Meditation Hall

The Meditation Hall is situated on the third floor of the Chedi building and is designed with the purpose of inducing peace of mind as its primary objective.  The overall design follows that of open ‘sala’ or halls of Forest Meditation Monasteries in Thailand.

The hall features mainly wood flooring, panels, frames, and subdued lighting so as to create an ambience which is conducive to meditation.  In order to inspire our members and devotees further, the hall has a glass window looking out to the spire of the Chedi.
 
The meditation hall is open for public use.

The main image in this hall is a replica of the very famous image of the Buddha giving his first discourse/sermon (The Dhammacakkapavattana Sutta – Discourse of the Turning of the Wheel of Dhamma). This image is commonly called the Sarnath Buddha, after the place where the Buddha gave the discourse.

This Buddha image presides in the Meditation hall. It is a replica of the image famously known as the Sarnath Buddha. It represents the Setting the Wheel of Dhamma in Motion, in other words, Buddha's first teaching. The Wheel is represented by the disc in the middle of the bottom panel.

It was said that the first ones who listened to the Buddha's discourse were his former companions, the five ascetics who had deserted him a few months earlier and were now dwelling in a deer park at Sarnath near Benares. He explained to them the truths he had discovered, and on hearing his discourse they gained insight into the Dhamma, and became his first disciples. In the months ahead his following grew exponentially as both householders and ascetics heard the liberating message, gave up their former creeds, and declared themselves disciples of the Enlightened One.

In the bottom panel, there are six figures, five of which represent the five ascetics. The sixth figure is rumoured to represent the female lay disciple who sponsored the creation of the original Sarnath Buddha image.