Dharma Realm Guanyin Sagely Monastery

MALAYSIA, Kuala Lumpur

The original temple on this site was known as Kun Yam Thong (Avalokitesvara Temple) or Deng Bi An (Crossing to the Other Shore). It was only a hut when it was established in 1880. It was well-known for revering Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva and served as a spiritual center for the local Chinese and mine workers at that time. Later, it became a temple with a rich mixture of different belief systems, included Buddhism, Daoism, Confucianism, as well as folk beliefs. In 1993 the Dharma Realm Buddhist Association took on the management of the temple and it became one of the Malaysian branch temples of the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas based in the United States. Reconstruction of the temple was started in 2000 and completed in 2006.
The temple is laid out in a Chinese courtyard style. The main buildings include the Great Hero Hall, Maitreya Hall, Avalokitesvara Hall, a dining hall, and a meditation hall. The Great Hero Hall consists of two sections: the front section contains a Thousand-Armed Avalokitesvara, while the rear section houses Sakyamuni Buddha, Medicine Buddha, and Amitabha Buddha. Eighteen gilded Arhats line both side walls. The plafond is intricate and has apsara images. The 5 m high Thousand-Armed Avalokitesvara statue in gilt bronze is inscribed with verses from the Great Compassion Repentance at the rear.
The temple has used modern construction techniques while maintaining a traditional architectural form. The intricate decorations are regarded as the special feature of the temple.