come from as far as New York, New Jersey and even Washington. But Dae Yeb Sa's purpose as an international temple is to reach a wider following, including people of many faiths.
"It helps me be a better Christian," says temple member Eduardo Barrios of Torrington. He attends Christian services but also comes to the temple to keep him "on the path of a middle way. [The teachings] are a good complement to each other. You can be a more compassionate individual."
The temple will host a Sacred Art Tour from Sept. 18 to 23, welcoming Tibetan Monks, and will feature talks, cultural ceremonies and a Mandala sand painting.
"You can be anything you want to be - you can be a Buddhist; you can be a Catholic; you can simply not be anything at all, or undecided," says Ivain. "You can just come to the temple and have the experience."
For more information, visit groups.msn.com/DaeYenSa.
Buddhist AI Chat Bot NORBU!
(Neural Operator for Responsible Buddhist Understanding)
For Malaysians and Singaporeans, please make your donation to the following account:
Account Name: Bodhi Vision
Account No:. 2122 00000 44661
Bank: RHB
The SWIFT/BIC code for RHB Bank Berhad is: RHBBMYKLXXX
Address: 11-15, Jalan SS 24/11, Taman Megah, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Phone: 603-9206 8118
Note: Please indicate your name in the payment slip. Thank you.
Dear Friends in the Dharma,
We seek your generous support to help us train NORBU, the word's first Buddhist AI Chat Bot.
Here are some ways you can contribute to this noble cause:
One-time Donation or Loan: A single contribution, regardless of its size, will go a long way in helping us reach our goal and make the Buddhist LLM a beacon of wisdom for all.
How will your donation / loan be used? Download the NORBU White Paper for details.
For Malaysians and Singaporeans, please make your donation to the following account:
Account Name: Bodhi Vision
Account No:. 2122 00000 44661
Bank: RHB
The SWIFT/BIC code for RHB Bank Berhad is: RHBBMYKLXXX
Address: 11-15, Jalan SS 24/11, Taman Megah, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Phone: 603-9206 8118
Note: Please indicate your purpose of payment (loan or donation) in the payment slip. Thank you.
Once payment is banked in, please send the payment slip via email to: editor@buddhistchannel.tv. Your donation/loan will be published and publicly acknowledged on the Buddhist Channel.
Spread the Word: Share this initiative with your friends, family and fellow Dharma enthusiasts. Join "Friends of Norbu" at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/norbuchatbot. Together, we can build a stronger community and create a positive impact on a global scale.
Volunteer: If you possess expertise in AI, natural language processing, Dharma knowledge in terms of Buddhist sutras in various languages or related fields, and wish to lend your skills, please contact us. Your knowledge and passion could be invaluable to our project's success.
Your support is part of a collective effort to preserve and disseminate the profound teachings of Buddhism. By contributing to the NORBU, you become a "virtual Bodhisattva" to make Buddhist wisdom more accessible to seekers worldwide.
Thank you for helping to make NORBU a wise and compassionate Buddhist Chatbot!
May you be blessed with inner peace and wisdom,
With deepest gratitude,
Kooi F. Lim
On behalf of The Buddhist Channel Team
Note: To date, we have received the following contributions for NORBU:
US$ 75 from Gary Gach (Loan)
US$ 50 from Chong Sim Keong
MYR 300 from Wilson Tee
MYR 500 from Lim Yan Pok
MYR 50 from Oon Yeoh
MYR 200 from Ooi Poh Tin
MYR 300 from Lai Swee Pin
MYR 100 from Ong Hooi Sian
MYR 1,000 from Fam Sin Nin
MYR 500 from Oh teik Bin
MYR 300 from Yeoh Ai Guat
MYR 300 from Yong Lily
MYR 50 from Bandar Utama Buddhist Society
MYR 1,000 from Chiam Swee Ann
MYR 1,000 from Lye Veei Chiew
MYR 1,000 from Por Yong Tong
MYR 80 from Lee Wai Yee
MYR 500 from Pek Chee Hen
MYR 300 from Hor Tuck Loon
MYR 1,000 from Wise Payments Malaysia Sdn Bhd
MYR 200 from Teo Yen Hua
MYR 500 from Ng Wee Keat
MYR 10,000 from Chang Quai Hung, Jackie (Loan)
MYR 10,000 from K. C. Lim & Agnes (Loan)
MYR 10,000 from Juin & Jooky Tan (Loan)
MYR 100 from Poh Boon Fong (on behalf of SXI Buddhist Students Society)
MYR 10,000 from Fam Shan-Shan (Loan)
MYR 10,000 from John Fam (Loan)
MYR 500 from Phang Cheng Kar
MYR 100 from Lee Suat Yee
MYR 500 from Teo Chwee Hoon (on behalf of Lai Siow Kee)
MYR 200 from Mak Yuen Chau
We express our deep gratitude for the support and generosity.
If you have any enquiries, please write to: editor@buddhistchannel.tv