Wat Padhammachart

USA, California, La Puente

Wat Padhammachart means Natural Forest Temple. The temple is usually called Wat Pa by the local Thai community. This temple belongs to the Dhammayut school and was built in 1984.
The temple occupies 2.6 ha. The main hall was completed in 2001 and is built in traditional Thai style with a multi-tier gable roof. The ridge ends are decorated with garudas, and the bargeboards have naga scales running along them and end in naga heads. Inside the hall, at the back, there is a large high platform with the main statue of Sakyamuni Buddha sitting in full lotus position on a lotus throne. The hands are placed in the vitarka (teaching) mudra. The nimbus is in the form of a Dharma wheel. Behind the statue there is a magnificent mural of a Bodhi tree, which is flanked by scenes of the birth of the Buddha as well as his enlightenment.
There are multi-purpose classrooms for language classes, such as English, Pali and Thai for monastics and laypeople. In 1994 the temple was recognized by the Thai government as an Institution of Buddhist Studies in the West, and its courses and programs are accredited by the Thai Department of Religious Affairs.