🍺 Beer for spirits and monkeys for sale 🙉

Today we will enter the Buddhist temple "Prajna", which is located on the outskirts of Ipoh, Malaysia.
Before we enter, we can admire a huge statue of a meditating monk. The figure with the whole chapel is about 10 meters tall, so its size itself is very impressive.

You might think that we are in a different, milder world where there is no room for cruelty and evil. Until we turn to the other side.
Then we will see.... monkeys in cages for sale!

Yes, monks also earn money for living and, for example, they sell animals.
I was surprised because keeping animals in a cage does not fit the Buddhist philosophy of love and equality. Well, maybe these monkeys were extremely aggressive and now the bad karma in the form of living in a cage has returned to them?
Who knows.

We will enter the temple through a side entrance and from the very beginning we will be greeted by a sleeping Buddha.

Inside, another meditating monk is waiting for us. You must admit that he looks very realistic!

This is how you usually honor to the monks who were the founders of the temple or who made a major contribution to its creation or development.

Before we can see what's next, you need to know that many temples here are also intended to provide entertainment to visitors. If it's fun, believers want to visit such places more often, leave donations and buy various items in the temple's store to celebrate prayers.

So now is the time for an attraction for those who have come to ask for the fulfillment of their wishes. A large statue of Buddha with a large navel is waiting for this occasion.

The task of the believers is to think about their wishes and aim with a coin straight at the statue navel. If they can make it, their dreams will come true, if not.... they have to prepare more coins until they finally manage to hit the hole and make it a success.
It might seem strange, but isn't life is about not taking it too seriously?

After a successful throw, we can now admire the illuminated statues of a young Buddha.

For each day of the week we will find a different Buddha. To make it more interesting, the colors of these chapels' illumination change so visitors have no room for boredom.

Now we will move on to a place that is hidden on the sidelines. This is a cave where all those who helped to maintain the temple have been honored.

We can see in the showcase their photos and small gifts to make their lives more pleasant after death.
Here we can also find out what likes had the people who passed away. There is a favorite beer too!

I'm curious if during this tour around the temple something surprised you?
Do you think that keeping animals in cages is something that monks shouldn't do? How do you like the idea of giving gifts for spirits? Would you also like to receive your favourite beer for the rest of the way when you leave this world?
Let me know in the comments!

@see-it-feeel-it
All photos are taken by me.

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