1000-Armed Kuan Yin-Foo Hai Ch’an Monastery
Around 8 years ago in Singapore (Geylang), I happened across this Monastery by chance…I stopped the taxi and went inside to look…it was under massive renovations…but it had this huge Kuan Yin and I was so attracted…I wanted to visit the place again when it was done but for years forget where this Monastery was. I had for the last 8 years asked students/friends to do a search for this place unsuccessful. Well last week, while I was in Singapore, Pastor Loh Seng Piow found the place online!!!! We went to visit and it was correct. When we got there, I told Pastor Loh Seng Piow it’s the wrong place and they should go look inside while I wait in the car…on second look it was the right place…I didn’t recognize it immediately because of the massive renovations….I do not know anyone in this temple or who is in charge, but the Kuan Yin is stunning…..I haven’t any connections to this place, but I appreciate the aesthetics of the image very much.
Wow!! Look at this massive Kuan Yin and done so beautifully. So inspiring. One thousand armed Kuan Yin is the exact same Buddha as the one thousand armed Avalokitesvara in Tibetan Buddhism. In China, Quan Yin is female and in Tibet male. What gender does not matter at all. A Buddha is a Buddha.
I went inside to make offerings and Quan Yin is breathtaking. I thought I’d share this with everyone.
Tsem Rinpoche
Beautiful hall of Quan Yin Bodhisattva
The outside of this Monastery there is a Bodhi Tree..reminding us of Buddha’s enlightenment
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Came across this old post of the beautiful 1000-Armed Kuan Yin-Foo Hai Ch’an Monastery. Foo Hai Ch’an Monastery, is a Buddhist monastery in Singapore, originally set up by Venerable Hong Zong of Taiwan. Located in Geylang, Singapore, Venerable Hong Zong first came to Singapore to popularise Buddhism. There is a few places of interest in the monastery having the beautiful 1000-Armed Kuan Yin Statue . A 5 storey monastery houses sacred Buddha relics, and every floor is installed with Buddha of various styles from different regions. That’s amazing. Been one of the most beautiful monasteries in Singapore, with a unique zen style architecture which exudes a quiet elegance. Looking at those beautiful pictures tell us more. This Monastery has several structures, statues, Bodhi tree and Buddha relics that are of religious importance and of interest to tourists. Worth a visit even for non-devotees. Merely looking at the beautiful 1000-Armed Kuan Yin Statue blesses all.
Thank you Rinpoche for this sharing.
Lord Avalokisteshvara is stunning!
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this beautful temple and such huge and beautiful Kuan Yin who is my spiritual Godmother. Wish i have the merits to visit this beautiful place .?
The 1000-armed Kuan Yin in this temple -the Foo Hai Ch’an Monastery – in Geylang, S’pore, which Rinpoche visited more than 10 years ago is so amazingly fascinating and awesomely magnificent! Imagine , Kuan Yin, with her infinite compassion, striving eternally to relieve the sufferings of all beings. Imagine her 1000 arms stretching out to help in so many multi-faceted and skilful ways . As Kuan Yin is the embodiment of enlightened compassion, this representation of her with 1000 arms is also symbolic of the “combined synthesis of the compassion of the 1000 Buddhas that will appear in this golden eon”(Faces of Enlightenment, Tsem Rinpoche).
Stunning statue of 1,000 armed Kuan Yin. Didn’t know that there is such a big and beautiful monastery in Singapore. Would be lovely to have a chance to visit this monastery.
The story of the 1,000-arm Kuan Yin is a very beautiful one and full of compassion. I read that Kuan Yin Pusa saw the multitude of suffering beings and being limited by her physical form and in a moment of tremendous compassion that he cannot save them all then, splintered into a thousand pieces. Buddha Amitabha saw her plight and appointed her the thousand arms so that she might reach out to more people and the eleven heads that she might hear the cries of those suffering.
This temple grounds look beautiful and the statue of the 1,000-arm Kuan Yin looks so serene. Thank you for sharing these images and bringing us to a calmer state of mind.
Amazing 1000-Armed Kuan Yin-Foo Hai Ch’an Monastery,by just looking at those pictures it tell me it truly amazing and beautiful looks huge too.
I have not been to this monastery before and hope i could pay a visit as well as make offerings to the 1000-Kuan Yin.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing beautiful pictures of 1000-Kuan Yin.
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Thank you Rinpoche for sharing beautiful pictures of 1000-Kuan Yin and Lew for the actual location. This Kuan-Yin is truly beautiful. I like the picture of the main hall as although the setting is very simple, it looks very grand and clean. I feel that the Kuan-Yin and its colour really bring out the serenity and grandness.
Geylang is the place in Singapore where legal prostitution is allowed, strangely, it is also the place where all religious centres are based. Someone has told me that this is because buddhas will exist in places where they are needed the most.
I have been to Geylang, but have never been to this place. I guess I will have to pay this place a visit and make my offerings to the 1000-Kuan Yin one day.
Hi Rinpoche,
The Guan Yin is so beautiful! And needless to say, HUGE!! Guan Yin always gives the me the peaceful feeling. Having her around bring a lot of peace.
I grow up hearing a lot of stories about Guan Yin, how she is compassionate and benefit everyone regardless of who they are and what they have done.
I will definitely make this place to visit when I next go to Singapore!
p/s: The website is: http://foohai.org and the address this monastery is: 87, Geylang East Avenue 2, 389753
I have finally visited this beautiful temple!! I visited this temple on a weekday afternoon around 3pm, and it is very quiet and calm and not many people at all. Though it is very hot outside, the hall is very cooling even without air-conditioning. I think this is because of the marble flooring.
Beside the main hall, there is a 5 storey high pagoda. It is quite a small one, but there are many interesting artefacts while walking your way up.
Also, walk out from the temple and walk straight ahead, you will reach a vegetarian restaurant which is very famous and it has been serving customer for more than 10 years. I can’t remember the name, but main deity there is Tara, so you will see many Tara and hear Tara mantra, so you can’t miss it! It is a must try!!
This monastery is very beautiful
The Foo HaiChan Monastry in spore which was officially opened in 2004 has a beautiful hall of Quan Yin Bodhisattva. It even have a Bodhi tree inside the Monastry garden to remind us of Budhha’s enlightenment. Rinpoche went there for a 2nd visit after 8years, the place of which happened to be under massive renovation at that time. Rinpoche was very inspired by the huge statue of the one thousand armed Kuan Yin, which had been so beautifully done up. Avaloiteshvara or Chenresig in Tibetan, the name itself evokes boundless compassion of all Buddhas. In Tibet, the name Chenresig is revered and renown among Buddhist masters, like H.H.The Dalai Lama, and H.H. Karmapa, who are regarded emanators of Chenrezig. It is said that with proper practices, one can achieve a calmer mind, particularly in times of crises to react in a compassionate way. One will also be kinder to those who are around or closest to you or who taunt you or hurt you – This is compassion, the essense of all Buddhas! OM MANI PADME HUM.
Hi Rinpoche,
Hope Rinpoche are Well.
I got attracted to 1000 arms Gua Yin since i was very young, i can’t remember where and when is the first time i met “her”, but i just so into “her”.
And i came about with one of her story and how “she” got her 1000 arms which come with an eye on each arm, and i would like to share with Rinpoche.
Long ago, that’s this lady who was born and raised in a small and poor village. This lady is a very kind in nature, but the family is not doing well. One day, the father of caught with a kind of weird disease, and this young lady is seeking help from all the famous doctors in the village, but none of them able to help her father in anyway.
She is very upset and she went to the only temple in the village and ask Buddha for guidance. When she on the way back to home after prayers, she met this very old man who sitting down a tree, with the banner writing “Ingenious Bring The Dying Back to Life”, she came in front of the old for help on her father sickness, and the old man agreed.
After the diagnose, the old man told the lady, that’s a very special prescription which can heal her father, but there’s 2 very rare ingredients are needed for the herb soup in order to heal her father illness, which is an arm and an eye taken from a living human.
The lady knows that no one is going to have that kind of material for sale, even there is she won’t take any arm and eye from someone.
Out of no choice, she decided to gave up one eye and one arm for her dying dad with no regret .
Right after she remove her eye and arm from her youthful body, Lord Buddha appear in front of her, and Lord Buddha told her that the old doctor who gave her the prescription actually is Lord Buddha himself, and Lord Buddha is very happy and touch by her filial moves, she can actually gave up everything she have for someone else, and she gain her enlightenment.
Lord Buddha brings back her lost eye and arm. On top of that, Lord Buddha gave her another 1000 arms and eyes and instructed her to take care all the sentient being just like how she care for her own dad.
The lesson i learn from here is not we should gave up our own eye or arm to get the enlightenment or another 1000 arms. But always think of others selflessness caring and love for others. And i’m so lucky to meet the living 1000 Arms Guan Yin in our time, which is Rinpoche yourself, i really thankful to have Rinpoche with us all the time, and i’m have the merit to learn Dharma from Rinpoche.
May you live long with us, and may we have the merits to change our mind as one with you and all Buddha.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing the pictures of this very beautiful and huge 1000-Armed Kuan Yin… Thank you Bryan for sharing with us the story of how Kuan Yin got her 1000 arms. Now Kuan Yin has 1000 arms that means she can help 1000 beings at 1 time. I believe many high beings like Kuan Yin took rebirth back to samsara to benefit and safe all beings.
Thanks Rinpoche for the sharing.