Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery
From Buddhist Encyclopedia
- Chinese : 光明山普觉禅寺 guāngmíngshānpǔjuéchánsì
The Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery is the largest Buddhist temple in Singapore.
History
In 1920, Ven. Zhuan Dao realised that the time was right to build a place of practice to propagate the Dharma and to provide lodging for monks, as there were many Buddhist monks who came to Singapore without lodging. In 1921, the building of Phor Kark See Monastery started as the first traditional Chinese forest monastery in Singapore.
Since Phor Kark See Monastery is situated at Kong Meng San ("Bright Hill", formerly "Hai Nan Mountain"), it came to be known as Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery. The Monastery grew steadily and Dharma propagation began in Singapore. In 1943, Venerable Zhuan Dao died at Putuo Monastery at the age of 72.
In 1947, Ven. Hong Choon became the monastery's abbot. With great perseverance, he progressively developed and expanded the monastery with his followers into the largest and most majestic place of practice in Singapore. Ven. Hong Choon also initiated the monthly Great Compassion Prayer and taught the Dharma to benefit many.
Phor Kark See developed from a remote temple into a monastery well known to all. For the pass 20 years, more than 6000 people from all walks of life, from Malaysia and Singapore, had taken refuge in the Triple Gem here. It is also an ideal place of practice for thousands of Buddhists. News about it was soon spread overseas by the Sangha who visited the place.
In 1980, the temple began to build Evergreen Bright Hill Home with the donation of S$5.3 million from Ven. Hong Choon's followers, He Hui Zhong's family's company.
On 25 December 1990, Ven. Hong Choon died, and the monastery lost one of its most highly accomplished monks.
Ven. Yan Pei was next to take up abbotship in 1991, followed by Ven. Long Gen in 1994. The fifth abbot of the monastery was Ven. Sui Kim, the abbot of Xing Yuan Temple and Hwa Zhang Temple in the Philippines. He died in 2005.
On 5 June 2004, Ven. Kwang Sheng became the monastery's abbot.
Contact Info
Address :
- 88 Bright Hill Road, Singapore 574117
Fax :
- +65 6453 2090
Website :
Travel Guide
Alight at Bishan MRT station and take bus 410 (white plate) or bus 52 from the interchange. It will bring you to the temple front gate within 10 minutes.
See also
