Imagine a quiet residential corner in Lakewood. There, you might find a yellow three-bedroom house. It resembles any middle-class dwelling in suburban Southern California. But this is no ordinary house. Welcome to Khemara Buddhikaram, the area’s largest and oldest Cambodian Buddhist temple.
Stepping onto the porch, you will notice dozens of empty shoes. They are neatly arranged in rows. This offers the first clue that something unique lies within. Walking through the door is like entering another world. The air is thick with the aroma of incense and boiling rice.
In what once was the living room sits a four-foot golden statue of Buddha. It stands amid an abundance of candles, flowers and blinking red lights. People are kneeling before it. Some wear white or saffron robes. Their heads are shaved. They chant a rhythmic incantation. To the untrained ear, it sounds otherworldly.
This unobtrusive suburban shrine has become the heart of the 50,000-strong Cambodian community in Los Angeles County. Many immigrants fled their native land. They escaped the harsh communist regime of Pol Pot.
The refugees say the temples are more than houses of worship. They are major cultural centers. They provide much-needed community cohesion and service. This area has become the unofficial Cambodian capital of America. The shrines are at the center of the restoration. They preserve the traditional Cambodian, or Khmer, culture. This culture was suppressed under communism.
Nil Hul is the executive director of the Cambodian Assn. of America. He says he cannot overemphasize the temples’ importance to the Cambodian community. They are the backbone of the culture and society.
Before the communists, Buddhist pagodas dotted the Cambodian landscape. Each included a temple, religious school, meeting hall and living quarters. Ninety-five percent of the population was Buddhist. They came to worship and educate their children. They received counseling, advice and sometimes shelter. Cambodians say the pagodas were churches, schools and city halls rolled into one. They were treasure troves of the country’s culture, art, architecture, history and social welfare.
Beginning in 1975, Pol Pot systematically destroyed the Buddhist monasteries. Most monks were executed. Although the Vietnamese-backed communists who took power in 1979 were more permissive, the practice of Buddhism was still not encouraged.
But the Cambodian refugees brought their religion with them. They began settling in Long Beach and Lakewood. In 1982, Rev. Chean Kong founded the Khemara Buddhikaram. He is a Buddhist monk with a Ph.D. in philosophy and a master’s degree in family counseling. He wanted to cater to their needs.
Kong says people feel relaxed and happy when they come to the temple. He raised the money to purchase the Lakewood property. He sold community shares at $50 each. Today, there are eight Cambodian Buddhist monks based in Long Beach and Lakewood. Kong says he is aware of one other permanent Cambodian temple in the area. It is in a private home in downtown Long Beach. His services draw people from as far away as Van Nuys, Bakersfield and Stockton.
Major celebrations are held in El Dorado Park. They include the Cambodian New Year in April. The Ceremony of the Ancestors is in September. The Water Festival is in November. These attract as many as 2,000 people. The average attendance at Khemara Buddhikaram’s daily meditation sessions is 30.
Kong lives at the temple with two other monks. He has provided temporary shelter for as many as 15 homeless Cambodians. Besides offering religious services, the temple acts as an adult day care center. About 20 elderly parents of working Cambodians are dropped off in the morning and picked up at night.
Kong hopes to increase the services he and other monks provide. He wants to purchase a larger facility in western Long Beach. It would accommodate a school, playground, teen center, social and cultural center and worship hall for 1,000 people.
Buddhist philosophy emphasizes rational and moral living. Kong believes these qualities are essential to his people’s survival in America. Than Pok is executive director of United Cambodia Community. He is also a board member at the Lakewood temple. He says the monk can lift you up when you feel depressed or down.
Parking has been a problem. Some nearby homeowners have been upset. For the most part, neighbors’ reactions have ranged from obliviousness to acceptance.
The Cambodian Buddhist Temple stands as a testament to the resilience and faith of a community. It is a place where traditions are preserved. It is a sanctuary where hope is nurtured.