Kek Lok Si (Buddhist) Temple, Penang

There are 10 major stations to this tour ....

Station 1 - Temple entrance & Turtle liberation pond.
( I remember releaseing some tortoise
here when I was small , mum asked us
to release it cos we practically do not
have time to take care of these cutey,
probably we are just lazy )

Station 2 - Hill gateway & the Hall of Bodhisattvas

What the difference between Buddhas & Bodhisattvas ? They have many similiarity but the essence of their journey is a little different. While Buddha aims to be in Nirwana ( live in perfection and simplicity ) the Boddhisattva on the other hand vow that he/she will out of compassion, not to enter Nirvana until all beings have entered nirvana. This means the Bodhisattva practices not for her or his enlightenment alone, but for the enlightenment of all beings. The Bodhisattva vows to remain in this world of ignorance and confusion, vows to be willing to experience whatever living beings experience, until all beings are liberated....

Station3 - Garden Pavilion of Lord Buddha & the five Bhikkus

A fully ordained disciple of the Buddha is called a bhikkhu. "Mendicant monk" may be suggested as the closest equivalent for "Bhikkhu", literally it means "he who begs" but bhikkhus do not beg. They silently stand at the door for alms. They live on what is spontaneously given by the supporters. He is not a priest as he is no mediator between God and man. He has no vows for life, but he is bound by his rules which he takes of his own accord. He leads a life of voluntary poverty and celibacy. If he is unable to live the Holy Life, he can discard the robe at any time

Station 4 - Amitabha Buddha Pagoda

"Buddha of Infinite Light". He is one of the five Dhyani Buddhas. He is the Lord of the "Pure Land" of the West known as Sukhavati.

According to Mahayana Buddhist sutras he was a king in the remote period of time. Renouncing his kingdom, he became a monk and was named Dharmakara, which means 'Treasury of Dharma'. Inspired by the teachings of the then Buddha of that time, Lokesvaraja Buddha, who taught him the way to supreme enlightenment many aeons ago, he made forty eight great vows for the saving of the sentient beings

Station 5 - Hall of Devas

In Hinduism Devas are the supreme and represent various forms of god, that is why the priest is called Deobhaju. But for Buddhism Deva are manifestations of the mind and the mind and the Guru are one

Station 6 - Hall of Mahawira

Aside from Buddhism, the most important school to arise in this period was Jainism. Unlike the other heretical schools, Jainism has survived to the present day as a major religion in India; unlike Buddhism, however, it has not spread outside of India. The great teacher of Jainism, Vardhamana Mahavira, lived at the same time as Siddhartha Guatama, the founder of Buddhism.

This path involves a high degree of ascetism; quite literally the best lived life is one of total ascetism: no food or material involvement at all. Since this is an impossible idea, Mahavira developed a second path for normal human beings to follow. This involved five abstinences: ahimsa (non-violence), satya (truthfulness), asteya (abstinence from stealing), brahmacarya (chaste living), and aparigraha (abstinence from greed).

One of Southeast Asia's finest Buddhist temples, the Kek Lok Si is located in the town of Ayer Itam. Built in tiers, the temple culminates with the beautifully crafted, 7-story, 30 meters high "Pagoda of Ten Thousand Buddha's". The work of ancient Burmese, Chinese, and Thai craftsmen, it took more than 20 years to be built. Featuring a turtle pond, gardens, sculptures, and shrines, the temple is set against scenic surroundings of beauty and tranquility. The entrance at the foot of the hill takes visitors up 193 steps lined with stalls selling all manner of handicrafts and bric-a-brac.

What it means

Without doubt one of the largest and best known temple in Penang, the Temple of Supreme Bliss, better known as Kek Lok Si, staggered on the hillside overlooking the town of Ayer Itam. Since the olden days, the hills of Ayer Itam are regarded as important geomantically. Known as He San, or Crane Hill, they are recommended as a retreat for Taoist practitioners striving for immortality.

How it started

The Kek Lok Si project was mooted by the chief monk of the Goddess of Mercy Temple of Pitt Street. With the support of the consular representative of China in Penang, the project received the sanction of the Manchu Emperor Kuang Hsi, who bestowed a tablet and gift of 70,000 volumes of the Imperial Edition of the Buddhist Sutras.

Construction of the temple started in 1893, but it was only in 1930 that the Pagoda of Rama VI, named after the Thai king who laid the foundation stone, but better known as the Pagoda of 10,000 Buddhas, was completed. This pagoda combines a Chinese octagonal base with a middle tier of Thai design, and a Burmese crown, reflecting the temple's embrace of both Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism.

Gigantic Statue of Goddess of Mercy ( Kuan YIn )

The latest addition to the temple complex is the 30.2m bronze statue of the Avalokitesvara - Goddess of Mercy or Kuan Yin - on the hillside above the pagoda. This statue was completed and open to the public at the end of 2002.

Continue from Kek Lok Si Temple 1

The route up to the 'new' prayer hall and pagoda is on the other side of the large prayer hall. From the 'incline lift' you need to cross the hall and go through the souvenir stands to find the desk where you must pay a 'voluntary' donation of another RM 2 to go up to the new prayer hall.

Inside, the new prayer hall is quite opulent compared to the old hall. Intricately carved coloums like those on the Hainan Temple support the roof. Opposite the entry doors the wall is lined with three large Buddha images.

Walk past the prayer hall to reach the large pagoda. The narrow stairway up is somewhat hidden behind the large Buddha image inside the base. Each level of the pagoda is slightly different, with various styles of Buddha images and other decor.

Among the most interesting are the alabaster Buddha images, some of which are quite beautiful in their gracefulness.

As you would expect, you get quite a good view of the temple as well as much of Penang from the upper levels of the pagoda. You can only climb up to the sixth level. The further levels are blocked off.

Admission Fee
There is no admission fee to the temple itself. However, fees do apply to the incline lift to the Kuan Yin statue and to enter the area of the new prayer hall and pagoda.

Getting There
You can get a taxi from Georgetown for RM 15 to 20 to take you to the temple. You can also take the TransitLink shuttle bus number 8 to Penang Hill and the temple.

If the name intrigues you, read on.

Apparently it's earnt the 1000 Thieves name through repuatation handed down from one generation of tourists to the next. I had to check this one out for myself.

It's a little difficult to find using the local buses as you wont be dropped at the base of the steps, but will have to find the right side street to get to the start of them. I'm sure at one point I was wandering through someone's back yard looking for the 'steps'. Most bus drivers were quite vague with their directions. You may find a taxi quicker and less confusing.

Once on the steps to the temple, you'll realise where the 'Thieves' name came from. All along the way, you'll find yourself dancing around the experienced salespeople attending the stalls jammed together under the tarpaulin roof trying to sell you anything and everything. They all swear you wont get a better deal but you can and will back in Georgetown.

The narrow steps wind their way up to the temple where you'll be thankful to be free from the humid climb and all the yelling and plea bargaining - and no, I didn't count how many steps there actually are. All I know is it felt like 1000 of them!

The temple is attended by male and female monks at their prayer ritual and photography of them is not allowed. The walls are lined floor to ceiling with golden buddas. You can wander around the grounds checking out the specacular views of Georgetown and the surrounding area.

Oh and one last thing - once you get to the top, it's a bit of a shock to find out you can drive up here!

the temple is so huge !! n equally as serene.

went there during chinese new year so it was a little crowded.

they built a cable to bring u up to the Statue at the top. Didn't try it as it was raining. intend to try the next time.

there r still renovation going on so when it rains , it gets a little muddy :)

remb to check out the stalls at the foot of the Temple/Hill. if u wanna see their morning pasar malam, reach there ard 9+am , it disappears ard 11am.

The sugarcane stall at the road side is a must try , very very sweet !!

This tour will give you a great picture of how religious diversity never stops Malasians from iiving in harmony toward one goal--Malaysia.
Bhuddist, Hindu, Chinese temples, mosques, and churches of different sects. Archeticutre is simply a piece of Art.
See my relgious tour travelouge for more pictures.
Contact your hotel tour organizer. Usually this tour lasts for 3 hours for RM35.