July 28, 2003
Original Source: The Associated Press
https://www.nhregister.com/news/article/New-York-monastery-is-a-window-to-Buddhism-for-11692039.php
On July 28, 2003 The Associated Press reported that "the 37-foot-high Buddha sits atop a lotus flower, encircled by 10,000 smaller Buddha statues... The Chuang Yen Monastery houses this statue, the largest Buddha in the Western Hemisphere, on their 225 acres in Carmel [CA]... With meditation programs in both English and Chinese, the monastery welcomes visitors to walk around the Seven Jewels Lake, meditate in their halls and learn about the principles of Buddhism."