There are many things to see and do at the Po Lin Monastery and depending on your schedule a full day here would be time well spent. Po Lin means Precious Lotus and you will see this flower in many representations around the grounds. We visited the main shrine hall in the monastery where the Buddha of Three worlds is located. Depending on the source they depict past present and future – according the monastery website Buddha Sakyamuni of our world is the center statue, on the right is Buddha Amitabha (Buddha of unlimited healing and lifespan and on the left is Buddha Bhaisajyaguru(master of healing). Other features of interest at this shrine hall are the intricate Dragon pillars and the stone Lions guarding the front of the hall. Inside the hall on the ceiling are lovely frescos of beautiful women that remind me almost of mermaids swimming in the sky.
Not to be over looked is the San Men Gate (Mountain Gate). This impressive structure is located near the Courtyard at the bottom of the Tian Tan Staircase and leads you directly to the Po Lin Monastery halls.
I stopped by the Hall of Skanda Bodhisattva that housed the Four Heavenly Kings. The Buddha Mitreya (of the future) and Bodhisattva Skandra whom the hall was named for is here as well. According to the web site Bodhisattva Skandra is a notable general that can contain all manner of evil and demons. His job is to protect the Buddha and Relics from while the Buddha enters Nirvana.
Below the Alter of Heaven (at the bottom of those 260 steps leading to the Big Buddha) is the Alter of Earth or Di Tan. This is where many of the major functions are held. If you stand on the plate in the center and speak out loud in any direction and hear your voice. They call it the Wall of Echoes and it’s pretty neat (especially if you love the sound of your own voice). Many people try this so wait your turn but let others play too. Whatever you decide to say keep it PG -13 because there are children present as well.
For Lunch we had a vegetarian meal prepared by the monks from the monastery restaurant. They provided us with a spread of different dishes from soup to dessert. Being a meat eater I thought that this would not be at all appealing to me but as a diabetic I am always looking and trying new foods that I might incorporate. The meal was ok overall. It was filling and fresh but it was not favorite meal. But don’t let me stop you from trying something new you just might like it. For photos of the menu and more info on the meal I refer you to the Po Lin Official Website- its very educational.
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