When you ask the residents of Carmel, NY what some of the defining characteristics of their hometown are, one might answer watershed area for New York City, beautiful scenery, and/or home to the late Captain Lou Albano. I can assure you, however, that the location of the largest Buddha statue in the Western Hemisphere does not even make it on the radar for most locals. Having attended Carmel High School, I was shocked to only learn of this statue and the Chaung Yen Monastery (CYM) that it calls home during my summer break before my senior year of college. I am not sure why this place is not more well-known; I guess religious establishments, especially those entrenched in sacred Buddhist philosophies, don’t really tend to advertise.

Under the direction of the Buddhist Association of the United States (BAUS), the Chaung Yen Monastery is a Pure Land Buddhist monastery with free admittance to anyone who chooses to visit. You can tell that there is a different energy the moment you pull up the very long and unpaved driveway. Everything on the property is done and cared for by the residents of the monastery–from the groundskeeping, to the cultivation of food crops, to even the construction of buildings and internal infrastructure. Interestingly, it seems that the bulldozer and the other construction equipment (which are stored in a small clearing in the woods along the side of the driveway) are from circa 1975.

Once you park the car, the most logical direction to walk seems to be up a quarter-mile inclined path lined on both sides with magnificent statues (all littered with loose change). At its top are two bell towers standing at the base of the Great Buddha Hall. Following the traditional architecture of the Tang Dynasty, this building is definitely the most visited building on the property (well, maybe tied with the cafeteria). This is because this is where the 37-foot statue of Buddha Vairocana lives. This is not the only impressive feature inside this beautiful structure; the huge statue is only but one piece of the spectacular artwork. Surrounding the great Buddha are 10,000 miniature Buddha statues as well as twelve bas-relief paintings of the Bodhisattvas–states of dedication and compassion leading to pure enlightenment. This is an active place of worship and one must be respectful while inside (obviously).

Although breathtaking, the Great Buddha Hall is not my favorite part of a visit to the CYM. Assuming I time my visit to fall between the hours of noon to 1 p.m. on a weekend (which is almost always the case), I indulge in the five-dollar vegetarian lunch served buffet style in the dining hall, also known as “Five Contemplation Hall.” It is named this in order to remind us to be mindful and grateful while eating–mindful in such a way that prevents us from liking or disliking certain dishes and grateful for the food being provided to us. It is quite apparent that I am far from achieving enlightenment since each dish is more delicious than the last (so much for letting go of attachments). The ingredients used are so fresh and the dishes are constructed masterfully. Now, this is from the standpoint of a westerner raised on steak and potatoes. I am sure that anyone raised in a traditional Asian household would likely compare the meals to what their grandmother made.

If you are traveling west on Route 301, be careful not to pass by the Chaung Yen Monastery on your right as the only signage demarcating the location of the driveway is a very small wooden sign intricately placed amongst the scenery along the roadside. But, because the CYM is located in a rural section of Putnam County that tends to be snow-laden for most of the winter, it is closed to visitors until March 31, 2010. However, I urge you to visit, especially during the warmer months. There are many more programs besides the vegetarian lunch including guided mediations, Dharma talks, and book discussions. For more information, check out www.baus.org.