When was the last time you went to eat lunch at a Buddhist temple? I went Monday, accompanied by Hooman and Malcolm, to the dining hall of the Buddha’s Light International Association. It is located in Richardson at 1111 International Parkway. From the outside you think you are at a normal 3 story office building. The only indication is the sign on the building that says “International Buddhist Progress Society”. Walk in the front door by the playground (there is a preschool for children inside) go up the elevator to the 2nd floor and you will find the dining hall.
They serve a buffet of all vegetarian dishes for only $6 per person. Additional donations are accepted in a large wooden donation box. In years past they had a big screen TV on with a Buddhist priest teaching. The last couple of times I’ve gone the TV has been off.
The food is always very good. There is a large pot holding white rice and two buffet tables holding a great variety of your favorite veggie recipes including: broccoli, tofu brown sauce (for the noodles), noodles, fried rice, spring roll (cabbage), a tasty seaweed, tofu dish, thin noodles (Hooman called them nano-noodles) – these are my personal favorite, fried balls (carrot, cabbage & potato) hot & sour soup, some veggie that I thought was sweet potato, but Malcolm said it is a type of gourd with green skin and grapes for dessert. There is also a nice black spicy sauce that is my kind of sauce (nice flavor and good kick). The menu does change often. Hooman, Malcolm what else did I miss?
The temple has been at this location since 1992 and has been serving food since 1994. They decided to serve food to provide a convenient place for their church goers to eat and experience good vegetarian food and for others to experience a meal where no animals had been killed. I received all this information from a lady who also served as a translator from one of the leaders there in the temple. She told us that a vegetarian meal is more peaceful (since no animals were killed). Another thing I learned while talking to her is that they do not serve garlic or onions either. Both can alter your mood and since in Buddhism you are trying to reach a state of peace you would not eat mood altering foods (garlic & onion) or meat (you have participated in killing a living creature). Interesting thoughts, maybe I need to start another blog related to philosophical and religious discussions (why do other animals eat animals… why do humans have many carnivorous biological features… is it wrong to kill mosquitoes who carry west Nile virus…why do we do evil things… who can help us and how), but that is for another day.
The hole in the wall factor is challenging for the Buddhist temple. As mentioned before the building looks like an office building and you would never know there is a restaurant there unless someone told you (that’s pretty ‘hole in the wall’ ish). The décor is next to nothing; a few Chinese character posters and then one wall with several posters and sayings. For example: “Relax and indulge yourself with vegetarian food and determine to be a noble person.” However, there is a lot of room and it is in a large 3 story building. So, taking all things into consideration, I will give it a 3 ‘holes in the wall’ rating.
The story rating is also challenging. It is not an official mom and pop restaurant. However, eating in a Buddhist temple is quite a story in and of itself. I will give it a 3 page rating (save the 4 & 5 page story rating for more interesting personal stories) since it is only one of the two Buddhist temples of the Buddha’s Light International variety in the country that serves food.
So, next time someone says lunch, tell them ‘have I got a place for you’ and take them to the Buddhist temple dining hall, my kind of place.
Fascinating! Thanks for taking the time to write these. Do you plan to add more photos of these places as time goes on? Would be great to see what they look like.
I haven’t been disciplined about taking my camera with me. I used my camera at Star of Siam and did not care for the results. We’ll see.
The first time I went to this place was about 1.5 years ago with my boss who is a vegetarian. I was totally fascinated by this place and remember calling it the Oasis. In the middle of an industrial place in Richardson where you see blocks of warehouses, you have the temple of light. Serene and simple.
But I must admitt that I have never left the temple unsatisfied.
I’m really a pseudo-vegetarian which means I eat meat because I want to get even with all the rascals who eat the green, peaceful and beautiful vegetables around us
Mark, I don’t know if the hole in the wall concept applies to the place though. Is it possible that some places simply don’t have holes,but get ‘pages’?
Good questions about a place not having a ‘hole in the wall’ rating. I am not sure. However, today I am leaning toward every place having a rating regardless of the challenge in assigning one.
Looking forward to this, on my next trip to Richardson.
Humans do not have any biological traits associated with carnivorism. However, we do have many associated with a plant based diet.
regards,
John
Hello John and welcome to EIHW. There are a couple of carnivore type traits – are eyes are centered for better hunting like carnivore animals and we have eye teeth for tearing into meat. Those are two. However, we also have some traits related to herbivores like our longer digestive system.
The Buddhist temple is very nice. I went there about two years ago with my professors and classmates in my religion class. We did not eat there but we did have tea in one of the rooms. It was quite an experience.
MT – join us next time and try out the food. Welcome to EIHW!
Thank you so much for letting us know about this vegetarian restaurant. I am vegetarian and while there are 2 places in Richardson that I am aware of it is nice to have another option. You can be sure I will try it out.
Hi, I discovered this page through Google’s search on the temple, so here’s a brief overview of the temple from a person who goes regularly.
A little about me, I’m an 18-year old undergraduate at UNT; I’ve been attending BLIA (Buddha’s Light International Association) since the age of 6 and still go regularly on Sundays and events.
Sad to say, many of you may have just missed a great carnival focused on the Buddha’s birthday and Mother’s day. It was a great carnival serving only vegetarian food, show(s) including a performance done by the YAD (Young Adult Division — teens 15-2x) and many games for kids (ie. a large bouncing tent; it was the one I was in charge of) and fun for the family. Estimated about 400-500 people, even the mayor and a few officials of Richardson came I believe. It was quite and event and I strongly encourage many vegetarian and others to come next year, even for the fun!
But yeah, back to the temple — There’s a fee for the food at the temple, but if you go to the chantings in the mornings, you can receive a certificate for a free entry to the buffet (although people donate anyway, it’s all from the goodness of one’s heart). There are many programs at the temple such as Chinese (mandarin) school for kids, yoga, YAD (Young adult division), etc. It’s great to be involved and to learn and experience the tranquil environment.
The cooks at the Temple are very, very good at making things. Today we had an appreciation event for the helpers of the Carnival we threw (which helped raise $18,000! Most going to the China Earthquake & Myanmar’s Cyclone help fund); but yeah, they can maneuver Tofu to make things such as burger patties, hotdogs, etc. with a near undetectable difference! Sadly, they don’t do it every Sunday due to the high cost of doing so
There is also a Tea room next to the Cafeteria – “Zen’s Delight.” Very good tea & other assortments/refreshments.
Anyway, that’s a brief text-based summary, for the real deal, you’ll just have to go and find out yourself
Any more questions about anything you’re welcome to e-mail me. (Please don’t mind my childish e-mail
)
I went eat there today.
It was great.
They do not allow cameras in the temple!
Hi John, and thanks for the good review of the temple in Richardson. I have been going there for 6 years now.
On the subject of humans having “carnivore traits”. People try to use the teeth argument a little too often. If you compare our teeth with any other carnivore you see drastic differences. Our canines do not protrude in a manner consistent with carnivores, and our nails do not grow or strengthen in a manner in comparison either. You can’t really infer that by having teeth that allow us to chew meat, that we were meant to. Reality is that our teeth and our nails(claws) would not enable us to take down a cow, bison, buffalo, etc….
More importantly, the major difference between humans and carnivores is that our digestive tract is VERY long which make us more comparable to a herbivore. Carnivores have very long digestive tracts which allows them to shed much of the waste and harmful byproducts of eating meat, such as harmful fats. This buildup of fats in the standard american diet is what lead to many of the diseases humans have that they simply would not if they stopped consuming meat.
All of that without even getting to the moral, ethical, or environmental costs of taking the lives of fellow animals.
I just realized after 6 months that I had typed that carnivores have long digestive tracts in my reply. Hopefully the context showed that I meant short.
Sorry, that last comment was for Mark, not John.