Har Paw Villa

Haw Par villa was once a hotspot for tourists and a top pick as an excursion destination for local school chilldren. What drew the crowd was how surreal it was to actually see these images of hell, as per Chinese folklore, with scenes depicting torture, pain and suffering. This is the hell as we know from the tales we hear and read about our afterlife. We know that the bad deeds we commit when were still alive never go unnoticed and the punishments we have to endure in return seem severely inhumane. What with tongues being cut, bodies submerged in cauldrons of boiling water and even burning in flames continually, for as long until we repay our debts incurred.. It is enough to drill fear into all who sees and surely highly unlikely for anyone ever exposed to visuals like these, to forget how gruesome our hell can be. Inevitable because that is where all of us head to, as long as we are Buddhist or Taoist. Yet, how many of us have ever seen hell itself to be sure these scenes are really showing it as what it is? With no comparison for doubt we accept that this is where we are heading to, especially when a large population of Singaporeans are brought up in families that adhere to such an ideology, unless we are believers of other faiths where we are told that heaven is waiting for us once we pass on from this earth. With such a dreary afterlife that promises a seemingly endless span of torture, living doesnt seem that enticing and our gods are certainly fearsome to most. So does it make any sense when the Goddess of Mercy and Buddha himself are placed right in the midst of rivers of blood, piled with figurines of wretched souls? As much as Haw Par Villa is intriguing to most, and certainly unforgettable, the novelty did wear off with time. It is hardly as popular as it used to be, unlike other places of interest; The Botanical Gardens still draw avid photographers and The Science Centre is probably the general Singaporeans closest link to the cosmic world. With time and technological advancement, the presence of hell has lost its hold on our conscience. Weve lost touch with this ancient idea. Through the years, weve quick-paced to a first world nation status where English is comfortably conversed and we were liberal ways of living from our western counterparts, we are undeniably of a conservative origin. We consider ourselves unfillial if we were to leave home before marriage and we obediently stick by conventional systems of propriety still. We cant shake the fact that our roots and cultural behaviors are still very much a deep-rooted part of us. Through the generations, Taoism and Buddhism are religions passed on by our ancestors, and most of us adopted them just because our parents did. In actual fact, we are really too caught up with the daily hum-drum of work and family to have much time for contemplation on the teachings. We just followed a code of conduct passed through generations when it came to prayers and rituals. Yet without real knowledge of the origins, and being so materially focused, our faith is based on satisfying desires that appeal to our five senses. All in all, our cultural heritage looks set for extinction when it comes to the next generation.

Not surprisingly, the most memorable of Haw Par Villa until today are the horrifying displays of persecution in the many courts of hell. Yet, not many visitors understand the significance of hell itself; nor do they remember much of the various deities and the statues of Buddha and the Goddess of Mercy placed there. Even if they did, the connection had never been properly explained. Many questions were posted by foreigners and Singaporeans alike, but left unanswered. In fact, what could have been an exceptionally educational and culturally rich arena, unique only to Singapore and significant in contributing to our heritage, especially now for the high level of tourists influx to see at this period, is sadly mostly desolate. Oddly, being so technologically advanced only depleted our mind-resource capacity of historical knowledge. Most of the time spent on learning how to use the newest gadget, to trying to make use of various gadgets to get what we need, could really have been spent on acquiring knowledge with more basis for permanence and usage. Learning the mechanics of gadgets only last as long as the next one that comes by. In the desire for improved models and better advanced products, this chase ties us into a cycle of neverending dissatisfaction. Do we really need more and better models when whatever we currently own is still not fully utilized? Why should we compromise cultivating sense of patriotism with short-term electronic, meaningless playthings? Thus Haw Par Villa should be portrayed as it is the reality. All of us should be properly educated with regards to the origin. The truth is that hell really is just a transitional stage of the cycle of life and death. Just like there is heaven and earth, hell is just another realm for beings to go to when the time is due and conditions are right for the repayment of their karmic debts. In fact Buddha himself, at certain points before his attainment of enlightenment, while still tied to the cycle of rebirth, went through periods of karmic repayments in hell. The same goes for his step mother, who spent 2 days there before she went into the state of nirvana. Like earth, hell will only cease to exist once all of us achieve the state of nirvana, the total cessation of suffering. The Goddess of Mercy stays guard by the side of all sentient beings and vowed to only accept the title of buddha-hood when she sees every single soul in all realms attain it. Thus, their statues were not put next to the mutilation for us to wonder why these gods preach of compassion and forgiveness, yet could allow such disturbing acts to be metted out. This is most puzzling, for there is no proper guidance from anyone to understand the basic law of cause and effect where going to hell itself is a state of rebirth, only transitional. The universe works in absolute balance, what is given will be returned, and proportional to its intensity. When intentions of actions, where harmful ones are consciously avoided and the good ones consistently applied, a habitual pattern of reaction can be inculcated. Good or bad as a character trait, may not be immediate knowledge, but it can be cultivated through mind-ful attention to own actions and their repercussions. We know that this world is a chain of inter-connectivity between all living and when a thoughtless deed creates suffering in one or another, the seed is sown and will

sprout forth with a ripple effect for as long as until the chain breaks that karmic spin-off. Whether or not it is associated with any major religion, it is simple to understand that suffering is inevitable in our lives, just like happiness, but whichever comes will go at some point. If we desire for a momentary manifestation for what satisfy our senses, yet due to impermanence, how many more times do we have to feel the joy of having it and then the pain of losing? In contemplation that thoughts are in fact really abstract and will not materialise until acted upon, we can essentially consciously choose actions with the least negative repercussions. By and by, ignorance will then transform to wisdom. From there, our cravings cease to exist and the exhilarating feeling coming from the emptiness of all, is liberating. With the Deities and statues of Buddha and the Goddess of Mercy standing guard, it serves to remind us of compassion towards all who suffer, still being tied to the relentless wheel of karmic law. When Aw Boon Haw, the tycoon set his sight to built Haw Par Villa, the message he wanted to put forth was a guide for us to practice good. Only by this can our minds be open to receive the truth of universal wisdom. Yet, the transmission of an idea when being communicated through many channels, can turn out vastly different from the original. In the end, a positive message to put forth through images and visuals, turned up vile instead. This is a very good example of what is so commonplace in our society today, where communications although being so advanced, yet ends up with disastrous results. In essence, once the real message can be put across clearly, so as to do away with any distortion of facts, and with as little percentage of error, not only expatriats, but Singaporeans can benefit with this wealth of the expression that Haw Par Villa really stands for - compassion, piety, wisdom, mindfulness and the cultivation of a pure mind. Haw Par Villas origin is really that powerful in being able to exponentially do good for all.

Regards, Lynn Chen +65-9179-7707 volu for the realcare people