竺摩法師對大馬漢傳佛教的貢獻——以馬佛學院對齋堂佛教化之影響為考察目標=The Contribution of Ven. Chok Mor to Malaysian Chinese Buddhism–The Influence of Malaysian Buddhist Institute over the Vegetarian Lodges As Objective of Investigation
回顧與前瞻馬來西亞佛教：第一屆馬來西亞佛教國際研討會論文集=Retrospective and Perspective of Malaysian Buddhism: Proceeding of the 1st International Conference on Malaysian Buddhism
On March 3, 1970, under the leadership of Ven. Chok Mor and other monks, the Malaysian Buddhist Institute started its classes at the premises of the Malaysian Buddhist Association. The Ven. Chok Mor has since served as its Principal and conducted classes by himself. For a few decades, he dedicated himself to the operation of the Institute as well as teaching, including going to different parts of the peninsular to recruit students. This exploratory contribution had contributed to the development of Chinese Sangha education in Malaysia. During the inception of the Institute, most students of the institute came from Vegetarian Lodges and Nunneries. By providing systematic and formal Buddhist education, Malaysian Chinese Buddhism began to absorb youngster of vegetarian lodges and nunneries to its fold. Many of these students, after graduation and ordination, returned to their places, followed Buddhist practices and made their places more Buddhistic. Through the Malaysian Buddhist Institute, Ven. Chok Mor was able to absorb what was originally folk practices of Vegetarianism into Buddhism, and expanded the influence of Buddhism to the masses. Through oral interviews with those concern and searching through the files, this paper takes a glimpse at the direct influence of Ven. Chok Mor and Malaysian Buddhist Institute on Malaysian Chinese Buddhism, and attempts to provide a footnote to his honor as “Father of Malaysian Chinese Buddhism”.
