soc 10 project

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Soc-10 GROUP CULTURE PROJECTBUDDIST TEMPLE OF
AMERICA(ONTARIO)
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Learning About Meditation ?
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GROUP MEMBERS

• Michelle Tuthill
• Leticia Hernandez
• Charles Luong
• Catherine Hernandez
• Linda Varela

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Introduction

• For our culture project we decided to visit the
  Buddhist temple of America in Ontario ,CA. All of
  joined together because we all were fascinated by
  Buddhism and none of us really had an
  understanding of what being a Buddhist really
  meant. It was an excellent opportunity to utilize
  what we have learned in Sociology and apply it.
  Though I know without a doubt that we will
  experience some sort of culture shock, I hope
  that everyone will look keenly at the Values
  (group conceptions of the relative desirability
  of things) of Buddhism and with our newly
  acquired sociological lens exercise Cultural
  relativity.

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Cultural terms

• This is an overview of the cultural terms we have
  used in this presentaion

1.Non-Material culture-. Nonmaterial culture is
made up of intangible things which can be divided
into five basic categories symbols, language,
norms, values and beliefs. .( page 95 in
practical skeptic) 2.Culture is the set of ideas
and things handed down from generation to
generation in a particular group or society.(
page 95 in practical skeptic) 3.Beliefs
confidence faith trust (Prof. Lynn put it as
"Mental acceptance of and conviction in the
truth, actuality, or validity of
something.)(dictionary.com) 4.Cultural
Relativity Involves evaluating another group or
culture by its own standards and not by the
standards of ones own group or culture. Unlike
ethnocentrism, it is a learned skill. (pg. 38)
The Martians Guide to Sociology By Professor
Lynn Navarette 5.Language -Is made up of certain
kinds of symbols (spoken or written words and
gestures) and rules (such as grammar and syntax)
for using these.?"The Practical Skeptic" by Lisa
J. McIntyre. Page 97 6..Values - are group
conceptions of the relative desirability of
things.(www.sociologyguide.com)
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Michelle Tuthill

• Culture is the set of ideas and things handed
  down from generation to generation in a
  particular group or society, (The Practical
  Skeptic, 95).Culture has both material and
  nonmaterial distinctive. Nonmaterial culture is
  made up of intangible things which can be divided
  into five basic categories symbols, language,
  norms, values and beliefs. In my visit to the
  Buddhist Temple of America each of these
  categories were ascertained. In the Buddhist
  practice there are statues of Buddha that
  symbolizes the creator of Buddhism as well as
  lotus flowers. The Buddhas are seen all around
  the temples, especially in the Bot and the
  Jedee. The Bot, pronounced,boat is where
  monks and others mediate and chant. The Jedee is
  a place to chant but also where Thai Buddhist go
  to pray to dead relatives.

Michelle inside bot
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Michelle pt 2

• Buddhist language is represented mainly through
  gestures, clasped hands when greeting others or
  folded legs as when in chant. In their chatting
  there is a verbal language that can often be
  described as pali, the native chant tongue of
  their ancestors. There is a norm of removing
  ones shoes prior to entering a temple or Bot it
  shows respect. All monks must wear a gown like
  robe which is identical to each other. As with
  these norms there is a taboo against harming any
  life form. Buddhist value their life and not the
  things of a material nature. There belief is
  really a philosophy of human suffering and how to
  end it.
• I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to the temple as an
  observer of the monks and even lay people who
  attended mediation and morning brunch. I found
  that even as cultures different from one to the
  other the common strand in them all is unity.

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Leticia Hernandez

•  
• My Term Cultural Relativity
• When I visited the Buddhist Temple of America
  (Thai) in Ontario Ca ,I did not know what to
  expect when I first arrived at the temple in
  Ontario. I really did not know much about
  Buddhist, and at first was not very interested.
  When I drove through the gates at the temple, I
  first saw the sign Buddhist Temple of America,
  Ontario Ca, and thought to myself, America? I
  entered very puzzled to why it had the word
  America on the sign when it is a Thai Buddhist
  place. Once I entered, and walked around before I
  saw anyone, I felt the place to be extremely
  quiet, and so peaceful. I first came to an empty
  courtyard with seating areas, and trees. I notice
  the writing on the walls to be in a different
  language, and statues I believe to be Buddha.
  While I was just standing in the middle of the
  courtyard, I was not sure where I was, what
  religion this is, and not knowing what to expect.

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Leticia pt 2

• Once my group arrived, and we met with a man name
  Rich, a Caucasian man who was studying to be a
  monk himself. He took our group on a tour of the
  temple, and explain what everything we saw meant.
  We started at the courtyard of the temple, and
  sat were Rich explained to us what is done at
  this temple. After our conversation with Rich, I
  understood that this temple is not a worship of a
  god, but a devotional place for meditation. The
  sharing of merit and practice where one dedicates
  the goodness of ones life to benefit of all
  living beings. One is their own self at the
  temple, and is in harmony with variety of
  traditions, beliefs, and practices largely based
  on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama,
  who is commonly known as the Buddha, the awakened
  or enlightened teacher. After our conversation
  with Rich, we were introduced to one of their
  highest stationed monk who is a teacher there at
  the temple. He was very pleasant, and let us take
  a picture with him. It was interesting to learn
  the life, and values of a monk

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Leticia pt 3

• . To my understanding, a monk belief is the noble
  truth of the way of practice leading to the
  cessation of suffering, and follows the right
  views, right intention, right speech, right
  action, right livelihood, right effort, right
  mindfulness, and right concentration which are
  the Noble Eightfold Path of their beliefs. The
  Monks use meditation for discipline to provide
  mental stability that leads them for the purpose
  of living an ethical life in a positive way to
  future happiness. Then Rich lead us to the garden
  of the temple where he explained the place one
  can go and meditate. Just passing the garden,
  Rich brought us inside a building that was so
  beautiful in rich colors of gold, and reds. We
  went inside this small building which had many
  symbols. Rich explained this building was created
  for people can view an older tradition looking
  meditation room. The last building Rich took us
  was the Mediation building which is where people
  at certain times go in to chant, and meditate.

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Leticia pt 4

• We as a group were welcome by the monks in their
  chanting session, and meditation hour. I observed
  a female monk dressed differently from the male
  monks. The male monks wore an orange/brown
  colored robe type of clothing, and had no hair.
  The one female monk I saw also had no hair, but
  wore all white. I was told by Rich that she was a
  monk, but they have slightly different values.
  The female monks do not live with the male monks
  they have their own house across the street from
  the temple. I observed the monks chanting and
  reciting while kneeling towards a huge Buddha
  statue. It sounded very pleasant how they were
  all as one. Then we were shown how they meditate
  in silence, and with a dim light. The monks put
  on a CD in English with instruction on how to
  meditate. I felt very welcoming by the monks, and
  how sincere they were in showing us their values,
  ideas, and beliefs.

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Leticia pt 5

• Leaving the temple, I realized of my own
  ignorance on how I felt when I first arrived at
  the Buddhist temple. I left knowing what
  Buddhism is, and how it is not a religion. I also
  understand why the word America is in the title
  of the place, because anyone can become a
  Buddhist, and or a monk. The Temple is open to
  anyone who wants to learn, or understand
  Buddhism, and is not just for a specific ethnic
  group. Leaving the Buddhist Temple had me very
  interested in the way they just want peace in
  their lives. I have learned that participating in
  a life style is a form of cultural relativity,
  because I used a technique for understanding the
  various ways in which these people explain their
  values, and their customs without judgment. I had
  an immense experience in visiting the Buddhist
  Temple of America in Ontario Ca.
•  
•  

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Linda Varela

• At our trip to the Buddhist Temple of America, I
  learned many things about it. This
  experience opened my eyes to see Buddhist in a
  new way. I never really looked into other
  religions other then what I heard about them. One
  thing that I had no idea about was that Buddha is
  not their God, I always heard and saw that Buddha
  was the center of the religion and that was who
  buddhist worshipped. It turns out that Buddha was
  a prince who went on his own way and started of
  with buddhism and throughout the years head monks
  have been adding to that. They don't have a God,
  one self is their own God and each and every monk
  has their own beliefs, just like every other
  person in one religion has different beliefs.
  They might believe the same thing but until an
  ectantt, where they say that they agree with most
  of what their religion says but there's an
  exception to one. At the temple there are monks
  that believe on recarnation and there is one that
  believes and talks about God. It was really nice
  to know that this is a religion that in a way
  respects all other religions without making an
  comment, they let you speak your mind without
  interrupting you or letting you know that you
  are wrong and that you must believe them because
  it is what is right.

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Linda pt 2

• I've talked to other religions when they stop by
  at my parents house because nobody wants to
  answer the door and this is because they don't
  let you talk, all they want to say and MAKE you
  understand is that you are wrong and you must go
  to their services so you can see the real way to
  believe. Not everyone is like that but in a way
  it does get under your skin because no matter how
  hard you try to have a civilized conversation
  with them you just can't get a word in. It was
  nice learning about a new religion without anyone
  telling you that you are at the wrong religion,
  and I felt very welcomed. Their doors are open
  for anybody who would like to go without having a
  reason to go, for just wanting to walk around or
  sit in some silence away from the every day life.
  I hope to return when I have alot going on in my
  life, when I just want to go sit down relax and
  read a book without anyone wondering what is
  wrong with me. 

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Catherine hernandez

• It was interesting to visit the Buddhist Temple
  of America because it introduced the culture of
  non-material which has five categories symbols,
  language, norms, values, and beliefs (Skeptic
  96). I learned from visiting the Temple that
  their language, Thai, was different from my own
  language. Obviously, it would be different
  because it is a different culture from what I am
  used to, but I recognized that not only was their
  verbal language different than mine, their
  language in the form of gestures was something
  that was unknown to me. Gestures are a part of
  language as well (Skeptic 98). For example, the
  gesture of putting your hands together as I am
  used to doing when praying means something
  totally different to the monks at the Buddhist
  Temple. When the monks put their hands together
  and bow, they are showing a sign of respect to
  their Enlightened One.

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Works Cited

• 1. "The Practical Skeptic" by Lisa J. McIntyre.
  Page 97
• 2. The Martians Guide to Sociology By
  Professor Lynn Navarette
• 3.Dictionary.com
• 4. www.rosado.net/articles-relativism.html

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Summary

• Linda, Michelle, Catherine, and Leticia all wrote
  down a personal experience of they experienced.
  Everyone contributed photos of the trip. Charles
  wrote the introduction, summary, and with the
  help of the rest of the group members, put
  together this presentation. Everyone helped keep
  everyone else accountable .As a whole we all keep
  in extremely good contact with each other and was
  very supportive in helping anyone with a problem.
  Michelle kept in contact with the other group
  members and got some really detailed pictures.
  Linda, Catherine and Leticia organized this trip
  with directions, times, and even set up the
  appointment with the monks. Charles organized the
  pictures together and coordinated the project for
  presentation. Cultural relativity is the opposite
  of ethnocentrism. When using cultural relativity
  different societies or cultures are analyzed
  objectively without using the values of ones own
  culture to judge the worth of another. Through
  out our trip I believe all of us tried out best
  to exercise cultural relativity by learning and
  experiencing Buddhist culture without prejudging
  it based on our own culture.This trip and this
  assignment couldnt have gone any smoother Thank
  you guys!?