Where is Bodhi Center located? What does its landscape look like?

Bodhi Center is situated in Waller County.  It consists of 515 acres of land, eighty percent of which is forestland.  Its rolling hills and lush landscape is filled with various trees, wildflowers, birds, and small forest animals.  And the Rocky Creek and its many tributaries flow through the area.  The Center’s address is: 37979 FM2979, Hempstead, TX, 77445.  To get there: take Highway 290 heading northwest, turn right onto Highway 6 and drive toward the direction of College Station for about 6 miles, turn right onto FM 2979 and drive for about 3 mile, and you will be able to see the Center on your right.  

Why does Texas Buddhists Association want to set up Bodhi Center?

In building the Bodhi Center, Texas Buddhist Association (TBA) hopes to provide a place where the ideals of Buddhism can be

• Cultivate talents who both understand the ideals of Buddhism and practice them in real life

• Create a place to educate the next generation both spiritually and physically and to facilitate cultural exchange and understanding

• Create a place to benefit the general public through philanthropy, volunteering, and community work

• Create a Buddhism-based community where everyone benefits from each other’s mutual support in practicing Buddhism

What structures will the Bodhi Center have?

The hardware, or the main structures, of the Bodhi Center is based mainly on the above four goals.  Thus, the initial plans includes the following: Grand Buddha Hall, Meditation Hall, Meditation Retreat Forest, Buddhist Live-in Community Quarters, Administration Building, Buddhist College, Community Activities Building, Outdoor Activity and Camping Areas, Multimedia Publishing House, Zen Garden, Memorial Park, and Organic Garden.

What kinds of structures and functions will the first phase of Bodhi Center’s construction include?

Bodhi Center’s first phase of construction includes the following structures:

• Meditation Hall – for meditations, chanting, Dharma lectures, etc.

• Dining Hall – can also serve as lecture hall or activity center

• Memorial Hall – for memorial services

• Buddhist Live-in Quarters – for both reverends and guests

• Samadhi Forest – there will be small wood cabins for those interested in individual retreats

• Zen Garden – nature garden

• Camp Ground – for youth or family camping activities, also appropriate for various outdoor activities

• Forest Trails – quiet nature trails for relaxation

After the first phase of construction, what kind of activites will be held at Bodhi Center?

After the first phase of construction, Bodhi Center will be offering various activities, such as:

• Focus and relaxation – Zen meditation, yoga, tai chi, etc.

• Weekend activities – family activities and retreats (either group sponsored or self arranged)

• Counseling and advice – marriage & family issues, children & education issues, personal issues, etc.

• Lectures and classes – health, nutrition, cooking, interpersonal relations, communication techniques, etc.

• Samadhi forest retreats – individual retreats for up to 7 days

• Gardening – classes for planting flowers, fruits, and vegetables

• Camping– families, groups, and people of all ages are all welcomed

• Nature activities – bird watching, hiking, etc.

• Memorial Activities – memorializing loved ones

What are the principles in planning the Bodhi Center?

        Principles in planning the Bodhi Center:

1.    Promote Buddhism : Promote Buddhism based on the ideas of education, culture, and philanthropy.

2.    Develop an environment for learning Buddhism : Develop an environment where the clergy and the layman can live, learn, and develop together.

3.    Develop an environment that can hold different kinds of activities without interference: The buildings (e.g. administration building, audio/video lab) that hold more active activities and the ones (e.g. forest of Zen, hall of Zen) that hold quieter activities are separate from each other. These two different kinds of activities can be held simultaneously without interference.

4.    Protect natural landscape: Allow visitors to return to Mother Nature and develop and balance body and mind accordingly.

5.    Develop as needed: Bodhi Center’s long term development will be done step by step according appropriate needs and available resources.