Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery facts for kids
| 光明山普觉禅寺 | |
The Venerable Hong Choon Memorial Hall of the temple
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 Location in Singapore
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| Monastery information | |
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| Full name | Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery |
| Order | Mahayana |
| Established | 1920 |
| People | |
| Founder(s) | Zhuan Dao |
| Abbot | Kwang Sheng |
| Important associated figures | Hong Choon, Long Gen, Yan Pei, Sui Kim |
| Site | |
| Location | Bishan, Singapore |
| Coordinates | 1°21′41.04″N 103°50′9.6″E / 1.3614000°N 103.836000°E |
| Public access | yes |
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Basic terms |
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People |
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Schools |
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Practices |
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study Dharma |
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The Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery (KMSPKS) is a large Buddhist temple and monastery in Bishan, Singapore. People often call it Bright Hill Temple. It is located on Bright Hill Road.
Venerable Zhuan Dao built the monastery in 1921. His goal was to share Buddhist teachings and offer a place for monks to stay. It is the biggest Mahayana Buddhist temple in Singapore. In 2006, it became the main organization for the Buddhist College of Singapore. The monastery also runs a special service for cremation and a place for urns.
Contents
History of the Monastery
The temple started between 1920 and 1921. Venerable Zhuan Dao founded it as Phor Kark See Temple. A Chinese businessman named Tay Woo Seng donated the land. This was the first traditional Chinese monastery built in Singapore.
Because it is on Kong Meng San, which means "Bright Hill," it became known as Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery. The first temple had a two-story building. It included a shrine room, a visitors' room, and living areas. Over time, the monastery grew bigger. People like Aw Boon Haw and Aw Boon Par gave money to help it expand.
Growth Under Venerable Hong Choon
In 1947, Venerable Hong Choon became the monastery's leader. He took over after Venerable Zhuan Dao passed away. Under his guidance, the monastery became much larger. It grew from two shrine halls to include a Pagoda of 10,000 Buddhas. The prayer halls became as big as ten football fields. He also made the monastery a key place for Buddhist practice.
In 1983, the monastery opened Evergreen Bright Hill Home. This was a nursing home for elderly people. It helped them no matter their background or beliefs.
Venerable Seck Hong Choon passed away in 1990. After him, several other leaders guided the monastery. These included Venerable Yen Pei, Venerable Long Gen, and Venerable Sui Kim.
Helping the Community
In 2002, the temple started a Compassion Fund. This fund helped people who had lost their jobs. It offered financial aid to those who needed it.
On June 5, 2004, Venerable Kwang Sheng became the monastery's current leader. He set up the Dharma Propagation Division. This division helps Singaporeans learn and practice Dharma, which are Buddhist teachings. He also created KMSPKS Youth. This group helps young people learn about Buddhism and serve their community.
In 2006, the Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery opened the Buddhist College of Singapore. This was Singapore's first Buddhist college. It offers a four-year degree in Buddhism.
The monastery also helps with other causes. In 2008, it raised over S$1 million. This money helped rebuild schools damaged by an earthquake in Sichuan, China.
In 2009, the temple launched a magazine called Gum. This English magazine helps connect older Hokkien-speaking members with younger English-speaking ones. The name "Gum" means "to get along" in Hokkien. It shows the idea of unity.
In 2014, KMSPKS Youth went on their first humanitarian trip overseas. They traveled to Chiang Mai, Thailand, to help others.
Monastery Facilities
The monastery grounds have many important features. You can find stupas, which are special dome-shaped structures. There are also prayer halls and a columbarium. The columbarium holds over 200,000 niches for urns.
The monastery also has bell and drum towers. An outdoor statue of Avalokitesvara stands between the Dharma Hall and the Pagoda of 10,000 Buddhas. The Hong Choon Memorial Hall was built in 2004.
A special feature is a Bodhi tree. This tree grew from a sapling brought from a sacred Bodhi tree in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. That tree, in turn, came from the original Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya, India. This is where Shakyamuni Buddha is said to have found enlightenment.
The Hall of No Form has a very large bronze Buddha statue. It is one of Asia's biggest Buddha statues. It stands 13.8 meters tall and weighs 55 tons.
In 2014, a four-story carpark was added. It has about 200 parking spaces. Also in 2014, a new eco-friendly burner was installed. This helps improve air quality during the Qingming Festival.
Buddhist College of Singapore
The Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery opened the Buddhist College of Singapore on September 13, 2006. It is Singapore's first Buddhist college. It offers a four-year bachelor's degree in Buddhism.
The college's new five-story building was completed in 2016. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong officially opened it on September 10, 2016.
In 2014, the college shared plans to accept female monastics, or nuns. A new campus for nuns was planned at Poh Ern Shih Temple. It was set to welcome 45 students every two years.
Events and Celebrations
The monastery holds many events throughout the year. They celebrate Vesak Day annually. This special day includes ceremonies like "Bathing the Buddha" and "Three-Steps-One-Bow." The Qingming Festival is another important event celebrated here.
See also
- Buddhism in Singapore
- List of Buddhist temples
- Kek Lok Si
