The current barn-temple, with visitors in the foreground.
Photos by: Minh Tam (Ted Fontaine), Venerable Thich Minh Tinh (Thay Kozen), temple members

Mt. Adams Buddhist Temple is replacing its 13-year-old temple building with a new one; to offer improved access and support to the people it serves.

The new temple is rising in Trout Lake, Washington, at the base of 12,000-foot Mt. Adams, a snow-capped volcano on the southern border of Washington state.

Construction of the pavilion as of the first week of December.

The existing temple has served the community well since 2008, when sangha members converted the second floor of a 110-year-old barn into a Buddhist temple. The current structure features floor-to-ceiling murals by local artist Ardis DeFreece, and a dizzying number of statues and artwork, each with a story to tell.

But the climb to the second floor is difficult for many.

“Accessibility is the primary reason we need a new building,” said Venerable Thich Minh Tinh (Thay Kozen), abbot of Mt. Adams Buddhist Temple. “The current temple, while beautiful, requires going upstairs which makes accessibility an issue for a number of our members and visitors.

“Buddha’s teachings tell us that everyone has the desire and the potential to find peace and happiness. Inclusivity and non-discrimination are core concepts in Buddhist teachings,” Kozen added. “Therefore, having a temple that is easy for everyone to access is very important. To that end we will continue to include our more distant friends via Zoom, so anyone in the world, no matter your faith, is welcome to join our meditation services.”

Statues awaiting their new home.

The new temple is rising in the northeast corner of the 23-acre property, facing Mt. Adams. The temple is designed so users will take in a spectacular view of the mountain, supporting the solemnity of Buddhist teachings.

“The temple will, in addition to the large windows facing Mount Adams, have a clerestory and large sliding-glass doors that open onto a porch,” said Ryan Sampson, a temple board member who has been helping with the design. “There will also be warm wood tones and light colors throughout the space. Finally, there will be a variety of shrines similar to what we have in the existing temple.”

The site is surrounded by the natural beauty of Trout Lake, which is between the Columbia River Gorge, a national scenic area, and Gifford Pinchot National Forest.

Vietnamese Lineage

Venerable Jeff Miles meditating by the pond, Mt. Adams in the background.

The Mount Adams Buddhist Temple is a Vietnamese lineage temple including both northern and southern Thien Buddhist traditions related to Chinese Chan and Japanese Zen. Our mission is to work toward the end of suffering, by providing meditation and dharma education, and support for our community.

We are a mixture of individuals from many religious backgrounds who practice meditation and follow the dharma. Our primary practices are meditation and metta (loving kindness).

Construction is underway

The temple is rising in three phases, with the first phase nearly done by the end of 2021. Phases two and three will follow once they are funded.

Trout Lake Abbey also runs a bed and breakfast.

The first phase features an outdoor covered pavilion, 40 feet square, with heated floors. The heated floors will enable spiritual and wellness groups that use our facilities, to host seated meditation services during a wider range of weather conditions.

The north and south sides of the pavilion feature large windows, with the north window facing Mt. Adams.  The east and west sides are partly comprised of translucent barn doors, which can be opened to provide fresh air.  

We started with the pavilion project thinking that its open-air aspect will help us ensure people’s safety under the constraints of the pandemic.

The second phase of the construction will be the new temple, immediately north of the pavilion.  The temple will feature large windows offering floor-to-ceiling views of Mt. Adams.

The labyrinth with Mt. Adams in the background.

The third phase of construction will include a commercial kitchen and community room. The community room, seating 75, will be available for dining, meetings and events.  This structure will be immediately south of the pavilion.

After the third phase is complete, the pavilion will be in the center with the temple to the north, the community room to the south.

Looking-forward plans include a pre-school building to engage youth, which is so important for the growth of Buddhism in the United States.

Sangha members and people from the local community are doing much of the work to keep costs down. Volunteers are always welcome.

When done the pavilion will offer an expansive view of Mt. Adams.

“Mt. Adams Buddhist Temple works hard to be open and welcoming to all. The new temple is a big part of our effort to be accessible to everyone,” said Reverend Scott See (Minh Tự). “Newcomers are welcomed with open arms, regardless of their faith. The welcoming, judgement-free atmosphere has led to steady growth of the sangha, and the silver lining of our times is that practitioners from all around the world can join services via Zoom.”

Ongoing fundraising efforts

We continue fundraising for the next two phases, and an anonymous donor is offering a matching grant of $100,000. Please do visit the temple to see construction underway.

Visiting Mt. Adams Buddhist Temple (virtually and in-person)

A statue of Avalokitesvara, representing compassion, with Mt. Adams in the background.

Mt. Adams Buddhist Temple is open for visitors (We observe CDC safety guidelines for the well-being and safety of all, and ask that visitors do the same.) Visitors to the temple will also find an on-site bed and breakfast, Trout Lake Abbey, which is closed now due to the pandemic. Check the Mt. Adams Temple website for changes in status.

The temple site includes a cloister with eight meditation huts welcoming people for overnight retreats. Also on site are a labyrinth a third of a mile long, meditation walkways, and hundreds of statues and art pieces all eager to share their stories with you.

And of course Ven, the resident canine teacher of joy and of living in the moment, is always available for you.

Also on the facility are a Druid sanctuary, a stonehenge, organic farming, and organic orchards.

Mt. Adams Buddhist Temple is a popular retreat venue for yoga, qi gong, meditation, and many other spiritual or wellness organizations. The new construction will double capacity.

Sitting meditation services are held Monday through Friday at 6:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., as well as Saturday at 9 a.m. (From 8:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. on Saturdays participants also are welcome to participate in a “check-in,” in which we share how our path is going and offer gratitude and metta.) 

The Zoom link is on the website, and the number is 509-395-2030. This is the same as the temple’s phone number to make it easy to remember. Please do sit with us sometime!

The temple is led by the abbot, Venerable Thich Minh Tinh (Thay Kozen).  Contact him at thaykozen@mtadamszen.org

Thay Kozen received transmission in the Vietnamese Rinzai Zen line of Thich Thien An and Thich An Giao. In addition he has studied in Japan with Nanrei Kabori Roshi and with Doki Suda Roshi, and in the U.S. with Soyu Matsuoka Roshi.

For a time Thay Kozen served as the Long Beach Zen Center’s administrative assistant, under the direction of Matsuoka Roshi.

It is at the requests of Matsuoka Roshi and Thich An Giao that Kozen teaches, and maintains the Mt. Adams Buddhist Temple.

Kozen is also supported by Saito Roshi from Japan, who has been a mentor, dear friend, and teacher. Saito Roshi and Kozen were both student priests over 40 years ago in southern Japan, where they worked and studied together at a large temple.