“Have you ever seen a five-story temple adorned with Balinese carvings?” That’s what awaits us at Mahavihara Maitreya Bali. This grand temple stands on Jalan Gunung Soputan in Denpasar. It’s more than just a place of worship. It’s a center for education and training too.
Mahavihara Maitreya Bali is managed by the Yayasan Buddha Maitreya. It welcomes everyone. Balinese carvings adorn the temple inside and out. The carvings run along the entire length of the temple walls.
Let’s step back in time to understand the roots of this impressive structure. The Majelis Pandita Buddha Maitreya Indonesia started in 1950. Maha Sesepuh Maitreyawira founded it. The first Vihara Buddha Maitreya was in Malang, East Java. Temples then appeared in Pasuruan, Surabaya and Jakarta. More sprang up in Semarang, Medan and Pontianak. Palembang and Riau followed. The growth sped up after 30 years with more Viharas nationwide.
Maha Sesepuh Prajnamitra led the Majelis Pandita Buddha Maitreya Indonesia after Maitreyawira. The organization expanded in North Sumatra. Sesepuh Prajnamitra started this in 1957. The first Vihara was Vihara Kshanti Maitreya in Medan. It only had six seats. Twenty-six people joined the Agama Buddha Maitreya when the Vihara opened. Sesepuh Prajnamitra faced challenges. However, he continued with determination.
Later, Vihara Prajna Maitreya-Medan was founded. Then came Vihara Lokottara Maitreya Medan and Vihara Vidya Maitreya-P Siantar. Vihara Dhyana Maitreya Medan followed. They even spread into Riau province. Sesepuh Prajnamitra died in 1980 at 74. At that time, there were 37 Viharas. The Buddhist community numbered about 70,000 people.
The Viharas in North Sumatra formed Wilayah IV MAPANBUMI. Sesepuh Prajnamitra was its first leader. Maha Pandita Thau Cen Sing became the second leader. He served from 1980 to 1984. Maha Pandita Salim Budiman then took over. He led from 1984 to 1989. Maha Pandita Salim Budiman worked tirelessly. He started Viharas across North Sumatra and Riau. The community grew along with its resources. Maha Pandita Citrawira became the fourth leader. He served from 1989 to 2007. Maha Pandita Salim Budiman supported him. Maha Pandita Salim Budiman passed away in 1999.
Yang Arya Maha Sesepuh Ong wanted a Maha Vihara in Medan. It needed to hold 4,000 to 5,000 people. Bapak Mujianto helped make this happen. He donated land in Cemara Asri complex. The first stone was laid on January 17, 1999. Yang Arya Maha Sesepuh Ong led the ceremony with Maha Sesepuh Gautama Hardjono. A choir of 1,360 people performed. Initial construction started on October 5, 1999. Dharma classes and family programs were held. There were also youth activities. They celebrated Buddha-Bodhisattva days. They also celebrated Waisak and the Moon Goddess. Father’s and Mother’s Days were observed too.
The entire Mahavihara Maitreya building was completed through devotion. It was made possible by sacrifices of money, materials and spirit from the Buddhist community. The Maha Vihara architecture blends oriental and modern designs. It shows harmony, holiness and beauty.
When Mahavihara Maitreya was dedicated on August 21, 2008, Wilayah IV MAPANBUMI had around 200 Viharas. The Buddhist community had over 300,000 people.