The statue was located at the Buppharam Thai Buddhist Temple in Perak Road, Penang. It’s supposed to have originated from northeast Thailand.

It was reportedly stolen on 14th September between 7 and 8 in the morning, although the temple committee used the phrase “gone on holiday” because they’re hoping it will be returned, as had happened 4 times in the last 3 years. Apparently, each time it would be returned by the thief within 3-4 days.

But this time they’re getting worried because it’s already been 2 weeks.

There’s a distinct possibility that the thief had melted the brass for scrap metal, or even more likely, sell it to antique collectors.

It is said that bad luck is likely to befall the person who took the statue.

Still, the temple committee is not planning to lodge any police report as they are still hoping that the statue would be returned.

What caught my eyes is the fact that the statue apparently has magical properties. According to Leo Foo, who did an extensive article on the statue at Malaysian Internet Resource (MIR):

BUPPHARAM THAI BUDDHIST TEMPLE is also called SAKAK CHAN WAT but more popular known as “Temple of the Lifting Buddha”. Personally, I find this temple has more appeal to individual (especially to tourists who may has never tried something like this before). My first visit to this temple can date back to 25 years ago where a local friend first brought me to experience this “phenomenon” on my own. Later years, I have brought some friends (even my wife) to give this a try to lift a small Buddha image which locates inside a small room annexed to the main hall.

The old picture of Lifting Buddha at BUPPHARAM THAI /SIAMESE BUDDHIST TEMPLE To the Thai, the image is called LUANG PHOR YORK (”LP York”). The mid sized bronze Buddha image measures merely less than one foot tall. It is NOT made solid physically as with most Thai made Buddha images (i.e. hollow inside). It is not entirely that heavy and supposedly it is NOT that difficult to lift it up. If I can recalled accurately, previously, it was an image made of wood rather than bronze and it is not as high as the current form. Whatever it is, the amazing thing is where it relates: KNEE DOWN, PRAY to the Buddha BEFORE you begin. Make a Wish while you pray, and ask the Buddha for guidance that IF the wish you have made can come true and then use both hands (one aside) to try lift the image upwards. IF you can manage to do so for the first time, put the Buddha image down - and ASK FOR THE SECOND TIME; i.e. IF the wish really can come true, PLEASE ASK THE BUDDHA DON’T LET YOU LIFT IT UP AT YOUR SECOND ATTEMPT. Results may vary depend on what you are asking and based on individual.

I tried. My friends tried. It works that way. Most people I tried to explain how this works will put up a lot of theories such as a remote controlled magnetic switch etc.. but I wish 25 years ago, it was that advance for consumer electronic and actually, those days, the small table is hollow, meaning, there is nothing in contact between the image and the ground. I know this defies basic physics but there is no way for one to explain how could this happened. Well, the recent trip I went shown was a table covered with table cloth. Check it yourself if you still have some doubts in you, hehe …

More pictures of the statue:

The statue is the small one at the bottom (apparently less than a foot tall)

Another view:

Here is a video of someone successfully lifting it for the first time and failing the second:

Sources

The Star
mir.com.my

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