Malaysia

Malaysia, the place where I now live and work, is an extremely interesting country. Not only for its natural beauty, its monuments old and new, and particularly its multiethnic and multicultural population, but also for its many religions. First, there is Islam, the state and majority religion, then Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism and Christianity, in addition to Sikhism, Jainism and animism, practised by the respective groups: Malays, Chinese, Indians – particularly Tamils – and dozens of indigenous groups (including the Dayaks of Borneo and the Orang Asli, the aboriginals of the peninsula). Buddhism is thus the second religion of Malaysia, observed by about one-fifth of the entire population. It enjoys an active and visible presence (as attested by the many Dhamma talks I’ve attended here, delivered by eminent Buddhist monks and teachers, such as Ajahn Brahm and Bhante Pemarathana Thera, not to mention meditation retreats). Vesak (the full-moon day commemorating the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha) is a national holiday in Malaysia, celebrated in Kuala Lumpur with a massive procession that perambulates the city centre. What makes Malaysia rather unique, however, is that all the schools of Buddhism are present here: Mahayana, Theravada and even Vajrayana. Mahayana is the most prominent of the three, particularly but not only of the Pure Land School. That said, Theravada Buddhism is growing steadily in Malaysia, practised not only by Thais, Sinhalese and immigrants from other Southeast Asian countries, but also attracting increasing numbers from the local Chinese community. Furthermore, Buddhism is the traditional religion of the Orang Siam, the Thai minority living in the north of the country, where many exquisite Thai temples are to be found, such as Wat Phothivihan with its 40-metre-long reclining Buddha, and Wat Machimmaram with its 32-metre-tall meditating Buddha in Kelantan, known for high levels of tolerance on the part of the local Muslim population. 

The 40-metre long reclining Buddha in Wat Pothivihan (Kelantan)

The 32-metre high Buddha on Wat Machimmaram (Kelantan)

Wat Machimmaram (Kelantan)

There are quite a few Theravada temples in other parts the country, too; for example, Wat Chetawan, a fine Thai temple located in Petaling Jaya, the town next to Kuala Lumpur where I reside (a mere ten-minute walk from my house). The oldest Sinhalese temple in the country, the Mahavihara, is particularly active in the neighbourhood of Brickfields in Kuala Lumpur (where the Vesak procession starts). There are also interesting Chinese Buddhist caves near Ipoh, north of Kuala Lumpur (Perak Tong Cave Temple, for example), and I have even visited an interesting Theravada Buddhist‒Hindu cave near Kuantan, on the east coast, known as Gua Cheras. However, perhaps one of the most spectacular Buddhist temples is Chin Swee Caves Temple in Genting Highlands, a must-see if one comes to Malaysia. 

The entrance to Perak Tong Cave Temple, Ipoh

Statue of Buddha touching the earth (bhumisparsha mudra) inside the Perak Tong 

Statue of Guan Yin, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, inside Perak Tong

The pagoda in Chin Swee Caves Temple (Genting Highlands)

The big Buddha in Chin Swee Caves Temple (Genting Highlands)