Goddess of Mercy statue at the Kek Lok Si Temple

-
The 20-storey pavilion constructed to shelter the Goddess of Mercy (Kuan Yin) statue at the Kek Lok Si Temple in Air Itam may be listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the tallest pavilion in the world.

Temple abbot Rev Seck Jit Heng said the temple management was planning to get the RM40mil project included in the record book. “It is rare to see an octagonal pavilion with such a height.

This landmark should be recognised in the Guinness Book of World Records,” he said during a press conference at the temple’s office here yesterday. The 60.9m three-tiered roof pavilion, which is supported by 16 granite pillars, serves as a canopy to shelter the 30.2m-tall bronze statue of Kuan Yin.

Each pillar consists of 40 circular blocks of granite, with a thickness of 45cm and a circumference of 2.1m. The core is filled with reinforced concrete. Rev Jit Heng said the temple would hold a double celebration on Dec 6.

“We will celebrate not only the grand opening of the pavilion expected to be completed by then but also the 118th anniversary of Penang Kek Lok Si Temple. “On that day, we will also hold the 20th memorial ceremony for the fourth chief abbot Venerable Bai Sheng who is the founder of the Kuan Yin statue,” he said.

“More than 10,000 people are expected to attend,” he added. Temple trustee Datuk Steven Ooi said the Mahayana tradition chief monks of China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Australia, United States and other countries had been invited.

“His Holiness (the great supreme patriach) from Myanmar, Cambodia, Thailand and Sri Lanka are also expected to attend the ceremony,” he said. The building plan for the entire RM70mil project, consisting of the Kuan Yin statue and the pavilion, was approved in 1999. The statue was completed and unveiled in 2002 - Agencies.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Sanghika Dana (Charity meant for the order of the Sangha)

-
The Pali word of Sanghika Dana means offering alms and other requisites to the Order of the Sangha. Supposed you donate one dollar to an association, all members rich or poor are entitled to that one dollar. Similarly, if a bowl of alms food or a set of robes is offered to the Sangha, then all members of the order are entitled to those offertories. You need not go around the world to give alms to the Sangha Order. An offer to any member of the Sangha in general will automatically amount to Sanghika Dana. All members are entitled to such offertories. They can share it between them. How to project one's goodwill? In offering Sanghika Dana, a donor's mind must be directed to the Order of the Sangha in general. Even though you utter Samghassa demi , I offer it to the Order of Sangha, if you have in mind a particular monk or a particular monastery, your charity cannot be Sanghika Dana. Offering alms food to any monk on daily alms-round or to a certain monk designated by the Order of...
Read more

Meaning of Kathina

-
Image
In the commentary to the Kathinakkhandaka (Section on Kathina) of the Vinaya Pitaka, kathina is defined as a concept of conglomeration which means bringing things together. It is a concept that arises because of certain things that come together. For example: A Bhikkhu/s (Buddhist monk/s) who has/have spent the first vassa; A Sangha (Community of Bhikkhus) comprising at least five bhikkhus; Robe season (the Kathina month) - first month after the end of the first vassa i.e. final month of the rainy season; A rightfully acquired robe - the robe to be donated must not be requested by a member of the Sangha, nor must any hint be given for the robe to be offered, rather the robe must be offered spontaneously by the donor. These are some criterias that come together for the concept of kathina to arise. In fact, two meanings of kathina are given in the Vinaya Commentaries: A frame used during the Buddha's time for sewing double layered robes together. The edges of one robe were fixed to...
Read more

Sammaditthi Meditation Grove, Sungai Petani, Kedah

-
Image
I had recently visited the Sammaditthi Meditation Grove (SMG) situated at Lot 617, Tanah Kubur Cina, Sungai Pasir, 08000 Sungai Petani, Kedah. SMG is the latest Buddhist centre of Theravada tradition to be constructed in Sungai Petani. The construction of its Sima Hall had almost completed, kutis (monk's huts) are also been constructed to accommodate the resident and visiting members of the Sangha. Their daily activities include morning pujas, followed by breakfast and lunch danas, where devotees are encouraged to perform their meritorious deeds. Sadhu, Sadhu, Sadhu.
Read more