PM Lee Hsien Loong at the Official Opening of Dharma Hall

新加坡莲山双林寺住持惟俨法师 ，世界佛教僧伽会会长了中长老，来自世界各地的善男信女，各位来宾，大家早上好！

还记得上一次到访莲山双林寺，已经是16 年前的事情了。那是2000年，我受邀为即将兴建的龙光宝塔举行奠基典礼。 宝塔竣工后，巍然屹立多年，让双林寺独特的佛教丛林建筑群更加完善。双林寺的修建计划在1990年展开，历时20多年。刚落成的法堂是双林寺第二期修建计划的主体建筑，设有藏经楼、禅堂和方丈楼。法堂的底层还增建了圆满殿，就是这个地方，可以充作多功能礼堂。今天，我很高兴能再度到访双林寺， 为法堂主持开幕。

莲山双林寺创建于1898年，拥有一百多年的历史，是新加坡最古老的佛教寺庙。这座寺庙见证了早期华人开拓新加坡的奋斗史，不但深具历史意义，也是新加坡宝贵的文化遗产。因此，双林寺早在1980年就被列为国家古迹，成为第一座得到这项至高荣誉的佛教寺庙。事实上，双林寺不只是新加坡最宏伟的百年古寺，也是中国以外，罕见的规模最大、格局最完整的佛教禅宗丛林建筑群。

双林寺充分展现了闽粤建筑风貌，寺庙设计融合了福州、泉州、漳州和潮州等地的特色，形成了独一无二的风格。修复国家古迹的工程是繁复而艰难的。难得的是，修复双林寺的工匠虽然来自中国不同地区，却能抛开地域观念，发挥传统技艺，造就了双林寺集多种建筑手法于一身的独有特色。双林寺的修复工程浩大，现在能大功告成，得归功于多年来在幕后默默耕耘的住持惟俨法师、顾问庄日昆先生、修建委员会主席庄绍文先生以及他们的团队。

为了确保双林寺能重现昔日的风采，寺庙的每一砖、每一瓦、每一根石柱都必须依照原样恢复，过程十分考究，大家都得保持一丝不苟的态度，才能顺利完工。为了让公众更进一步了解整个修复过程，双林寺举办了 “气象万千——双林寺建筑艺术特展”。特展将展出双林寺艺术设计师，那就是台湾著名古迹学者，李乾朗教授，的手绘双林寺古建筑图。为了庆祝法堂开幕，双林寺也邀请了中国浙江昆剧团，首次到本地演出劝善戒恶的佛经故事《未生怨》，地点就在刚落成的圆满殿，这个地方。

双林寺修复工程圆满竣工，有赖于双林寺全体员工和义工的无私付出。希望大家能以同样的坚持，爱护修复后的双林寺，让双林寺继续弘扬佛教文化，传承佛教精神。

在这里，让我再次恭喜所有参与双林寺修复工程的人士，功德圆满。

接下来，让我用英语讲几句话。

Good morning to everybody! I am delighted to be here this morning to officially open the Dharma Hall. 

It has taken the leadership, staff, supporters and craftsmen much effort to restore the Dharma Hall. I am glad to see that they have done a wonderful job!  Well done!

This Monastery is the fruit of Chinese craftsmen from different counties in Fujian province coming together and putting aside their different individual traditions to create this work of art. It reflects our humble origins and aspirations as a nation – people originating from different roots, yet respecting and appreciating our differences, and working together towards a shared vision of the future.

The Buddhist community, with its strong emphasis on values like selflessness, compassion and tolerance, makes important contributions to our racial and religious harmony. This is critical, because Buddhists form the largest religious group in Singapore.

I am heartened to see the Lian Shan Shuang Lin Monastery participating so actively in the community, engaging Singaporeans regardless of race, language and religion. The Monastery has been a member of the Toa Payoh East-Novena Inter-Racial and Religious Confidence Circles since 2009. 

In recent years, the monastery organised a Mid-Autumn Festival in collaboration with the grassroots organisations in Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC. The events were well attended by residents of all races and religion. The monastery has also hosted exhibitions on topics related to Buddhism, to help both believers and non-believers to understand the Buddhism faith better. Such efforts build mutual understanding and appreciation among Singaporeans. These are just two examples of the valuable work done by the Lian Shan Shuang Lin Monastery that strengthen the spirit of our multi-racial and multi-religious society.

I would like to extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to all members of the monastery, and particularly the Venerable Sik Wai Yim, for your continued support and leadership over the years. I look forward to many more years of partnership and collaboration with all of you.  

Once again, congratulations to the Monastery for your newly opened Dharma Hall.  

Thank you very much. 

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