The Awake Center

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The life of Zen Master Thich Dieu Thien, from birth until today, only does one thing, that is Awake, full liberation from the inevitable sufferings of life and helping people to liberate from suffering. All Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and lineage Awakened masters were present in this world because they wanted to open the mind for sentient beings to return and live with the Buddha's nature already within themselves, and today, Zen Master Thich Dieu Thien also wants to open the mind for sentient beings to discover and live with the Buddha's nature already within, and that’s why she is present in this world.

"Universal Door" is Zen Master Thich Dieu Thien’s Great Vow, naturally appeared at the moment she Awakened when she saw sentient beings suffering. She also saw that everyone have the capacity to Wake Up, but do not know and forever whirl in the cycle birth and death. Zen Master Thich Dieu Thien made a great vow to step into this world to help all beings to become one with Awake, liberating from suffering and the cycle of birth and death. In 2003, Universal Door Meditation Center was established to help all people regardless of religion, race, culture or background to return and live with the Awake Mind within, liberating from ignorance, greed and hatred, to have Awakened happiness in life.

For many years since its presence in 2003, Universal Door Meditation Center has grown in capacity with the following locations in the Texas area:

Universal Door Meditation Center - the first location - Sugar Land, TX (established in 2003)

Suoi Tu Meditation Center - Dallas, TX (established in 2013)

The Awake Center - Universal Door Meditation Center - the current location - Sugar Land, TX (established in 2017)

Universal Door Meditation Center

On the quiet Charles Lane, we stop in front of the gate of the Universal Door Meditation Center. A beautiful and distinctive artwork appearing before our eyes, is the signboard “PHO MON MEDITATION CENTER” that the nuns and students hand-carved on a large stone.

Entering the gate of the Center, unfolding before our eyes, is a simple yet peaceful and warmly welcoming setting: the meditation hall, the Zen Master's room, the greeting room, the tea meditation room; and to the left hand side, there is a very nice zen garden that the nuns built it themselves. Going further into the venue is a tiny kuti, followed by a small dormitory raised on piles where students stay during residential retreats; and next door is a separate kitchen and dining hall. In front of the kitchen is a vegetable garden, where a lot of fruits and vegetables are grown and regularly harvested. The surrounding mature trees and the above facilities are harmoniously coordinated around a lush, green lawn...smooth, airy, giving us a cool, serene feeling, even in the hot summer months of Houston.

Suoi Tu Meditation Center is an Awake Center, set on a 4-acre land on a hill with many mature trees and rows of green bamboo. From the busy Pipeline Road, we enter the gate, drive along the uphill road to the top of the hill: a natural and warmly welcoming setting unfolds before us, giving us a sense of peace and serenity. The meditation center is situated within the city of Euless, about 15 minutes away from the Dallas/Fort Worth airport and close to many Vietnamese communities in the Dallas/Fort Worth metropolitan area.