Exactly One Year Ago...

I was in Singapore and they were celebrating Vesak Day. Vesak is informally called "Buddha's Birthday" but actually it includes not just his birth but also his enlightenment and passing away. I guess we can summarize it as a celebration of Buddha's Life :) I didn't have anything planned that day so I decided to go to a Buddhist Monastery and observe how they celebrate.

I went to the Lian Shan Shuang Lin Monastery in Toa Payoh. This is Singapore's oldest Buddhist Monastery - it was built in 1902. I'm not sure where the original structure is since I read that the area was badly damaged and required almost 11 years to restore. I remember that I got lost looking for this place since it is almost "hidden" in a residential neighborhood. I went though many HDBs (housing development) and when I was almost about to give up and head home I finally found it! And wow! I think I actually laughed out loud because the monastery is massive! I also thought of how cool it must be to live so close to such a beautiful and peaceful place.

Everything is so beautiful and detailed! I read that they brought in artisans and sculptors from China during the restoration project in 1990.

Fish tail!

One of the many Buddhas I saw that day

Paper money and incense

The paper money went inside a big furnace

Colorful food offerings

Lotus candles

A devotee lighting a lotus candle

lots and lots of incense sticks! I recall coming home smelling like smoke that day

Monks and devotees circling and chanting around the temple. I wish I could understand what they were saying and why they kept going around

They went outside and circled the area

Praying

I saw a horse with a lot of numbers taped to it. It also had vegetables and incense in front of it. I really wish that I will know the significance of this horse and the numbers someday. Anyway, Happy Vesak Day (May 28 this year).