Tucked away behind a cluster of small stores and HDBs is this large Tibetan Buddhist Vajrayana Temple,at 5 Pasir Ris Drve 4 in the East of Singapore. With grand entrance gates this brightly coloured building is adorned with many prayer flags reminiscent of the temples we envisage from Tibet, although not seated high upon a snow capped mountain this is still a building of some stature.
This temple is the jewel in the crown of the Buddha Sasana Society of Singapore. The society began in Singapore in the 1960s using a small classroom in the Maha Bodhi school. throughout the 70s the society grew following visits from their holiness Sakya Trizin and Ven Tharig Tulku Rinpoche. They then bought a building at 9 Topaz Rd before they needed to relocate.
Ponlop Lama Tashi Tenzen who was then the Principal of the Tantric College in Tibet moved to Singapore and became the first resident monk in the country. From Topaz Rd they moved again to 37/39 Loyang 25A before yet again having to relocate to their current home due to the expansion of the PIE (Expressway) The current temple was purpose built for them in a traditional Chinese/Tibetan style and is modelled on a Tibetan Monastery.
On the ground floor the building is taken up mainly with the large Prayer Hall which is home to a large Buddha. Either side are 2 shrines, one being the Manjushri Shrine and on the other the Tara Shrine. the walls of the ground floor are covered in tiles depicting the medicine Buddha. The 2nd floor houses classrooms and a library,whilst the 3rd is out of bounds and is where the monks quarters and the retreat room can be found.
Their aim is to spread Buddhas teachings and to help the community. They also teach Buddhism to those who wish to learn. More about the temple and Sasana Society can be found here http://www.sakyatenphelling.org although you don't need to wish to become a Buddhist to come and experience the peace of this building.
