Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery; Singapore

The Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery (Chinese: 光明山普覺禪寺 Guāngmíng Shān Pǔjué Chán Sì; English: "Bright Hill Pujue Chan Monastery"; Kong Meng San Monastery or KMSPKS for short) is the largest Buddhist temple of Mahayana tradition/teaching in Singapore. The temple has helped promote the teachings of Buddha and bring the Dharma (Chinese: 法 fǎ; Tibetan: ཆོས་ choe) closer to the people.

The map of the monastery

In 1920, Venerable Sik Zhuan Dao built the temple as a place of practice, worship and enlightenment, as well as a place for lodging for Buddhist monks coming to and staying in Singapore. Rubber plantations surrounded the temple, which was situated in Kong Meng San (Bright Hill, previously known as Hai Nan Mountain).

The monastery has one of the largest bronze statues of Buddha in Asia (Height: 13.8 metres, Weight: 55 tons). The Bodhi Tree on the premises of the monastery is a lineal descendant of the Bodhi Tree in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka, which is a descendant of the Bodhi Tree in Buddha Gaya, India, the same one the Siddhartha (the current Buddha) meditated under and attained his enlightenment.

The Bodhi Tree

A new Bodhi Tree growing in the shadow of the older one

The monastery also practices sustainability, growing a lot of the vegetables in its grounds which later will be served to its residents and staff and in the canteen for visitors and guests. Buddhism doesn't require its followers to be vegetarians. Buddha was not strictly a vegetarian, nor did he require his disciples to be vegetarians. The most important thing in Buddhism is the quality of mind a person has, not what he/she eats. Some buddhists become vegetarian out of compassion for the animals what would be killed for their consumption.

Kuan Yin and her followers

Taking a break....

There are also several halls in the Monastery:

Hall of Great Compassion

Hall of Great Strength

Front

Back

Pagoda of 10,000 Buddhas

Medicine Buddha Hall

The Medicine Buddha

Hall of Precepts

Sangha Quarters

Dharma Hall and Library

The monastery and its disciples are all about spreading the Dharma and Buddha's teachings, but not in a preachy and forceful manner. They believe in service and in helping people and the world to find lasting positive changes in their lives. They teach that understanding, kindness, humility and compassion are the keys to achieve a peaceful and harmonious world.

Kong Meng San Monastery is located at:

#88 Bright Hill Rd, Singapore 574117

Operating Hours:

Gates: 6am-10pm
Halls: 8am-4pm



Directions (via Bus):

From Bishan MRT Station:

Walk to Opp Bishan Stn Bus Stop
Take Bus 52 (towards Jurong East Temp Int)
Alight after 5 stops: Bef Bright Hill Tp
Walk to Kong Meng San Monastery

From Bishan Bus Interchange:

Take Bus 52 (towards Jurong East Temp Int)
Alight after 7 stops: Bef Bright Hill Tp
Walk to Kong Meng San Monestary

From Marymount MRT Station:

Walk to Marymount Stn Bus Stop
Take Bus 410G (towards Shunfu Rd)
Alight after 9 stops; Opp Bright Hill Tp
Walk to Kong Meng San Monastery