My first time visiting the Jade Buddha was last Thursday, my colleagues invited me to come and see the Jade Buddha For Universal Peace at Takashimaya located in Ngee Ann City, it takes just about 10 minutes from the office.

The viewing was started last January 14 and will end on January 26, 2012. Jade Buddha was the largest jade Buddha statue in the world, weighing 4 tons in 2.7 meters tall. Some of the event highlights are Blessing from Holy Relics, Viewing of Holy Relics, Construction of Kuan Yin Sand Mandala, Tara Puja for Peace and Happiness and Dzambhala Puja for Wealth and Prosperity.


There were also offerings and prayers. When you go inside you will see a bunch of rice available for offerings. The rice cost $5 per kilograms, there were 50,000 kilograms of rice available to the Jade Buddha statue throughout the exhibition. There were fliers and reading booklets available for free distribution. You can donate at whatever amount you have.


First, we walk three times in clockwise circumambulation around statue of Buddha while we are viewing Holy Relics.  Then we queue to received the Blessings of Holy Relics. Relics was referring to a kind of pearl-like crystals found after the cremation of Buddhist Masters. I watched them first to see how to received the blessings. First, kneel down in front of Buddhist Master and he will placed the Holy Relics while praying on your heads. I do what they do. My colleagues asked me if I'm feeling comfortable and I said I'm fine. Even I'm not Buddhist and it's my first time to experienced this I feel fine and comfortable. I respect their beliefs and faith. When I kneel down I closed my eyes and made a wish. We also went at the Sand Mandala, it was very amazing. The monks were carefully placing the sand beads on the mandala. Along the sides, I bought t-shirt for EJ. The t-shirt says "Live Work Die Meditate Enjoy with Compassion." I also tried spinning the Prayer Wheel on the exhibition.


The second time was on the second day of Chinese New Year, I invited EJ to come and visit.


My third time visiting was last Wednesday with my colleagues again. In almost two weeks Jade Buddha was in Singapore I visited three times and the experience was amazing.