Montana’s own Buddhist center: Garden of One Thousand Buddhas

Monasteries are famous for being established at some of the most unusual places. A number of them are in remote parts of the world, some are right in the middle of the city, some are in the mountainous region and even on a volcano (Mount Popa is built on a volcano). Even though monasteries are established at some of the most unexpected places, I would have never guessed Montana a predominantly white state in the US will have a monastery of this magnitude.

Impromptu stops do turn out to be the best part of a road trip. We were driving from Glacier National park to Yellowstone and found this gem while searching for breaks. On the way to the monastery, we were discussing why would anyone build a monastery in Montana. It’s only after we reached the garden, I could understand why. This rather looks like an ideal place to build a monastery. It’s like an oasis of peace in the middle of nowhere. The One Thousand buddhas are lined up in 8 lines all diverging from the centre of the monastery and there is one circular layer to encircle all of them thus forming a style known as the stupa of enlightenment. The landscapes around it give it a really nice setting and the views are just amazing. We spent around 25-30 mins walking around the garden trying to soak in the beauty of this hidden gem.

If I was living close to this place, this would be my place to find peace, recharge, meditate or even for an evening walk. Garden of One Thousand Buddhas is a hidden gem! Superb views in every direction. If you’re driving through Montana this is a must-visit.