Buddhist Temples and Monasteries in Singapore

Buddhism is one of the prominent religions in Singapore and hence you have quite a few beautiful Buddhist temples and monasteries here. I had the privilege to visit a few and below is an humble attempt to capture them through my lens.

Buddha Tooth Relic Temple

Address: 288 South Bridge Road, Singapore 058840

Nearest MRT station: Chinatown Station, Outram Park station.

Opening Hours: 7 AM to 7 PM

Admission: Free

The Buddha Tooth Relic Temple & Museum located in the Chinatown district was recently built in 2007, but the temple’s richly designed interiors and comprehensive exhibits on Buddhist art and history tell stories of culture over hundreds of years old. The temple gets its name from what the Buddhists regard as the left canine tooth of Buddha, which has been recovered from his funeral pyre in Kushinagar, India and displayed in its grounds.

Thian Hock Keng Temple

Address: 158 Telok Ayer St, Singapore 068613

Nearest MRT station: Telok Ayer Station

Opening Hours: 7.30am – 5.30pm

Admission: Free

Thian Hock Keng Temple, built in the year 1839 is the oldest Buddhist temple in Singapore. It is dedicated to Goddess Mazu, the Goddess of the sea. Early Chinese immigrants would offer their prayers of gratitude here after the successful completion of their journey across the rough South China Sea.

No nails were used in the construction of the initial structure . The temple is now listed as a gazetted national monument and managed by the Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan.

Lian Shan Shuang Lin Monastery

Address: 184 Jalan Toa Payoh, Singapore 319944

Nearest MRT station: Toa Payoh

Opening Hours: 7.30am - 5pm.

Admission: Free

Lian Shan Shuang Ling Monastery, also known as the Siong Lim temple was built in the year 1898 and it resembles the Xi Chang Shi temple in Fuzhou, China. The foundation of the temple was laid on a 40,000 sq. metres land owned by Low Kim Pong, a wealthy Chinese merchant and devout Buddhist. As per the local belief, Low Kim Pong saw a golden light originating from the west in his dreams and went to the west coast the following morning, presuming it to a sign from the Lord Buddha. At dusk, he met a Buddhist family, whom he persuaded to stay in Singapore and spread the teachings of Lord Buddha. He also built the temple to convince them promote to Buddhism.

In this present stage, two majestic Gates frame the entrance to the Lian Shan Shuang Lin Monastery. It also boasts of a eight storey pagoda. The main prayer hall is the Mahavira hall and if you are lucky, you will find the monks chanting prayers at the hall.

In 1980, this monument was declared a National Monument and is now managed by the Preservation of Sites and Monuments board

Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery

Address: 88 Bright Hill Road, Singapore 574117

Nearest MRT station: Bishan. Then take bus 152 or 410W

Opening Hours: Gate 3 (Nearest to the Bus Stop) : 6 am to 8:30 pm

Admission: Free

The Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery (also the Bright Hill Pujue Chan Monastery) is the largest Buddhist Temple in Singapore. It was built by Zhuan Dao in 1920 to propagate Buddhism and to provide lodging for the Buddhist monks. Even today, the place had lodging for the monks.

In 1947, Hong Choon took over the operations of the monastery and in his reign, the monastery expanded from a two shine hall to a the largest and the most grand place for practicing Buddhism in Singapore.