海印古寺历史

History of Hai Inn Temple

海印寺始创建於公元1928年前后，是新加坡历史悠久的佛教道场之一。它座落在新加坡蔡厝港郊区，建立在小山坡上，面向公路、公园及蔡厝港三巷之组屋区。背靠树林，环境清幽，远离尘嚣，交通方便，是本国早期著名商人陈芳岁先生献出寺地，并由其夫人杨铜荷氏，法名印修，发起创办并募资兴建。

海印寺是根据佛说[华严经]时用“海印三昧”来说而得名的。海，是指所有的香水海。印，是印现。谓大海澄渟, 湛然不动，万象皆现。三昧，华译为正定，心住于一境而不散乱。如印印物，如来智海，清净湛然。譬喻在佛的境界中达到海印三昧圆成实的境界，湛然澄清，如如不动，夜风不起，时浪不升，一切万象诸法皆能鉴照其中，如大海沉静时，风平浪静，日夜星辰，宇宙万象映现明澈，没有波涛的风浪，平静如镜子般，在定、静中升起智慧，证得无我的境界，故名“海印三昧”。

初创海印寺时，只有茅屋数椽，供住众挡风遮雨。经印修优婆夷的领导及数位同道们不辞辛劳的努力下，在勤修佛法之余，务农躬耕，名声方始渐渐远播。

后来，来寺学佛及住寺清修者日渐增多，住众皆是持戒清修的净众，一度达到61位，原有的茅屋已不敷应用，幸得新加坡龙山寺住持瑞等老和尚落力资助，乃於一九三七年至三八年间僻建一座大雄宝殿，并得到当时书法大师徐悲鸿亲书海印寺匾儿悬挂于大雄宝殿之中，使殿内更添庄严。

一九九二年，当时的监院车木耳优婆夷有鉴於优婆夷日渐减少，遂礼请现任住持传谊法师接手负责日常寺务，并将寺院逐渐发展成僧伽道场以继续弘扬佛陀教法。

当时的海印寺已是历经60年的成年建筑了，经过了时光的流失及无常岁月的洗礼，寺内建筑变得斑驳残旧不堪。有鉴于此，传谊法师于1997年重建香积堂及斋堂；1998年礼请了中长老主持奠基典礼，开始动土重修工作，重建大雄宝殿，并于殿后耸立3层高的觉皇楼，一楼为功德堂，二楼为普门阁，三楼为觉皇殿，全部于1999年底完工落成。除了大雄宝殿的外墙仍是原来的古建筑之外，寺院外貌摆脱了一般原有古老寺庙神化的建筑风格，超俗脱雅焕然一新。为了纪念海印寺所经历的历史岁月，传谊法师将“古”字列入寺名内，把“海印寺”译名为“海印古寺”，意味着法师对历史的见证。

重修后的海印古寺外观鲜明庄严，每当节日庆典都吸引了许多善男信女前来敬香祈福，参与共修，学习佛法，精进道业，从而走向更完美的人生。

古寺苑里“千佛护国佑民梵钟宝塔”- 护国梵钟铸于2002年，时历两年完工告竣，高为2.75m，宽为1.7m，重达7400公斤，是目前新加坡最大的梵钟。塔内“严佛壁” 供奉“三千如来” 及八十八佛圣像，旨以仰请三世圣慈，同垂光烁豁有情昏衢心灵，绽现自在曙光。

今年启，古寺於是年佛诞，将声声佛号，雄厚梵音，振醒迷惘识田。虔诚叩拜，敬礼法王，忏除累世垢染。

信众于卫塞佳节踊跃出席参与古寺是年佛诞庆典，或净资供养“三世如来圣像” 仰愿三界调御施清凉甘露，涤除身心热恼，并为国家、世界及六道有情祈福，同获般若光辉。

汉传佛教相信在钟声敲击时，其浑厚的声响及悠远的震荡有如法音中的梵唱，能让地狱中受苦众生暂时休息，免余受若。甚而能撞破幽冥中的地狱门，让众生远离痛苦，身心清凉。这也意味着将我们的慈悲心放大至一切众生，愿他们离苦得乐。

在丛林制度中，有所谓晨钟暮鼓之说，及于晨昏二时中敲击钟鼓，予指示禅众一日作息的始末，并提醒禅众精进用功，慎勿放逸。所谓“晨钟一击警觉灵山方外客，暮鼓三通唤醒苦海梦中人”。古寺鸣钟迎新岁，藉晨钟的悠扬，警醒在长夜中迷惑的方外客。共修时后的叩钟偈，以暮鼓的震撼，换回于苦海中浮沉的梦中人。

在两千年开始，古寺创办了海印古寺佛学部。陆续成立成人心觉、儿童心苗及少年心智佛学班，供有志于修学佛法的信众报名参加。学员人数从最初的约50位逐年不断的增加至今约有500位。他们在每个星期天风雨不改的来到古寺实习佛法。古寺以佛法的教育利益学员，提倡解行并重，使他们对社会、家庭都有更好的贡献。

佛学部成立后，因人数逐年增加，现有的建筑物已不敷应用了。寺主传谊法师于2002年再添土木，兴建一座四层楼高新佛学部大楼，并于2003年底竣工。为纪念印修优婆夷平生热衷于教育，而以其法名为大楼命名为“印修楼”。底层为佛学部学员专用之“饶益堂”（午斋处），二楼、三楼为修学课室，四楼为“法王殿” 心觉部专用之静坐禅堂。同时于2007年成立了佛学部图书馆“水月山房”，为学员们提供了一个精进进修阅读的好环境。启用后的印修楼更有效的为古寺心苗、心智及心觉部提供了一个更完善的学习活动场地。

佛学班的学习宗旨：

1. 培养坚定的宗教情操
将生活与佛法融和起来，使生活中的行为操守完全与佛陀教法相应，与社会道德规范符合。

2. 建立明确的信仰理念
在佛法的信仰中，不是盲目的迷信，也不是极端的狂信，而是正确正信的中道理念，不偏不倚、不摇不动、不盲从、不瞎念，

3. 面对积极的人生道路
在人生的道路中，遭遇到挫折困难时，能以积极的态度面对，也能以佛法的知识解决。

4. 训练正信的弘法人才
让佛法远渊流传，生生不息，欣欣向荣，培养正信正见的弘法人才，让更多的人能理解真理，创造人间佛教，感受佛在人间，佛在你我的心间。

Hai Inn Temple is standing unassumingly on top of a hill; amidst the serenity of the greenery. It is located in the outskirts of Choa Chu Kang, near the exit of Kranji Expressway (KJE).

Hai Inn Temple had a humble beginning; from mud huts to the majestic building. This was only made possible by a well-known pioneer businessman, Mr Tan Fang Swee who generously donated the piece of land and Mrs Tan, Madam Yeo Tong Ho, who enduringly raised funds to commence the construction of the Hai Inn building.

Mdm Yeo, a conscientious and generous Buddhist devotee, frequently provide the necessity to the old, the sick and the needy. She was greatly respected and received overwhelming support in her fund raising project from people of all walks of life.

Hai Inn Temple was built around 1928, during that time, Hai Inn Temple was comprised of numerous mud huts. It served its purpose of providing shelter against inclement weather. It was a place solely for the female laities and devotees to learn and practice dharma. Under the leadership of Madam Yeo and the devotees’ unyielding efforts, Hai Inn Temple’s reputation has proliferated far and wide.

As the number of devotees and lodging practitioners multiplied, the initial few huts were insufficient to meet the growing demands. In between 1937 and 1938, with the unwavering support and financial aid from Abbot Venerable Swee Teng of Long San See Temple, the construction of the Ample Hall was made possible in 1939.

The great calligrapher Xu Bei Hong (徐悲鸿) personally penned “海印寺” (Hai Inn Temple) which was then engraved onto the signboard. Thus, Hai Inn Temple became officially known as the place of practice for the female devotees; it could only accommodate more than 60 lodging preceptors. Aside from to morning and night prayers and the daily chores, the lodgers also conducted children nursery and elementary classes. In addition, home economics and dressmaking skills were offered to the public and exceptionally good response was received.

In 1941, when Japan invaded Singapore, more than a hundred of locals flocked to Hai Inn Temple to seek refuge. Under the protection of the British army, life was manageable and hunger was kept at bay.

During early 1942, when the Japanese occupied Singapore, the people lived in constant fear. The Japanese army officers scouted around places, inquired and even delved into Hai Inn Temple's grounds. The Japanese soldiers deployed the necessities of protection and basic needs to support the religious worship and cultivation of the female devotees and the young. As thus, Hai Inn Temple became a safe haven till 1945; this is greatly attributed to the mighty works of the Triple Gems.

As the number of Upasikas (ie. female devotees who have taken refuge and the five precepts) dwindled and with the growing numbers of aged lodgers, the then acting temple chief, Upasika, Chia Bok Lee invited the current abbot, Venerable Shi Chuan Yi to take over the stewardship of the temple. In order to further propagate the dharma, measures were taken to progressively develop Hai Inn Temple into a monastery for the sangha community.

With the passage of time, the condition of the building slowly deteriorated, Venerable Chuan Yi, thus strategised the reconstruction of Hai Inn Temple. By the end of 1997, reconstruction of Incense Hall and Abstinence Hall were completed.

In 1998, Venerable Liao Zhong was invited to grace the ground breaking ceremony for the rebuilding of the Ample Hall. The original Ancestor Hall was demolished and by the end of 1999, a 3-storey building was erected with a multi-purpose hall. The first storey being the Ancestor Hall, the second storey is Universal Hall and the third storey being Enlightenment Hall. The named “Hai Inn Temple” was then became known as “Hai Yin Gu Si”, in Chinese.

With Venerable Chuan Yi at the helm of leadership, he plans and manages to propagate Dharma to attain a new heights.

At the beginning of the new millennium, Venerable Zhen Mu was appointed to be the principal for Hai Inn Temple Buddhism College. The college provided dharma classes for Adult, Youth and Children, bringing the total to more than five hundred. Every Sunday from 9am to 5pm, courses are conducted complementing with meditation and Buddhist etiquette.

Since 2004, as part of the academy’s expansion plan, a new four storey building was erected on a piece of vacant land and is named “Yin Xiu Lou” in memory of our founder Mdm Yeo. Night classes were also conducted to provide the residents living nearby with a place of worship and cultivation.

The Brahma Bell

The largest Bell in Singapore, weighs 7 tonnes, with height of 2.75m, 1.7m wide, consecrate in year 2003. Buddhist beliefs the sounding of the bell will temporary ease the suffering of the Hell beings, which is of the act of blessing for all beings.