Fairfax Station Buddhist Temple Embraces A 'Way of Life'

Cherry Blossoms line the driveway up to Ekoji Buddhist Temple in Fairfax Station. The small, peaceful temple exemplifies the dichotomy between it and the busy Route 645 it overlooks.

Buddhism holds a particular stereotype in American culture. The Buddha conjures images of a jolly pot-bellied man with dangling earlobes. Many think of hours of meditation and stoic old men. However, in the past ten years that stereotype has been shattered as many Americans have come to embrace the philosophy.

Visitors walking into the Ekoji Buddhist Temple at 6500 Lakehaven Lane see a large statue of the Buddha. Shoes are not allowed past this point. The temple opens into a larger room where lines of seats face an altar.

According to Rev. Kazz Nakata, Ekoli’s resident minister, the temple made some western accommodations to its services.

“We have chairs instead of sitting on the floor,” he said. The services also involve singing and meet on Sundays.

Ekoji is one of three Buddhist Temples in Fairfax County. While Buddhism constitutes only 0.7 percent of the United States’ population, its numbers have grown steadily in the past years, especially for those who were not born into the tradition. Still, Buddhism has not been well documented in the United States.

According to the Association of Religion Data Archives, only 170 Buddhists reside in Fairfax County, though the Archives are first to admit that their numbers on Buddhists are incomplete.

Nakata says that 60 to 70 percent of the roughly 100 people who attend services are traditionally Buddhist. The rest are people that have embraced the philosophy. Nakata says George Mason University students frequent the temple.

John Grimes has been a “non-traditional” member of the temple since it was built in 1998.

“I always had lived by the principles,” Grimes said. He joined the temple after his wife suggested they try Buddhism.

“I like the atmosphere and the lack of Christian dogma,” Grimes said. “The teachings of Buddhism are so ill-defined…it’s a really amorphous way of life.”

Nakata expresses the same amorphous sentiment. “Buddhist culture is not a religion,” he said. “We are not saying there is only one god.”

Because of this ideal, members of the temple are not required to come to services in the same way that other religions require.

“When you come to the temple, only free will brings you to the temple. Pastors take that for granted,” Nakata said. “We appreciate the decision [to come.]”

Buddhism embraces the unpredictability of life. Instead of trying to control what is happening, Nakata teaches his congregation to accept the impermanence of life and be comfortable with unpredictability.

“We don’t talk about metaphysical stuff. I’m not a dead person so I don’t know what it's like,” Nakata said.

Nakata has had to accept the impermanence of life as well. The ministers own most temples in his home country of Japan. This makes it hard for a new minister to find a job. However, thanks to the growing number of Buddhists in the United States, there were opportunities in Fairfax Station and he moved to the area in 2003.

Nakata and the congregation have been giving back to Japan after the earthquake by collecting money. They have raised over $10,000 so far in relief funds. 

Ekoji Buddhist Temple practices Shin Buddhism, which is the most common form. Shin Buddhists concentrate on everything that they do.

“It’s 24-7 meditation,” Nakata said. “It is a way of living instead of a religion.”

CORRECTION: A previous version of this story read that the Ekoji Buddist Temple practices Shinto Buddhism, which was incorrect. Shinto is an indigenous religion in Japan, while Shin is a type of Buddhism.