Sakaya Muni Buddha Gaya Temple 
From Singapore Hotels & Singapore Lifestyle
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Sakaya Muni Buddha Gaya Temple, over the road from the Leong San See Temple, is stunning and popularly known as the "Temple of 1,000 Lights".
In 1927, a Thai monk founded this Buddhist temple. It's dominated by a brightly painted 15-metre-high (49 ft), 300-tonne Buddha that sits in a halo of light, on top of a base depicting scenes from the life of Prince Siddharta Gautama. Alongside the Buddha statue is an eclectic range of deities including Kuan Yin (Guan Yin), the Chinese goddess of mercy, as well as Brahma and Ganesh (both Hindu deities). Worshippers may illuminate the lights around the statue for a small donation.
Flanking the entrance to the temple are yellow tigers, symbolising protection and vitality. On your left as you enter the temple is a huge mother-of-pearl footprint, complete with the 108 auspicious marks that distinguish a Buddha foot from any other 2m-long foot. It's said to be a replica of the footprint on top of Adam's Peak in Sri Lanka.
You can walk round the back of the giant Buddha and go inside it through a low door. Here you'll see a smaller image of the reclining Buddha, Maitreya. Around the base of the statue, models tell the story of the Buddha's life, and of course, there are the electric lights that give the temple its name.
What distinguishes this temple is its human touch. The entire complex - including the Buddha statue and the wire-whiskered tigers guarding the gate - was built years ago by a Thai monk named Vutthisasara.
For S$0.50, you can also have a spin on the wheel of fortune (men spin to the right, women to the left). An attendant will match your wheel of fortune result with a typed forecast that you may take away.
Visitors' Information
- Tel: (+65) 6294 0714
- Location: 366 Race Course Road, Singapore 218638
- Opening Hours: 8.00 am - 4.45 pm
- Nearest MRT: Farrer Park MRT Station
