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The sacred sarira of Giac Lam Pagoda
Among the hustle and bustle of Ho Chi Minh City, peace can still be found in the serene environment of Giac Lam Pagoda.
As the oldest pagoda in HCMC, built more than 250 years ago in 1744, Giac Lam Pagoda is considered a spiritual center for local Buddhists.
One of the most cherished relics in the Buddhists faith are the sariras, which are pearl or crystal-like bead-shaped objects that are purportedly found among the cremated ashes of Buddhist spiritual masters.
In 1953 Narada Maha Thera, a high monk from Sri Lanka (then Ceylon), offered one of those legendary sariras and three Bodhi trees to Vietnam.
Giac Lam Pagoda was chosen to hothe sacred relics.
Giac Lam’s head monk decided to build a traditional multi-tiered tower to store the sarira.
Designed by architect Vinh Hoang, construction began on the 32 meter high tower in 1970 but was not completed until 1994 due to several interruptions.
The tower is hexagonal shaped, with seven-tiers that each has the traditional curved-edge roof that forms the image of a blooming lotus.
At the entrance of the tower is a statue of Kwan Yin, the bodhisattva that refused to enter Nirvana so she could help others along the path to enlightenment.
Inside the tower each level contains statues of various Buddhas, such as Amitabha, the guide of lost souls on the first floor, or Bhaisajyaguru, the Buddha of healing on the third floor.
When you reach the sixth floor, you will see a huge statue of Sakya Muni, the founder of Buddhism.
The highest level of the tower contains a shiny box carried by six golden dragons in which the sarira lie.
From this level visitors can admire the spiritual nature of the presented sarira or look out onto the panoramic view of HCMC.
Giac Lam Pagoda is located at 118 Lac Long Quan Street in Tan Binh District.
Tourists can depart from the New World Hotel on Pham Hong Thai Street, go along crowded Cach Mang Thang Tam Street to Bay Hien Roundabout, turn left to Lac Long Quan Street and easily find the pagoda by asking local residents.
Source: vietnamtourism.com.vn
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