Sam Poh Tong Temple

The Sam Poh Tong Temple (Chinese: 三寶洞) (also known as the Three Buddhas Cave)[2] is a Chinese temple built within a limestone cave and is the oldest and the main cave temple in Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia.[3] The temple was built in a raw limestone cave in the mountains located about 5 km from the city centre and follows the Buddhist branch of Mahāyāna Buddhism.[2][4]

Sam Poh Tong Temple
Malay: Tokong Sam Poh Tong
Chinese: 三寶洞
Religion
AffiliationBuddhism
Location
LocationIpoh
StatePerak
CountryMalaysia
Geographic coordinates4°33′49.429″N 101°6′55.464″E
Architecture
TypeChinese temple
Date established1950[1]

History

The cave which now became the temple gateway was founded by a monk from China in 1890 who walked through the area from Ipoh.[1] The monk then decided to make the cave as his home and a place for meditation where he remained there until the end of his life. This was then continued by other monks and nuns who dedicated their lives to Buddha where a temple was then constructed in the 1950s.[1][2]

Features

From a steep climb of 246 steps to the cave opening, visitors can view the city of Ipoh and its surroundings.[1] It is the largest cave temple in Malaysia and contains art work such as a reclining Buddha figure.[3] The temple also offers visitors the opportunity to feed fish and feed or release turtles into its turtle pond as a means of balancing one's karma.[2][3][4][5]

References
  1. "Sam Poh Tong Temple". Malaysia Travel. Retrieved 20 March 2019.
  2. Holley Moyes (15 April 2012). Sacred Darkness: A Global Perspective on the Ritual Use of Caves. University Press of Colorado. pp. 332–338. ISBN 978-1-60732-178-1.
  3. Chris Wotton (1 October 2012). "24 hours in Ipoh". Asian Correspondent. Retrieved 20 March 2019.
  4. Karl-Heinz Reger; Nelles Verlag Staff (1997). Malaysia - Singapore - Brunei. Nelles Verlag. pp. 73–. ISBN 978-3-88618-902-1.
  5. Simon Richmond (2010). Malaysia, Singapore & Brunei. Lonely Planet. pp. 156–. ISBN 978-1-74104-887-2.
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