WAT ALASKA YANNA VARARAM

Pictures of revered teachers, places, rupas, temples, bhikkhus, shrine rooms etc. that bring inspiration to our members. Pilgrimage advice, devotion etc.
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Raga Mala
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WAT ALASKA YANNA VARARAM

Post by Raga Mala »

A few shots of my Temple, Wat Alaska Yanna Vararam, a Dhammayut Thai Temple in Anchorage, Alaska.
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The main Meditation Hall.
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The Buddha was "consecrated" from Thailand in the presence of our Abbott and various Dhammayut-order higher-ups and then shipped to Anchorage.
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The Buddha statue with Ven. Ananda and Ven. Sariputta attending.
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Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma-sambuddhassa!
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The big man
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Buddha's face, close-up
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This altar next to the statue is covered every inch by more buddha statues and status of some thai saints.
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Buddha statues stuffed into every corner of the altar
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Acariya relics.
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Buddha statues
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Multitudinous flowers at the foot of the big Buddha
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More flowers
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A texture-painting of the Tathagata
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Buddha wall sculpture
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The top row of paintings depicts the life of the Buddha. The bottom, the life of Acariya Malai^
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Life of Buddha, cont'd
Life of Ven. Malai, cont'd^
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Wheel of life tapestry^
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The kitchen^
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Gongs^
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Monks' eating-place^
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Where the monks sit during blessings^
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The Thai edition of the Tipitaka
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English Tipitaka cabinet
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The almsbowls
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Future design of the Temple
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Calendar. The photo is from the year of the Temple's dedication, when the Dhammyut Order abroad held its meeting at Wat Alaska.
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Parinibbana Mudra statuette hangs above the exit
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The sign facing the street
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Sign
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Sign from teh other side, with shrubs.
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South face of the building
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South face
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South face
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Flowers (still holding on to life in mid-September)
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The front entrance
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South face
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Ajaan Surachai
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Phramaha Boonet Baukhai - The Abbott
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Ajaan Niran
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Me and Ajaan Niran
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Ajaan Niran
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Ajaan Niran w/ the Buddha
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Ajaan Boonet, cleaning a coffeemaker
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Ajaan Surachai, teaching Thai
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Ajaan Surachai teaching
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Ajaan Surachai
Last edited by Raga Mala on Sat Oct 03, 2009 12:55 am, edited 1 time in total.
"It is easier to shout 'STOP!' than to do it." -Treebeard
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retrofuturist
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Re: WAT ALASKA YANNA VARARAM

Post by retrofuturist »

Great set of photos Raga Mala!

Thanks for sharing and nice to see you here by the way.

Metta,
Retro. :)
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
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appicchato
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Re: WAT ALASKA YANNA VARARAM

Post by appicchato »

Raga Mala wrote:Image
The Buddha statue with Ven. Ananda and Ven. Sariputta attending.
Minor point although it's more likely Moggallana (MN 108), not Ananda...
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jcsuperstar
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Re: WAT ALASKA YANNA VARARAM

Post by jcsuperstar »

haha i was gonna post that it wasnt ananda too!

anyways, justin have you seen the old buddha from the temple? it's that huge buddha at mermaids, some thai woman gave it to the temple, but had a falling out with the monks, got mad and took her buddha back!! now it sits in the store over on dimond. haha

somewhere i have a picture of me chanting with my old roshi, and my giving a dharma talk at wat yan from way back when i was a zen guy
สัพเพ สัตตา สุขีตา โหนตุ

the mountain may be heavy in and of itself, but if you're not trying to carry it it's not heavy to you- Ajaan Suwat
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Raga Mala
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Re: WAT ALASKA YANNA VARARAM

Post by Raga Mala »

appicchato wrote: Minor point although it's more likely Moggallana (MN 108), not Ananda...
Thank you for this correction!

JC...I never heard that story. Some of the women at the Temple can definitely get contentious, I've noticed. Especially when a pujja day is coming up, the women swarm the Temple and sturm-and-drang the place up. The monks never seem to lose their cool, though!
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Ben
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Re: WAT ALASKA YANNA VARARAM

Post by Ben »

Hi Justin
Thanks for sharing. They're great photos and you are, indeed, fortunate to have easy access to members of the sangha.
I wonder, how do the Thai monks fare with the Alaskan winters?
kind regards

Ben
“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.”
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in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
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jcsuperstar
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Re: WAT ALASKA YANNA VARARAM

Post by jcsuperstar »

here ben ill show you, it's mostly just hats and long johns
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สัพเพ สัตตา สุขีตา โหนตุ

the mountain may be heavy in and of itself, but if you're not trying to carry it it's not heavy to you- Ajaan Suwat
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Raga Mala
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Re: WAT ALASKA YANNA VARARAM

Post by Raga Mala »

Nice shots, JC!
I never knew you actually made the acquaintance of Ajaan Dr. Lertsak when he was in town. Cool!
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Re: WAT ALASKA YANNA VARARAM

Post by jcsuperstar »

last year i was living at wat dhammabhavana for some time so i did a lot with the monks of all 3 temples. i was always surprized to never see you on holidays when we'd go to your wat.
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สัพเพ สัตตา สุขีตา โหนตุ

the mountain may be heavy in and of itself, but if you're not trying to carry it it's not heavy to you- Ajaan Suwat
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Raga Mala
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Re: WAT ALASKA YANNA VARARAM

Post by Raga Mala »

Yeah, last year my attendance was pretty shabby. Or probably last year and a half. My practice and general dhamma involvement were down, sadly (for additional evidence, note I completely disappeared from E-Sangha during that period).

Also, I'm not very good at going to Temple on Pujja days and such like. I go when I find time but I hardly ever plan to be there for specific events. I'm getting better about this, though!
"It is easier to shout 'STOP!' than to do it." -Treebeard
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retrofuturist
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Re: WAT ALASKA YANNA VARARAM

Post by retrofuturist »

I still love that pic Xmas JC... thanks for sharing again.

Metta,
Retro. :)
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
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