Chuang Yen Monastery (Great Buddha, 莊嚴寺) in Carmel, New York State in Autumn Season
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莊嚴寺的秋天,濃墨重彩,如詩如畫,漫山遍野如繪如染,自然豐盈
的色彩與莊嚴寺景緻完美的融合,氣象萬千,令人心曠神怡。
A view of the Great Buddha Hall (大佛殿) in Chuang Yen Monastery (莊嚴寺) at: 2020 Route 301,
Carmel, New York State 10512-3426, Phone: (845) 225-1819. It is about 1.6 miles east of Junction of
Route 301 and Taconic State Parkway. "Chuang Yen Monastery" literally means "solemn monastery".
The 225-acre monastery is a beautiful and quiet place of tranquility (景緻幽美的佛寺和山水.) The land
was donated by Dr. Chia Theng Shen (沈家桢居士, 博士). Chuang Yen Monastery was designed by the
well known Chinese-American architect Ieoh Ming Pei (貝聿銘) using Tang Dynasty architecture (盛唐風
格).
Map: Click here to see Google Map showing location of Chuang Yen Monastery

莊嚴寺大殿,佛教聖地,神聖莊嚴,佛韻悠長,香火不絕。
The 37-foot statue of Great Buddha on lotus petals in the Great Buddha Hall is the largest statue of
Buddha in the Western Hemisphere. Encircling the large statue are 10,000 small statues of the Buddha
on a lotus terrace (蓮花看台上有萬尊小佛環繞著大佛) . Professor C. G. Chen (杭州美術學院陳長庚教
授), well known sculpture artist from China, spent 2 years to construct this huge statue of Buddha.
The little Buddhas were also designed and fabricated by Professor C.G. Chen. 大佛像的塑造,出自中国
大陆艺术名家陈长庚教授之手,陈教授有三十年以上雕塑经验,他撷取敦煌、云岗、龙门等地佛像的精
华,发挥他研究佛像雕塑的毕生功力,塑造这尊庄严宏伟、气势雄浑而又流露无限慈悲的佛像。
A close up view of the 10,000 small statues of the Buddha on the lotus terrace can be seen at the
following website:
http://wirednewyork.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4063
It took us about two and half hour of driving on October 19, 2008 to go from mid-New Jersey to reach
Chuang Yen Monastery in Carmel, New York State.
Autumn foliage in the backyard of the monastery
The view and the Bodhi Avenue (菩提大道) in front of the Great Buddha Hall. The white elephants here
symbolize perfect wisdom and royal power
A view of the Seven Jewels Lake
菩提大道及大道旁的十八尊羅漢, 這象徵著眾生從無明到覺悟到成佛
要走的一條菩提道。
The Bodhi Avenue from the parking lot to the Great Buddha Hall, symbolizes the path towards tranquility and
enlightenment. It is guarded by 18 Lohans (Arhats) and two lions as the protectors of the sacred buildings, thus
maintaining peace and tranquility within the sanctuary.
Autumn foliage in the monastery
A delicious vegetarian lunch for $5 is served at noon in this cafeteria style vegetarian dining hall (齋堂) for
visitors.
茂密的樹葉間穿透縷縷金色陽光,散發出柔美光暈。
Foliage near the dining hall
Foliage near Seven Jewels Lake
Another view of Seven Jewels Lake

There are many fish (carps or Koi) in Seven Jewels Lake. "Koi" is Japanese word for “carp”. In Buddhist
religion and in Asian culture, fish symbolizes auspiciousness ( 好運的象徵), well-being, happiness and freedom.
It symbolizes living in a state of fearlessness without danger of drowning in the ocean of sufferings, and of
freedom to migrate from place to place freely and spontaneously (猶如在大海裡遨遊 ).
In China and Japan, there is a cherished legend of the "Carp Jumping Over the Dragon Gate 『鯉魚跳龍
門』". Chinese and Japanese people admire the healthy and powerful carp that jumped over the very
high and challenging Dragon-Gate Waterfalls to become a dragon (傳說以前有條很優秀的鯉魚跳龍門成
功而脫胎換骨成為了龍,羨慕之餘,牠們認為,龍門是鯉魚的轉捩點,只要跳過了龍門,牠們也可以風風
光光成為龍). In Asian culture, dragon is a highly revered symbol of emperor, potent and auspicious
powers, strength, and good luck. Such superior carp symbolizes health, strength, brave and great
success in life (健康成長,朝氣蓬勃,奮發有為, 認為鯉魚是力量和勇氣的象徵 ).
I took a movie clip of many fish (carps or Koi) swimming in the Seven Jewels Lake and uploaded the movie clip
to YouTube website at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nldDlPpo8S8

Foliage near parking lot in the monastery
Autumn foliage along Lake Sebago on Seven Lake Parkway in Harriman State Park, New York. On our return
trip from Chuang Yen Monastery back to New Jersey in the late afternoon of October 19, 2008, we drove
through Bear Mountain Bridge, Bear Mountain State Park and Harriman State Park in New York State to enjoy
the beautiful autumn foliage along highways and lakes.
一片紅色的秋葉,與碧藍的秋水共相輝映。
Lake Welch along Seven Lake Parkway in Harriman State Park
Hessian Lake in Bear Mountain State Park
Kuan-Yin Hall (觀音殿, Hall of Kuan-Yin) on the left side in Chuang Yen Monastery. The Kuan-Yin Hall has a
very special thousand year old wood carving statue of Kuan-Yin (大慈大悲的觀世音菩薩) that was originally
constructed in the Tang Dynasty. A picture of this special statue of Kuan-Yin and the associated stories can
be seen at the following websites in Chinese language:
http://www.book853.com/show.aspx?id=1589&cid=128&page=33
http://www.baus-ebs.org/sutra/fan-read/001/068.htm
http://www.buddhanet.idv.tw/aspboard/dispbbs.asp?boardID=8&ID=7981&page=1
Kuan-Yin or Guanyin is the bodhisattva associated with compassion as venerated by East Asian Buddhists,
usually as a female and is also known as Goddess of Mercy. 觀音 means "Observing the Sounds (or Cries) of
the World or perceives the world's lamentations".
Lake Sebago along Seven Lake Parkway
Autumn foliage along highways on our way to Chuang Yen Monastery in New York State in the morning of
October 19, 2008.
Another view of the Great Buddha Hall in Chuang Yen Monastery.
沈家楨 (Chia Theng Shen) 居士博士出生在美麗的杭州城. 畢業于上海交通大學電機工程系,1952年,他定居美
國從事航運事業,成為著名旅美航業巨子,在紐約有“小船王”之譽。1973年,他榮獲美國聖約翰大學名譽博士
學位。他以科學家身份精研佛學,用科學的觀點闡明佛法,沈家楨博士和他的夫人居和如女土將營利所得,大
部分投入于佛教,廣行佈施,無私奉獻,兩人決定將他們紐約州博南郡(Putnam County)所有的大片土地,撥
出一部分來興建一座莊嚴的大佛寺。沈家楨和他夫人居和如捐地捐錢,香港的董浩云居士承擔運輸,名建築師
貝聿銘負責設計,十方善信捐輸財物,美國佛教會三百多會員出錢出力,眾志成城,
大佛坐在蓮花寶座之上,面目慈祥,普度眾生,給人一種茅塞頓開的
菩提之悟。
It is constructed without internal pillars supporting the ceiling. This results in a spacious, unobstructed interior
that reflects the spirit of Chuang Yen Monastery. 大佛殿內無柱分隔,寬敞清淨,象徵著佛法浩瀚,與佛教慈悲
包容的精神。這融合佛法與藝術的設計,讓人猶如悠遊於佛國聖境,納受法喜與清涼。
林間漫步, 享受色彩繽紛的秋天的美景。
Visitors on quiet walk path in the monastery
Quiet walk path near Seven Jewels Lake (湖畔曲徑幽雅)
A statue of Goddess of Mercy at the Seven Jewels Lake. 湖畔有一尊高約十餘尺的白衣觀音