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May 14, 2023

Indianapolis Buddhist temple, sculpture garden call Raymond Park home

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It's tucked away so that most passersby wouldn't even know it's there. But on South Franklin Road in Indianapolis' Raymond Park neighborhood, hidden behind a house, is a Buddhist temple and sculpture garden.

The Phap An Temple made the eastside community home a few years ago. When they bought the football-field-sized lot, it was overgrown and full of brush, said Deborah Nguyen, a Temple member. But members worked to clear it out and turn it into something special.

On the outside, the Temple building itself is a simple structure shaped like a barn. The inside is a different story: it's vibrant, warm and welcoming.

Greeting visitors as they drive down the gravel entrance is a green Buddha statue standing more than 8 feet tall. The Buddha is sitting legs crossed, hands together in the statue's lap, and eyes closed: The meditation pose. There are five statues in total around the temple and garden, each a different pose.

The positions convey different meanings — such as overcoming fears, feeling protected, finding peace and calm, healing suffering, and summoning contentment and happiness.

"People really like them," Nguyen said. "Every week members go out to the garden and clean up to take care of the statues. It shows how important they are."

Buddhism emphasizes the importance of nature and living in harmony with the natural world, Nguyen said. That's why the sculpture garden is such a significant space for coming together and feeling grounded, she said.

Flowers and trees are planted around the statues. Concrete pads allow temple members to pray and nearby residents who visit to behold the Buddhas. Birds hop and chirp around the statues, with remnants of red streamers on the ground — evidence of a recent joy-filled celebration.

Nguyen said the Temple hopes to grow: They plan to expand the building, further enhance the garden and bring more people from the community into its space.

Call IndyStar reporter Sarah Bowman at 317-444-6129 or email at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook: @IndyStarSarah. Connect with IndyStar's environmental reporters: Join The Scrub on Facebook.

IndyStar's environmental reporting project is made possible through the generous support of the nonprofit Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust.