Amitabha, the great god of mercy and sympathy, is called ‘sovereign teacher of the Western heaven’, though he is better known as the ‘guide to the West’. In Buddhism, devotees believe that if they chant the Amitabha Canons dutifully in their lifetime, their souls will be led to the Western Paradise by Amitabha at the hour of death. The statue of the Amitabha Buddha is among many others in Haw Par Villa, which was constructed based on the theme of Chinese folklore and legend. Originally called Tiger Balm Gardens, the villa was built in 1937 by Aw Boon Haw, a prominent businessman and philanthropist who was also synonymous with Tiger Balm, the renowned ointment that was successfully marketed in Singapore and around the region.
