Buddhist Groups Near Takoma Park
This list has only one pattern to it: the groups or temples appear to be geographically close to Takoma Park, MD, where I happen to live. The smallest organizations can change times & places fast– please check with a website other than this blog to find out if the temple/group/event still exists. If a group is not on the list, it means I didn’t find them on the internet. NB! if you can’t find them on first try, check for them on meetup, facebook and the website.
Do you need the cheat sheet for the various schools of Buddhism? Here is Wikipedia’s until I can write one.
In another blog post hope to map these various traditions on various axis (like orthodox? accepting diversity? achieved diversity? syncretic (mixes traditions & other religions)? not-syncretic? meditation focused? clear lay/priest/monk divisions? all lay-organization? socially engaged vs inwardly focused? skeptical or faith based? intellectual or not-intellectual? Americanized or transplanted unchanged?), but that so far is a much bigger task than just listing what is locally available. Keep in mind, if you are 100% new to Buddhism, you will want to review wall of them– if you are looking for one end of the spectrum or the other you can probably find both. Maybe if I have time, someday I will track down the secular mindfulness groups.
Modern Buddhism
Modern Buddhism the the name for all the types of Buddhism that have been influenced by the modern world, as opposed to groups that are essentially practicing the same thing that was practiced, say, 500 years go. At risk of oversimplifying 5 very specific and different modern traditions– they are more Americanized/Europeanized, less “religion-like” and more “philosophy-like”, more secular, more interested in picking the parts of Buddhism that are compatible with the parts of the modern world that we like– such as being socially engaged, rational (with respect to the fields of science), etc. *or* some subset of those qualities.
Some Zen groups… to be determined exactly which ones. DT Suzuki was essentially popularizing a “Modern Buddhism”, but it is really hard to tell which organizations are more DT Suzuki like and which are still fairly close to what they were 500 years ago.
- New Kadampa Tradition- Vajrayogini Buddhist Center – Adams Morgan, DC
American Vipassana Insight Meditation Community of Washington Many locations- Rockville, Bethesda, others
Shambhala Tradition (Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche) By Cleveland Park Metro Station
SGI-DC – DC Buddhist Culture Center by Dupont Station on the Red Line
SGI-MD – Maryland Center
Shinnyo-en This is a lay organization with roots in Japanese Shingon. … I really can’t tell if anything is happening in the DC area.
Nichiren
N.B. these are all similar but unrelated organizations (except the two SGI ones, they are both SGI).
Nichiren Shoshu – Myosenji Temple in Silver Spring
SGI-DC – DC Buddhist Culture Center by Dupont Station on the Red Line
SGI-MD – Maryland Center
Nipponzan Myhoji – Japanese Buddhist Temple
Zen/Chan/Won
Dharma Drum Mountain Taiwanese Chan – in Silver Springs and/or Culture Center of Taipei in Gaithersburg)
Ka Shin Zendo Genzo-Ji – They practice at the Presbyterian Church in Takoma Park
Still Water MPC Also at the TkPk Presbyterian – Tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh, locations in Silver Spring, Takoma Park, etc, etc.
Taego Washington Located in Oxon Hill Md. Korean Zen.
Won Rockville, Korean Tradition.
Atvatamsaka Vihara Chan- Chinese Tradition, Potomac Maryland.
Other Japanese, Shin, Judo-Shoshu, Shingon, Tendai, Etc
No Shingon temples in the DC area, AFAIK.
Shin – Ekoji (Fairfax County, VA) – Amida Buddhism
Tendai Great River Ekayana Sangha- Big emphasis on Lotus Sutra, was Arlington, now Alexandria (?) Double check locations.
Mahayana
Vietnamese Tradition: Giac Hoang Buddhist Temple – Chùa Giác Hoàng
Taiwanese Tradition: [Vajrayogini Buddhist Center](https://www.us.tzuchi.org/us/en/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1722&Itemid=447&lang=en>Tzu Chi Reston, VA… I think
Chinese Tradition: Temple of Cun Yum in Chinatown — no website! At one time this definitely was active, at the moment, I can’t find any other info about it.
Vajrayana
Tibetan –
- New Kadampa Tradition- <a href=) – Adams Morgan, DC
- Sakya Tradition (occasional events?)
- Shambhala Tradition (Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche) By Cleveland Park Metro Station
- Kagyu Tracition Kagyu Drupgyu Chodzong on Capitol Hill in DC
- Gelugpa/FPMT
Mongolian – Announcement of Mongolian Buddhist Society- Can’t tell if it’s currently active.
Russian/Kalmykian Tradition- Mahayana Sutra and Tantra Center of DC Meets in Fairfax, VA at the moment (Associated with a Kalmykian group centered in Washington, Penn)
Nepali Tradition – Byoma Kusuma
Shingon Tradition – None in DC area, AFAIK. See Shinnyo-en for possibilities.
Therevada-
Burmese Tradition: Mingalarama Vihara Silver Spring
Cambodian Tradition: Cambodian Buddhist Association Silver Spring
Thai Tradition Wat Thai DC in Silver Spring
Sri Lankan Tradition Washington Buddhist Vihara 16th St NW, DC
Sri Lankan Tradition International Buddhist Center In Wheaton
American Vipassana Insight Meditation Community of Washington Many locations- Rockville, Bethesda, others
Bangladeshi – not represented in DC area AFAIK
Lao Tradition: Wat Lao Buddhavong in Cattlet VA, 40 minute drive from DC
OTHER DIRECTORIES