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Sacred tooth relics of the founder
of Buddhism, Sakyamuni Buddha, have arrived in Singapore from Myanmar.
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The
tooth relics, believed to be similar to the famous Buddha’s Tooth Relic in
Kandy, Sri Lanka will be showcased in an extensive Buddhist art and culture
exhibition entitled, Sacred Buddha Tooth Relic & 500 Arhat Exhibition at
The Singapore Expo (Halls
2, 3, 4 and 5) from 19th to 23rd of May 2004.
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Organised
by the venerable monk, Shi Fazhao, abbot of Golden Pagoda Buddhist Temple, the
exhibition is the second one in two years.
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“The
first exhibition two years ago at Suntec City was a resounding success. And we
were taken by surprise that more than 300,000 people turned up for the
three-day event,” says Ven. Shi Fazhao.
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Apart
from showcasing the rare sacred tooth relics at the exhibition, the temple is
also putting on display more than 300 ancient Buddhist statues and imageries
pooled from both GPBT’s and its devotee’s private collection in Hall 4 of
The Singapore Expo.
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Other
highlights of the exhibition include:
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(i)
A Buddhist Tourism Fair in Hall 5 to promote Buddhist pilgrimages in Asia;
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(ii)
A Blessings Hall (Hall 3) where visitors can witness the making of a 23-metre
by 23-metre Sand Mandala (the largest in the world) by Vajrayana lamas and
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(iii)
A Vegetarian Food Fair featuring an assortment of vegetarian delights from
over 50 vegetarian stalls. Buddhist cultural performances from all three
traditions of Buddhism—Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana—will be staged at
the event to keep visitors entertained.
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“The
aim of the exhibition is to showcase the history of Buddhism, its origin,
spread and influence in Asia and South-east Asian countries and the whole
world.
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“I
feel it’s timely that we have a cultural event of this nature, in order to
be part of a bigger effort to help foster greater understanding and tolerance
among the different cultures in Singapore,’’ said Ven. Shi Fazhao.
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The
exhibition at The Singapore Expo has been endorsed by Singapore Tourism Board
(STB).
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About 600,000 local and foreign visitors
are expected to visit the five-day exhibition which is open to the public free
of charge.
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The
Buddha’s Sacred Tooth Relic is the most revered Buddhist item in Myanmar and
amongst Buddhist devotees around the world.
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Most
exhibits that will be on display are from the Asian region: India, Sri Lanka,
Nepal, Tibet, China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos
and Cambodia.
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Content
Contributor: Vaidurya Media House
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Buddha's sacred tooth relics arrive for Buddhist Exhibition
