Changemakers: Female Monks Challenging Cultural Norms In A Quiet Corner Of Texas

Forbes Lifestyle Travel Changemakers: Female Monks Challenging Cultural Norms In A Quiet Corner Of Texas Karthika Gupta Contributor Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. I am a tech professional turned travel journalist & photographer. Following Oct 30, 2023, 03:12pm EDT | Press play to listen to this article! Got it! Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Chua Hương Lam Temple in Pearland Texas www.

karthikagupta. com “‘Nam mô A Di Đà Phật’” (Homage to Amitabha Buddha) is a greeting you hear at Chua Huong Lam temple in Pearland, a suburb of Houston. A dozen Buddha statues and a large figure of Quan Am Tathagata, the bodhisattva (one who seeks awakening) of compassion in an open courtyard are the only indications that this is a religious institution.

A series of steps leads to the entrance where the sweet smell of incense and the melodious prayer chants can be heard. Chua Huong Lam is a temple run entirely by a group of Vietnamese nuns called “‘sư cô’”(sister). But what sets this temple apart is the seamless merge of traditional religious teachings with modern approaches to promoting Buddhism in the community.

Sư cô Ni Su Tinh Hao along with eight other nuns governs and manages Chua Huong Lam which supports a congregation of over one hundred families who gather here to pray, learn about their culture, and connect with each other. Vietnamese Nuns at the altar WWW. KARTHIKAGUPTA.

COM At first, a Vietnamese temple in Texas might seem out of place. But Houston has one of the largest immigrant populations in the country, second only to Los Angeles. And according to the Greater Houston Partnership report , it includes a vibrant Vietnamese community of over 95,000 people (2021).

All the sư côs in Chua Huong Lam got their official training in Vietnam at a very young age. Sư cô Ni Su Hao recollects her experience of meeting senior nuns at a temple in Vietnam at just 15 and immediately feeling a sense of belonging and inner peace. “I knew this is what I was meant to do with my life and worth all the sacrifices I need to make to get here,” says Sư cô Ni Su Hao.

Some of the other sisters joined the order much later in life due to varied life circumstances. But regardless of when they started, they all live based on the core philosophy of Buddhism, which centers around understanding the causes of human suffering and the path to liberation through ethical conduct, mental discipline, and wisdom. MORE FOR YOU Ivanka Trump Helped Her Dad Lie About His Net Worth Two Months Later Starfield Continued Performance Is Kind Of Unbelievable See Jupiter At Its Biggest And Best: The Night Sky This Week Temple altar WWW.

KARTHIKAGUPTA. COM Formally trained and ordained in Vietnam, the nuns spent years training locally before making their way to Houston. Many have lived in places like India, Taiwan, and Sri Lanka practicing the teachings of Buddha and serving the communities in these countries.

Sư cô Ni Su Hao herself was introduced to a head monk from a temple in California while she was in Taiwan who encouraged her to move to the US to start Chua Houng Lam in 2007 to support the community. Sư cô Ni Su Hao head nun at the temple WWW. KARTHIKAGUPTA.

COM “At that time, there was little residential or commercial development in this suburb. We had an acre of land and a small mobile home,” she explained. The nuns converted an existing stable into a temple and gradually expanded the complex until 2019.

“We did a lot of the work on our own taking on roles of architects, masons, and even carpenters to get the job done—something we wouldn’t have ever done back home,“ notes Sư cô Ni Su Hao. These nine nuns oversee all aspects of the temple, ranging from its maintenance and financial management to its long-term sustainability. While donations are always appreciated, they have implemented various programs and services to ensure the temple’s continued operation.

Throughout the year, they organize educational classes in religious studies, while also running a kitchen that offers homemade vegetarian food. The kitchen operates on an honor system, allowing both the congregation and visitors to access food in exchange for a suggested donation. Temple grounds WWW.

KARTHIKAGUPTA. COM In addition to these initiatives, the nuns provide spiritual and emotional guidance through retreats, sermons, and programs designed specifically for the younger generation. Jennie Bui-McCoy, a first-generation Vietnamese American, attests to the value of these resources that aid people like her to navigate the unique challenges and pressures of growing up in a multicultural society.

She explains, “The nuns’ welcoming demeanor consistently draws me back to learn about my heritage and culture. Even their sermons possess a practicality that directly addresses the issues faced by the Vietnamese in our community. ” Moreover, the nuns also assist in funeral services, adhering to traditional Vietnamese customs.

On-site, they offer nokotsu-gongyo (inurnment) in a dedicated nokotsudo (building that includes niches for funeral urns), accompanied by daily prayer ceremonies. Nuns at the Nokotsudo (funeral services). WWW.

KARTHIKAGUPTA. COM Personal and material sacrifices are quite common in Buddhism. Most nuns and monks not only give up family, friends, and home but also let go of their hair and adorn simple yellow, brown, or blue robes.

Technology and connection with the outside world are highly discouraged. But Sư cô Ni Su Hao is practical when it comes to interacting with the community. One of her nuns is a pharmacist who works in a hospital and drives a car while other nuns have phones—both are unheard of in a traditional temple.

But she believes in meeting people where they are. “I want us to be a part of the neighborhood we serve. It isn’t always practical to expect them to come to us.

Sometimes we need to go to them,” she adds. A modern mindset indeed. Nuns with members of the congregation at the temple WWW.

KARTHIKAGUPTA. COM Sư cô Ni Su Hao also remarks that while she is the main decision-maker for the temple, she interacts with nuns and monks from other temples when needed. “We exchange ideas and invite each other to participate in prayer and community activities fostering further outreach and integration.

” Yet another way, Chua Huong Lam does things a little differently. It is a true collective working towards spreading the message of Buddha to all those who need, and more importantly, want to hear it. The nuns even venture into the greater Houston area to offer prayer, especially in times of suffering.

“When people see us in our traditional robes they know we are there to help even if it is just by way of prayer,” she notes. “There are no language barriers when it comes to faith. It is a matter of the heart and the mind.

” Chua Hương Lam Vietnamese Temple WWW. KARTHIKAGUPTA. COM And I couldn’t agree more.

Even though I am not Vietnamese or Buddhist, I found many similarities in the emotional state of my mind, much like when I visit a Hindu temple. Whether it was the serene presence of the nuns, the gentle chants that filled the air, or the sweet smell of incense, Chua Huong Lam offered me exactly what I sought—a way to connect with my own humanity and a profound sense of belonging to something much larger than me. Chua Huong Lam temple in Pearland Texas is open to the public of all faiths for prayer, service and meditation.

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