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What it’s really like at a ‘White Lotus’-style Buddhist temple

Susie Pinto

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(NewsNation) — The latest season of the hit HBO series “The White Lotus” takes place in Thailand in a luxury resort where a group of wealthy tourists are exploring Buddhism and its ancient traditions.


Before the end of Season 2, showrunner Mike White revealed Season 3 would take “a satirical and funny look at death and Eastern religion and spirituality.”

Indeed, much of the plot centers around a Buddhist temple where one of the characters is interested in joining a yearlong meditation program. And while the series does not get every detail about Buddhist practices correct, it delves into a faith unfamiliar to many Americans.

So what is Buddhism all about, and what do you do in a Buddhist temple?

Where does Buddhism come from?

Buddhism has its roots in India and is described as a philosophical tradition based on the teachings of Buddha, a wandering religious teacher who lived in South Asia in the 5th or 6th century B.C. 

TOPSHOT – Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama (C) arrives to attend a long life prayer offered to him by his students and devotees at a temple in McLeod Ganj, some 10 Km from Dharamsala on October 25, 2023. (Photo by Money SHARMA / AFP) (Photo by MONEY SHARMA/AFP via Getty Images)
Resident priest Genmyo Jana Zeedyk, second from left, and other members of the Anchorage Zen Community meditate during a Sunday service in Anchorage, Alaska, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022. For more than three decades, members of the Anchorage Zen Community have gathered in unusual venues with the same intention: simply to sit and meditate in silence. These days, they finally gather permanently at a small meditation hall. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
FILE – Vietnamese Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh, center, arrives for a great chanting ceremony at Vinh Nghiem Pagoda in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam on March 16, 2007. Zen Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh, who helped pioneer the concept of mindfulness in the West and socially engaged Buddhism in the East, has died at age 95 on Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022, according to an announcement on his verified Twitter page. (AP Photo, File)
Buddhist novice monks line up to collect their morning alms from Buddhist devotees Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo)
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and his wife Pich Chanmony, front left, receive blessings from Buddhist monks during a groundbreaking ceremony of China-funded Funan Techo canal that will connect the country’s capital Phnom Penh with Kep province on the country’s south coast, Prek Takeo village, Kendal province, Cambodia, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks during the inauguration of the Global Buddhist Summit, in New Delhi, India, Thursday, April 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)
Monks chant sutras in Pāli language next to a flowered-decorated altar overlooking a giant Buddha statue in the yard of the New Jersey Buddhist Vihara and Meditation Center in Franklin Township, N.J. on Sunday Nov. 30, 2024. (AP photo/Luis Andres Henao)
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Buddhism comes from the Sanskrit word “buddhi,” which means to awaken. According to BuddhaNet.net, the Buddhist “path” has three goals: to lead a moral life, to be mindful and aware of one’s thoughts and actions and to develop wisdom and understanding.

Where do most Buddhists live?

Despite originating in India, Buddhism is most widespread in East and Southeast Asia. It is the majority religion in Cambodia, Japan, Thailand, Myanmar, Bhutan and Sri Lanka. It also has countless followers in China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Singapore, Macau and Taiwan.

There are about 500 million Buddhists in the world and about 3.5 million Buddhists in the United States as of 2012, according to the Pew Research Center. 

What do Buddhists believe?

Buddhism’s core beliefs can be summarized by the “Four Noble Truths”:

  1. Life is characterized by suffering
  2. Suffering comes from attachment and craving
  3. Suffering can be overcome
  4. There is a path to end suffering

What are the ‘Five Precepts’ of Buddhism?

The Five Precepts of Buddhism are guidelines for moral conduct. Buddhists are to refrain from:

What is a Buddhist temple like, and what do you do inside?

Buddhist temples vary in style and design, but they usually feature a main hall, a statue of Buddha and space to meditate. 

Reflection or meditation is a core practice of Buddhism. Buddhists believe meditation is necessary to gain wisdom, understanding and eventually enlightenment.