Wat
Wat Khemarak Pothiram
Wat Khemarak Pothiram (វត្តខេមរពោធិរាម) is a Cambodian Buddhist temple in the South Park neighborhood of Seattle, Washington.[1][2] It is also known as Wat Tmey, and it is a Khmer cultural and community center as well as a monastery.[3]
History
The founding members of the Sahak Khemararam Buddhist Association set up the monastery out of concern that young Cambodian Americans were losing their roots and traditional values. Education and moral guidance for the young and care for elders were among their main reasons.[3] In the early 1990s Preah Maha Ghosananda came to the United States and helped found temples for the Cambodian community, and Wat Khemarak Pothiram was among those that followed.[2] The temple began in a modest house on its present site in the mid-1990s.[2]
Construction of a formal Preah Vihear, the main hall for worship and practice, began in 2012 with community donations and the work of members and volunteers. In 2015 the original house was still the main building, and a temporary structure went up for large crowds at events such as the Cambodian New Year in April.[2] The 2014 and 2026 directories list the temple at 824 S. 100th Street with the telephone numbers (206) 768-1824 and (206) 768-0155.[4][1]
During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 the temple closed its doors. The Venerable Theavy Sok kept in touch with lay people online, offering daily chanting, blessings and funeral ceremonies. Donors could gather their families on Facebook Live to hear the monks chant and give Dhamma talks.[5]
Architecture
The temple stands on grounds of two acres.[2] The new Preah Vihear has two levels and was planned to rise more than 21 meters (70 feet) and cover about 465 square meters (5,000 square feet). The main floor holds a shrine hall for ceremonies and space for meditation, and the lower floor holds a library and a gathering space for lay people. The Cambodian architect Vann Vollyman designed the hall in a blend of traditional and modern styles, mainly in deep maroon and gray.[2] It is decorated with kbach, Cambodian bas-relief ornament, cast from traditional molds as copies of the carvings at Banteay Srei in Siem Reap.[2]
As of 2015 temple leaders planned more sculptures and statues, three large golden stupas that could hold relics of realized masters or urns with the ashes of community members, a playground for children and housing for elders.[2]
Religious life
All services follow Cambodian custom, so that elders who speak mainly Khmer can take part, and elders make up most of the visitors.[2] In 2015 five monks served at the temple, all born in Cambodia. The Venerable Sok Theavy, who came in 2012, was the only one who spoke English fluently and gave Dhamma talks in English.[2] In 2020 about six monks lived there, and in 2026 a directory listed five.[5][1]
Ceremonies include the Vandana (salutation to the Triple Gem), the Ti-Sarana (taking refuge) and the Panca Sila (the five precepts), all recited in Pali.[2] Families bring food, money and supplies, and give their time as volunteers, to honor their ancestors.[2]
Community
Many of those who attend services and volunteer are Cambodians who came to the Seattle area as refugees in the 1980s.[2] The temple is a place where the Khmer language is spoken, Cambodian food is served, and Cambodian art, dance and customs are kept alive.[2] In 2015 it was one of two Cambodian Buddhist temples in the Seattle area; the other was Wat Dhammacakkaram on Beacon Hill.[2] The association describes the center as serving people of all ages and backgrounds, where young and old come together for traditional ceremonies.[3]
Associations
Sahak Khemararam Buddhist Association (associated organization).[6]
The historical directory explicitly pairs the society with Wat Khemarak Pothiram. CACCWA also identifies the society as Wat Tmey at South 100th Street; the generic name is kept geographically qualified.
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Wat Ratanarangsey blog, 2026 Directory of Wat Khmer or Cambodian Buddhist Temples in the USA
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 Northwest Dharma News, Cambodian Temple Rising in South Seattle (2015)
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Wat Khemarak Pothiram, Vision
- ↑ Temple News, 2558 Khmer Buddhist Temples Directory (2014)
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 International Examiner, Amidst COVID-19, Khmer community adapts (2020)
- ↑ Cambodian National Directory, historical edition