Buddhist Temple and School Hope to Build in Diverse Fremont

June 8, 2005

Source: The Oakland Tribune

http://www.insidebayarea.com/oaklandtribune/localnews/ci_2790225

On June 8, 2005 The Oakland Tribune reported, "six years ago this month, Living Buddha Lian-sheng Sheng-yen Lu stood at an empty lot next to Quarry Lakes park, surveyed the land with a Chinese geomantic compass and declared it an exceptional site to build a temple. Founder of the True Buddha School and a spiritual leader with more than 4 million followers worldwide, Lu consecrated the 5.5-acre property, proclaiming that it followed the principles of feng-shui, the ancient Chinese practice of arranging elements to achieve harmony with the environment. Now, the Purple Lotus Society, a spiritual Bay Area chapter of Lu's school, is seeking a blessing of a different kind. The proposed 55,500-square-foot Buddhist temple and 32,400-square-foot school — along Fox Avenue, bounded by Quarry Lakes Regional Recreation Area, the BART tracks and the Union City border — goes before the Planning Commission at 7 p.m. Thursday. Featuring a mix of contemporary American and traditional Tibetan architecture, the Purple Lotus Temple and Dharma Institute would provide living space for 120 monks and guests and could accommodate 250 students, with up to a quarter of those living on the campus."