The temple gets its name from what the Buddhists regard as the Sacred Buddha Tooth Relic.
Overview of the Buddha Tooth Relic and Museum
The ground-breaking ceremony for the temple was held on March 2005.
The building was launched on 2007 and consecrated on 2008. The total cost of the complex was 75 million Singaporean Dollars.
Venerable Shi Fa Zhao, chief abbot of the temple conceptualized and designed the five-storey Buddhist temple.
The Buddha Tooth Relic is placed inside a 420 kg gold stupa, where only the monks are allowed to enter the relic chamber. But you can view it in the viewing area.
Take your time to tour the temple complex. On the 3rd level, you’ll discover sacred artifacts such as bone relics of the Buddha in the Buddhist Culture Museum.
And on the 4th floor, you will find the golden stupa where the tooth relic was housed. The roof garden has
a pagoda and Buddhist prayer wheel, where you can contemplate, pray and chant the “Om Padme Um” while turning the wheel.
Dress Requirement
Be mindful of your outfit when visiting! The temple has a dress code that matches the sacred character of the place. Be sure to wear appropriate attire.
The following styles of clothing is not allowed inside the temple:
- Shorts
- Mini-skirts
- Tank-tops
- Off the shoulder outfits
- Backless and Sleeveless dresses
- See-through dress
- or any clothing that features bare-midriffs
However, if you only have outfits of these kinds, then there are people standing around the entrances of the
temple to assist you with the locating suitable clothes. They will provide a shawl for the cover-up because you will not be granted entry to the temple unless you are appropriately covered.
Operating Hours and Fees
The Buddha Tooth Relic and Museum open daily from 7 in the morning until 7 in the evening, with the viewing of the relic between 9 am to 6 pm.
There are no entrance fees, but they accept donations. There are places for donations in every Buddha image.
You can reach the temple, through MRT going to Chinatown and from there you can have a short walk. The temple is across Maxwell Hawker Center and beside the Chinatown Food Center.
No matter what religion or faith do you have, this place is a must visit, a placid and peaceful place. The displays and architectural design are very impressive and amazing.