Venerable
Acharya Buddharakkhita, founder-President of Maha Bodhi Society,
Bangalore and its sister organizations was born in the eastern state of
Manipur in India. He was born on March 12, 1922, Phalguna Purnima day,
in Imphal.
He was a bright student graduated from the Institute
of Engineering Technology, Calcutta (Kolkata) in Automobile Engineering.
He joined Government of India Defense Ordinance. The job took him to
Malaysia, Singapore and various other places during the Second World
War. He saw the destruction of life and property and misery that the war
brought in the lives of people, which led him to turn towards
spirituality. He resigned his job and left his home in search of truth
and freedom. For some years he traveled through the length and breadth
of India and studied Indian religions in various institutions.
In 1949 he
took ordination as a Buddhist monk under the most Venerable Chandamani
Mahathera, Abbot of Maha Parinibbana Vihara, Kushinara, U.P. He then
studied Vinaya, Sutta, Abhidhamma and Pali in Sri Lanka and Burma and
practiced meditation under the most eminent master like Mahasi Sayadaw.
He was a member of the editorial board of the Chattha Sangayana – the
Sixth Buddhist Synod held in Rangoon, which brought out a complete
edition of the Pali canon.
He taught Buddhology at the Nalanda
Pali Postgraduate Institute, Bihar. In order to spread the teachings of
the Buddha in his own quite way he resigned the job. A great offering
came his way in 1956, when a piece of land was donated to him by Maha
Upasika Mrs. Bianca Moonasinghe, a niece of Ven. Anagarika Dhammapala.
This land was earlier granted by Shri Nalvadi Krishnaraj Wodeyar, the
Maharaja of Mysore way back in 1939-40, for the purpose of building a
Buddhist center in Bangalore.
Thus the Maha Bodhi Society,
Bangalore was founded in 1956. Since then he has been active in
conducting weekly discourses on Buddhism, writing articles and books,
creating awareness among the people of Karnataka and India about
Buddhism. He extended his activities to other countries of the world to
disseminate the noble teachings of the Buddha.
His compassion
prompted him to undertake many projects to alleviate suffering of
people, like building medical centers, monastic institutes, residential
schools in different parts of India for the displaced and poor children.
From
his early days he was running Mahabodhi Sangharama – a bhikkhu training
center. Many eminent monks got trained under him. In 2001 seeing the
urgent need of training good monks in India, he started MAHABODHI
MONASTIC INSTITUTE, BANGALORE, on the auspicious day of 2545th Buddha
Jayanti Celebrations. Today the institute has the strength of 350 monks
from different parts of India who are getting monastic training in
Bengaluru and other campuses.
Venerable Dr. Acharya Buddharakkhita
Maha Bodhi Society, 14, Kalidasa Road, Gandhinagar, Bengaluru – 560009, India
Holi Phalguna Purnima 1922 (12-03-1922)
Imphal, Manipur, India
Father – Late Sri Vishnupada Bandopadhyaya
Mother - Late Smt. Sailavaladevi Bandopadhyaya
Undertook formal renunciation life on 15-8-1947
Ordination as Buddhist Monk took place
on the Vesakha full moon day of 1949 (12-05-1949) at Kushinagar under
the Most Venerable Chandamani Mahathera. Went to Sri Lanka for studies
and got higher Bhikkhu ordination at Sri Maha Vihara, Nureliya, Sri
Lanka in Udarata Amarapura Nikaya.
1- Venerable Nyanatiloka Maha Thera (Pali and Sutta Acharya),
2- Venerable Widurupola Piyatissa Maha Nayaka thera (Vinaya Acharya)
3- Venerable Rerukane Chandavimala Maha Nayaka thera (Abhiddhamma and Vinaya Acharya)
1- Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw (Vipassana meditation Acharya)
2- Venerable U.Narada, Mula Patthana Sayadaw (Abhidhamma Psychology, Patthana)
3- Venerable U Sobhita Yamaka Sayadaw, Visuddharama, Mandalay, (Abhidhamma Acharya)
Joined the Chatthasangayana Editorial Board of the Union Buddha Sasana Council as Pativisodhaka, assistant editor
Taught Abhidhamma at Nalanda Post
Graduate Institute at Nalanda, Bihar. He also helped in editing the Nava
Nalanda Tipitaka project. He taught at World University California
since 1980 to 1998. He taught at Fo Kuang Shan University in Taiwan in
1992 for a semester. He has been giving regular talks at Maha Bodhi
Society, Bangalore every Sunday since 1956. He also taught at Cambridge
and Oxford universities, in Japan, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Burma.
1- Conferred “ACHARYA” title by Udarata Amarapura Nikaya, Sri Lanka in 1951.
2-
Ven. Acharya Buddharakkhita is like a shining pole star in the Dhamma
horizon, having contributed in abundance in the spiritual field.
Recognizing his lifetime dedicated service to the Buddha Sasana the
Government of Myanmar has conferred on him the highest title of the
country “Abhidhaja Aggamaha Saddhamma Jotika” and honored him. Several
titles and honors have come to him which he says are nothing but humble
flowers at the lotus feet of the Buddha.
3- On the special date of
11-11-11, full moon day, the Tumkur University honored him with Doctor
of Literature for his contributions to Buddhist literature and lifetime
selfless service.
4- On 13-5-2012 the Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University, Bangkok, Thailand, honoured him with Doctor of Pali Language.
Founded Maha Bodhi Society, Bengaluru, India.
Established the Holy Bodhi tree and shrine. This Bodhi tree is a sapling of the original Holy Maha Bodhi Tree at Bodhagaya.
Founded Mahabodhi
Maitri Mandala as sister organization, devoted to humanitarian service
in the field of medical and educational work. Under this organization
services to the poor students by giving them free education, hostel
facilities are conducted. Many camps for leprosy patients, eye donation
for blind people, cancer patients services were conducted. Medical
centers, limbs donations, hospitals and being run.
Started monthly
magazine SWAYAM SAHAYA which carried articles on application of Dhamma
in daily life situations and social welfare with spiritual basis.
Founded a model
rural Hospital at Sakalavara, Anekal taluk for training medical personal
for rural service. Meditation was also taught in this hospital as a
therapeutic technique.
Started Mahabodhi Residential School for boys at Bengaluru.
Built the Mahabodhi
Burns and Casualty Centre at the Victoria Government Hospital,
Bengaluru and Burns wards at various district hospitals, such as Mysore,
Hassan, Mandya, Tumkur etc.
The Buddha Vachana Trust, a publishing section of the Maha Bodhi Society was established.
Established Tipitaka Printing Press and training school for printing technology.
Mahabodhi Maitri Medical Mission, which run holistic medical center.
Established Mahabodhi Artificial Limb Centre
Established Arogya
Foundation (India) and Arogya Hospital medical center dedicated to total
health with multidisciplinary, holistic approach.
Established Sevakshetra building.
Started monthly Buddhist magazine DHAMMA
Established the Institute of Pali Studies and Buddhalogy in Mysore
Visited USA and
taught Buddhism and Buddhist meditation in various educational
institutions. Established a Meditation Centre at Big Bear, California,
USA.
Established the
Mahabodhi Vishva Maitri Stupa. This is the first stupa built in India
after the lapse of about 800 years during which Buddhism declined.
Initiated TIPITAKA GRANTHAMALA PROJECT – to publish the entire Tipitaka in Kannada language.
Taught at Fo Kuan Shan University in Taiwan
Built Mahabodhi Loka Shanti Buddha Vihara, Bengaluru – It is a replica of Mahabodhi temple in Buddhagaya
Mahabodhi Community Centre- A hall used for community services and functions.
Deutsch
Buddhistische Humanitaere Verienigung (DBHV), Germany – an organization
which runs regular meditation and dhamma study programs and supports the
activities of the MBS
Mahabodhi School,
and Mahabodhi Carla Students Home Mysore – A new building was built to
run a modern school based on moral education.
Established
Mahabodhi Monastic Institute, Bengaluru – the monastic center with
facilities for intensive dhamma studies and practice. At present it has
120 monks under training in Bengaluru and 200 in other centers of MMI.
Blessed the Mahabodhi Metta Foundation, Switzerland which supports the spiritual and social welfare activities of MBS.
Mahabodhi Nalanda Hostel for Monks at Bengaluru – To accommodate 150 monks a beautiful hostel building was built.
Maha Bodhi Society Branch in Arunachal Pradesh Mahabodhi School and Mahabodhi Hostel, Diyun.
Association Mahabodhi Karuna, France – It was started to conduct meditation programs and to support educational activities.
Mahabodhi Buddhist
Center, Lindenfels, Germany was started to conduct dhamma study and
meditation teaching. Regular programs are conducted in this center
Mahabodhi Mettaloka
Youth Center, Mysore – A hostel for boys who have completed high
school. At present there are 30 boys staying in this hostel and another
20 in different colleges.
Mahabodhi Karuna Belgium – was started to conduct dhamma teaching programs and to support educational activities of Mahabodhi.
Mahabodhi Metta Charitable Fund, USA – to support the humanitarian activities of Mahabodhi
Mahabodhi Academy
for Pali & Buddhist Studies (Correspondence Course), which conducted
two year Diploma in Buddhist Studies course. The Government of India
granted funds for this Academy building in memory of 2550 year of Lord
Buddha’s Mahaparinibbana.
Mahabodhi Rita
Girls Home, Diyun, Arunachal Pradesh – A new hostel for girls was
started. At present 175 poor girls live in this hostel who are provided
with all the needs free of cost by Mahabodhi.
Survey of Buddhist Communities in India – To understand the situation of the Buddhist community in India.
Mahabodhi Maitri
Mandala, Tawang Branch was started. The center runs an old age home,
girl’s hostel, Boys hostel, Monastery, Stupa, social service activities
Establishment of Deomali Branch, Arunachal Branch
Mahabodhi Dhammaduta Vihara –a Center for Moral and Spiritual Education, Alur, Bengaluru construction started
Establishment of Bhagavan Buddha University of Pali and Theravada Buddhism
Establishment of Satipatthana Bhavana Kutir for running meditation retreats for monks.
Establishment of Mahabodhi Karuna Medical Center
Passed away peacefully at the age of 92 leaving a legacy of Dhamma for his monastic and lay followers.
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