Xa Loi Temple

VIETNAM, Ho Chi Minh City

Xa Loi Temple means Buddha Relic Temple. It was built between 1956 and 1958 by lay practitioners to house relics of the Buddha. It was the first temple in Vietnam to be built by devotees.
The principal buildings include the main hall, bell tower, memorial hall, library, meeting room, and living quarters for lay practitioners. The two-story main hall is 15 m wide and 31 m deep. The lower story serves as an auditorium. The upper story contains the main shrine with a 6.5 m high Sakyamuni Buddha made of red stone. In front of the statue is a reliquary containing relics of the Buddha. There are also a thousand year old palm leaf manuscripts of the Pali Canon. These relics and manuscripts were sacred gifts to Vietnamese Buddhists in 1957 from the Sri Lankan elder Narada Mahathera. The hall contains 15 murals depicting events from the Buddha’s life, from his birth to entering parinirvana. The seven-story octagonal bell tower is located beside the main hall. It is 32 m high and has a small stupa at the top.