More than 17,000 people attended Quang Minh Temple in Braybrook last month to pay their respects to sacred relics of the Buddha dating back over 2500 years.
The relics travelled across the country as part of a two week tour, stopping over in Perth, Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne.
The relics, kept in France, were approved to be toured by the French government and the Union Bouddhiste de France after the Braybrook temple sent a letter.
Quang Minh Temple Abbot Venerable Thich Phuoc Tan said the relics drew great interest.
“It turns out that 10,000 people turn up every day to venerate, to view, to pay their respects to the relics,” Venerable Tan said.
“And those who admire the Buddha’s teaching also find there is some connection with the physical relics.
“Relics are also one of the items that may help some of the good karmic seeds inside us come alive so we come to pay respects.”
Venerable Tan said that while the relics are objects of religious veneration, they also serve as a vital link to cultural heritage, connecting Buddhists to the time of the Buddha.
He said the relics also symbolise unity, bringing together Buddhists from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds.
“It’s a condition that when we obtain the relics it’s open to all ethnic groups,” Venerable Tan said.
“We feel it’s a sort of unity, and we saw it happen here in Braybrook. We’re able to exchange and learn from each other a lot.”
“It’s very much like a treasure, a national treasure.”
