Buddhist Maha Vihara, Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur

Buddhist Maha Vihara, Kuala Lumpur (8 July, 2016)

Buddhist Maha Vihara (GPS: 3.12786, 101.68679) is a major Buddhist temple in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur. It is located on Jalan Berhala, which was named after its presence there. Within the grounds is a Bodhi tree that was grown from a sampling taken from the famous Sri Maha Bodhi Tree of Sri Lanka.

The Buddhist Maha Vihara is a Sri Lanka Buddhist temple. It was established by the Sasana Abhiwurdhi Wardhana Society, a Buddhist society established by the Sinhalese community that has settled in the Brickfields area in the late 19th century. It is the oldest Buddhist Society in the Klang Valley. During that time, there was a sizable Sinhalese population in the area. They were brought to Kuala Lumpur by the British to develop the civil service. In addition to serving under the colonial administrators, the Sinhalese also ventured into various trades.

Over its long history, the Buddhist Maha Vihara has received various dignitaries, including the Dalai Lama, Malaysian prime ministers Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Abdullah Badawi and Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, the prime ministers of Sri Lanka, and many others.

As a centre for Buddhism in Kuala Lumpur, the Buddhist Maha Vihara is the place for people who want to learn meditation. Meditation classes are conducted once a week here (the last I learn was on Wednesdays) and is free of charge.