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Sartsatat Junda

April 23rd, 2022

A trip to a Buddhist temple in London

1 comment | 2 shares

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Sartsatat Junda

April 23rd, 2022

A trip to a Buddhist temple in London

1 comment | 2 shares

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

For Buddhist students, praying at the temple and making merit brings you good fortune. Well, that’s only part of it. They also keep you calm with inner peace and peace of mind. That being said, if you are Buddhist, you may feel it is hard to find a Buddhist temple in the middle of London (that tube station across LSE doesn’t count!). But worry not, I will guide you to one with just a 45-minute commute from central London. And even if you are not Buddhist, all religions are welcome to admire the beauty of this temple and discover a bit more about the Buddhist way and the path to Nirvana.

Buddhapatipa Temple: Thai Buddhism Temple near Wimbledon

Take the District line (the green one) to Wimbledon. After that, take the bus 93 to the temple, which shouldn’t take more than 20 minutes. Consult a travel assistant app such as CityMapper to help with your journey. Just a few minutes walk from the bus stop, you will encounter the serene temple that is perfectly tucked away in the middle of a residential area.

Named Buddhapatipa (วัดพุทธประทีป), it is a Thai Buddhist temple. There are Thai-speaking monks stationed there to perform religious activities and meet with visitors seeking to pray, make merit or give a donation.

What to do when you are there

First, head to the main monastery (the white building with elegant decorations on the roof, you will know when you see it). Say a prayer and admire the beauty of the monk statues inside the building. You can slowly walk in a clockwise direction around the monastery and ponder about the good things that you want to happen while also seeking forgiveness for your past misdeeds and forgiving those who have offended you. It is a Buddhist ritual that is appropriate for everyone.

After that, go inside the house opposite the monastery. You’ll find here the monks who can assist you with the merit or with making a prayer. Donations are welcome, both in cash or electronically, to keep the temple running. If you want to offer alms to the monks, you can do so by contacting the monk assistant. They will further advise you on how to proceed. Basically, if you did not prepare any offerings for the monks, the temple will provide alms on-site for a donation.

After listening to the blessing, which is mainly in Pali and Thai, the monks will sprinkle some holy water on the audience for good luck. In addition, a sacred thread bracelet may be offered to those interested in a good luck charm. This concludes your face-to-face meeting with the monks.

Before travelling back to the city, I suggest spending some more time looking around the holy ground of the temple. You will find exotic Buddha and elephant statues, a small pavilion and other Buddhist architecture. Then, finally, take the same bus 93 back to Wimbledon tube station and connect with the District line back to London.

On a concluding note, for the Buddhists living in a western country, being away from home can make you feel detached from your spiritual self. Visit this temple and you can spend just half a day of your free time making peace with your mind.

About the author

Sartsatat Junda

I'm an accountant-turned-IT postgraduate student from Thailand with a passion for exploring and immersing myself in the LSE and everything London has to offer. My interests and hobbies vary, with a focus on board games, gaming, and films!

Posted In: Student life

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