A Buddhist Day

Our Buddhism professor took us to 3 very different Buddhist temples today, all located in Penang. The first was a Sri Lankan Buddhist temple called the Mahindarama Buddhist Temple. It was small, and clearly a place that local buddhists go to meditate, pay respects, and pray. There was a large reclining buddha, various murals depicting the lives of the different Buddhas, and a special place for the residing monks. The best was that there was a Bohi tree, and this one is fabled to have come from a seed from the original tree that the Buddha reached enlightenment under. A unique and beautiful tree with far reaching roots, it was cool to see how much care is taken around it.

The second temple was the Kek Lok Si, biggest Buddhist temple in Southeast Asia. It had huge ornamental displays of Buddha, his disciples, and everything else related to Buddhism that you could imagine. It was very decorated on the inside, and the outside gardens were well maintained and quite lovely. We were able to climb up to the pagoda, and catch a nice glimpse of the city as well as a refreshing breeze. We also got to take the cable car up to where the HUGE buddha statue resides, and I found my zodiac sign carved from stone. This temple didn't feel very buddhist to me, as everything we've learned about Buddhism says simplicity, and practicality are the most important things. With the elaborate statues and designs, plus gift shops everywhere, this felt more like a tourist destination. I'm still glad we got to see it though.

The final place we went to was called Bodhi Heart, and it's where my professor works. It set a bit back in the countryside, surrounded by chinese cemeteries and is a more modern feel. It's purposely not related to any specific buddhist tradition, and therefore has a very simple, peaceful feeling. The gardens are incredibly well kept, and there is ample space for yoga, tai chi, or meditation. People can come and go as they please. This was my favorite "temple" of the day. I could have spent a very relaxing day there, surrounded by nature. Below is a picture with me and my professor. Most adorable chinese man ever!