In December 2000, the Venerable Master Chin Kung of the Amitabaha Buddhist
Association of Singapore presented a cheque for One Million Dollars to
Griffith University for the Multi-Faith Centre.The Venerable Master is shown
here presenting the cheque to the Chancellor, Ms Leneen Forde, in the presence
of the Vice Chancellor, Professor L.R. Webb, and the Chair of the Multi-Faith
Centre Fund-raising Task Force, Mr Uri Themal.
This extraordinarily generous gift enabled the centre to be built.
At the time of the presentation, the Venerable Master spoke of his vision
of multi-culturalism where the whole universe exists and co-exists as one and
where all people are (sisters and) brothers of each other and therefore should
respect each other. All religions, he said, share the fundamentals and like a
tree with many different leaves and branches, there are different beliefs but
all are from the same source. The Venerable Master said the purpose in his
life, is to understand his religion, and to explain his beliefs and practices
to others. He hoped that the Centre would be a starting point which would send
a beam of light to all corners of the earth from Griffith University. "If we
look beyond our own world, we will work for true peace and will work with each
other and our love will reduce conflict with all people," the Venerable Master
said.
In accepting the wonderful gift, the Vice Chancellor, Professor Roy Webb,
said that the Venerable Master has indicated a greatly enlarged vision for the
Multi Faith Centre beyond the wildest dreams in the past and had indicated a
support which would endorse a world focus for the Centre.
The Chancellor thanked the Venerable Master Chin Kung not only for the gift
but also for his words of wisdom and said that a vision which the Master had
shared encouraged her in her position as Chancellor. Venerable Master Chin
Kung presenting a gift of calligraphy to the Deputy Director of the
Multi-Faith Centre in the presence of the Chancellor, Vice Chancellor and
Chair of the Fund-raising Task Force.