Fo Guang Shan Mabuhay Temple

PHILIPPINES, Manila

In 1989, when monastics from Fo Guang Shan were teaching the Dharma at temples in Cebu and Bacolod, they received ardent requests from devotees in Manila to establish a temple there. As a result, the Manila Buddhist Center was founded in 1992. Following a rapid increase in devotees, the former Soviet embassy was purchased in 1993 and converted for temple use. It was a Spanish-style building completed in 1931. The temple was reconstructed to form a ten-story building in 2008 and was renamed Fo Guang Shan Mabuhay Temple.
The new building occupies approximately 2,600 sq m and consists of the Great Hero Hall, meditation hall, memorial hall, Buddhist college, art gallery, library, meeting rooms, and children’s activities center. It is a multi-functional complex for Dharma propagation, education, cultural and social activities, charity work, disaster relief, and other purposes. The temple follows a philosophy of localizing Buddhism and respecting other religions. It participates in friendly exchanges with other religious groups, and is widely accepted by the local community, both secular and religious.