The finished pagoda garden, an homage to the Borobudur Temple in Indonesia.
Photos by: Phra Ajahn Vuttichai Chookaew, Sallie Odenthal

With extreme gratitude Oregon Ariyamagga Okasati Refuge has opened Ariyamagga Pagoda, a unique homage to the Borobudur Temple in Indonesia.

Foundation created for the pagoda garden.

Oregon Ariyamagga Okasati Refuge, also referred to as OAOR, is a Theravada Buddhist hermitage in the Thai forest tradition.  It was established in Sandy, Oregon, in early 2015 by students of Ajahn Jamnian Seelasettho. Sandy is about 30 miles east of Portland, near Mt. Hood.

Ariyamagga, the name of the pagoda, means the eightfold path. How wonderful and fortunate OAOR is to host such a beautiful representation of the Buddhist path.

What makes this pagoda unique in the world is the way the eightfold path is represented by the varied Buddha postures inside each of the eight pagodas, and by the tall standing Buddha in the center. The pagoda is a landmark for OAOR, and also represents the Triple Gem: Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha.

The pagodas delivered from Indonesia.

Each Buddha posture offers a different story, reflecting each of the eight directions. The Buddha opens the three worlds, enabling one to see the results of unwholesome and wholesome actions, speech, or thoughts as causes for suffering. The pagoda is a seed for change.

The pagoda garden is approximately 60 feet in diameter, and the standing Buddha is over 6 feet tall. In addition to the pagodas and standing Buddha, the garden includes four protectors, and a large standing vessel for ceremonial incense offerings.

The Ariyamagga Pagoda came together unexpectedly, since there were no plans for something like this at OAOR. Synchronicity and the dharma brought it into reality bit by bit.

Looking down upon the pagoda as the pieces were put in place.

In early 2019, more than 1,000 Indonesian people offered to OAOR a replica of part of the Borobudur Temple, the largest Buddhist monument in the world, as a way to honor their teacher Luang Por Jamnian.

The Borobudur Temple was built of stone between AD 780 and 840, as a place to pay homage to the Buddha and as a pilgrimage spot. The generous offering of pagodas to OAOR unites three cultures — Thai, Indonesian, and Western — and is dedicated to benefit everyone.

As the pagoda project first started evolving prior to the pandemic, Indonesian engineers and donors traveled to OAOR to visit the site. The engineers developed a design, and a master Indonesian lava stone carver started work using Indonesian stone. The pagodas are made of pieces that fit together like a puzzle, needing no adhesive.

Phrawoody and volunteers assemble a pagoda.

Meanwhile pagoda plans were adjusted and finalized by Ajahn Ngam in Thailand. He is the most senior monk under Luang Por Jamnian, and a master teacher for OAOR.

As work progressed in Indonesia, supporters of OAOR began preparing the Oregon site. A LOT of labor and gravel later, the site was ready to receive the shipment.

Once the carvings were completed, they were crated for shipment to the U.S. And what a shipment it was! Many crates weighed more than 2,000 pounds each, and the standing Buddha weighed more than 850 pounds.

Installation began early in 2020 as weather allowed. But the project has taken more than a year to complete, partly because the pandemic reduced fund raising and volunteers. The last steps were installing the final pavers for the upper tier, which are the last stones shipped from Indonesia.

Each pagoda piece was pre-fitted, and numbered, for easy assembly.

All of this was made possible by Oregon Ariyamagga Okasati Refuge’s 2017 purchase of just under 5 acres of property in Sandy, Oregon. The site includes an extremely modest residence for monastics at the lower end of the property, while the pagodas are on the hillside behind the residence.

Currently four monks live at Oregon Ariyamagga Okasati Refuge. Abbot and founder is Phra Ajahn Vuttichai Chookaew, who was encouraged by Ajahn Ngam to start the monastery.

Phra Ajahn Vuttichai Chookaew prefers to simply be called Phrawoody. He is a a native of Thailand, a senior student of Ajahn Jamnian, and a monk in the Thai forest tradition since 1995.

The finished pagoda garden at sunset.

Phrawoody came to the United States in 1999, and has taught meditation and dhamma in the U.S. since 2002.

The purpose of OAOR is to promote the teachings of the Buddha, to provide spiritual support and guidance to the lay community, and to be a place of refuge and residence for monastics. OAOR is a place where everyone, regardless of background or culture, can come together to learn, share and practice the Buddha’s middle way, and the noble eightfold path.

OAOR is open to visitors. If you are interested in visiting, please visit our website, oaor.org, for contact information.