How could I build my own shaolin temple in the USA

[joehaz100]

Hey Gene this one is for you and anyone else that can help me I would like to make a shaolin temple in the USA it would probely be in califronia.I would like to have at least 10 shaolin monks come from china and live at my temple. Also I would like to be able to let people train at the temple for free and I would really like to be able all the monks in the US come and be able to teach if they want. WHo would I ask for pramission to be able to build the temple thanks bye

[richard sloan]

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.

[norther practitioner]

Rich has taken a bond called correct and cashed it in.

OK, one, you'll need to buy a nice chunk of land and build a temple, or buy an existing building... I'm thinking in Cali, at a min. you are talking 400k to start right there. Then, you have to be able to get monks over here from China (and since I know you hang around doc's site, and assuming you actually read you should realize how hard that is). Then to call it Shaolin, you'll have to prob. donate a truck load more money to the Abbot. Then, you have to support all of these people, what does it take to house an inmate in Cali, prob. about 30-40k a year... figure on 30k/year for each person living there * say 20-30.....


so, good luck with the lotto buddy.

[joehaz100]

see I have a lawsuite aginst FORD for my moms death and IF i win i am going to give a lot to chirety and i would like to build my temple and be able to live my life at my temple with the monks.

[David Jamieson]

sorry to hear about your mom...

You are forming an image in your mind that when manifested into reality may be untrue and you may wind up disappointed.

Having said that, what you are proposing is a large undertaking and there is a great deal of relationship building involved over and above the purchase of land, the laying of the foundation,the building of the building, your own in depth study of buddhism and Shaolin, etc etc.

Don't kid yourself. It's a big task, so be prepared for all the letdowns that come with big tasks.

cheers

[joehaz100]

I am learning as much about buddhism as i can and about shaolin I was planing on makeing the temple in like 2-3years. Also if any one had any info on what you think should be in the temple,where the temple should be made in california, and whith monks do you people think i should invite to come to my temple?

[dwid]

If you're serious, I'd set your sights on building it in like 20 years or so. What's the rush. Go to shaolin. Do monastic study there and elsewhere. You're 16 years old. Live a little, or a lot, and then decide if this is still something you want.

[richard sloan]

living in a temple is no joke.

try it first.

you can't just "build" a temple...you have to have a very deep understanding of the philosophical tradition you are looking to support, and you need to find a spiritual master who also possesses that understanding, altars need to be positioned in certain configurations, halls need to be laid out a certain way, etc.

sorry to hear about your mom.

amitabha.

[mortal]

Just rent a big studio space on Broadway. lol

Just kidding Rich. That one was for you.

[richard sloan]

lol...

[GeneChing]

...I saw this thread last night and was going to reply, but then was called away. Afterwards, I had thought up this smarmy reply, something about repeating what joehaz100 originally said, but swapping shaolin monks for supermodels. I want to build a temple of supermodels. I would like to have at least 10 supermodels come from, I dunno, Australia, and live at my temple. Anyway, I didn't know about your mom and now I'm glad I know.

To be a Buddhist monk, you have to give up your family. You have to give up your possessions and attachments. Building a temple is a noble endevour, but what troubles me moreso than the $ sign that everyone else is telling you about, is that you kept calling it 'my temple' - there's a possessiveness implied that you need release. Now, my dear brother Dr. Russell didn't really build a 'temple', he built a school. They don't teach Buddhism there; they teach martial arts. My suggestion to you is to explore your buddhist studies at an established institution. If you win the settlement and want to donate it, donate it to a temple that is already established. If you are fixated on Shaolin, don't try to build your own temple, since that is a really difficult task, but find a temple that is already established that would be open to sponsoring a shaolin monk to come over.

[joehaz100]

hey Gene when I sasid my shaolin temple i ment the temple i was going to make not that it belongs to me and me alone it would be for any one who would like to come and learn shaolin kung fu ,buddhism,Qigong tai chi ,medationand stuff.see Gene the reason i would like to make a shaolin temple in California is because there is not one place on the west cost where there are shaoliin monks to teach real gong fuand chan buddhism.so i would really like to make a shaolin temple here if i can. Also where do you think I should put the temple in california? I would like to have it some where in in the woods like the redwoods but tell me where you think a good place for it??? thanks

[Brad]

If it's really going to be a Shaolin Temple and not your temple shouldn't you let Shaolin decide where it's going to be and all that? Why not just wait until the lawsuit is over then contact Shaolin and tell them you'd like to donate your money to the construction of a Shaolin Temple in California.

[GeneChing]

Temples aren't constructed before there is a following. Followers construct the temple. If you build a temple with no followers, you'll have an empty temple. Find the followers first. When you find out where they are, the location will be self evident, assuming it isn't there already. FWIW, there already are two Shaolin graudates teaching in the SF Bay Area (did you read my article Shaolin's Second Wave? And there has been talk of a SF Shaolin Temple project for years - read my Shaolin Temple in San Francisco piece, on stands now. I appreciate your desire to build this temple, but if you're serious, you'll do a little more research.

[joehaz100]

Ok i think i will just call the shaolin temple when the lawsuites done and tell them that i would like to pay for a shaolin temple to be made in california but first I need to know if who would join the temple .is that right Gene but what do you mean fallowers if i win the lawsuite and find out if i could have a branch shaolin temple in california would you help it out like put it in the magazine? So more people would know about it. see i would like it to be like the old shaolin temple where you could live there eat there and train there for free and i would like to be able to have people be able to become monks there and everything.