Maitreya monastery, Batam island's main attraction

Maitreya monastery, Batam island's main attraction

Text and photographs by Fadli

BATAM, Riau (JP): With a population of 450,000, the
415-square-kilometer Batam island is a heterogeneous area in
terms of ethnicity, race and religion. One of Batam's famous
landmarks is a Buddhist monastery, the Maha Vihara Duta Maitreya.

Located on Bukit Beruntung in the Sei Panas area, the
formidable temple is billed as the most unique Maitreya temple in
Southeast Asia.

It has inspired the local government to develop the area as a
religious tourist destination.

The idea to build the monastery was hatched in 1940 when a
Singaporean monk named Hong Chuan wanted to build a grandiose
monastery on Batam, which is only about 30 minutes from Singapore
by boat. However, World War II foiled the plan.

Years later the idea was taken up by a junior monk named
Harun, a former businessman from Batu Ampar, Batam, who was a
follower of Maitreya. Harun was inspired by Borobudur Temple, one
of the world's wonders.

He built three medium-sized stupas at his home on Batam. One
night Harun, who was only an elementary school graduate, saw in a
dream the Bodhisatva Avalokitesvara, or the goddess of help Kwan
Im, take one of the stupas he had built.

In the dream, the second stupa was taken by the Buddha
Maitreya, the god of friendship, generosity and joy. While the
third stupa was taken by his teacher, Yang Arya MS Kao San.

Construction of the temple began on Nov. 2, 1991, with a
groundbreaking ceremony presided over by officials of the Council
of Indonesia's Maitreya Buddhist Monks.

Standing on a strategic hill, Maha Vihara Duta Maitreya,
which literally means a magnificent and gigantic Maitreya
monastery, covers an impressive 4.5 hectares.

The three-story temple consists of 11 sections, from praying
rooms, a vegetarian restaurant to an art gallery. The complex is
only 60 percent completed.

The monastery was inaugurated by minister of religious affairs
Malik Fadjar and minister of tourism, arts and culture Marzuki
Usman, on Jan. 23, 1999. The Rp 20 billion needed to build the
monastery was obtained from donors from around the world and from
the Indonesian Buddhist Council.

Happy Buddha"

According to Jimmin, a monk at the monastery, there are seven
denominations of Buddhism in Indonesia -- Maitreya, Theravada,
Mahayana, Kasobata, Tridharma, Nichiren Shosu Indonesia and
Tantrayana.

That the monastery is Maitreya is apparent from the statues in
the complex. There is one of the Buddha Maitreya, chubby and
laughing, symbolizing happiness and friendliness. The largest
Buddha statue is golden in color and perches on the roof of the
main gate.

"It is a shame that the color is fading although we used
paint," sad Jimmin. The copper for the statue was imported from
China. There are 15 Buddha statues of various sizes in the
complex.

"Western people call this big golden statute the Happy Buddha
because of its smiling face, and people looking at it will also
smile," said Jimmin, who became a born-again Buddhist 10 years
ago.

The monastery is a source of pride for Batam residents because
not only is it Southeast Asia's largest monastery, but because it
also promotes Batam as a religious tourist destination.

Legend has it that the location of the monastery was destined
to become a holy site. In the eyes of spiritualists, the place is
radiant, a sign that divine power is present there.

The building's first floor is used as the praying ground,
which believers can use anytime with or without a monk. The
second floor contains the offices of monks and the third floor is
specially designed as the place of "official" scheduled worship.

The unique Buddha Sakyamuni Graha, the most spacious room on
the ground floor, is "guarded" by two big lion statutes and the
Buddha Maitreya statute placed near the entrance.

The gigantic statute of the Buddha Maitreya standing and
carrying a bag on his back is believed to have magical power.

"A woman can have the baby of her dreams after a long marriage
if she caresses the Buddha's stomach," said Jimmin, who once
studied at Bina Nusantara Management College in Jakarta.
"Believers who touch his bag may receive a big fortune."

In the corner of the room is a white robe from Yang Arya Maha
Sesepuh Ong, Buddha Maitreya's highest leader. The robe was a
gift from him when he paid the monastery an honorary visit.

The monastery can accommodate 30,000 worshipers and has
various facilities, such as a multipurpose room which can hold
1,000 people for festivals or meetings.

In one wing of the monastery, opposite of the Bodhisatva
Avalokitesvara Graha, there is a vegetarian restaurant. "Don't be
afraid, we guarantee the vegetarian restaurant's dishes are halal
(allowed under Islamic law)," said Jimmin.

The monastery is building a school just opposite it that will
be open to people of all religious, ethnic and racial
backgrounds.

The monastery is open daily for the public from 6:30 a.m. to
9:30 p.m. It receives over 4,500 visitors a month. "Every tourist
visiting Batam is offered a visit to the monastery because this
place is already included in their brochure," said Jimmin.