Showing posts with label Museum. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Museum. Show all posts

Thursday, 23 July 2020

Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum

Last Saturday I finally went to Buddha Tooth Temple Relic at Singapore Chinatown . I went there for a Dharma talk. After the Dharma talk, I went to explore Buddha tooth relic which was a hotly debated topic regarding the authenticity of the tooth relic about 12 years ago. Singaporeans and local residents had donated more than 43 million dollars and 273 kg of gold to build the temple and the gold stupa for the tooth relic. Besides the tooth relic, I also went to explore the roof garden and other Buddha's relics at level 3 that look like beautiful crystals. 

Beautiful Buddhist relics also known as Sarira that look like pearl or crystal-like beads are commonly found in the cremated ashes of Buddhist spiritual masters. From Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum website here "Sariras, the Sanskrit name for relics, refers to the remains of a body part usually after cremation. In Buddhist context, sariras refers to the crystallization of solid remains of especially Buddha Sakyamuni after His cremation. Henceforth, relics are also broadly defined to include solid remains of other Buddhist practitioners, regardless of Sangha and secular disciples. The emergence of relics signifies that the spiritual energy of Buddha or the spiritual practitioner during their lifetime is constant and serene, untainted by nature’s forces yet elevated due to persevering religious practices. Hence, this energy is converted to physical forms to what we known as relics. Relics are the essence of wisdom, the fruit of spiritual labour, which are free of lust, greed and wrath."

Recently, my colleague shared with me his Buddhist friend who practised meditation was found to have sariras when his relatives collected his cremated ashes. 

Venerable Chao Khun Keng explained that mind is like a laser beam. Due to the purity of the mind, for some of the monks, their hair can turn to relics. Pure mind that doesn't have greed, hatred and delusion. The monks, when they meditate, they focus on the body. They use the mindfulness to scan the body. Due to the purity of the mind, the body can turn to relics. Due to the pure mind, the mind that does not have greed, hatred and delusion, it has the pure energy to channel into the body and clean up the body, it can also use pure energy to cure the sickness. In a way, meditation can enhance your health.

Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum 
Nearest MRT: Chinatown MRT
First posted on 5 June 2019
 Buddha Tooth Relic Temple is located in Chinatown. It is about 10 minutes walk from Chinatown MRT station.
At the main hall, the future Buddha,  Buddha Maitreya is seated between two Bodhisattvas
 Monks and lay Buddhist practitioners chanting at the main hall in the morning.
 At Level 3, you can explore the museum where you can find out more about the Buddha and his other relics in the relic chamber. No photography is allowed in the Relic Chamber and Buddha Tooth Relic museum.


At the roof garden. 

Sariras, relics
Chao Khun Keng explaining about relics 1:29.  The monks, when they meditate, they focus on the body.  The mind is like a laser beam They use the mindfulness to scan the body. Due to the purity of the mind, the body can turn to relics. Due to the pure mind, the mind that does not have greed, hatred and delusion, it has the pure energy to channel into the body and clean up the body, it can also use pure energy to cure the sickness. In a way, meditation can also enhance your health.

Sunday, 7 April 2019

Packaging Matters at National Museum

I went to National Museum to view Packaging Matters exhibition that was just launched yesterday. It will run till 15 September and admission is free.This exhibition is part of Singapore Heritage Festival. 

It features a wide range of vintage packaging from popular brand and show how packaging designs and materials have evolved with technology. There are also craft activities and audio-visual stations. I participated in one craft activity and I like the activity book though its meant for kids. Maybe I visit again in June. 

National Museum of Singapore
Nearest MRT: City Hall MRT 
Different types of packagings in Singapore

 Glass bottles used in the early days

 Packagings made of metal






 Interactive corner for kids





Saturday, 23 March 2019

Minimalism Arts Exhibition at ArtScience Museum

I love visiting arts and design museums. This Monday, I went to ArtScience Museum to see the Minimalism arts exhibition.  Two tickets are priced at $16.00 due to 1 for 1 promotion.

This exhibition gives a more zen vibe compared to National Gallery of Singapore Minimalism exhibition.  Minimalism arts concept is inspired from Zen Buddhism concept of Emptiness and Nothingness. It reminds me of the verse Emptiness is not nothingness and Nothingness is not emptiness. 

Emptiness could be presence of vast space where you have infinite possibilities. 

From Master Sheng Yen,

"Buddhism talks about emptiness in nature while existence produced by causes and conditions, which involves change, non-stopping, unfixed, non-staying without ever remaining in the same state.  This is what impermanence means. 

Since it is ever-changing, constantly changing in appearance, then what about its nature? Its nature changes too. The nature of clouds and that of water are somewhat different. So they exist out of emptiness. In their existence, you see emptiness. 

So the Heart sutra, " Neither increase nor decrease." It is neither arising nor ceasing in the first place. This actually means its neither empty nor existing. 


Emptiness in Buddhism refers to the kind that is neither empty nor existing. That is true emptiness. Rather than a distinct separation between existence and emptiness. That would be a kind of void, hollowness, a lonely kind of nothingness. Buddhist emptiness is not lonely at all. Instead, its lively and bustling. It is ever evolving and constantly changing. This is existence of importance. "

Minimalism at ArtScience Museum 

To view another Minimalism Arts exhibition at National Gallery, click here.















Monday, 12 June 2017

Yayoi Kusama at National Gallery of Singapore

Today I went to National Gallery of Singapore to see Yayoi Kusama art exhibition. I'll update more tomorrow. Stay tune.

Thursday, 17 November 2016

National Gallery of Singapore

My cousins and I finally visited the National Gallery of Singapore, which is a short 10-minute walking distance from City Hall MRT. Arts by local artists and others regional artists are also on display inside the National Gallery, which used to be the Supreme Court in Singapore. 

I planned to see Wu GuanZhong's gallery but it was not ready yet. So we explored other art galleries. Of all the paintings I saw, I like Georgette Chen and Liu Kang paintings mainly because of the pastel and bright colour combination. 

Admission fees is $20 but it is free entry for Singaporeans and Permanent Residents. 
https://www.nationalgallery.sg/visit




National Gallery of Singapore used to be a Supreme Court.
Guided tour in National Gallery
                              Life by the River by Singaporean artist Liu Kang
                       Lotus in a Breeze by Georgette Chen. I love this painting.
                                      Sentosa Island by See Cheen Tee
Artist and Model by Liu Kang
Put Down Your Whip by Xu Beihong
Chinese calligraphy 
Abstract Arts
Queen Victoria
Queen Victoria. Singapore was under British rule before World War 2.


Samsui women constructed many of early Singapore buildings.
Portraits drawing done by the visitors.