Splitting A Bagel With Buddha In New York

By mattfriedinNY | updated 26 days ago

Inner peace and New York City can sound about relevant as Axl Rose reuniting with the original Guns N Roses. But it is possible... trying (sometimes), but possible. I first became interested in Buddhism before I left for college. Though I spent my early twenties often flip-flopping between Enlightenment and, uh, being a college student, I finally decided to make a decent go of it in 2008. Consider this an open invitation down one path of enlightenment. You can take, or leave anything you want from this guide - just don't expect me to buy you lunch.

Mahayana Temple Buddhist Association

133 Canal Street 1, New York, NY 10002

For a temple so large and ornate, it is surprisingly tranquil inside. A one dollar donation gets you a parchment with a passage from the Buddha. Feel free to wander the main prayer hall, but just remember: silence is golden here.

Guan Gong Temple

294 Broome Street, New York, NY 10002

There are a few things to know about Guan Gong: the word “humble” does not properly describe it, English is not the first language there, and the staff is very warm and friendly. What seemingly looks like a run-down shop is actually a makeshift temple. The one day I came across it, I was wearing my prayer beads. Immediately, I was greeted with courtesy and instructed the proper way to pray. Though they could see I was little bewildered, they were very kind.

Grace Gratitude Buddhist Temple

48 East Broadway, New York, NY 10038

One of the oldest Buddhist temples in the city, Grace Gratitude is located on the other side of the Manhattan Bridge from the Mahayana Temple. Starker and simpler, think of it as the no-frills place of worship for Chinatown’s Buddhist community.

Zen Center Village Zendo

588 Broadway, New York, NY 10012

Home to New York Zen Buddhism, be prepped. Zen is a very intense school of Buddhism, dependent strongly on meditation and understanding the truth in the universe. Enlightenment comes with deep concentration… and a lot of water.

Transcending The Noisy Streets

Meditation is meant to clear and focus the mind. Some times, you can find very profound moments in stillness; others, you get to listen to birds chirping – it’s all good. The point is to keep your mind open and focused on one single point. In Buddhism, the mantra to chant during meditation is “Om Mani Padme Hum.” It focuses the mind and asks for protection from suffering; not just for yourself, but the world at large.

The Dharma is the teachings of the Buddha. Though founded in spiritual revelation and a certain degree of common sense, being able to practice the Dharma successfully can take years of concentration and focus. It’s not meant as a slight, but Western Thought (plus being in the largest city in the world) isn’t necessarily conducive to inner peace and well-being. Founded on the Eightfold Path, the Dharma breaks down into eight categories: Right Thought, Right Speech, Right View, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration. All of these qualities are believed to lead a sentient being to Enlightenment and, eventually, Nirvana. As a good starting point, every one of them is founded on the act of compassion, not towards others, but the self. In other words, even the universe wants you to cut yourself a break.

Chakrasambara Buddhist Center

322 8th Ave, New York, NY 10001

Classes are held at Chakrasambara every Monday and Thursday evening. Be prepared for some lengthy meditation, but a very lively lecture that gives modern context to the Dharma. Plus, there’s free tea and cookies at the end.

New York seems like a pretty weird place to start looking for compassion. After all, this is the city that takes pride in twenty-six World Series Championships. But when someone like, say, The Dalai Lama, talks about compassion towards the self before anyone else, that is where the search really begins. A central tenet of Buddhism is that when the self is enabled to help others, then others are inspired to help others – thus leading to true changes in the world. A place I like to start at often is clearing my head of fault towards myself; life is meant to be a learning experience, is it not? Second, I actively try to smile and greet anyone I meet on a day-to-day basis: a bank teller, a friend, the guy making my burrito at Chipotle. You would be surprised how far a simple question like “How are you today?” will go.