Buddhism in Vietnam has followed the Vietnamese refugees that migrated to the land of opportunity in America after the major changes in Vietnam after 1975. It is almost a natural ways of saying, “where the Vietnamese families live, the Buddhist temples are found – from the grand pagodas to the small shrines or meditation centers”. Florida is one of the places where the Vietnamese people have made their first stop to establish their lives.
The Buddhist Vietnamese refugees, with their ambition and the good opportunities of America, together established a religious group as a big family where they practiced Buddhism and shared their memories of their beloved Vietnam. The Southwest Florida Buddhist, Inc. was formed on August 23, 1981 by the Buddhist Vietnamese refugees in Tampa Bay area. The governor of Florida officially recognized the Southwest Florida Buddhist, Inc. as a religious organization. At that time it was lead by Abbott Pháp Tông.
After two years of exercising Buddhism in the Tampa Bay area, the committee decided to expand the worship place to a more respectful and spacious area. This location would fulfill the needs of the Vietnamese Buddhists and the community.
The plan started with a small house at 1085 Plaza Commercio Dr. NE., St. Petersburg, Florida. After a long period of hard work of the resident Monk Giác Chánh, along with the support and effort of members of the temple, Southwest FL Buddhist became a more welcome and warm place for everyone in the Tampa Bay area.
Twenty years later Southwest Florida Buddhist Temple became well known as more and more Buddhists visited the temple to worship, socialize and help in volunteer work. The house was not big enough to hold such a large congregation during the Asian cultural holidays, religious celebrations or retreats. The need to move to a bigger property became urgently necessary. Abbott Giác Chánh, in 2003, proposed the plan and requested immediately attention from the Vietnamese Theravada Buddhist Sangha Congregation Committee. The proposition was accepted. Su Giác Chánh became ill and passed away after the property was in the process of transition for purchase. The work had to be continued and the project needed to be complete. The Vietnamese Theravada Buddhist Sangha Congregation in the US sent the Venerable Thích Trí Tịnh from Houston to replace the Venerable Giác Chánh as the Abbott at Phật Pháp temple after the purchase of the property at 1770 62nd Avenue North, Saint Petersburg, FL. was completed.
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