Staten Island Buddhist Vihara

In order to get a sense of what Sri Lankan spiritual life is like, I visited the Staten Island Buddhist Vihara, located at 115 John Street, Staten Island. Outside the Vihara was a garden featuring two statues. The statues were the same, a woman holding a jar in one hand, with a child at her feet. The amazing thing about the woman and the child is that they are both mildly overweight. In Western culture, we always portray our deities, our heroes, and ourselves in an ideal light, which is to us a fit body. I’m sure that this cultural difference would confuse many Americans.

Also outside the Vihara were candles, many plants, and a stone piece in front of the door that had a very interesting design. With lions, horses, and elephants on this door mat-type piece of stone, perhaps it had some astrological or symbolic meaning. Lights and chimes were present in the small garden and on the house, something that is probably an American modification to the typical Vihara. One of the very strange things about the Vihara is that there were no signs or advertisements outside or inside the building. Almost every religious institution in America today is graced with a huge sign outside their church, mosque, or temple.

The Vihara looked like a regular house, not a temple or something that would indicate it was Sri Lankan. Inside, the monks explained that this is an Americanized version of what a typical Buddhist monastery would be. In Sri Lanka, their Vihara would look more like a typical church. Another interesting fact is that the monks considered the area outside the house with the statues as a spiritually significant place. In our churches, synagogues, and mosques, it is only the areas inside the building that are considered important, not the outside.

Inside the Vihara was a giant room with a red rug. Contained in the room was a tremendous statue of the Buddha. This is where about 400 Buddhist families who live on Staten Island will go and meditate. One cannot go onto the rug with shoes, so all visitors must take off their shoes before entering. Compared to a typical American religious house of worship, the Vihara felt more comforting and personal. This is not only a result of the Staten Island Vihara being inside a small house, it is also a result of the simplistic style of the Vihara.
The monks were wearing orange robes, as is customary, and were extremely nice. The entire experience was dramatically different than the typical American religious experience. Simplicity was the theme of the Vihara, something that really goes against the entire American culture. In a culture where we are constantly racing around to fulfill various tasks, a place to simply sit and meditate is a fascinating thing to see. It’s safe to say that the inhabitants of the Vihara are living a counter-culture.

As it is a country that is 70% Buddhist, visiting a Vihara like the one on John Street tells a lot about the people of Sri Lanka. By visiting the Vihara, I got a feel of what it is like for Buddhist Sri Lankans to practice their spiritual life, even if this Vihara has been Americanized. Perhaps our culture can learn from the Buddhists and take more time to reflect and meditate on our own lives.