Zu Lai Temple, the first branch in South America of the Taiwanese Buddhist community Fo Guang Shan, has received praise from local residents for imparting the Buddhist teachings to followers and the curious in Brazil. Located in the municipality of Cotia, about 29 kilometers from Sao Paulo, the temple is also a popular tourist destination.
“People come here and they fall in love. Or sometimes, they arrive crying and leave smiling,” said Venerable Miao You, the abbess of Zu Lai, who is originally from Malaysia. “The building serves a function; it calms the mind.” (The World)
Zu Lai Temple, founded in April 1992, came to be when Master Hsing Yun was invited to Sao Paulo to deliver a Dharma talk. The profound impact of this talk on an audience member, the late Chang Sheng Kai, led him to offer his villa in Cotia to Master Hsing Yun, which subsequently became the first Fo Guang Shan temple in South America. The temple underwent significant expansion in 2003.*
Spanning more than 150,000 square meters, Zu Lai Temple is situated on a hill, surrounded by beautiful bamboo gardens and a serene lake. Its interior features white walls and black pillars, decorated with numerous red lanterns.
In addition to its natural beauty and spiritual offerings, the temple hosts a cultural program of ceremonies and festivities throughout the year.
“We spread the word about Buddhism through cultural events. We cultivate talent through education. We benefit society through social programs,” said Ven. You. “And we purify the mind through religious practice. We don’t offer just noodles, but a whole feast.” (The World)
The temple is also attractive for families and individuals seeking a peaceful retreat. Its tea house and weekend vegetarian buffet have received accolades on TripAdvisor.
Zu Lai Temple is ranked among the top 10 religious destinations in Brazil and has received multiple awards from TripAdvisor since 2014, where it is rated as the number-one tourist site in Cotia.
Religion professor at the Pontifícia Universidade Católica of São Paulo, Frank Usarski, noted that the temple’s impressive architecture had attracted many to Buddhism. “If you look at Tripadvisor, you will find Zu Lai. That gigantic, impressive building can convince people who, for example, want to practice Buddhism as an instrument to succeed in today’s world,” Prof. Usarski remarked. (The World)
According to The World news website, there are about 250,000 Buddhists in Brazil—a small number compaered with the country’s population of more than 220 million, yet this community is rapidly growing.
Prof. Usarski pointed out that Buddhism had not expanded significantly as a formal religion in Brazil; instead, many Brazilians engaged in informal practices: “They do it to enrich their personal lives. It’s like a spiritual spa. That means Buddhism is much stronger here than what the official statistics show.” (The World)
Lucas Chagas, an environmental engineer who converted Buddhism about a decade ago, explained that he found Buddhism appealing because of its complex yet fundamentally simple nature.
“It speaks about the essence of life,” Chagas said. “We live a lot based on appearances, and Buddhism calls us to look at the reality of things.” (The World)
* Zu Lai Temple: The Largest Buddhist Temple in South America (BDG)
See more
What South America’s largest Buddhist temple says about the religion’s growing influence in Brazil (The World)
Brazil Zu Lai Temple wins TripAdvisor again (Life News Agency)
Top 10 religious tourism destinations in Brazil (Tourism Review News)
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