Brick by brick: A Buddhist temple brightens the plains

The temple serves the Lao-Lue community of Westminster, which continued to grow as more refugees and immigrants arrived in Colorado and needed a larger space to worship, said Ajarn Gavin, a 21-year-old monk who studies and lives in the temple, which is as old as he is.

This month marks 21 years since the Lao-Lue people, a Tai ethnic group with communities in Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and southern China, began building Wat Buddhapunyaram on the plot of land in Brighton. 

Gavin expects the temple construction to finish in 2027, but says it will continue to be an ongoing labor of love. 

Vijaya’s inspiration for the buildings was unity.

“Before I designed, I looked for famous pagodas from all Buddhist countries and then I told myself, ‘OK, don’t do like that,’” he said. 

“And the reason behind that is because our Lao-Lue people are from many countries, so I don’t want them to feel like I favor one group more than another by choosing a Burmese style or a Lao style. Just: we are Buddhist. That’s all.” 

The temple features the cetiya, a structure that holds the relics of the Buddha or other sacred objects, here designed as a lotus pagoda; the sima, where monks gather every fortnight to recite Pātimokkha, which is the monastic code of conduct; and the vihāra, which serves as a space for sermons, spiritual practice, and learning.

“South East Asian architecture is unique because it has many motifs,” Gavin said.

“If you look at the main stupa {the lotus pagoda} you can see that there are motifs of aquatic life. Many of the buildings here have guardians such as the nāgas, so these are the serpents or dragons that protect the building,” Gavin said. “The lotus within dharmic faiths represents enlightenment and compassion.”
 

Vijaya began work on the lotus pagoda in 2017 with a team of five and occasional help from community volunteers on weekends. Built from concrete and iron rods, the pagoda is crowned with finials crafted from quartz, gold, and brass. Under the structure, cemented in concrete, are Śarīra (Buddha relics), Buddha statues, and other sacred items. Every detail was either hand-carved or formed using plaster moulds, and the brass finials were imported from Burma by the Mon Community. Altogether, the construction took five years to complete.

Now married with children and a U.S. citizen, Vijaya leads temple ceremonies and continues to help build the temple, brick by brick.