Founder Ven. Sek Fatt Kuan
创办人释法坤
永怀恩师大悲机构创办人释法坤
In Memory Of
The Founder Of
Tai Pei Organisation
Venerable See Fatt Kuan
恩师生于公元1927年，俗名潘善桥，原籍中国广东番禺朱村，幼年受广东内乱纷争之忧患，九岁时随母周秀琼居士南来狮城定居。
初时，母周氏在牛车水区悬壶济世，当时颇负盛名。1938年母购置地段在鸟桥区（即今马里士他路）惹兰甘马挽七号，创建儒释道之道场–观音楼（即大悲院原初地），发扬观音菩萨的慈悲法门。
In commemorating the official opening of Tai Pei Buddhist Centre the following is a bibliography of our Founder, Venerable (Ven) Fatt Kuan.
Born in 1927, our Founder came from the Chinese village of Pang Yu in Kwangtung. Her given name was Poon Sin Kiew. At the age of nine, due to political unrest in Kwangtung Province, Ven. Fatt Kuan left for Singapore with her mother, Madam Chow Siew Keng.
In the early days madam Chow was known for providing Free Chines Medical care in Kreta Ayer District. In 1938, Madam Chow purchased a piece of land at Jalan Kemaman and founded Kuan Yin Lodge, presently Tai Pei Yuen Temple, to propagate the Buddhist Dharma. After the war in 1945, the then 18 years old Ven. Fatt Kuan, was put in charge of operating a shop providing supplies to the post war renown eateries at the shopping and entertainment stretch near High Street. Enduring 12 years of hardship in establishing a viable business, but faced with the declining health of her mother, Ven. Fatt Kuan had to cease operating the business in 1957 to care for her mother and oversee the operation of Kuan Yin Lodge.
1945年战事结束，时师己十八岁，母于小坡水仙门区开设一间杂货铺交她管理，因母患重病，师返观音楼照料。
服侍母病期间，师忽悟人生无常，出家因缘成熟，发愿坚守观音楼，皈依慧经大师、慧僧长老。遂发心礼尼众长老昌熙法师为剃度师，肩负如来家业。翌年年中慈母病逝，为继亡母的遗愿，积极多方参学，受演培长老及续明长老之鼓励并协助，展开重建观音楼，易名大悲院为三宝道场。
1966年完具于光明山普觉禅寺之律仪学会，受比丘尼戒。1967年仲春望日，大悲院重建落成举行三昼夜法会，从此道场兴旺，化众无量。
It was during this time of caring for her mother that Ven. Fatt Kuan received the calling to devote her life to Buddhism. The following year, with the demise of her mother, Ven, Fatt Kuan headed Kuan In Logde. Due to the run-down state of Kuan Yin Lodge, Ven. Fatt Kuan worked hard to raise funds for its rebuilding and the rebuilt new Temple was renamed Tai Pei Yuen Temple. The wisdom, guidance and encouragement from Ven. Yan Pei and Ven. Xu Ming inspired Ven. Fatt Kuan into becoming a Buddhist nun. She took refuge under Master Hui Sing and Master Hui Jing. Ven. Fatt Kuan made the aspiration to receive ordination under Venerable Chang Xi, and walk the spiritual path of propagating the Buddha’s teachings to beniefit all sentient beings. In 1966, Ven. Fatt Kuan received precepts from Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery.
With the completion of the Temple rebuilding in 1967, Tai Pei Yuen conducted 3 days of intense prayer sessions drawing participation from many Buddhist devotees.
1975年购得院后毗连之地，发动筹建大悲安老院，收容无孤之女众老人，安度晚年，成为我国第一所佛教女众安老院。
1985年成立大悲基金，成为我国合法慈善团体之单位。1989年偶遇良机构得广惠肇属下之广福学校校舍，创立大悲佛教中心，开办托儿所，佛学班及益智活动，吸引青少年的参与培育佛教栋梁之材。
大悲佛教中心之八年运作，因屋宇陈旧，雨天漏水，地方亦不敷应用。师于1998年策划重建，展开筹募钜资，举办多次义卖会、千人斋宴及义标会等。2000年初终於竣工启用，以全新现代化的设备，开办中英文各级佛学课程、电脑、心珠算、歌唱、禅修解压、佛化婚礼、提供网络资讯及佛教资料阅览室等，接受各方专题讲座，积极发展佛教教育、文化、慈善三大要项。
Progressively, from 1957, Ven. Fatt Kuan undertook the task of fund raising for the construction of Tai Pei Old People’s Home, Which is the first Buddhist Women-Nursing Home for the needy in Singapore.
In 1985, Tai Pei Foundation was established as a Charitable Organisation to propagate Buddhism. Tai Pei Foundation bought over the Kwang Fu named it Tai Pei Buddhist Centre to house a Child-Care Centre, conduct Dharma classes for the community with the goal to interest our young in Buddha’s Teachings. With the passage of time, the structure of the building deteriorated beyond repair, resulting in the need for rebuilding.
Through the help of our friends and devotees, fund raising in the form of charity fairs, auctioning of donated calligraphies, art pieces and antique furnitures together, with a Thousand People Charity Dinner event led to the realization of a Ground breaking Ceremony for the rebuilding of Tai Pei Buddhist Centre in 1998.
恩师多年对佛教及社会福利的贡献，是众所皆知，在1989及97年先后荣膺我国总统颁赐公共服务奖章PBM及公共服务星章BBM之勋衔，多届受委新加坡佛教总会及新加坡佛教施诊所副主席之职。
2001年冬季，朝礼香港大屿山宝莲禅寺，拜访丈慧大和尚座下，承传曹洞宗派法嗣。
原定2002年9月8日大悲佛教中心举行开幕预备工作，恩师因法务繁重，度化因缘己满，于8月26日（农历壬年七月十八日）清晨在睡眠中竟安祥示寂。惊闻噩耗，教内师友同道，护法信众，社区基层等莫不感到悲痛惋惜，同申哀悼。
With the completion in year 2002, of our new building, Tai Pei Buddhist Centre provides Chinese and English Dharma classes, supports Internet Access to the wealth of Buddhist Literature and invite international and local venerables to conduct Dharma Talks. It is our founder’s aim for Tai Pei Buddhist Centre and provides the general public with an avenue for Buddhist learning. Especially for the younger generation, many of whom are not exposed to traditional temple setting, our modernized place of learning servers as an evident to the young that Buddhist institutions progress with time and can provide an ambience that is conducive to learning Buddhism.
In 1989 recognizing our founder’s public service, the PBM was conferred on her by the president of the Republic of Singapore. For her unyielding community efforts, out founder was conferred the title of BBM, in 1997.
For several terms, our founder served as Vice President of both the Singapore Buddhist Federation and the Singapore Buddhist Free Clinics.
In the winter of year 2001, our founder made a pilgrimage to Da Yu Shan Boon Lian Ch’an Temple in Hong Kong and become a disciple of Elder Venerable Master Chu Hui, inheriting the lineage of the Cao dong tradition.
今恩师己示寂，遗下住世时的崇榜样，教导万事以“忍”为尚，忍尽必得“道”，以德报怨，从而发扬慈、悲、喜、舍的精神，匡扶贫病弱智，响应国家之慈善活动，凡有所求，绝不拒于门外，办事鞠躬尽瘁，毕生献身国家与佛教，永垂不朽。惟望恩师早日，乘愿再来，延续佛陀的使命，度化群伦，离苦得乐，共证菩提。
In the midst of preparation works for the opening of our Tai Pei Buddhist Centre, our founder succumbed to exhaustion and passed away peacefully in her sleep on the 26th of August 2002. Members of our Buddhist Congregation and the Public were saddened by the news of our founder’s sudden demise.
By modeling after our founder, with “perseverance” and always lending a hand to others in need, we can uphold our devotion to our country through charitable deeds and honoring our founder’s conviction to further Buddha’s teachings. In our journey through self discovery of Loving Kindness, Compassion, Joy and Equanimity we will keep the spirit of our founder alive in us. Like our founder, in leading a responsible and fulfilling life, we propagate racial harmony and community well being in our joint efforts towards building a more Progressive and Prosperous Nation.