Sima Hall

Due to the continued growth of the number of Singaporeans undertaking ordination as monks (going forth), and to make Palelai Buddhist Temple a fully functional monastery, the Sangha and Board of Management decided to rebuild the Annex Block to house a Sima Hall and meditation rooms for monks.

A Sima Hall is also known as the Uposatha Hall (Ubosot in Thai language) or Ordination Hall (wherein laypeople undertake ordination to become monks).

The Annex Block has two full floors, a mezzanine level, and an attic level where the Sima Hall is located. 

Significance of the Sima Hall

Venerable Buddhaghosa, a very renowned Buddhist scholar of the 5th century in Sri Lanka, commented that Buddhism will be considered as being fully established in a country if there are sufficient numbers of local monks who can form a quorum of five monks to conduct ordinations of monks and they are able to recite the Patimokkha Rules (chanting the Buddhist monks’ 227 rules of conduct) every fortnight.

In order for monks to be ordained, a sanctified Sima Hall is required to be demarcated and built for the purpose.  Moreover, a Sima Hall is also required in order for the Sangha to carry out other formal activities like the exchange of robes during the annual Kathina ceremony, fortnightly recitation of the Patimokkha, the hearing of complaints/meting out of punishments for errant monks etc.  Hence, a Sima Hall is a very important part of monastic life and without one, a monastery will not be complete.

As part of the demarcation of the boundaries of the Sima Hall, eight Sima marker spheres are placed around it in a rectangular shape.  The spheres face the eight cardinal directions and they represent the following first generation disciples of the Lord Buddha:

1.    East:  Ven. Anna Kondanna
2.    South East:  Ven. Maha Kassapa
3.    South:  Ven. Sariputta
4.    South West:  Ven. Upali
5.    West:  Ven. Ananda
6.    North West:  Ven. Gavampati
7.    North:  Ven. Moggallana
8.    North East:  Ven. Rahula

Learn more about the construction and consecration of the Sima Hall from this video: