Wisdom Path

One of the must see places in Hong Kong is the Tian Tan Buddha in Lantau. An exceptionally popular place for tourists and locals, it quickly gets crowded throughout the day. The Tian Tan Buddha is totally worth seeing and visiting (I’ll review that another day) but what is lesser known is that in the area surrounding the Buddha there are many hiking trails. There are short day hikes, to long multi-​day hikes that you can do. The mountains and forest are incredibly beautiful and if I had the time I probably would’ve taken the opportunity to hike all over them.
Unfortunately I only had time to do one hike, which lead me to the «Wisdom Path.» There are numerous wooden columns propped up along the hillside with verses from the sutra «Prajna-​paramita Heart Sutra.» I’ve uploaded a pic of the placard found next to this site. It’s a beautiful place to visit and if you’re there early enough, there are no people around to disturb the silence of the mountains. Looking out across the forest and hills, I can clearly understand why Hong Kong was settled so long ago and why people still flock to it’s shores. My thoughts are interrupted by the song of a bird, and I smile, the wisdom path is a place worth visiting.
Technical information: It’s about a 10 minute walk from the monastery and there is almost no elevation. The path is semi-​well maintained and wide enough for 4 people to walk abreast.

I am sure most of you are pretty fed up with the Big Buddha and also the cable car. However, do you know that there is a place that is rather secluded and rather spiritual (at least to me)? It is called The Wisdom Path.
Located near the Buddha, one can easily get there by following the signage. In about 15 minutes and you will find yourself in a rather tranquil place surrounded by wooden columns with carving on them. As a matter of fact, those carvings were made in 2005 by a famous professor. Its calligraphy is a highlight on its own as it mimics the ancient writing we had in China. There were a total number of thirty eight columns that were erected in a figure of the symbol of infinity.
Though I am fortunate enough to be able to read the Chinese characters on them, it is still very complex for one to apprehend. In fact, those words are a summary of the essence of Buddhism. It depicts the philosophy of the universe and life. What I like about this religion is that it welcomes all without excluding other religions. It aims at helping one reach the ultimate happiness, that may not be tangible or physical or any kind of earthy things, but the inner satisfaction towards world. If you have some time, try to get to know this a bit more and come here and feel the balance; maybe you can find wisdom from this journey as well.