The Amitabha Buddhist Centre, known as 'ABC' by its devotees, is a major Buddhist institution of the Gelug tradition of Tibetan Buddhism in Singapore. ABC is affiliated to the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), an international non-profit organisation, founded by the late Lama Thubten Yeshe. The history of ABC can be traced to 1984 when Lama Yeshe first visited Singapore with Thubten Zopa Rinpoche. The centre is devoted to the transmission of Mahayana Buddhist tradition worldwide through teaching, meditation and community service with the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, as its spiritual patron. Activities of the centre include meditation retreats, Sutra recitation, social and welfare programmes, and publication of free Dharma books.
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Tibetan Buddhism is based on Vajrayana, a branch of Mahayana Buddhism. Vajrayana is also the main form of Buddhism practised in neighbouring countries like Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan. Its practice begins with the student hearing teachings ("oral transmission") from a Lama (religious teacher) who is adept in a given practice. The student practises special techniques for transforming the energy of actions, speech and states of mind into a path of Enlightenment.
During the 11th Century, many Buddhist scriptures were translated into Tibetan, and then later codified into the Tibetan Kanjur and Tanjur. As Buddhism developed in Tibet, it branched into several major schools, four of which are known today:[1][2]
Before 1959, not much was known of Tibetan Buddhism in Singapore as only the Chinese Mahayana and Theravada forms were present in Singapore then.[1] As Tibet was an isolated region, made nearly inaccessible by the high Himalayan mountains, few Tibetan lamas travelled outside of Tibet. Moreover, many could not speak or write in English or Mandarin then. Occasionally, Tibetan lamas and monks would pass through Singapore on transit and give talks. For example, a high Tibetan lama visited Singapore on 23 January 1949 while on his way back to China by sea. He was warmly welcomed at the Singapore Buddhist Lodge where over a hundred people gathered to listen to his Dharma talk, given in Tibetan and translated by a Chinese monk into Mandarin.[3]
In 1959, a revolt against Chinese occupation in Tibet caused many Tibetan lamas and venerables to flee the country. They began to set up Tibetan Buddhist centres all over the world and, gradually, Tibetan lamas and monks and Western teachers trained in Vajrayana began to come to Singapore to teach.
On July 1982, the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, spiritual leader of the Tibetan people, made a stopover to Singapore while on a pilgrimage to the Borobudur temple in Indonesia. He is revered as being the human embodiment of Chenrezig, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, whose supreme wish is to bring happiness to all sentient beings. Describing himself as a "simple Buddhist monk",[4] he often recites this short prayer:
| “ | For as long as space endures, and for as long as living beings remains. Until then may I, too, abide to dispel the misery of the world.[5] | ” |
While in Singapore, he visited the Tse Toh Aum Nunnery, the Buddhist Free Clinic, had lunch with representatives of various religions, and gave a public lecture in English on Buddhism.[6]
Tibetan Buddhism became more well-known in Singapore after the Dalai Lama won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989, and various prominent pop celebrities endorsed the Free Tibet Movement in Western countries. Hollywood films like Little Buddha, Seven Years in Tibet and Kundun also had an impact. As a result, Buddhist centres were set up in Singapore following the major schools of Tibetan Buddhism such as:
Amitabha Buddhist Centre (ABC) is affiliated with the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition, an international non-profit organisation founded by the late Lama Thubten Yeshe. The history of ABC can be traced to 1984 when Lama Yeshe first visited Singapore with his disciple, Thubten Zopa Rinpoche. Lama Yeshe felt that establishing a Dharma centre in Singapore would greatly benefit a growing number of affluent Singaporeans.[11]
After Lama Yeshe died in 1984, Lama Thubten Zopa Rinpoche became its Spiritual Director. The Singapore centre was finally realised in 1985, but had no permanent base. Its followers met in various venues such as Dharma Cakra Society and Cheng Beng Buddhist Society.[1]
In 1987, Lama Zopa sent Venerable Thubten Chodron, an American Buddhist nun to Singapore as its Resident Teacher.[1] Before coming to Singapore, she taught Buddhism and meditation in countries like United States, Europe and Hong Kong. She taught in Singapore for over a year, teaching in schools as well as at different Buddhist societies. She also published several books such as Working with Anger, Open Heart, Clear Mind, Buddhism for Beginners et cetera.[12]
In 1988, the group decided to organise as a Buddhist society under the name "Amitabha Buddhist Centre", and leased a small house at Butterfly Avenue for its activities. Amitabha Buddhist Centre was officially registered in January 1989. In 2000, ABC began to raise funds for the purchase a permanent home at Lorong 15 Geylang. In 2004, they began to build a new seven-storey Tibetan-style structure at nearby Lorong 25A. It was completed in mid 2006.[11]
The current Resident Teacher is Geshe Thubten Chonyi, who graduated with the highest Tibetan monastic degree of Geshe Lharam (the equivalent of a Ph.D.) after 17 years of intensive study at Sera Je Monastery in south India. He was born in Nepal in 1962 and was ordained by Lama Yeshe in 1974. He has been with ABC since 1999.[13]
A tulku is a Tibetan Buddhist lama who has consciously decided to be reborn, often many times, in order to continue his or her religious pursuits. The most famous example is the lineage of the Dalai Lamas.
On 26 May 1991, Tulku Tenzin Ösel Rinpoche, a 6-year old Spanish boy, visited Singapore to join ABC members for Vesak celebrations. When he was seven months old, this boy had appeared in a dream of a close disciple of Lama Yeshe. The disciple sought him out, and the boy was later officially confirmed as the reincarnation of Lama Yeshe by the Dalai Lama.[1] The boy's story is the subject of Reincarnation: The Boy Lama by Vicki Mackenzie.[14]
On 16 April 2007, 4-year old Tulku Tenzin Phuntsok Rinpoche, dubbed the "Little Lama" by devotees, visited Singapore and ABC. More than 10,000 people from all walks of life, including some Christians and Hindus, sought blessings from Phuntsok Rinpoche. He is the reincarnation of Geshe Lama Konchog, confirmed by the Dalai Lama in December 2005.[15]
The activities of the centre include:
Examples of these activities are shown below.
Based on the principles of precious human life and compassion, a hospice volunteer group known as HUCAB actively reach out to the terminally ill patients and their families at Dover Park Hospice, to help them find peace and closure during their final stage of their lives.[16]
One of the The Five Precepts taught by Gautama Buddha is to "undertake the precept to refrain from taking the life of living beings". ABC regularly purchases and liberates captive animals such as fish, crustaceans and birds through a bi-monthly event as an active practice of compassion.
ABC is currently involved in a project to build a 152-metre (500-foot) tall bronze statue of the future Buddha, Maitreya ("loving-kindness" in Sanskrit) at Kushinagar in northern India. Lama Zopa expects this project to bring economic benefits to India and also provide spiritual inspiration to those who visit the site.[17]
ABC's resource library has an extensive collection of Mahayana sutras and books on Tibetan Buddhism for borrowing. To promote the Dharma to local and overseas readers, the centre regularly publishes free Dharma books and newsletters that offer practical advice on spiritual practice to the public, Buddhist organisations and libraries. The centre has published over 50,000 books to give away with over 20 titles to date, including Illuminating the Path to Enlightenment by the Dalai Lama.[18] The printing of free Dharma books, CDs or VCDs is made possible by voluntary donations by its members and the public.