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理事会主席献词 President’s Message
理事会主席献词
南无佛！ 尊敬的各位理事、善友们：大家吉祥！
President’s Message
Namo Amitabha (Namo Buddha of Infinite Life) ! Dear distinguished Management Committee Members and good friends: Good day and good luck to everyone! Buddhism emphasizes the equality of all life in the universe, cares for life, cherishes life and respects life. Buddhism also advocates for all things to exist with Buddha’s nature, thus respecting all of nature with awe, cherishing nature, protecting nature; Buddhism also advocates for all sentient beings to reach a transcendent state of Nirvana as the final goal, and achieve the admission into The Buddha’s Pure Land as the highest ideal. All of these demonstrate the profoundness, appeal and sublime nature in the Buddhist Teachings as equal and benevolent. In purifying people’s hearts, benefiting society, and even improving the well-being of all mankind, it plays significant and proactive role. Dhammapada Sutra says: “A person who lives for a hundred years old but with misguided learnings and evil will, is worse off than one that lives for even one day, but is diligent and receives the Dharma”. In other words, it is worse off for a person who can live a hundred years but indulges in learning bad things, than the person who lives even for one day, but pursues truths diligently. We often say that we need to introspect to become enlightened; but in fact, we have not really made sincere introspection, and thus have never reached the highest realm of non-arising. If we really make conscientious self-reflection, we shall be enlightened, and will be able to get rid of the troubles and ignorance that should not have existed since the beginning. We act according to circumstances of karma, not by force. If we insist on completing tasks that we lack the relevant skillsets to achieve, or insist on possessing some things that we cannot own for now, then we will be inflicting pains and sufferings. Karmatic cause is the ‘condition’, when the conditions are ripe, what are yours, will be yours; what you should avoid, will be avoided. Such karmatic conditions are to be proactively pursued by oneself, and such relationships must be established by one’s own efforts. Upon that, there will be fewer obstacles and more achievements in the pursuit of life. As long as everyone gives a little love to each other, the world will become a better place to live in. Gratitude will make our mind peaceful; gratitude will make us feel happy and loved; gratitude will make life full of hope. Only with a grateful heart, then can we face all difficulties rationally and differentiate the rights from the wrongs wisely. With a grateful heart, we thank you! With your support, then can we see the gradual and thriving development of the temple. Life is precious; and because of our sentient existence we can have life full of joy and happiness.
昭坤法照 BBM 护国金塔寺理事会主席 Venerable Chao Khun Fa Zhao BBM President, Management Committee Golden Pagoda Buddhist Temple
简介
护国金塔寺缘起
人生幸福，需要有人间的福德资粮; 要成就无上菩提，更 要世间与出世间的菩提资粮无上的智慧与大悲所成就的 广大福德是大乘佛法中，最重要的两支轮轴，推动着佛 法向前，帮助一切众生圆满无上菩提，成就佛果。
眧坤法照师父慈悲，时常关心众生疾苦，为了要改善众 生的苦厄，特别着重于修持药师法门，祈求佛力的加持 下，受苦受难的众生远离所有的病危灾障，得到吉祥幸 福的人生，并且能够无灾无难直到圆满成佛。在三宝加 护下于1989年因缘成熟觅得吉地，多年筹建药师道场的 宿愿得成，取名为护国金塔寺。寺院的施工建设自1990 年开始，1992年竣工，并在同一年，注册成为合法团 体，1995年注册成为慈善署。目前，寺院约有一万两千 多名信徒。
1988年成立勤修净土念佛团，法照师父领众信徒提倡 信愿西方净士，秉承佛陀慈悲喜舍四无量心，劝人修善 福德智慧，常念阿弥陀佛，临终正念昭彰，转极苦为极 乐，往生净土安养。以信愿念佛为因，求生西方极乐世 界莲花化身见佛闻法为果。同时，念佛团的莲友们也积 极参与社区推广各项慈善活动，藉由“日行一善“的付 出爱心来修心。目前，参加念佛团的莲友约有250多位。
鉴于信徒的年龄逐渐老化，计划升级寺庙的设施。 但是， 由于现有的寺庙建筑设计，因此决定拆除与重建寺庙。
工程于2014年4月开始，历时33个月，耗资$ 17,857,000 。新建筑于2016年12月30日启用，于2017年1月开放。 这些新设施深受善信的欢迎。这座新建筑曾在《新加坡 建筑师》杂志3月份刊登，并获得了芝加哥庙会 / 欧洲建 筑艺术设计与城市研究中心颁发的国际建筑奖。这是最 高与最负盛名的杰出的建筑荣誉奖项，旨是国际的新锐 尖端设计。
Origins
In order to enjoy happiness in this life, one must have accumulated a store of mundane merits in the past. In order to attain Perfect Enlightenment, one needs to accumulate both mundane and super-mundane merits. In the Mahayana Tradition, the cultivation of Perfect Wisdom and Great Compassion forms the two wheels of the Vehicle, which propels one forward on the spiritual path, helping sentient beings to accumulate extensive merits and ultimately achieve Perfect Buddhahood.
The Venerable Chao Khun Fa Zhao is greatly concern about the suffering of sentient beings. In order to help sentient beings to become free from all trials and tribulations, he promote the practice of the Medicine Buddha. This is because through invoking the power of the Medicine Buddha, sentient beings can become free from all forms of obstacles and disasters, enjoy a happy and fulfilling life, and progress swiftly on the spiritual path all the way until Perfect Enlightenment. Due to the blessings of the Triple Gems, a suitable piece of land for a new temple dedicated to the Medicine Buddha was acquired in 1989. The new temple was named Golden Pagoda Buddhist Temple. Construction work on the new temple began in 1990 and was completed in early 1992. In the same year, it became a registered society under the Registrar of Societies. Subsequently in 1995, it was registered as a charitable organization. Currently Golden Pagoda Buddhist Temple has 12,000 devotees.
In 1988, the temple established its Sukhavati Chanting Group, which brings together both members of the Sangha and lay devotees to propagate the Pureland Practice. Based on the Buddhist ideals of Lovingkindness, Compassion, Joy and Equanimity, the group strives to encourage people to engage in virtuous actions; and cultivate merit and wisdom. It emphasizes the methods of generating faith in Buddha Amitabha; cultivating an aspiration to be reborn in the Amitabha Pureland; and the practice of reciting the name of Amitabha Buddha. So that when the time of death arrives, the practitioner is able to depart from this life happily and peacefully; and attain a rebirth in the Amitabha Pureland, to further his spiritual practice and development there under the guidance of Amitabha Buddha. Members of the Recitation group also actively participate in various community and charitable projects, as the experience of community welfare work serves as a skillful way to develop loving kindness and compassion and pacify the mind. There are currently more than 250 members in the Sukhavati Chanting Group.
In view of the aging devotees, the plan was to upgrade the temple facilities. However, due to the existing temple building design, it was decided that it would be more viable to demolish and build a new building.
Construction began in April 2014 and took 33 months, costing $17,857,000. The new building was consecra-ted on 30 December 2016 and opened in January 2017. The new facilities were well received by our devotees. The new building was featured in Singapore Architects magazine March edition and received The International Architectural Awards from The Chicago Athenaeum / The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies. These are the highest and most prestigious distinguished building awards program that honor new and cutting-edge design worldwide.
Introduction
目标： 以药师如来十二大愿为依据，志在效法药师宏愿造福人群，如同明月之光，导引人生从迷茫走向觉悟， 造福人群就是造福自己。
Vision: To emulate the Medicine Buddha’s example in benefiting people, helping them to traverse the path of life from bewilderment to Enlightenment, using the 12 Great Vows of the Medicine Buddha as a guideline. Benefiting others is benefiting ourselves.
使命： 推广弘扬佛陀的教义，守持团体生活的规矩，合心，和气，互爱，协力，才能启发每个人的善念，遵守 礼节，伦理就是金塔人的使命。
Mission: To propagate the Teachings of the Buddha and help people uncover their innate goodness through discipline, unity and goodwill, as well as mutual love and cooperation. Golden Pagoda Buddhist Temple disciples should also make it their responsibility to observe morality and family values.
宗旨： 弘扬佛陀教法，增长世人内心的慈悲和智慧。 推广福利事业和教育，积极培育心地善良的公民。 支持其他慈善和志愿福利组织，确保我国多元种族，多宗教社会之和平。 帮助贫困者，关怀病苦者，是人与人之间的互助，是人慈悲本怀的表达。
Goals: To promote the Teachings of the Buddha and help people develop wisdom and compassion within their hearts. Create kind-hearted and caring individuals through promoting social welfare endeavors and education. Support other charitable and voluntary welfare organizations, so as to facilitate peace and harmony within our multi-racial, multi-religious society. To give assistance and care for the sick, poor and needy. Helping each other is a way for us to express our innate compassion.
护国金塔寺徽章解说
莲花：主表药师法门功德殊胜，为安隐利乐众生之宝筏。 佛塔：主表供养佛陀舍利，思慕如来的众德，即如法身所在。 光线：主表药师佛，琉璃光遍照慈济有情，喜舍平等所求愿满。 红色：主表威权宏伟之势，愤怒镇慑之威，善静热烈之情。 金色：主表慈悲光明，福智庄严，兴旺和盛，功德圆满。
The Emblem of the Golden Pagoda Buddhist Temple
Lotus: Represents the profound qualities of the Medicine Buddha Practice, which is an amazingly skillful method for sentient beings to achieve peace and happiness.
Stupa: A symbol of the Medicine Buddha’s Dharmakaya Body, abiding in whichever place it appears. Whenever a person makes offerings to a stupa, it is equivalent to making offerings to the Medicine Buddha’s Relics and remembering his Enlightened qualities.
Light Rays: Symbolizes Medicine Buddha and his compassionate Lapis Lazuli Light which shines upon all sentient beings to free them from all fear and suffering and fulfil all their wishes without any discrimination.
Red Colour:Symbolizes Authority, Power and Passion.
Gold Colour: Symbolizes loving-kindness, compassion, wisdom, merit, prosperity and the achievement of Perfect Enlightenment.
