Buddhist Association of the United States

What Buddhist Association of the United States does

Buddhist Association of the United States (BAUS) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit religious organization founded in 1964 and headquartered at Chuang Yen Monastery in Carmel, New York, with a secondary facility, the Temple of Enlightenment, in the Bronx. The organization operates in the Theravada Buddhist tradition and is led by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi, a globally recognized Pali scholar and translator who has served as president since 2007. BAUS serves Buddhist practitioners across multiple segments—general devotees, monastics, youth and families, and scholarly students—through meditation instruction, dharma teachings, ceremonial services, and multi-day retreats.

BAUS's core offerings include in-person and online meditation programs (delivered via Zoom and YouTube Live), systematic dharma study courses (covering the Anguttara Nikaya, Abhidhamma, Pali language, and Madhyamika philosophy), annual ceremonies (Ullambana, Vesak, Kuan Yin, Kathina), and youth programs such as the annual Summer Camp. The organization maintains the Woo Ju Memorial Library, which houses rare collections including the FangShan Stone Tripitaka Sutra (one of only two sets in the United States) and offers a digital eLibrary via Libby/OverDrive. Technology usage is limited to commodity communication and distribution tools (Zoom, YouTube, Google Forms, Dropbox, Libby), with no proprietary platforms or AI systems.

The business model is donation-driven: most teachings and programs are offered free of charge with voluntary dana (donations) encouraged, supplemented by fees for specific ceremonies (Light-a-Light blessing lamps, tablet blessings), tiered retreat meal offerings ($100-$500), and nominal workshop fees ($15). Marketing is conducted through the BAUS website, email newsletters, SMS subscriptions, YouTube, and the Wisdom Journal publication, with no traditional advertising. The organization is governed by monastic leadership and a board structure typical of religious non-profits, with no external investors or shareholders.

Name

Buddhist Association of the United States

Legal name

Buddhist Association of the United States

Website

https://baus.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1964

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Buddhist Association of the United States is a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 1964 that operates Chuang Yen Monastery (Carmel, NY) and Temple of Enlightenment (Bronx, NY), providing Theravada Buddhist meditation, dharma education, ceremonies, and library resources to practitioners and the general public.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Buddhist Religious Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Religious Organizations (81311), Religious Organizations (813110), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Religious Orders & Monastic Communities (Monasteries, Convents) (BPAGAJAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Local Congregations & Worship Communities (Churches, Mosques, Temples, Synagogues) (BPAGAJAA), Meditation Retreats, Workshops & Immersive Programs (HSADAJAF)

Keywords

• Buddhist religious services
• Meditation instruction programs
• Dharma education courses
• Religious ceremony services
• Spiritual retreat programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Carmel

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations (Dana): Voluntary donations from members and devotees form the primary revenue stream. Teachings are described as free with generous dana (donations) welcome to support the teachings.
2. Ceremony Services: Revenue generated from ceremonial services including Light-a-Light (blessing lamps), Tablet Blessing (memorial tablets), and various ceremony sponsorships.
3. Meal Offerings and Retreat Fees: Some programs charge modest fees for meals, accommodations, or specific workshops (e.g., $15 workshop fee, meal offering tiers at retreats).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Buddhist Association of the United States (BAUS) is a non-profit religious organization that provides Buddhist spiritual services, including regular meditation instruction, dharma teachings, ceremonial observances, and multi-day retreats. It operates the Chuang Yen Monastery in Carmel, NY (home to the largest Buddhist statue in the Western Hemisphere), the Temple of Enlightenment in the Bronx, and the Woo Ju Memorial Library with digital and rare-text resources, offering in-person and online participation through Zoom and YouTube.

Product overview

The Buddhist Association of the United States (BAUS) operates a multi-facility Buddhist organization centered around Chuang Yen Monastery in Carmel, NY, with a branch Temple of Enlightenment in Bronx, NY. The organization provides spiritual services including regular meditation programs, dharma education courses, ceremonial observances, and retreat programs (both in-person and hybrid/online). Key facilities include the Woo Ju Memorial Library with its eLibrary digital service and rare text collections. The organization serves practitioners through book distribution, prison programs, and publications including the Wisdom Journal. BAUS integrates video platforms (Zoom, YouTube) and digital library systems (Libby/OverDrive) to extend access to its teachings globally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Meditation Programs Regular meditation instruction and practice sessions including weekly group meditation, mindfulness of breathing sessions, and guided loving-kindness meditation, offered both in-person and via Zoom for Buddhist practitioners.

Quantifiable outcome

• Hosts over 100 youth and adults annually at Summer Camp
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Bard College Conservatory of MusicminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 September 2024Bard College Conservatory Chinese Music Ensemble performed a concert at Woo Ju Memorial Library. The US-China Music Institute of Bard College promotes study and appreciation of music from contemporary China. Performance was part of BAUS's Music & Buddhism series.
• World Fotu FoundationminorOthers · 23 August 2015The World Fotu Foundation, on behalf of Yunju (Cloud-dwelling) Buddhist Temple in Beijing, China, donated a thirty-volume set of the FangShan Stone Tripitaka Sutra to Woo Ju Memorial Library. This rare Buddhist text collection was previously donated to only the United Nations.
• Yunju Temple (Cloud-dwelling Buddhist Temple)minorOthers · 23 August 2015Yunju Temple in Beijing, China, authorized the World Fotu Foundation to donate the FangShan Stone Tripitaka Sutra to BAUS. Yunju Temple is one of the most revered sanctuaries of the UNESCO World Heritage sites, known for extensive stone-engravings of Buddhist texts.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Spirit Rock Meditation Center: Bay Area Insight Meditation retreat center offering residential retreats, dharma study programs, and online classes. Comparable to BAUS in operating a retreat facility with a small staff, donation-funded model, and hybrid in-person/virtual programming.
• Insight Meditation Society: A major Vipassana/Insight meditation retreat center in Massachusetts offering multi-day silent retreats, dharma study, and teacher training. Directly comparable to BAUS in combining Theravada-rooted practice with structured residential retreat programming and a global online reach.
• City of Ten Thousand Buddhas: A large Chinese Mahayana Buddhist monastery and educational complex in Northern California. Comparable to BAUS in operating as a multi-facility Buddhist monastery with resident monastics, educational programs, ceremonies, and visitor programming.
• Dharma Drum Mountain / Chan Meditation Center: International Buddhist organization with US centers offering meditation retreats, dharma talks, and educational programs. Comparable to BAUS in running monastery facilities, multi-channel meditation programs, and community-based ceremonial offerings.
• Dharma Realm Buddhist Association: Buddhist organization affiliated with City of Ten Thousand Buddhas operating temples, libraries, and educational programs across North America. Comparable to BAUS in offering ceremonies, monastic-led retreats, and scholarly Buddhist study resources.
• Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation: A large international Buddhist humanitarian organization with US operations focused on community service, meditation, and volunteer engagement. Comparable to BAUS as a US-rooted Buddhist religious nonprofit with donation-driven revenue and community programming.
• Shambhala Mountain Center: Colorado-based meditation and retreat center offering residential retreats, dharma study, and contemplative education. Comparable to BAUS in operating a residential retreat facility with donation/scholarship-based pricing and hybrid online programs.

Broad incumbents

• Soka University of America / SGI-USA: US Buddhist organization (SGI-USA) affiliated with a higher education institution. Comparable to BAUS in operating Buddhist educational and community programs with a hybrid of ceremonies, study, and youth engagement.

Regional players

• Tibet House US: New York City-based cultural and religious center for Tibetan Buddhism offering teachings, meditation, and cultural programming. Comparable to BAUS in operating a New York-based Buddhist facility with programming for both practitioners and the broader public.

Emerging players

• Barre Center for Buddhist Studies: Small New England-based Buddhist study and retreat center focused on scholarly study of Buddhist texts. Comparable to BAUS's Woo Ju Memorial Library and Dharma Discourse courses in emphasizing textual study alongside practice.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/buddhist-association-of-the-united-states

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Buddhist Association of the United States