Caving in SE Asia: February 2010

27 February 2010

Jingang Jing She 24m Amithaba Buddha statue

I first saw the 24m high statue of what looked like a Thai Buddha when I was on a bus on the highway, and decided I would check it out next time I was in Ipoh. The 24 m high statue of Buddha can be seen from the North-South Highway when travelling north of Ipoh in Perak, Malaysia.

It is at Jingang Jing She, a Tibetan Buddhist temple at Ampang Baru, near Ipoh. It is probably Perak’s tallest Amithaba Buddha statue, and stands on top of the temple. Waihlee told me "It is a tibetan style temple Jingang ( mean Vajra) Jing She ( mean Vihara)."

The pagoda is actually at the neighbouring Enlightened Heart Buddhist temple.

It is not actually a cave temple. The main temple hall is built against the rock face. There is a kitchen and bathroom -

A staircase leads up to the different levels above.

Each level is constructed using the wall of the rock face with little damage to the natural rock. There are various rooms, used as medition rooms and bedrooms, and I was amused to see several toilets on the different levels, again built against the rock. The floors are tiled in places.

There are many statues all over the place, presumably they have been donated and many have not yet been given a home. Many of the smaller statues are placed on the rock face, some have been cemented in place which looks ugly.

On one upper level there are several Bodhisattva Tara statues under construction.

A 4 headed statue

Window with the hils behind. Apparently the centre word is "om"

At the top you come out at a level which is below the Amithaba.

The last staircase is locked and is only open when the chief monk holds prayers. There are great views of the surrounding limestone hills, mining ponds, small farms and the suburbs of Ipoh.
View of pagoda at Enlightened Heart Buddhist temple

fern

Pretty toilet

Apparently it costs RM10 per person to spend a night at the temple.

A devotee told me the temple is 13 years old. I think there was an old wooden temple there, and the current temple construction started 13 years ago. The Amithaba Buddha statue was built more recently.

different Bodhisattva Tara

See album on pagoda at Englightened Heart temple.

© Liz Price
No reproduction without permission

Enlightened Heart Buddhist temple pagoda

Enlightened Heart Buddhist temple

This is the temple with the large multicoloured pagoda, and is situated next to the Jingang Jing She temple, near Ampang Baru, outside Ipoh. It is not a cave temple, but I am including it here as the neighbouring Jingang temple is.

fruit trees

mining pond

Car park

As you enter the Buddhist temple, there is a set of Hindu statues close to the entrance.

Thai style Buddha
The entrance area leads to a large open area where a man told us it takes 15 minutes to climb the pagoda. It's about 10 storeys.

Looking at Jingang Jing She

There's a whole variety of statues, some brightly coloured, representing different forms of Buddhas and many other deities, some of which I recognised. There are the 4 guardians, each standing on a tiger, quite appropriate as I visited during Chinese New Year, year of the tiger. On the ground floor of the pagoda is a large blue Buddha dressed in a golden robe.

Nice colours

Buddha & fruit tiles

I'm not sure how to describe the pagoda - it's multicoloured, brightly coloured, bizarre construction and quite stunning. There are a series of different Buddha statues, the larger ones at the bottom. A staircase leads up to each level, and at the lower levels are platforms which are a bit like floating islands. Some of the walls are tiled, a mix of Buddhist scenes and tiles of fruit! Windows of coloured glass add to the general effect.

The pagoda looks as if it is unfinished, and has a real problem with birds. They are everywhere and of course their droppings are everywhere.

As you climb up you get good views over the surrounding countryside and also of the 24m high Amithaba Buddha statue in the next temple.