Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation, National Headquarters Region — Attraction in San Dimas

This organization which has been around for maybe 50-60 years? The people are sincere, genuine and upright. They really do practice what they say in action and even expression - which is extremely difficult to do. The young Taiwanese Buddhist nun who started the organization back in the 1950s or 1960s was taken aback when the Christians/Catholics told her Buddhism didn’t do anything whereas Catholics would build hospitals, schools or help the poor. So this Buddhist nun decided there was some truth there and changed that. Today they have dozens of schools and hospitals all over Asia because everyone contributed a little to this Tzu Chi foundation. This San Dimas site is the West Coast headquarters. It’s part of the Tzu Chi organization and located at an old school site. I believe it was once one of the affiliates of Pomona Colleges. It’s a beautiful white stucco campus surrounded by golden hills. It’s interesting that this very Spanish looking foundation is also their temple site. The bookstore itself is run by these very patient and loving people. Once inside, it feels like you go into this entirely, different, peaceful country! They have many books to share inside. They also have a vegetarian restaurant which sounded delicious. The bookstore lady was giving me advice on what she liked to eat. She seemed really excited about specific products and it was so cute. She made me smile. They are so kind and lovely! They are the same in word and deed. They even run a clinic in Los Angeles and helped one of the storekeepers’ when he was in severely bad health and isolated, he decided to stay and work for them. I would wish to go again - It’s worth it to visit and see this...

This place used to be a Cal Poly Campus, and Prior to that some sort of Christian retreat, now a Buddhist organization campus. The chapel is still there, although it's a theater or sorts. There are a few spanish styles buildings that are used for administrative, classrooms, cantina etc. There is also a big pool that used to train Olympic swimmers for Cal Poly, but now abandoned due to leakage. The organization has a Chinese after school program, as well as enrichment classes for different ages, such as flower arrangement, painting, cooking, plumbing, accounting, etc at very reasonable rates. Something like $50-70 for 6-8 weeks classes. The staff are super helpful and polite. Although they are mostly Chinese speaking (but speaks English of course)and almost all of...

Attended a few classes here like DIY soap and oil and flower arranging. I had a lot of fun.

They host fairs and festivals every once in awhile showcasing/selling homemade vegetarian food and items. Support mom and pop shops.

Place itself is beautiful and calming. I think it used to be a Spanish retreat or something because the building architecture looks Spanish. Great place to come worship or just escape. Only wish they let in homeless people people who need a place to stay like will work for food/place to stay types. That's truly...