Jade Buddha Arrives in the US

Howard Altman (Mar. 7, 2010)
TAMPA, Florida - As the fire-crackers exploded and the green curtain drew back, Christy Phan put her right hand over her heart. "This gives me chills," she said, admiring the world's largest jade Buddha, a 10-foot-tall, 4-ton statue unveiled Saturday at the Minh Dang Quang monastery.

Jade Buddha for Universal Peace

"This is such an honor to have this here," she said of the Buddha she helped bring to Tampa. Phan has worked since November to plan the visit of the Jade Buddha for Universal Peace, which is traveling the world before being enshrined in its permanent home at the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion in Australia. She spent hours helping to raise money and awareness and doing the required paperwork. When the curtains parted, it was the first time Phan had seen the Buddha, which will be in Tampa for 10 days. The Buddha represents world peace, said Phan, 25, a University of South Florida business major. More>>

Jade Buddha reception at a distance and close up (Brother Monk/Flickr)

Sunday Services Banned at Buddhist Temple

Chandler, Arizona has barred a local Buddhist temple run out of a Chandler home from holding Sunday worship services for the last three months after an investigation into neighbor-hood parking issues associated with the temple turned up building code violations. The City Council could grant a permit to allow services at the Vien Minh Buddhist Temple to resume next month, albeit with a limit on the number of people who can participate at any one time as well as other restrictions. More>>

• PHOTO: Chandler home services banned (Tribune/Matt Pavelek)