The Cave of Ultimate Bliss. How could you not want to visit a place with a name as beautiful as this?

Caves have an innately mysterious aura. Most are only found some distance away from civilisation, and their yawning mouths seem to call out to visitors… or warn them to stay away. You can tell from the name Kek Lok Tong (Cave of Ultimate Bliss) that this cave is one of the former.

Kek Lok Tong (sometimes spelt as Kek Look Tong)

The Cave of Ultimate Bliss is located in Ipoh, the capital of the north-western Malaysian state of Perak. At the turn of the 19^th Century, a flourishing tin mining industry triggered Ipoh’s transformation from a sleepy village into a boomtown. In the decades that followed, a wealth of opportunities presented themselves, attracting waves of migrant workers from China and other countries.

A beautiful Kuan Yin statue outside of the temple. She wasn’t there the last time I visited. There is a koi pond surrounding her, which is very well-maintained. There was some moss growing inside but it looked natural and the water was clean and clear. The fishes are very large and look healthy. Click on image to enlarge.

The earliest records of Kek Lok Tong as a religious site date back to the 1920s. This period coincides with the second tin rush that brought thousands of workers to Malaya, as the peninsula was then known.

Some of the most important Buddhist holy places in China are located within the country’s vast rural highlands. The Kledang Mountain range that runs from the north to the west of Ipoh must have evoked a sense of the familiar within the Chinese miners who toiled here. They brought with them the religions and beliefs of their forefathers, taking solace in piety amid the uncertainty of this promising but intimidating new world.

Kek Lok Tong is just one of many cave temples within the limestone outcrops that run around the outskirts of Ipoh. A river tributary runs about 1.6 km (0.99 mi) into these hills. As is nature’s tendency before man interferes, the region embodies an inherent balance. Hills of hard rock tower above the earth, silent and unrelenting while water flows alongside, gentle and fluid.

The grounds of Kek Lok Tong cover over 12 acres in their entirety. This includes several lakes of different sizes on either side of the cave complex. These artificial lakes are remnants of the mining activity that carried on here until the 1970s. The temple is located in one of the 5 caves in this part of the stony outcrop.

The mouth of the cave is massive, almost 15 metres high and slightly larger in width. A laughing Buddha statue welcomes you at the entrance. Beyond, the central altar is a testament to the open-minded nature of traditional Chinese thought – it combines both Buddhist figures and deities from the Taoist pantheon.

I love Manjushri… I often come to these caves to visit Manjushri.
Click on image to enlarge.

Among the Buddhist Bodhisattvas depicted are Manjushri, Maitreya, Samantabhadra, Wei Tuo, Ksitigarbha and Vairocana. These gold-coloured statues were cast in Taiwan and sit atop massive marble pedestals.

Not all the statues are so noticeable, though. If you look closely amongst the rocks and plants that line the cave’s interior, you will find miniature figurines together with walkways and pagodas built to scale for them.

A great deal of effort and expense has been invested in making Kek Lok Tong a pleasant escape from the bustle of daily life. The floor of the cave has been smoothened and levelled to the point that it is wheelchair-friendly. Even the lower portion of the walls are lined with marble tiles.

However, the upper walls and the roof have been left in their natural state. The roof is a sight of wonder. The Kinta limestone of Kek Lok Tong ranges from light grey to white in colour but embedded within it are fascinating patterns of tin ore. The beautiful stalactites that emerge from it are intriguing enough but the surface itself is an undulating canvas of textures, light and shadow. Mother Nature is indeed a most talented artist.

While the Kek Lok Tong cave temple is the main draw, the garden complex around it has come to be seen as a wonder in its own right. A flight of stairs leads down from the rear exit of the cave to the open grounds. It is a serene sight and immensely beautiful, too. All around are foliage-covered hills, creating a cocoon of peace and tranquillity.

It is perhaps strange that a location named for a cave features a sight so open and free, too.

Virtually every inch that is not a water body or a track is a tree or covered in grass instead. Yet, despite the huge expanse of the verdant grounds, the garden is very well-maintained. The lawns are manicured and even the ponds are free of debris and detritus. A reflexology path, apparently one of the longest in Ipoh, winds its way around the lakes.

Families and couples unwind here and you may also see some motivated individuals practising their meditation.

Visiting Kek Lok Tong

Kek Lok Tong is about 2 hours’ drive from Kuala Lumpur. It is a popular weekend getaway for people from the Malaysian capital as well as local residents.

Kek Lok Tong is one of the few cave temples in Ipoh (and perhaps the country) where considerable attention has been given to making it wheelchair accessible. There is an access ramp for those with mobility issues as well as specially designed restroom facilities.

When to Visit

The temple and gardens are open to the public daily, including weekends and public holidays. Opening hours are from 07:00 am to 5:30 pm. A typical visit to the temple takes less than an hour. You may find yourself enjoying the pleasant gardens for a much longer time.

Kek Lok Tong sees larger crowds on weekends and during the school holidays. It is still possible to enjoy the sights on these days but finding a place to sit may not be as easy. It is also a good idea to avoid visiting during the wet season – the floor of the cave can become quite slippery.

Admission

There is no entry fee but a donation box has been placed at the entrance. If you would like to help keep Kek Lok Tong as clean and well-maintained as it is, please consider making a contribution.

Getting There

The main entrance is accessible through the Gunung Rapat housing estate, 5 km south of Ipoh city.

Address: Kek Lok Tong, Gunung Rapat, Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia.

The Quiet Solace of a Cave

Do you ever imagine what the world was like in ages past? In the time before the rapid urbanisation of the Industrial Revolution? Civilisation was largely confined to small settlements outside of the few great cities of the world. Vast tracts of unexplored land lay between them, ventured into only by the adventurous. Or the pious.

Even in that age of sparse populations, monks and holy men abandoned their simple towns and villages in search of even greater solitude. Adherents of every faith, all over the planet and across the ages often settled on one location: a cave. It offered immediate sanctuary from the elements and hostile parties and cost no time or effort to build.

The earliest holy places of virtually all the world’s ancient religions, both Eastern and Western, were inside caves.

Who knows how many holy caverns and grottoes remain unexplored in remote corners of the world. Some have undoubtedly been covered by rockfalls and landslides in the intervening ages, and now wait for you to rediscover them.

Those that we know of often exude an aura of power. It is as if the thoughts and the very personas of the holy people who meditated there have imprinted themselves in the walls. Meditating at these sites is akin to opening yourself up directly to that ancient wisdom.

So, when you visit a holy cave, pause to think of what it is telling you in its silence.

Tsem Rinpoche

This is the back of the cave

At the entrance of the cave is a Kuan Yin pond. Very nice.

This is the cave as you enter from the main entrance

Beautiful images of Manjushri, etc within the cave. I loved sitting in front of Manjushri to do my prayers here.

This is the back entrance of the cave

The lake behind the cave that you would want to walk around and enjoy the view

The garden

Update: 17^th November 2010

I took a group of my students to visit Kek Look Tong Cave temple. Legend has it the cave temples were built by monks visiting from China, and they settled here and set up these temples.

The mountains here look very ancient, I guess it must have reminded them of home… I have always loved caves and mountains. Even as a small child, I wanted to run away to the forests and woods to meditate. When I came to Malaysia, I did not have that in many places. One of the places was Ipoh. I used to visit the cave temples and do my meditations and sadhana there, and also sometimes have a picnic.

We walked around the caves and also the park behind and I pointed out to them some ideas that would be very nice for Kechara World Peace Centre (KWPC). We are going to build a retreat centre in Malaysia that will be an alternative learning centre for healing, learning of arts and Buddhist philosophy. There will also be a Tara walk, a large Dzambala statue and a Lama Tsongkhapa statue to bless Malaysians and the kind Malaysian government.

In the park behind the caves, there are many large ponds and lakes where they release catfish, koi and terrapins. There is also a path around the park where a lot of people were jogging or walking with their families. There were some gazebos, and I gave my students a short Dharma talk there about how other beings suffer when we choose ourselves over others. We also did some short prayers there. It reminded me of the times I would go there to do my sadhana. The caves have not changed much actually. It is quite well-built because they don’t seem to need to do a lot of renovations or maintenance. The only problem is that it is wet inside and a little slippery.

I will be sending more of my students there to take a look. I like places like this where it is spiritual but also very fun and interesting. It is a good place for adults to go and get some peace, and also for kids to get out of the city.

The water park is called Lost World of Tambun and it was made to look very old, rustic, ancient and authentic. The whole water park was surrounded by mountains and there were lakes everywhere. It was really nice as there were even animals in the petting zoo! There was also a very nice aviary where the birds are allowed to roam around freely. The birds were so happy and looked well-fed and FREE!!!!

My students told me Lost World of Tambun is not as big as Sunway Lagoon which is here in KL, and it is also not as crowded. I would like to go and check out Sunway Lagoon soon too, because it is somewhere closer to home and more convenient. I had a lot of fun in Lost World… I already know who I would like to send there very soon. They can just rent a van, or take two or three cars and drive there on a day trip… Very fun, even if you are an adult (or think you are an adult!) hehe…

By the way, we got to the caves using GPS. When my personal assistant Loh Seng Piow first got the GPS, I didn’t think it was a good idea but it was very useful in Ipoh and worked well!

I do recommend a visit to Ipoh and don’t forget to visit the Buddhist caves which are 30 mins by car from the Lost World. Nice day out.

Tsem Rinpoche

The entrance of the cave… Quite spectacular.

My students and close friends at compassionate Kuan Yin’s feet

With my personal attendant Monlam and Jamie

I love seeing animals free. My students regularly release hundreds of kilos of fishes into a park in KL. We buy the fishes from a wet market and release them. Then we go back and check also to see if the fishes are fine and also to feed them.

We were choosing our favourite fish. There were many beautiful koi in the pond there, very healthy and large and active.

We throw coins at Kuan Yin’s feet. If the coins stay there, our wish will come true. Only two of my students managed to get coins to stay there hehe…

Beautiful Kuan Yin statue at the entrance of the cave temples. I love Kuan Yin so much. When I was a child, I would draw pictures of her in Tibetan form.

David at Manjushri’s feet. David really loves Manjushri!

Making prayers to the future Buddha, Buddha Maitreya.

This is the back of the Kek Look Tong cave. There is a large park in the back with more lakes and ponds, and a lot of fishes and terrapins. There are also some gazebos located in the garden where people can relax. When I came here years ago with my monks, we would sit on the grass and do our sadhana. It is very peaceful and serene here.

I like trees like this very much… few roots on the ground, and have very large spread of leaves. It provides good shade. It would be nice to have trees like these in KWPC. Then we can hold a lot of outdoor activities like qi gong, tai chi, Dharma classes and children classes.

There are a lot of enclaves like this… Would be a good place to have stone statues, and altars that blend into the rock and look natural.

Mountains and trees, and even a reflexology walk for good health.

Monlam exploring one of the enclaves

I used to come here and do my sadhana and maybe sometimes have a picnic with the monks

Placing my head at the feet of Manjushri

The temple also has nice statues of Taoist deities

If you sit here in the caves, there is a very nice cooling breeze!

There were mountains everywhere. I have always loved mountains, so peaceful…

The Lost World aviary. I would love something like this for my aviary birds. It is so natural and the birds are free and have a lot of space to fly and run around.

A lot of nice trees to shade the birds and keep the aviary cool

Majestic peacock

Something like this would be nice for the Tara Walk in KWPC. But the path needs to be smooth in KWPC so the elderly and infirm can also walk to Tara and receive blessings.

I have never seen this type of monkey before! Must be a new Tibetan species hehe…

Wherever I go, if I’m able to, I like to feed animals like dogs and fishes. We recite Medicine Buddha’s mantra and blow it onto the food to bless the animals. By learning to feed fishes and not eat them, we develop compassion because they cannot thank us for stopping their suffering. If you are my student, go vegetarian today. Stop eating flesh from dead animals.

Cute mumu!

Fat Monk feeding fishes before we go on the paddle boats

I like to send Kecharians to places like this to relax and have fun. They work very hard and need a break sometimes. I now have a department that works very hard to take care of my students and the Kechara staff, and also the newcomers to Kechara. They are called Kechara Care.

More mountains… I love this view, I could just imagine myself in a small cave at the top meditating and doing practice. I am on a paddle boat while we take this beautiful picture. On the right and behind the trees, there’s another cave. I wish this cave was my home and outside it has greens and lakes filled with fishes for me to feed. I like this so much. All in the LOST WORLD in Ipoh.

The paddle boats were fun. Here I am paddling… hehehe…

Still looking at the mountains and ‘my’ cave

Some fun slides… Safe for kids and also fun for adults.

With one of my oldest students Fat Monk, who has been very loyal to me over the years. Fat Monk is a member of my ladrang team, he helps to take care of the outside of the ladrang and does maintenance work. He also takes good care of my aviary and my tortoises which I rescued from the pet shops.

This is the entrance of the petting zoo at Lost World. It costed them RM6 million to construct this place and it has all sorts of animals like rabbits, macaque monkeys, parrots, macaws, and racoons.

On the tram that goes around Lost World. They take you to all the major attractions so you don’t miss anything. Quite fun, and you can stay out of the hot sun for a little bit.

Behind us there are also fun fair games

We took some paddle boats out on the lake. We should have taken the swans, they were much faster!

We are having a race to the other side of the lake hehe… I lost…

This water feature goes all the way around the park. You hire some rafts and sit in the water, and get pushed along. There are jets built into the walls that push water out and make waves. Quite fun and safe for the kids!

They even had an artificial beach! We have nice beaches here in Malaysia, and this one looked and smelled like the real thing!

We were walking back to the exit of Lost World

Jamie Khoo… I call her Paris because when I first met her, she wanted to be like Paris Hilton. Hehe very cute.

David with a uhhh stork… Strange!

A group photo outside Lost World

At the end of the trip, I took my students to buy plenty of gifts for others back in KL. I like to give gifts to my students. Many of them work very hard day in day out for the organisation, and it is nice to show them some appreciation…

Click on image to see the full map of “Lost World of Tambun”

 

H.E. Tsem Rinpoche Visits Kek Look Tong Ipoh
and Talks About Kechara Animal Sanctuary

Or view the video on the server at:
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/Malay08-IpohAnimal.mp4

I was inspired by Sara while in Ipoh to get updates of her condition.

 

H.E. Tsem Rinpoche at Lost World of Tambun!

Or view the video on the server at:
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/Malay09-Tambun.mp4

For more interesting information:

• Kizil Grottoes – The Thousand-Buddha Caves
• Caves of the Thousand Buddhas: The Mogao Caves
• Yungang Grottoes
• Tianshan Mountain Landscape
• Vajravarahi Caves in China
• Massive 2,600 year old Buddhist Monastery
• Puja at Naropa’s Cave, Kathmandu, Nepal
• Kumarajiva – the Great Translator from Kucha

 

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