- Revival and Development of Buddhism in India
- Shib Deb Singh
- Geeral Secretary, Chandigarh Buddhist Association, Chandigarh
1891 is the year in which the Maha Bodhi Society was established by
late Venerable Angarika Dharmapala, the illustrious son of Sri Lanka and the greatest
Buddhist Missionary who pioneered the Buddhist Revival Movement in India at enormous
personal sacrifice.
Before the formation of Maha Bodhi Society, the Buddhism in India was
in a chaotic condition. Holy places connected with the life of the Buddha were in a
dilapidated condition. The neglected Buddhist shrines were considered as show pieces and
were under the control of non-Buddhists. Venerable.Dharmapala's heart broke when he saw
the lamentable condition of Boddhagaya Temple. It was then in the possession of Hindu
Mahant. He made a firm resolution to recover Buddhagaya Temple and other places of
Buddhism and spread Buddha Dharma in the land of its birth and with this determination he
founded Maha Bodhi Society.
After the World Parliament of Religions of Chicago in 1893 Venerable
Dharmapala became an International figure and the activities of Maha Bodhi Society were no
longer limited to India and Sri Lanka. He made several trips round the world, preaching
the Message of the Buddha and establishing Buddhism in many countries of Asia, Europe and
America. Buddhism would not have been so effulgent but for the contribution and missionary
zeal of Dharmapala. He was practically responsible for the revival of the lost glory of
Buddhism which suffered a set back for centuries.
The movement of Buddhist revival initiated by Venerable Dharmapala
spread in many parts of India and the branches of the society were established in Samath,
Buddhagaya, Calcutta, Madras and Sanchi. He influenced many scholars, among them, were
Maha Pandit Rahula Sanskrityana, Bhadant Kaushalayan, Jagdish Kasyap and Venerable
Dharmarakshita, all trained in Sri Lanka and who propagated Buddhism in India by
translating Buddhist Religious Books which were lost in India for centuries.
Ven. Dharmapala established Upasana Centres, Libraries, Schools,
Colleges, Orphanges & Hospitals etc. in India and Sri Lanka for the general public. He
was a great patriot and inflinching Advocate of independence both in India and Sri Lanka.
He helped India to rediscover Buddha and took pride in Buddhism and Buddhist Culture. The
present flourishing condition of Buddhagaya, Samath, Kushingar & Sanchi and many other
sacred places of Buddhism in India are the direct result of Dharmapala's untiring and
selfless efforts.
He died on 29th April, 1933 at Samath. His last words were: "Let
me die soon. Let me be reborn. I can no longer prolong my agony, I would like to be born
again 25 times to spread Lord Buddhadhamma."
The greatest stimulation for the revival of Buddhism in India came from
the establishment of Maha Bodhi Society in Colombo in May, 1891 by Venerable Dharmpala. In
June, 1891 the society sent a mission to Boddhagaya. In October, 189 1 there held an
International Buddhist Conference in which delegates from China, Japan, Ceylon, Chittagong
Hill Tracts participated. The object of this conference was to draw the attention of the
Buddhist World to the state of affairs at Boddhagaya.
In May, 1892, the society launched its organ The Maha Bodhi which was
to be used as an Instrument for the propagation of Dharma not only In India but also in
all the countries of the World.
In, 1897, when severe famine broke out in Bengal, the Maha Bodhi
Society opened a Relief Fund and sent an appeal to all the Buddhist Countries of Asia for
help.
In 1900, three branches of society were opened in Madras, Kusinagar
& Anuradhapura (Sri Lanka) which are working for the spread of Buddhism.
In 19 15, the Maha Bodhi Society became a registered Body Sir Ashutosh
Mukerjee as its first President.
Dharmarajika Chaitya Vihara was built in Calcutta between 1915-1920.
Society was presented in 1920 with a casket containing the relics of Bones of Lord Buddha
which were to be enshrined in the Vihara.
In 1949, Govt. of Bihar passed the Buddha Gaya Temple Act. Under this
Act a Committee called the Buddha Gaya Temple Management Committee consisting of 4
Buddhists and 4 Hindus was constituted for the management and control of the temple.
Mulagandha Kuti-Vihara was built in Sarnath in 1931 with the subsequent
establishment of Maha Bodhi Vidyalaya, the V1hara Library, the Maha Bodhi Free Dispensary,
the Maha Bodhi Primary School and the Teachers Training College, and Samath once again
became a centre of Buddhism now.
In 1947, the relics of Venerable Sariputta and Maudgalyana, Chief
disciple of the Buddha, which for nearly a century had lie In Victoria and Albert Museum,
London were, at the instance of Maha Bodhi Society, restored to India and reenshrined in
newly built V1hara at Sanchi.
The Maha Bodhi Society also took up in right earnest the task of
publishing translation of Buddhist scriptures in Indian languages.
The 2500th anniversary of Lord Buddha parinirvana was celebrated on
nation wide scale in 1956 and Buddha Jayanti park was built in Delhi In the sacred memory
of Lord Buddha.
Most decisive and far reaching event of modem time occured when late
Baba Sahib Dr. Ambedkar embraced Buddhism on 14 October 1956 at Nagpur with lacs of his
followers. His movement has been so great that a very large number of Buddhist centres
have sprung up in almost all parts of India. Buddhist population increased 18 times from
1956 to 1961.
Dr. Ambedkar established Sidhartha College at Bombay and Milinda
College Aurangabad (Maharashtra) which are being run by the People's Education Society.
Late Venerable Bhadanta Anand Kaushalyan, a staunch admirer of Baba
Sahib, built a training centre for Bhikkhus at Nagpur in 1970 and has educated young men,
some of whom have been ordained as Bhikkhus. The new Buddhists have full faith in
Theravada type of Buddhism and celebrate four great observations:
(1) Dana Dikhsha Day in October.
(2) Buddha Jayanti.
(3) Dr. Ambedkar Death Anniversary.
(4) Dr. Ambedkar Jayanti.
Resurgence of Buddhism in modem India was concomitant with the revival
of Pall studies as the Religious Teaching of the Buddha were primarily available in Pall
language.
The following Universities have made provision for the teaching of Pali
language (1) Banaras Hindu University, (2) Poona University, (3) Baroda University, (4)
Nagpur University, (5) Bombay University, (6) Lucknow University, (7) Kurukshetra
University, (8) Delhi University, (9) Visva Bharti University, (10) Punjabi University,
Patiala, (11) Nava Nalanda Maha Vihara, (12) Magadh University, (13) Nalanda Pali
Institute, Rajgir.
***
[Originally published in Maha Bodhi Society Centenary
Celebrations, Buddhagaya Centre, 1891-1991, Souvenir, Sambodhi No. 2,
vol. 2 (1991), pp. 46-48]
***
Sincere thanks to Phramaha Somnuek Saksree
for retyping this article.