The National University of Singapore (NUS) announced the official launch of the newly established NUS Buddhist studies Group on 3 August. An interdepartmental research initiative composed of faculty members and students from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, the group is intended to serve as an open forum for scholars and members of the public to engage in the collaborative academic exploration of Buddhism.
“My colleagues and I are enthusiastic about the future of the Buddhist Studies Group at the National University of Singapore, and we are committed to establishing it as a center for scholarly research and community engagement,” Associate Professor Jack Meng-Tat Chia, Foo Hai Ch’an Monastery Fellow in Buddhist Studies and inaugural chair of the NUS Buddhist Studies Group, told BDG.
“Although we have not yet achieved the longstanding success of Buddhist studies centers and groups in Europe and the United States, we hope to learn from their experiences and emulate their achievements,” Prof. Chia added. “Singapore is in a unique position to serve as a bridge between Eastern and Western Buddhist Studies scholarship, and we aspire to foster this vital dialogue. We would be grateful for your support in this meaningful endeavor.”
The NUS has in recent years received several substantial donations that have been instrumental in establishing a Faculty Fellowship, a Visiting Professorship, a graduate scholarship, an annual distinguished lecture series, and a seminar series in Buddhist studies.
“These contributions have significantly advanced scholarship and encouraged research and teaching in the field in Singapore,” Prof. Chia noted.
Coinciding with the launch of the NUS Buddhist Studies Group, the NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and Temenggong Artists-In-Residence, a non-profit arts company that seeks to inspire arts, heritage, and cultural appreciation, cohosted an opening ceremony for a new exhibition of ancient Buddhist art at NUS, The Many Faces of Buddha.
Among the works on display are a Gandhara-era Buddha statue dated to the 1st–3rd centuries CE, thangka paintings from Tibet, ancient Buddha coins, and other artifacts from China, Indonesia, Myanmar, Thailand, and elsewhere.
“In 2022, the NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences signed an MOU with Temenggong to promote joint research and teaching activities in the areas of arts, heritage, and culture,” Prof. Chia observed.
“This collaboration marks a significant milestone in fostering a vital partnership between NUS and local cultural organizations. The Many Faces of Buddha exhibition features research conducted by NUS students in my ‘Buddhism in World History’ course last semester, and is a product of this meaningful collaboration.”
Speaking as guest-of-honor for the occasion, SPH Media Trust chairman Khaw Boon Wan remarked that Buddhism’s multifaceted nature served as a reminder to respect others’ cultures, traditions, and historical backgrounds, which in turn form the foundation for mutual trust, harmonious living, and peaceful coexistence.
Citing as an example Buddhism’s introduction to China, where Confucianism and Taoism already existed, Khaw explained that while Buddhism might have been considered a foreign faith, Chinese people integrated Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism into a unified system, internalizing their core teachings into their culture and way of life.
Prof. Chia added: “We at NUS deeply value our partnership with Temenggong, and I am both delighted and honored to have this exhibition . . . to mark the launch of the Buddhist Studies Group. . . . I hope that everyone enjoys the exhibition and that it inspires further conversation and dialogue in the study of Buddhism and its diverse expressions around the world.”
Singapore is a multicultural island state in Southeast Asia with a population of almost six million people. More than 31 per cent of Singaporeans identify as Buddhists, according to census data for 2020. Christianity is represented by 18.9 per cent, Islam 15.6 per cent, Daoism and other Chinese religions 8.8 per cent, Hinduism 5 per cent, and Sikhism and other religions 0.6 per cent. About 20 per cent of Singaporean have no religious affiliation.
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NUS Buddhist Studies Group
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