Members of the new Pittsburgh Buddhist Center in Natrona Heights are quick to reassure their neighbors that they have nothing to fear from the ancient Eastern religion.
"Buddhists never convert anyone to anything," Damitha Karunaratne, one of the center's founders, said Sunday at its dedication. "Buddhism is more a philosophy than a religion."
Karunaratne, a State College business owner, and cofounder Dr. K.A. Siripala, of Altoona, said the center will offer a place for meditation and lessons on Buddhist teachings. The first Theravada Buddhist temple in the region, it is expected to be a gathering place for followers from Pennsylvania and nearby states.
Theravada is the oldest of several branches of Buddhism, a religion that encourages followers to become enlightened through meditation and moderation. The Theravada branch is practiced primarily on the island nation of Sri Lanka, as well as in Nepal, Thailand, Myanmar (formerly Burma) and Laos.
About 70 Sri Lankan families live in the Pittsburgh area, and many organized relief and remembrance efforts after the 2004 Asian tsunami. It is not known how many Theravadan Buddhists call Pittsburgh home; an estimated 3 million Buddhists of all branches live in the United States.
More than two dozen Buddhist monks from across the country visited the center yesterday to dedicate the facility and celebrate Vesak, a holy day when the religion's founder is honored.
The monks -- robed in the signature colors of red, brown, orange and gold -- gathered under a breezy white tent to chant their blessings on the new temple. Most spoke in Sinhalese, a Sri Lankan language.
Bernard Goonetilleke, Sri Lanka's ambassador to the United States, attended the dedication.
Goonetilleke spoke in Sinhalese but said in a written message that the temple will serve a vital role in providing spiritual guidance and social networking.
Dozen of families prepared traditional Sri Lankan foods for the ceremony and offered the dishes to the monks, who cannot eat unless food is offered to them.
Dan Rihn, of Tarentum, described how he discovered Buddhism while fighting in the Vietnam War.
"I was deep in the jungle one day and when we broke through, there was a Buddhist temple," he said, adding that he was impressed because the building seemed to be in the middle of nowhere. "It was beautiful."
Rihn said he was surprised to learn a Buddhist temple was in his backyard and now attends weekly meditation practice there.
The Rev. Nehinne Ariyagnana, the Pittsburgh Buddhist Center's chief monk, is learning English but spoke yesterday through a translator.
"We are very happy now," he said. "That happiness is the greatest wealth we have."
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