【世界一花】 -- 整理 : 唯读

reaching out to TEACHERS -Tzu Chi

In Singapore, the Tzu Chi Teachers’ Association was established in 1999.? In the early days, the teachers went on ‘root searching’ educational tours to Taiwan or attended inspirational talks by experienced educators from Taiwan and Malaysia’s Tzu Chi Teachers’ Association.? A talk on “Jing Si Aphorism Teaching” was organized by Tzu Chi Singapore on 19 June 2006. It attracted 86 primary and secondary school teachers as well as teachers from various Buddhism classes.

新加坡“慈济教师联谊会”成立于1999年，初期组团到台湾举办“寻根之旅”，或由台湾及马来西亚的教联会教师前来举办讲座。2006年6月19日，慈济在颜永成小学举办了一场“静思语教学与研讨会”，共吸引了86位中小学老师及其他道场的佛学班老师出席。慈济教师联谊会于1990年在台湾正式成立，至今加入行列的老师已经超过两万人。(资料：佛教慈济慈善事业基金会（新加坡）网站提供)

reaching out to YOUTHS – Dhamma Drum Mountain (DDM)

560 youths from USA, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Taiwan participated in the “Beyond Excellence Summer Youth Camp” organised by DDM World Youth College. Four social elites from all walks of life were invited to talk on the three most concerning topics of today's youth: life planning, love and quality of life. From their sharing of individual experiences and success of dealing with these topics, the young participants learnt to contemplate, reflect and develop their own directions and answers in life.

(Remembering...)

The First Sunday Schools 最早的佛学班

In 1940, Ven. M. M. Mahaweera started an English-medium Sunday Dhamma School at the Sinhalese temple located at Outram Road (see pic). This was to meet the needs of the English-educated Chinese who wanted to learn more about Buddhism. At Mangala Vihara (MV), the Sunday classes began in June 1960 and adopted the YMBA (Sri Lanka) syllabus. The students and teachers worked diligently and for six successive years, MV won the Sadhuwardana Challenge Shield. At the classes, although emphasis was on the Dhamma, there were also sports and recreations activities for the students. At the Palelai Buddhist temple, free Sunday classes were conducted for adults and children. The young were trained to become discipline through learning the Buddhist way of righteous living. Adult learners were taught to lead a happy and peaceful family life along with material achievements. At the Sri Lankaramaya, the Sunday Dhamma school held regular classes for the learners. In the 1970s, Theravada temples were leading the way in organising Sunday School classes in Singapore.*

The Singapore Chinese Buddhist Association started the first Chinese Buddhist Free School in 1946. In addition to school subjects, Dhamma talks taken from Buddhist stories were used to inspire children on Saturdays. It was ordered to close down in 1961 due to lack of space and sanitary reasons. The first Chinese Sunday school was started in 1973 by Ven. Yen Pei, the abbot of Ling Feng Prajna Auditorium. 103 children registered for the classes which were run by his assistant, Ven. Kuan Yan.

1940年，马哈维拉法师在位于欧南路开办了英语周日佛学班（见图）。之后，祝福寺、巴礼莱佛寺、锡兰佛寺等也陆续开办。课堂中，虽然授课重点是佛法，它也让学生们进行体育和休闲活动。少儿通过学习佛教所倡导的正确生活方式来培养自律；成人则被教导在满足物质生活同时，如何追求快乐和平静的家庭生活。总而言之，七十年代周日佛学班的开设，是由新加坡南传佛教寺院所主导的。

中华佛教会于1946年主办首个中华佛教义学。倡议人为梁润之,校长高振翰。第二学期起，每周六，课外加佛教讲座，以佛教故事为题材，启发儿童之心智，后因校址不敷，欠卫生设备，在1961年，政府着令停办。华语周日佛学班创办于1973年，创办者为灵峰般若讲堂住持演培法师。共有103位小朋友踊跃报名。佛学班由其助理宽严法师协助管理。课堂中除了教授佛学外，还有佛教故事、歌唱和体育。

*Text : “Buddhism in Singapore – A short narrative history” by Y.D. Ong P118-119

Photo:“Great Hero Mahaweera” by Ven. K. Sri Pemaloka; Reference:《新加坡佛教发展史》释传发 著

翻译：得良，整理：唯读