Sakya Muni Buddha Gaya Temple, Singapore
Copyright © Timothy Tye.
Sakya Muni Buddha Gaya Temple
336 Race Course Road
The Sakya Muni Buddha Gaya Temple is one of the major Buddhist temples in Singapore. It was founded in 1927 by a Thai monk by the name of Vutthisara. Often called the Temple of 1,000 Lights, it is located at Race Course Road, just a short distance from the Leong San See Temple. The main feature of the temple is the 15-meter high statue of a seated Buddha, which weighs nearly 300 tons. There are also many smaller Buddha images and murals depicting the life of Shakyamuni Buddha. The large central Buddha statue is surrounded by a stylized aura made of numerous light bulbs which are turned on in the evenings. The many lights from these bulbs gave the temple its nickname.
There is a small room beneath the altar with the image of a reclining Buddha. It is the statue of the dying Buddha under a Yellow Seraka Tree. On the left side of the main hall is a replica of the footprint made by the Buddha in Sri Lanka. Next to it is a wheel of fortune. Visitors are allowed to spin it for S$0.50.
The Sakya Muni Buddha Gaya Temple is busiest during Vesak Day, the annual holiday celebrating the birth and enlightenment of the Buddha. During that feast day, devotees donate money to the temple and are allowed to place gold leaf onto a small statue of the Buddha. Eventually the statue is almost entirely covered in a fresh layer of gold leaf.
Sakya Muni Buddha Gaya Temple is open between 8.00 am and 4.45 pm daily and admission is free.
