Vihara Satya Dharma is situated in the Benoa Port area of Bali, Indonesia, and serves as a Tridharma place of worship. Despite being referred to as a "vihara," it actually caters to three religions: Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism, as stated in its inauguration inscription. Similar to other temples and viharas in Bali, this place of worship exhibits a fusion with Balinese Hinduism, as seen through the presence of the Padmasana shrine and the Karang Statue in the front corner of the courtyard.
Nezha is the primary deity revered at Vihara Satya Dharma. Additionally, the temple constructs altars for the Singbing deities associated with travel safety, navigation, and trade. This place of worship aims to cater to sailors from various nations who frequently dock at Benoa Port, filling the void of a temple that previously did not exist in the area. Moreover, it aspires to attract both local and international tourists visiting the region.
The Chinese characters above the name Vihara Satya Dharma are written as 宮安保, pronounced as "bǎo ān gōng" when read from right to left. The character 保 (bǎo) signifies concepts such as guarding, protecting, preserving, guaranteeing, and providing assurance. 安 (ān) conveys notions of satisfaction, calmness, stability, tranquility, safety, comfort, health, finding a place, installation, fixing, pacifying, bringing, securing, protecting, security, and peace. 宮 (gōng) represents a palace, temple, castration, or the first note of the pentatonic scale. Collectively, the characters 安保 (ānbǎo) translate to "security" or "safety." Thus, bǎo ān gōng literally means the "Temple of Security." This term is commonly employed by temples with the objective of instilling a sense of security, particularly on a spiritual level, among their devotees.
Although the term "vihara" is frequently used by various temples in Bali, it may refer to different places of worship. This usage stems from the political context in Indonesia before the recognition of Confucianism as the sixth religion.
Vihara Satya Dharma is situated at the northern end of the toll road in Benoa Port. The funds for its construction were collected through contributions from the Indonesian people, particularly those residing in Bali, as well as from sailors from Japan, Taiwan, and Thailand who dock at Benoa Port. The construction spanned six years and was officially inaugurated in 2012. The inauguration ceremony for the vihara building was held on Wednesday, August 22, 2012, with the presence of Bali's Deputy Governor, AA Ngurah Puspayoga.
