In2021 I wrote a post about the Gang of four, describing the friendship between four senior citizens. This year we will be all octogenarians, so our activities are getting more limited. After the COVID pandemic we have made three day trips, to Kampar(2022), Janda Baik(2022), and Jugra(2024). This time Khong suggested to have lunch at the WK restaurant in Ulu Yam, I suggested to combine it with a visit to a Buddhist sanctuary in Ulu Yam and Stephen proposed another restaurant in Ulu Yam, with the best prawn tom yam he had ever tasted.

We started with coffee in Serendah, a coffee shop where Khong was a regular.

Next, we continued to the “Buddhist Sanctuary”, which I had visited twice in the past, in 2007 and 2012. So long ago that I only remembered it was a nice, quiet place. It still is, but it is not a sanctuary. It is a monastery, following the Sakya school of Tibetan Buddhism. It is much more important than its remote location would suggest. I am interested in (Theravada) Buddhism, but not in the Tibetan variant so I had to Google for more information. The monastery serves as a major seat of the 7th Tharig Rinpoche, a spiritual leader of the Sakya sect. Here is the official website: Ulu Yam Sakya Tharig Monastery .I have found no info about a Thai background, although locals sometimes call it a Siamese temple. The monastery was officially opened in 1998.

This interesting statue at the entrance is not the Buddha, but a Bodhisattva. It is Avalokiteshvara, the male version of Guan Yin, the god of compassion.

The entrance to the main hall is flanked by the 18 Arhats.

The impressive main hall.

There are two huge prayer wheels. When you turn them three times (clockwise), it will bring you luck. Of course Khong and I did it.

The twelve Zodiac signs are also there. I am a monkey, Aric is a dragon, of course I had to take “our” pictures.

A small shrine and a statue of the 6th Tharig Rinpoche.

Nice atmosphere.

A photo of the Gang of Four.

Outside the monastery there is a cemetery and a columbary.

After this very interesting visit, it was time for lunch. We followed Stephen’s suggestion and went to the Hock Lay restaurant in Ulu Yam, where we had the “best Prawn Tom Yam ever””, fish, tofu and veggie for RM 139. Value for Money.

A nice outing. I hope that we don’t have to wait two years for the next one.