The Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum (), formerly known as the Buddha Memorial Center, is a Mahāyāna Buddhist cultural, religious, and educational museum located in

Dashu District Dashu District () is a suburban district located in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan near the Kaoping River. Fo Guang Shan is one of largest tourist attractions in Dashu District. It is also the base of E-Da World, a new lifestyle destination that encompa ...

Kaohsiung Kaohsiung City ( Mandarin Chinese: ; Wade–Giles: ''Kao¹-hsiung²;'' Pinyin: ''Gāoxióng'') is a special municipality located in southern Taiwan. It ranges from the coastal urban center to the rural Yushan Range with an area of . Ka ...

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the no ...

. The museum is affiliated with Fo Guang Shan, one of Taiwan's largest Buddhist organizations. The museum is located next to the

Fo Guang Shan Monastery Fo Guang Shan Monastery ( is a Chinese Mahāyāna Buddhist monastery in Dashu District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. It is the headquarters of the Fo Guang Shan international organization and the largest Buddhist monastery in Taiwan. History In 1967, Hs ...

, the headquarters of the order. The museum houses one of the tooth relics of Sakyamuni Buddha, the founder of the Buddhist faith. The museum was accepted as the youngest member of the

International Council of Museums The International Council of Museums (ICOM) is a non-governmental organisation dedicated to museums, maintaining formal relations with UNESCO and having a consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council. Founded in 1946, I ...

(ICOM) in 2014. Since 2015, the museum has been certified

ISO 50001 ISO 50001 Energy management systems - Requirements with guidance for use, is an international standard created by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). It supports organizations in all sectors to use energy more efficiently th ...

2011 by the

Quality management system A quality management system (QMS) is a collection of business processes focused on consistently meeting customer requirements and enhancing their satisfaction. It is aligned with an organization's purpose and strategic direction (ISO 9001:2015). I ...

History

In 1998, Venerable Master

Hsing Yun Hsing Yun () (born 19 August 1927) is a Chinese Buddhist monk. He is the founder of the Fo Guang Shan Buddhist order as well as the affiliated Buddha's Light International Association in Taiwan. Hsing Yun is considered to be one of the most ...

traveled to

Bodh Gaya Bodh Gaya is a religious site and place of pilgrimage associated with the Mahabodhi Temple Complex in Gaya district in the Indian state of Bihar. It is famous as it is the place where Gautama Buddha is said to have attained Enlightenment ( ...

, India to confer the precepts for full ordination. He was entrusted with a tooth relic by Kunga Dorje

Rinpoche Rinpoche, also spelled Rimboche and Rinboku (), is an honorific term used in the Tibetan language. It literally means "precious one", and may refer to a person, place, or thing—like the words "gem" or "jewel" ( Sanskrit: ''Ratna''). The word co ...

who had safeguarded the relic for nearly 30 years. Rinpoche was touched by the efforts of Fo Guang Shan in promoting exchanges between different Buddhist traditions, and he hoped that the relic could be enshrined in Taiwan as a symbol of

Dharma Dharma (; sa, धर्म, dharma, ; pi, dhamma, italic=yes) is a key concept with multiple meanings in Indian religions, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism and others. Although there is no direct single-word translation for '' ...

preservation. Speaking about the need to build the shrine, the Venerable Master said “The Buddha does not need any anybody’s worship or reverence; it is living beings that need inspiration to develop wholesome thoughts and purify their minds. By worshipping a memorial, people can come to know the Buddha’s Dharma body, and their feelings of admiration can be elevated into wanting to learn about the Buddha’s virtues and practice them in everyday life. The Buddha doesn’t need a memorial, but living beings do. I built this pagoda with this in mind.” The museum's construction started in 2008, and was officially opened to the public in December 2011. More than 100 alterations were made to the museum's actual design. Just before the foundation was finished, Venerable Master Hsing Yun was moved to put out a basic plan for the future Buddha Museum using a few mineral water bottles, a tissue box, and some newspapers.

Missions of the Buddha Museum

*48 Underground Palaces - to preserve human civilization and record human history *Buddhist Art - to promote Buddhist arts through exhibitions and academic conferences *Inter-Museum Exchanges - to gain mutual support and encourage new ideas through inter-museum interactions *Life Education - to promote cultural arts and environmental protection *Public Services

Objectives of the Buddha Museum

*To present Buddhism through arts and culture *To present Buddhism through motion pictures and movies *To present Buddhism through humanistic dimensions *To present Buddhism through international dynamics

Core Values

Three Acts of Goodness

*Do Good Deeds *Speak Good Words *Think Good Thoughts

Four Givings

*Giving Other Confidence *Giving Others Joy *Giving Others Hope *Giving Others Convenience

Architecture

Front Hall

The Front Hall is flanked by the Gate of Perfect Ease and the Gate of Liberation. The lion and elephant, both accompanied by smaller cubs, welcome guests from either side of the doors. The elephant on the right, measuring five-meters tall and six meters long, symbolizes the conception of Prince Siddhartha who entered the womb of his mother on a white elephant. The lion on the left has the same measurements and represents the roar of the Buddha's teachings. Inside, visitors can borrow wheelchairs and baby-strollers from the Information Desk. There are restaurants and a buffet, all so visitors can rest their feet or grab something to eat. There is also a

Starbucks Starbucks Corporation is an American multinational chain of coffeehouses and roastery reserves headquartered in Seattle, Washington. It is the world's largest coffeehouse chain. As of November 2021, the company had 33,833 stores in 80 cou ...

coffee shop in the hall, as well as a semi-permanent shop dedicated to Wu Ching, a sculptor who became famous for his work with gold and who was one of the first exhibits at the museum,. Liuli Gongfang also has a shop/gallery opposite one of the restaurants featuring work by the artist Loretta Yang, whose Thousand-Armed, Thousand-Eyes Avalokiteśvara statue is a permanent fixture in the Avalokiteśvara Shrine.

Eight Pagodas

There are eight pagodas, each representing different ideas or precepts.

One Teaching Pagoda

One teaching refers to Humanistic Buddhism, which represents Buddhist teachings that advocate ways to a happier life. The One Teaching Pagoda serves as a multi-functional space for holding meetings, activities, and training courses. It is available to the public for rent.

Two Assemblies Pagoda

The two assemblies refer to both the

monastic Monasticism (from Ancient Greek , , from , , 'alone'), also referred to as monachism, or monkhood, is a religion, religious way of life in which one renounces world (theology), worldly pursuits to devote oneself fully to spiritual work. Monastic ...

and lay assemblies. The pagoda was designed with children in mind. Through interactive 3D videos, children learn to practice the Three Acts of Goodness. The multimedia theater is designed with sensory screens to allow interaction with the audience. Visitors can also experience releasing

sky lantern A sky lantern (), also known as Kǒngmíng lantern (), or Chinese lantern, is a small hot air balloon made of paper, with an opening at the bottom where a small fire is suspended. In Asia and elsewhere around the world, sky lanterns have bee ...

s in a virtual way. The pagoda serves as a Children's Gallery and is designed with interactive games which children can interact with. A 3D theatre allows them to learn how to practice doing good deeds, saying good words, and having good thoughts.

Three Goodness Pagoda

The Three Goodness refers to the wholesome deeds of the body, speech, and mind. The pagoda is a joint office consisting of a meeting room and two guest halls.

Four Givings Pagoda

The four givings refer to Giving Others Confidence, Giving Others Joy, Giving Others Hope, and Giving Others Convenience. This Pagoda serves as a bookstore where visitors can read and relax. Every Saturday and Sunday, there are story-telling sessions from 10 am to 4:30 pm at the children corner. Multimedia including chanting, children singing, and orchestral music, are also available at the bookstore.

Five Harmonies Pagoda

The five harmonies refer to “personal harmony achieved through joy, interpersonal harmony achieved through respect, family harmony achieved through deference, social harmony achieved through cooperation, and world harmony achieved through peace.” The pagoda serves to celebrate family events in different ways, including Buddhist weddings, baby blessing ceremonies, and birthday celebrations. Families can also take photographs to keep as albums for remembering those joyous occasions.

Six Perfections Pagoda

The pagoda is named after the

Six Perfections 6 is a number, numeral, and glyph. 6 or six may also refer to: * AD 6, the sixth year of the AD era * 6 BC, the sixth year before the AD era * The month of June Science * Carbon, the element with atomic number 6 * 6 Hebe, an asteroid Peop ...

, namely giving, ethics, patience, diligence, meditation, and wisdom. The pagoda is fitted with a long-term exhibition displaying information on Venerable Master Hsing Yun Public Education Trust Fund and the works of Venerable Master's One-Stroke Calligraphy. Through a 3D video presentation, viewers get to watch how Venerable Master penned his calligraphy works in one stroke using his inner eye.

Seven Admonishment Pagoda

The seven admonishments refer to admonishing drugs, pornography, violence, stealing, gambling, alcohol, and harsh words. Through these seven admonishments, all individuals, families, and even the society would be influenced by a positive mindset. When everyone thinks positively, the society would become a blissful pure land. The Seven Admonishment Pagoda serves as a resting place where visitors can have a cup of tea and relax.

Eightfold Path Pagoda

The

Eightfold Path The Noble Eightfold Path (Pali: ; Sanskrit: ) is an early summary of the path of Buddhist practices leading to liberation from samsara, the painful cycle of rebirth, in the form of nirvana. The Eightfold Path consists of eight practices: ...

includes the eight elements that leads a person to liberation: right view, right understanding, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. The Eightfold Path Pagoda serves a resting place where visitors can watch introductory videos.

Twin Pavilions

A gold-colored structure surrounded by a pond filled with lotuses. The 1st floor is the Tea House that serves Taiwanese cuisine in vegetarian form. Visitors can sample Tea Chan and Sutra Calligraphy on the 2nd and 3rd floors, respectively. Keynote lectures are also conducted on the 3rd floor. These lectures are open to public and discuss issues on education, culture and the arts.

Bodhi Wisdom Concourse

Eighteen Arhats The Eighteen Arhats (or Luohan) () are depicted in Chinese Buddhism as the original followers of Gautama Buddha (''arhat'') who have followed the Noble Eightfold Path and attained the four stages of enlightenment. They have reached the state of N ...

These statues are lined along the sides of the court and were designed by the Taiwanese sculptor Wu Jung-Tzu. They feature the Ten Great Disciples of the Buddha (Sariputra,

Maudgalyayana Maudgalyāyana ( pi, Moggallāna), also known as Mahāmaudgalyāyana or by his birth name Kolita, was one of the Buddha's closest disciples. Described as a contemporary of disciples such as Subhuti, Śāriputra ('), and Mahākāśyapa ( pi, M ...

, Mahakasyapa, Subhuti,

Purna : Purna is a town with a municipal council in Parbhani district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. Geography Purna is located at . It has an average elevation of . Purna is situated in the Maharashtra state of India. Demographics India cen ...

, Katyayana,

Aniruddha Aniruddha ( sa, अनिरुद्ध ') is a character in Hindu mythology, the son of Pradyumna and Rukmavati, and the grandson of Krishna and Rukmini. He is said to have been very much like his grandfather, to the extent that he i ...

, Upali, Rahula, Ananda), three arhats from the Amitabha Sutra (Cudapanthaka, Pindola, Kalodayin), and two arhats from Chinese folklore (the Dragon-Subduing Arhat and the Tiger-Taming Arhat) In a move to show equality between the sexes, the Venerable Master Hsing Yun also included 3 female bhiksunis:

Mahaprajapati Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī (Pali; Sanskrit: महाप्रजापती गौतमी, ''Mahāprajāpatī Gautamī'') or Pajapati was the foster-mother, step-mother and maternal aunt (mother's sister) of the Buddha. In Buddhist tradition, s ...

, Bhadra Kapilani, Utpalavarna.

Eight Patriarchs

These are located along the front of the Main Hall. They depict the founding patriarchs of the Eight Mahayana Schools of Chinese Buddhism and were designed by the Taiwanese sculptor Wu Jung-Tzu. The eight patriarchs are: * Jizang of the Three Treatise school *Xianshou of the

Huayan The Huayan or Flower Garland school of Buddhism (, from sa, अवतंसक, Avataṃsaka) is a tradition of Mahayana Buddhist philosophy that first flourished in China during the Tang dynasty (618-907). The Huayan worldview is based primar ...

school *

Xuanzang Xuanzang (, ; 602–664), born Chen Hui / Chen Yi (), also known as Hiuen Tsang, was a 7th-century Chinese Buddhist monk, scholar, traveler, and translator. He is known for the epoch-making contributions to Chinese Buddhism, the travelogue of ...

of the Faxiang school *

Zhiyi Zhiyi (; 538–597 CE) also Chen De'an (陳德安), is the fourth patriarch of the Tiantai tradition of Buddhism in China. His standard title was Śramaṇa Zhiyi (沙門智顗), linking him to the broad tradition of Indian asceticism. Zhiyi ...

of the

Tiantai Tiantai or T'ien-t'ai () is an East Asian Buddhist school of Mahāyāna Buddhism that developed in 6th-century China. The school emphasizes the '' Lotus Sutra's'' doctrine of the "One Vehicle" (''Ekayāna'') as well as Mādhyamaka philosophy ...

school *

Bodhidharma Bodhidharma was a semi-legendary Buddhist monk who lived during the 5th or 6th century CE. He is traditionally credited as the transmitter of Chan Buddhism to China, and regarded as its first Chinese patriarch. According to a 17th century apo ...

of the

Chan Chan may refer to: Places *Chan (commune), Cambodia * Chan Lake, by Chan Lake Territorial Park in Northwest Territories, Canada People *Chan (surname), romanization of various Chinese surnames (including 陳, 曾, 詹, 戰, and 田) *Chan Caldw ...

school * Huiyuan of the

Pure Land A pure land is the celestial realm of a buddha or bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism. The term "pure land" is particular to East Asian Buddhism () and related traditions; in Sanskrit the equivalent concept is called a buddha-field (Sanskrit ). The ...

school *

Daoxuan Daoxuan (; 596–667) was an eminent Tang dynasty Chinese Buddhist monk. He is perhaps best known as the patriarch of the Four-part Vinaya school (). Daoxuan wrote both the ''Continued Biographies of Eminent Monks'' (Xù gāosēng zhuàn 續高 ...

of the Nanshan

Vinaya The Vinaya (Pali & Sanskrit: विनय) is the division of the Buddhist canon ('' Tripitaka'') containing the rules and procedures that govern the Buddhist Sangha (community of like-minded ''sramanas''). Three parallel Vinaya traditions rema ...

school * Subhakarasimha of the

Vajrayana Vajrayāna ( sa, वज्रयान, "thunderbolt vehicle", "diamond vehicle", or "indestructible vehicle"), along with Mantrayāna, Guhyamantrayāna, Tantrayāna, Secret Mantra, Tantric Buddhism, and Esoteric Buddhism, are names referring t ...

school

Main Hall

The Main Hall is a domed-shaped

stupa A stupa ( sa, स्तूप, lit=heap, ) is a mound-like or hemispherical structure containing relics (such as ''śarīra'' – typically the remains of Buddhist monks or nuns) that is used as a place of meditation. In Buddhism, circum ...

built in the Indian style. The base is made from yellow

sandstone Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate grains. Sandstones comprise about 20–25% of all sedimentary rocks. Most sandstone is composed of quartz or feldspar (both silicat ...

while the body is made from rock. The spire in the center is a sutra repository that houses a million copies of the Heart Sutra. The “One Million Heart Sutras in the Buddha” movement was launched with the construction of the Buddha Museum.

Mount Potalaka Avalokiteśvara Shrine

Located at the front of the Main Hall. The shrine houses the Thousand-Armed, Thousand-Eyes

Avalokiteśvara In Buddhism, Avalokiteśvara (Sanskrit: अवलोकितेश्वर, IPA: ) is a bodhisattva who embodies the compassion of all Buddhas. He has 108 avatars, one notable avatar being Padmapāṇi (lotus bearer). He is variably depicted, ...

statue made by the contemporary glass artist Loretta Yang. The statue measures almost 5 meters tall, and is currently the tallest statue by the artist. Avalokitesvara is flanked by

Sudhana Sudhanakumāra (), mainly known as Sudhana and Shancai or Shancai Tongzi in Chinese, and translated as ''Child of Wealth'', is the protagonist in the last and longest chapter of the ''Avatamsaka Sutra''. Sudhana appears in Buddhist, Taoist and folk ...

and the Naga girl. The semicircular wall behind Avalokitesvara depicts the Great Compassion Mantra while the sides are lined with the 33 manifestations of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. The exterior wall of the shrine is decorated with the Universal Gate Chapter of the

Lotus Sutra The ''Lotus Sūtra'' ( zh, 妙法蓮華經; sa, सद्धर्मपुण्डरीकसूत्रम्, translit=Saddharma Puṇḍarīka Sūtram, lit=Sūtra on the White Lotus of the True Dharma, italic=) is one of the most influ ...

Golden Buddha Shrine

This is located directly behind the Avalokiteśvara Shrine and houses a golden statue of the Buddha that was gifted to Fo Guang Shan in 2004 by the Supreme Patriarch of Thailand, Somdet Phra Nyanasamvara, for his 90th birthday.

Jade Buddha Shrine

The shrine is located at the very back of the Main Hall. It houses a

Reclining Buddha A reclining Buddha is an image that represents Buddha lying down and is a major iconographic theme in Buddhist art. It represents the historical Buddha during his last illness, about to enter the parinirvana. He is lying on his right side, his hea ...

statue sculpted from Burmese white

jade Jade is a mineral used as jewellery or for ornaments. It is typically green, although may be yellow or white. Jade can refer to either of two different silicate minerals: nephrite (a silicate of calcium and magnesium in the amphibole group ...

. The statue symbolizes the Buddha's passing into

parinirvana In Buddhism, ''parinirvana'' ( Sanskrit: '; Pali: ') is commonly used to refer to nirvana-after-death, which occurs upon the death of someone who has attained ''nirvana'' during their lifetime. It implies a release from '' '', karma and rebirth ...

. Enshrined in a

reliquary A reliquary (also referred to as a ''shrine'', by the French term ''châsse'', and historically including '' phylacteries'') is a container for relics. A portable reliquary may be called a ''fereter'', and a chapel in which it is housed a ''fer ...

above the statue is the Buddha's tooth relic. The adjacent walls flanking the statue are colorful jade reliefs of the Western Sukhavati Pure Land of Amitabha Buddha and the Eastern Vaidurya Pure Land of the

Medicine Buddha Bhaiṣajyaguru ( sa, भैषज्यगुरु, zh, t= , ja, 薬師仏, ko, 약사불, bo, སངས་རྒྱས་སྨན་བླ), or ''Bhaishajyaguru'', formally Bhaiṣajya-guru-vaiḍūrya-prabhā-rāja ("Medicine Master ...

. The side walls are of

sandalwood Sandalwood is a class of woods from trees in the genus '' Santalum''. The woods are heavy, yellow, and fine-grained, and, unlike many other aromatic woods, they retain their fragrance for decades. Sandalwood oil is extracted from the woods for ...

reliefs of stupas and pagodas sculpted in a variety of forms and shapes.

Museum of Underground Palaces

This gallery exhibits artifacts from various Underground Palaces but predominantly from the one discovered beneath Famen Temple.

Museum of Buddhist Festivals

The gallery explains various Buddhist festivals that are celebrated at Fo Guang Shan with interactive technology. These festivals include: *Bathing the Baby Buddha on

Buddha's Birthday Buddha's Birthday (also known as Buddha Jayanti, also known as his day of enlightenment – Buddha Purnima, Buddha Pournami) is a Buddhist festival that is celebrated in most of East Asia and South Asia commemorating the birth of the Prince ...

*Taking 3 Steps 1 Bow Ceremony on Avalokitesvara's Birthday *Observing

Ullambana The Yulanpen Sutra, also known as the Ullambana Sutra (), is a Mahayana sutra concerning filial piety. It was translated from an Indic language (see History) and is found in Taisho 685 and Taisho 686 in Volume 16, the third volume of the Col ...

during the seventh

lunar month In lunar calendars, a lunar month is the time between two successive syzygies of the same type: new moons or full moons. The precise definition varies, especially for the beginning of the month. Variations In Shona, Middle Eastern, and Eur ...

*Offering food to the

Sangha Sangha is a Sanskrit word used in many Indian languages, including Pali meaning "association", "assembly", "company" or "community"; Sangha is often used as a surname across these languages. It was historically used in a political context t ...

on Sangha Day

Historical Museum of Fo Guang Shan

This gallery shows in great detail the complete history of Fo Guang Shan up to 2011.

Museum of the Life of the Buddha

Tells the story of Sakyamuni Buddha from his birth to his

. The gallery also plays two 4D short films during the day for free. *Morning show: Life of the Buddha *Afternoon show: The Poor Girl's Lamp

Great Enlightenment Auditorium

This facility is located on the 3rd floor. The multi-functional auditorium can accommodate 2,000 people. In the center, there is a 360-degree screen. The round stage in the center of the floor can be rotated so audiences can view the performances from different directions. Since its opening, many international troupes have performed at this auditorium.

Four Noble Truths Stupas

The

Four Noble Truths In Buddhism, the Four Noble Truths (Sanskrit: ; pi, cattāri ariyasaccāni; "The four Arya satyas") are "the truths of the Noble Ones", the truths or realities for the "spiritually worthy ones". enlightenment. The Four Noble Truths Stupas correspond to the Four Great Bodhisattvas: Avalokiteśvara, Avalokitesvara, Ksitigarbha, Manjushri, Manjusri, and Samantabhadra (Bodhisattva), Samantabhadra. Offerings of incense, flowers, and light can be made to the Bodhisattvas at these stupas.

Fo Guang Big Buddha

In 2011, the Fo Guang Big Buddha was completed after more than a year of casting, utilizing almost 1,800 ton of metal. The statue itself measures 40 meters high, the seat is 10 meters high. Altogether, the total height is 108 meters (an auspicious number in Buddhism). The statue depicts Sakyamuni Buddha.

Underground Palaces

Though not open to the public, the Buddha Museum has 48 underground palaces that serve as time capsules. Its contents are artifacts that are either historic, contemporary, or commemorative in nature. The museum plans to open one of these underground palaces every hundred years and to place other items inside before sealing it again. A permanent exhibition about the underground palaces can be found on the first floor of the Main Hall.

Art

Reliefs

These can be found along the covered walkways and within the Main Hall. *There are 22 semi-reliefs of the Buddha's acts of compassion and wisdom collectively known as the Stories of the Buddha. *The Chan Art and Stories are sampled from Chan Heart, Chan Art by Gao Er-tai and his wife Pu Xiaoyu. *The Life Protection Murals were sculpted based on the Protecting Lives Series painted by

Feng Zikai Feng Zikai (; November 9, 1898 – September 15, 1975) was an influential Chinese painter, pioneering '' manhua'' () artist, essayist, and lay Buddhist of 20th-century China. Born just after the First Sino-Japanese War and dying just before the e ...

and his daughter, Feng Yiyin. *Reliefs in jade illustrating the Western Pure Land of Amitabha Buddha and the Eastern Pure Land of the Medicine Buddha can be found in the Jade Buddha Shrine. *Wooden reliefs depicting different styles of stupas from around the world can be found on the side walls of the Jade Buddha Shrine.

One-Stroke Calligraphy

Venerable Master Hsing Yun's One-Stroke Calligraphy can be seen throughout the museum on the walls and signs of each building. A more permanent exhibition is located in the Six Perfections Pagoda.

Statues

These are located toward the back of the museum. *The Eighteen Arhats and Eight Patriarchs were designed by Wu Jung-Tzu and can be found at the Bodhi Wisdom Concourse. *The Thousand-Armed, Thousand-Eyes Avalokiteśvara statue within the Avalokitesvara Shrine is made by the contemporary glass artist Loretta Yang *The Golden Buddha statue inside the Golden Buddha Shrine was gifted to Fo Guang Shan from the 19th Supreme Patriarch of Thailand in 2004. For his 90th birthday, Somdet Phra Nyanasamvara had 19 statues made and gifted them to countries where Buddhism flourished. Fo Guang Shan was hand-picked to represent Taiwan. *The Reclining Buddha statue inside the Jade Buddha Shrine was sculpted from white jade from Burma. *The Fo Guang Big Buddha located at the very back is made from 1,800 tons of metal and measures 40 meters tall.

Sculpture

A camphor wooden carving depicting Sakyamuni Buddha teaching the

Vulture Peak The Vulture Peak (Pali: गिज्झकूट, Sanskrit: गृद्धकूट), also known as the Holy Eagle Peak or Gridhakūta (or Gādhrakūta), was the Buddha's favorite retreat in Rajagaha (now Rajgir, or Rajagrih). It was the scene ...

to Five Hundred Arhats is visible in the lobby of the Main Hall.

Art Galleries

These are located on the 1st floor and 2nd floor of the Main Hall. There are 4 permanent exhibitions on the 1st floor. The galleries on the 2nd floor are non-permanent and are frequently changed to exhibit art from around the world.

Education

Under Fo Guang Shan's objective to "foster talent through education" the museum has an educational curriculum which hosts educational courses that follow the Three Acts of Goodness - doing good deeds, speaking good words, thinking good thoughts.

Opening Hours

The entrance is free for everyone. *Weekdays: 9:00 ~ 19:00 (Main Hall: 9:00 ~ 18:00) *Weekends: 9:00 ~ 20:00 (Main Hall: 9:00 ~ 19:00) *The museum is closed every Tuesday except for special dates. The official website has more information on these special dates. *Chinese New Year (subject to change, please consult the English website)

Awards

*2012 - Winner of the Golden Lion Award for Culture and Education in the 13th National Architecture Golden Award. *2013 - Listed in “Top Hundred Religious Spots in Taiwan” by the Ministry of the Interior. *2014 - Certified as the youngest member of

(ICOM). *2014 - Winner of TripAdvisor 2014's Traveler's Choice Award and ranked top as the most popular tourist spot in Kaohsiung *2014 Oct 25 - Received the Excellent Lavatory Award by the Kaohsiung government. *2014 Nov 13 - Became the first religious organization and museum to receive the

energy management certification. *2014 Dec 16 - Bus Lavatory listed as an Excellent Lavatory by the Environmental Protection Administration, and in the digital book The Magic Journey of the Toilet Kingdom. *2015 Oct 31 - Runner-Up for "Public Restroom" Award in Tourist Scenic Site Category of Kaohsiung *2016 Jan 16 - Fifth China Tourism Investment ITIA "Best Historical and Cultural Theme Tourism Project Award" *2016 May - Winner of TripAdvisor 2016 Travelers' Choice Award and ranked fourth in the Top Ten Landmarks of Taiwan *2017 - Certified as a member of

American Alliance of Museums American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, p ...

(AAM) *2017 - Received 2017 Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor *2018 - Received 2018 Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor *2019 - Received 2018 Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor *2020 - Received 2020 Travelers' Choice Award from TripAdvisor

References

External links

Buddha Museum websiteBuddha Museum facebookBuddha Museum Youtube
{{Colossal Buddhist statues 2011 establishments in Taiwan Religious buildings and structures completed in 2011 Museums in Taiwan Fo Guang Shan Religious buildings and structures in Kaohsiung Buddhist museums Religious organizations established in 2011

History

Missions of the Buddha Museum

Objectives of the Buddha Museum

Core Values

Three Acts of Goodness

Four Givings

Architecture

Front Hall

Eight Pagodas

One Teaching Pagoda

Two Assemblies Pagoda

Three Goodness Pagoda

Four Givings Pagoda

Five Harmonies Pagoda

Six Perfections Pagoda

Seven Admonishment Pagoda

Eightfold Path Pagoda

Twin Pavilions

Bodhi Wisdom Concourse

Eighteen Arhats The Eighteen Arhats (or Luohan) () are depicted in Chinese Buddhism as the original followers of Gautama Buddha (''arhat'') who have followed the Noble Eightfold Path and attained the four stages of enlightenment. They have reached the state of N ...

Eight Patriarchs

Main Hall

Mount Potalaka Avalokiteśvara Shrine

Golden Buddha Shrine

Jade Buddha Shrine

Museum of Underground Palaces

Museum of Buddhist Festivals

Historical Museum of Fo Guang Shan

Museum of the Life of the Buddha

Great Enlightenment Auditorium

Four Noble Truths Stupas

Fo Guang Big Buddha

Underground Palaces

Art

Reliefs

One-Stroke Calligraphy

Statues

Sculpture

Art Galleries

Education

Opening Hours

See also

Awards

References

External links