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Saffron Days in L.A.: Tales of a Buddhist Monk in America
In this delightful memoir, Bhante Walpola Piyananda, a Buddhist monk from Sri Lanka, shares his often amusing, often poignant experiences of life in America. Whether he's reasoning with a group of confrontational punks on Venice Beach, bridging the gap between a rebellious teenager and her traditional parents, explaining to an errant Buddhist that the concept of "non-attachment" does not justify irresponsibility, or dealing with a nude sunbather at a meditation retreat, no situation—no matter how sticky—manages to affect Bhante's unflappable calm or his phenomenal ability to find the right parable for the moment.
Bhante Walpola Piyananda, who is abbot of a Buddhist meditation center in L.A., has met and counseled a wide range of people—the disenfranchised of society, couples dealing with relationship issues, American Buddhists trying to reconcile their practice with their very Western lifestyles, recent immigrants struggling to assimilate but also maintain their traditional values. His stories reveal the complicated, joyous, painful, baffling, and inspiring aspects of the human condition and the power of true compassion.
Bhante Walpola Piyananda, who is abbot of a Buddhist meditation center in L.A., has met and counseled a wide range of people—the disenfranchised of society, couples dealing with relationship issues, American Buddhists trying to reconcile their practice with their very Western lifestyles, recent immigrants struggling to assimilate but also maintain their traditional values. His stories reveal the complicated, joyous, painful, baffling, and inspiring aspects of the human condition and the power of true compassion.
208 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2001
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November 15, 2010
[This review was originally written in Chinese, although the book itself is in ENGLISH; I translated my review to English and have both versions published here.]
The prominent Sri Lankan Buddhist monk Ven. Bhante Walpola Piyananda was born in 1943 and joint monastic order at age of 12. He came to US in 1976 and established one of the earliest Theravada temples in North America. He was the Buddhist Chaplain of 1984 L.A. Olympics. This book "Saffron Days in L.A." is a collection of some live stories from his experience teaching and spreading Buddhism, presenting to readers the qualities of Compassion, Wisdom, Courage and Equanimity a Buddhist monk possesses in plain English. It's a touchy book prefaced by H.H. Dalai Lama and published by Shambhala Press which has printed a lot of Buddhist books.
The word "Saffron" comes from the color of Sri Lankan monks' robe. Same color can bee seen in some Southern China monastics too. Bhante is proud of his robe and the priesthood it represents as a rigorous Dharma (Dhamma) master. He has been one of the greatest contributors to the ongoing efforts to bring Buddha's teachings from Asian countries in America. Many accounts of cultural shock Bhante ran into are found in his book, and of how he has introduced Dharma to Americans using Buddhism-specific skillfulness and won their respect and trust. For example, one day he met with a group of punks and he said: you are the old-styled punks and I'm the new one; you are half-shaved and I'm fully-shaved; and I have this robe which you don't have. By starting the conversation in such a funny way, he made friends with this kind of young people, some of which took refuge in him later. In another case, he saw some young students of him getting sunbathed in the nude in a retreat center, and again, tackled this kind of awkward situation with wisdom and made great teaching out of it.
I'm Bhante's "townsman", because Los Angeles is the first American city I've lived in. It's like my hometown. Actually his book mentions the hospital of USC my alma mater. When he came to US for the first time, he landed in San Francisco, and met by some Chinese monks from Gold Mountain Temple of Master Hsuen-Hua's system. So he has a connection with Chinese too. His first day experience in US had shown a strong connection of his to this country: that was the day when there was this parade celebrating 200th anniversary of Independence! A Gold Mountain monk drove the Bhante directly there and got him on their float where a huge Buddha's statue is set. The Chinese monk asked him help hold the Buddha statue, thus Bhante partaked this centennially happening event on behalf of the Buddhist society himself! I'm familiar with Gold Mountain Temple myself, cuz I visited there twice and borrowed some books when I was living in North Bay alone.
Master Hsuen-Hua, Bhante Piyananda and many other monks from Chinese speaking world, Japan, Tibet, Vietnam and Southeastern Asia have come all the way to Americas since the end of WWII and set the root of Dharma here, with each school seeing numerous local lay folks and monastics around. Americans aspire for enlightenment, and they are intelligent people. My Zen master told me that when they attended the West Coast Buddhist Convention, they saw all Caucasian faces, with just a few Asians like him. Buddhism has been rooted deeply in America! Over the decades, American Buddhism has seen a rapid growth of number of followers, and respect from even non-Buddhists who has learned quite some about our religion. Through the efforts of these Dharma masters and bodhisattvas, Buddhism has won a prominent status and respect in mainstream culture and influenced pop culture.
This book of the Bhante's mentioned some interesting specific quetions I have heard about Therevada. For instance, it is believed Theravada cares too much of sila (discipline) and has become texualistic (sticking to words literally). At Buddha's time, there was no tobacco available and that's why it is not included in sila and some Theravadan monks and nuns smoke. Bhante criticizes smoking by monastics, believing this is considered a violation of sila and quotes Buddha's teachings to support this opinion. Buddha said, one should not do any harm to his body, therefore, smoking is not allowed.
I heard Therevada does not recognize buddhas but Buddha Shakyamuni, nor bodhisattvas, but Bhante's book uses the expression "a buddha", which sounds in accordance with Mahayana doctrine. He mentioned bodhisattvas too.
Bhante is such a knowledgeable man, that he can get into a wide collection of Buddhist scriptures and give teachings using text from Dhammapada and other suttas.
Bhante Piyananda's live stories in America have manifested the spirit of Buddhism, which is like Ven. Hsing-Yun said, "Being Fearless to World".
斯里兰卡籍高僧毗耶难陀尊者Bhante Walpola Piyananda生于1943年。12岁即剃度出家。于1976年来到美国，在洛杉矶建立了北美地区最早的南传佛教寺院之一。1984年洛杉矶奥运会请他做该运动会的驻会法师（Buddhist Chaplain），服务佛教运动员。这本Saffron Days in L.A.记述了他弘法的一些片段，将一个佛教僧人的慈悲、智慧、胸怀、勇气、淡定，他所弘传的佛法以及他的师父佛陀的故事以通俗流畅的英文呈现给读者，感人至深。达赖喇嘛亲为作序。广印英文版佛教著作的佛教香巴拉（Shambhala）出版社出版。
本书的名字来自斯里兰卡僧袍的颜色。翻成汉语应是橘黄色。汉传佛教中南方比如广东的一些僧侣也穿这一颜色的袈裟。尊者持戒严谨，对自己的袈裟和僧伽身份非常自豪。尊者是亚洲各国的佛教传入美国这一仍然在进行中的伟大运动的贡献者之一，他在这本书中也记述了不少他面临的文化碰撞，以及他如何以佛教特有的方便（skillfulness）活泼机智地化解了美国人对佛教的不了解乃至误会，并获得了他们的尊重和信任。他曾经在海滩上遭遇一群朋克，他开口说：你们是老朋克，我是新派的；你们头发只剃一半，我是剃光光；我还有这袍子。他这样幽默地开始了谈话，与这些另类青年交上了朋友，其中就有后来皈依了他的。他还遭遇一些跟着他禅修的青年在野外赤身晒日光浴，同样用智慧化解了这种尴尬，并当机说法。
我是他的“老乡”，因为洛杉矶是我来美第一个长住的城市，如同故乡一样的。他的书中也提到了我母校USC的医院。尊者1976年来美是在旧金山落地，而去接他的是宣化上人系统的旧金山金山寺的华人僧人。所以他跟华人也是有缘的。他在美国第一天的经历就显现了跟这个国家很强的缘分：那天，在旧金山正好在举行纪念美国独立200周年的大游行，金山寺的僧人将尊者直接拉到现场，并拉他上了一部游行花车，上面是巨大的佛像。金山寺汉僧让尊者扶助佛像，就这样，他来美首日就代表佛教界亲身参加了这一百年一次的大游行。我对金山寺也熟悉啊，因为原来我一个人住在北湾的时候，曾经到金山寺去过两次，有借书来看。
宣化上人、毗耶难陀尊者，以及其他来自汉地、日本、西藏、越南、东南亚的僧侣，在二战以后，一批批地踏入美洲，将佛教各派的教法在这里生根发芽，每一系统都汇聚了无数本地信徒以及出家师父。美国人渴求佛法。又深具慧根。我的禅宗师父说，他们去参加西海岸佛教僧侣大会，发现满眼的白人法师，只有他们几个亚洲面孔。佛教，已经在美国深深扎根。几十年下来，美国佛教徒人数持续高速增长，即使非佛教徒对佛教的了解也日益深厚而生恭敬心，佛教在主流文化中拥有崇高的地位、备受尊敬，并深刻影响了流行文化，这是跟这些法师菩萨的不懈努力密不可分的。
尊者的书里面提到了南传佛教一些我曾有耳闻的具体问题。比如南传讲戒律，但有时过于拘泥文字。戒律上没有说吸烟，因为佛祖的时候没有抽烟这说，於是南传僧人就吸烟。尊者批评了这种做法，认为是破戒，并引佛教来证明。佛说，对自己或他人身体有害的事情不要做。所以吸烟是不被允许的。另外，一般认为南传佛教只尊释迦牟尼佛，而不认他佛，也不认菩萨，但尊者在书中用了“a buddha”的说法，显然跟大乘佛教是一致的。也提到了菩萨。
尊者学识丰富，深入经藏，常以《法句经》和其他各种南传佛经中的经文相机逗教。
我今天读完这部出家修行人以亲身经历写的书，深为感动。毗耶难陀尊者在美国的弘法应了星云法师的四个字：应世无畏！
The prominent Sri Lankan Buddhist monk Ven. Bhante Walpola Piyananda was born in 1943 and joint monastic order at age of 12. He came to US in 1976 and established one of the earliest Theravada temples in North America. He was the Buddhist Chaplain of 1984 L.A. Olympics. This book "Saffron Days in L.A." is a collection of some live stories from his experience teaching and spreading Buddhism, presenting to readers the qualities of Compassion, Wisdom, Courage and Equanimity a Buddhist monk possesses in plain English. It's a touchy book prefaced by H.H. Dalai Lama and published by Shambhala Press which has printed a lot of Buddhist books.
The word "Saffron" comes from the color of Sri Lankan monks' robe. Same color can bee seen in some Southern China monastics too. Bhante is proud of his robe and the priesthood it represents as a rigorous Dharma (Dhamma) master. He has been one of the greatest contributors to the ongoing efforts to bring Buddha's teachings from Asian countries in America. Many accounts of cultural shock Bhante ran into are found in his book, and of how he has introduced Dharma to Americans using Buddhism-specific skillfulness and won their respect and trust. For example, one day he met with a group of punks and he said: you are the old-styled punks and I'm the new one; you are half-shaved and I'm fully-shaved; and I have this robe which you don't have. By starting the conversation in such a funny way, he made friends with this kind of young people, some of which took refuge in him later. In another case, he saw some young students of him getting sunbathed in the nude in a retreat center, and again, tackled this kind of awkward situation with wisdom and made great teaching out of it.
I'm Bhante's "townsman", because Los Angeles is the first American city I've lived in. It's like my hometown. Actually his book mentions the hospital of USC my alma mater. When he came to US for the first time, he landed in San Francisco, and met by some Chinese monks from Gold Mountain Temple of Master Hsuen-Hua's system. So he has a connection with Chinese too. His first day experience in US had shown a strong connection of his to this country: that was the day when there was this parade celebrating 200th anniversary of Independence! A Gold Mountain monk drove the Bhante directly there and got him on their float where a huge Buddha's statue is set. The Chinese monk asked him help hold the Buddha statue, thus Bhante partaked this centennially happening event on behalf of the Buddhist society himself! I'm familiar with Gold Mountain Temple myself, cuz I visited there twice and borrowed some books when I was living in North Bay alone.
Master Hsuen-Hua, Bhante Piyananda and many other monks from Chinese speaking world, Japan, Tibet, Vietnam and Southeastern Asia have come all the way to Americas since the end of WWII and set the root of Dharma here, with each school seeing numerous local lay folks and monastics around. Americans aspire for enlightenment, and they are intelligent people. My Zen master told me that when they attended the West Coast Buddhist Convention, they saw all Caucasian faces, with just a few Asians like him. Buddhism has been rooted deeply in America! Over the decades, American Buddhism has seen a rapid growth of number of followers, and respect from even non-Buddhists who has learned quite some about our religion. Through the efforts of these Dharma masters and bodhisattvas, Buddhism has won a prominent status and respect in mainstream culture and influenced pop culture.
This book of the Bhante's mentioned some interesting specific quetions I have heard about Therevada. For instance, it is believed Theravada cares too much of sila (discipline) and has become texualistic (sticking to words literally). At Buddha's time, there was no tobacco available and that's why it is not included in sila and some Theravadan monks and nuns smoke. Bhante criticizes smoking by monastics, believing this is considered a violation of sila and quotes Buddha's teachings to support this opinion. Buddha said, one should not do any harm to his body, therefore, smoking is not allowed.
I heard Therevada does not recognize buddhas but Buddha Shakyamuni, nor bodhisattvas, but Bhante's book uses the expression "a buddha", which sounds in accordance with Mahayana doctrine. He mentioned bodhisattvas too.
Bhante is such a knowledgeable man, that he can get into a wide collection of Buddhist scriptures and give teachings using text from Dhammapada and other suttas.
Bhante Piyananda's live stories in America have manifested the spirit of Buddhism, which is like Ven. Hsing-Yun said, "Being Fearless to World".
斯里兰卡籍高僧毗耶难陀尊者Bhante Walpola Piyananda生于1943年。12岁即剃度出家。于1976年来到美国，在洛杉矶建立了北美地区最早的南传佛教寺院之一。1984年洛杉矶奥运会请他做该运动会的驻会法师（Buddhist Chaplain），服务佛教运动员。这本Saffron Days in L.A.记述了他弘法的一些片段，将一个佛教僧人的慈悲、智慧、胸怀、勇气、淡定，他所弘传的佛法以及他的师父佛陀的故事以通俗流畅的英文呈现给读者，感人至深。达赖喇嘛亲为作序。广印英文版佛教著作的佛教香巴拉（Shambhala）出版社出版。
本书的名字来自斯里兰卡僧袍的颜色。翻成汉语应是橘黄色。汉传佛教中南方比如广东的一些僧侣也穿这一颜色的袈裟。尊者持戒严谨，对自己的袈裟和僧伽身份非常自豪。尊者是亚洲各国的佛教传入美国这一仍然在进行中的伟大运动的贡献者之一，他在这本书中也记述了不少他面临的文化碰撞，以及他如何以佛教特有的方便（skillfulness）活泼机智地化解了美国人对佛教的不了解乃至误会，并获得了他们的尊重和信任。他曾经在海滩上遭遇一群朋克，他开口说：你们是老朋克，我是新派的；你们头发只剃一半，我是剃光光；我还有这袍子。他这样幽默地开始了谈话，与这些另类青年交上了朋友，其中就有后来皈依了他的。他还遭遇一些跟着他禅修的青年在野外赤身晒日光浴，同样用智慧化解了这种尴尬，并当机说法。
我是他的“老乡”，因为洛杉矶是我来美第一个长住的城市，如同故乡一样的。他的书中也提到了我母校USC的医院。尊者1976年来美是在旧金山落地，而去接他的是宣化上人系统的旧金山金山寺的华人僧人。所以他跟华人也是有缘的。他在美国第一天的经历就显现了跟这个国家很强的缘分：那天，在旧金山正好在举行纪念美国独立200周年的大游行，金山寺的僧人将尊者直接拉到现场，并拉他上了一部游行花车，上面是巨大的佛像。金山寺汉僧让尊者扶助佛像，就这样，他来美首日就代表佛教界亲身参加了这一百年一次的大游行。我对金山寺也熟悉啊，因为原来我一个人住在北湾的时候，曾经到金山寺去过两次，有借书来看。
宣化上人、毗耶难陀尊者，以及其他来自汉地、日本、西藏、越南、东南亚的僧侣，在二战以后，一批批地踏入美洲，将佛教各派的教法在这里生根发芽，每一系统都汇聚了无数本地信徒以及出家师父。美国人渴求佛法。又深具慧根。我的禅宗师父说，他们去参加西海岸佛教僧侣大会，发现满眼的白人法师，只有他们几个亚洲面孔。佛教，已经在美国深深扎根。几十年下来，美国佛教徒人数持续高速增长，即使非佛教徒对佛教的了解也日益深厚而生恭敬心，佛教在主流文化中拥有崇高的地位、备受尊敬，并深刻影响了流行文化，这是跟这些法师菩萨的不懈努力密不可分的。
尊者的书里面提到了南传佛教一些我曾有耳闻的具体问题。比如南传讲戒律，但有时过于拘泥文字。戒律上没有说吸烟，因为佛祖的时候没有抽烟这说，於是南传僧人就吸烟。尊者批评了这种做法，认为是破戒，并引佛教来证明。佛说，对自己或他人身体有害的事情不要做。所以吸烟是不被允许的。另外，一般认为南传佛教只尊释迦牟尼佛，而不认他佛，也不认菩萨，但尊者在书中用了“a buddha”的说法，显然跟大乘佛教是一致的。也提到了菩萨。
尊者学识丰富，深入经藏，常以《法句经》和其他各种南传佛经中的经文相机逗教。
我今天读完这部出家修行人以亲身经历写的书，深为感动。毗耶难陀尊者在美国的弘法应了星云法师的四个字：应世无畏！
August 4, 2011
This was a book that I am glad that I read, and am glad that it will be in my bookshelf, but not one that I'm going to probably ever think about again without seeing it. Bhante was very entertaining and he taught a lot about his Buddhist culture to me, however his memoir was a bit taxing to read. This is almost a reversal of the mentality to not judge a book by its cover, because the cover was the best part!
August 11, 2021
Short and entertaining stories about a monk going through life in a major U.S. city, but I would have liked to hear more about the ways Bhante Piyananda has adjusted his lifestyle and Theravada practices to American society. The writing style is very similar to other texts written by Buddhist monks, so it's maybe still a bit too stuffy for modern readers who aren't familiar with Buddhism, but the stories were unique in this space simply because they were told by a Therevadin monk in L.A.
June 28, 2017
I am glad that I have read this book, as it has taught me a lot about the Buddhist religion, but it was a bit taxing to read. Bhante is charming and warm, but his writing style just wasn't something I really got into. This isn't a book that I will talk you out of reading, just one that I couldn't convince you to read.
March 9, 2023
"Saffron Days..." is a great way to learn about Buddhism, as he uses stories to illustrate the precepts. He sounds like a kind, personable and astute reader of people. It's a great book to own, to use as a study of the Buddhism.
February 23, 2020
Quick, comprehensive read on Buddhist principles through storytelling. Worth checking out.
January 12, 2009
This book describes some of the warm and funny experiences of Bhante Walpola Piyananda after he came to the U.S. from Sri Lanka. Very easy to read and incorporates a lot of basic Buddhist teachings so that anyone can understand. The book follows a lot of what is found in "What The Buddha Taught" by Walpola Rahula.
September 15, 2013
As a freshly graduated 20something, I currently working on improving myself. I found Bhante's outlook on life refreshing and his experiences and values resonated with me. The book itself was a quick read but it has definitely piqued my interest in Buddhism. Thanks to Bhante, I will be reading more soon and internalizing his teachings.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews