2009 Stories - ten stories
Cloth giving ceremony (kathin civar dan samaroh) concluded
at Forest Monastery and Meditation Centre
October 30 (Jagran
Yahoo! India)
Bodhgaya. The two day cloth giving ceremony (kathin civar dan samaroh)
was concluded on Friday at the Forest Monastery meditation centre and
the International Meditation centre. At the forest meditation centre
were given over to monks who had come from Tripura, Arunachal and Mizoram
by male and female disciples seventeen robes made from raw cotton thread
and to 51 monks from various monasteries robes were given along with
items of daily use. From the centre Rajiv said that the male and female
lay disciples spent the whole night preparing the robes and along with
them a ceremonial parade was taken out in the morning. The parade included
monks and nuns as well as devotees and they all worshipped at the World
Heritage Mahabodhi temple. Following which the robes and gifts to the
sangha were offered in the temple compound. The Buddhist monks thanked
the lay male and female disciples whilst enlightening them about the
Buddhist message. On this occasion Buddhist devotees were present in
good numbers along with My Raja Tridev Ray who had come from Pakistan.
The ceremony at the international meditation centre began early in the
morning with Buddha puja. At the ceremony in the temple compound were
present as chief guests, from Sri Lanka, the venerable Abbott of Udgama
Shrimahanaya and D. V. Chandika Nayaka. Around two thousand monks were
given robes at the centre. On this occasion Pakistan's former minister
Raja Tridev Ray, Dr Prabhat Chandra Barua, Salil Bihari Barua and Ratan
Chaudri were honoured by the centre. The Mahabodhi Society of India
three day Coth Giving ceremony will be concluded on Saturday. Meanwhile,
in the ceremony organised in the Laos PDR temple members of the family
of Bhai Raja took part.
Officials and workers not fulfilling their duties: Commissioner
October 8, 2009 Gaya (Jagran
- Yahoo! India). The newly appointed regional commisioner Dr Rana
Avadesh believes that officials and workers are not fulfilling their
duties. Due to which programs favourable to the lowest sections of society
are not reaching those groups. Dr Avadesh was addressing the press at
a meeting of the regional commission. District Commissioner Dr Avadesh
started by discussing the the history of Magadh. He said that Magadh
was the centre of Maurya governance. Gautam Buddha was the spiritual
leader of South East Asia. He sat beneath the Bodhi tree and gained
elightenment. He told several stories about kings and their territories.
Due to the carrying of the past into the present there was collision
between various groups in society. Dr Rana said his effort would be
to fill in the gap that was a chasm between both sides. In this effort
he was taking a team on Thursday to Bankebazar to make an 'on-the-spot'
investigation of what was the outcome of the 27 government beneficial
programmes [such as] the Indra Avas programme [public housing] and Anganbari
[community health/education] programme. Was the community being benefitted
or not by the programmes? He said the state goverment was spending 14
billion [14 arab =14 hundred million=$300 million US dollars,
surely some mistake?] rupees a year on the Anganbari programme. But
the results which were desired were not yet attained. The commissioner
said that he believed that the money that came from above was not reaching
down from the block to the village level. He said that 'now' [Jagran
puts this in quotes] action would be taken against those officials who
were interfering with the actions of the government. He asserted that
he had come to do something for the 8.8 million inhabitants of the region.
So that people would remember his time as commissioner.
Even Today Taradhih Excavation Site Neglected
Bodhgaya, Sep 24, 2009. (Jagaran
- Yahoo! India). On the south west side of the world heritage site
of the Mahabodhi temple is located the site of the Taradhih excavation,
where during the course of excavations the sequential remains of seven
periods were found from the new stone age to the Pala dynasty. But now
this site is completely neglected. The excavation of this site was begun
in 1981 under the direction of its then head officer D. Ajit Kumar Prasad.
From the excavations which went on around ten years it was proved that
that the Sri Lankan king Meghavarna built a Buddhist Monastery here
in the fifth century which was like that at Nalanda and Vikramshila.
Here monks initiated according to Mahayana Trantric teachings were housed.
The evidence for this was gathered from the remains of burnt barley
and rice and pots found. It was like Nalanda and Vikramshila destroyed
during the Muslim era. The finds from the excavations are preserved
in the museums in Bodhgaya and Patna whilst the remains of the monastery
walls are still visible and on which small bushes are now growing. An
informant says that whilst the excavations were going on Indian Archaeology
director Dr Prasad developed a one crore rupee scheme to develop the
site of Taradhih. The foundation stone for this was laid in 2000 by
Ashok Kumar Singh the state minister for the deparment of art, culture,
and youth. It was called the 'Gautam, forest archaeological compound'.
To protect the excavations a wall was built around it at a cost of thirty
lakh rupees. After this excavation work stopped. After this the the
president of Sri Lanka, Premadasa, toured the site and stated that it
was a cultural link between India and Sri Lanka and expressed the desire
is should be developed into a tourist site. After his return to Sri
Lanka he was murdered by a terrorist and the admistration of the district
kept changing and the scheme stayed in limbo. Today despite the scheme
being right next to the temple compound it is completely neglected.
Temple to avatara of Buddha to be built in Bodhgaya
August 26, 2009 (Dainik Jagran). Bodhgaya. A temple to the religious
teacher L. Kantare, who is regarded in Japan as an avatara (incarnation)
of Buddha, is to be built in Bodhgaya. For this on Tuesday a five member
team from the Happy Science named institute toured a rural
area location and made an inspection. The team made the site inspection
selection under the leadership of Sudama Kumar local leader of Happy
Science. The team members also visited the Surya Bharati school in Bapunagar
run with the help of the institution. They met face with the students
and teachers there and became acquainted with the teaching techniques.
Surya Bharati school director and co-institution (?) member Yuki Inoyue
said that the leader of the team was Norihiro, and included in the team
also were Tabaki Siyane, Takabobuki Mura, Koji Tsuneda, Tomoko Miyake.
He said that the team members would show on Tuesday night in Mocharim
village the film The Rule of the Sun. Which had been translated
into Hindi. Along with this the July broadcast from the Astha
(Faith) channel by the founder of the institute and avatar of the Buddha
Riyaho Okaba would be shown. Along with this 737 would become members
in Mocharim village. The team members would leave for Delhi on Wednesday.
Expert Security Guards to be stationed at Mahabodhi temple
August 21, 2009 (Dainik
Jagran)
Bodhgaya. Expert security guards are now to be stationed at the world
heritage listed Mahabodhi temple. Tender for this has been invited by
the Mahabodhi temple management committee. The committee PRO Jaglal
Mishra said that at the moment 'AGR Security Pvt. Limited' of Patna
had twelve security guards and a supervisor posted. Each month the committee
spends 52 thousand rupees on this. He said there was a one year agreement
with AGR security, which would be finished in August. He said in a quiet
voice that there was a feeling that the currently deployed security
personnel lacked expertise. Due to this several committee employees
were also put on duty with them. However the newly invited tenders for
the security of the Mahabodhi temple would be on the footing of such
companies who had ultra-modern intense checking machines and security
guards with at least three years of successful experience. Mr Mishra
said that in accordance with the committee's decree there was now a
complete ban on the use of mobile phones in the central chamber (garbha
griha) of the temple. Pilgrims entering the central chamber have
to turn off their phones, so that tourists involved in meditation practice
in the inner chamber would not be disturbed. In regards to security
metal barricades had also been erected around the Muchalinda pond so
that the tourists might remain far from the water.
Freedom from drought possible through revitalising ancient traditions:
Chairman
July 26 2009
Bodhgaya (Dainik
Jagran). The State Farm Commissions newly selected chairman,
Upendranath Varma said that the state was completely prepared to deal
with the current drought situation. He said that to deal with the drought
the ancient tradition of Ahar and Payeen (traditional water irrigation
ponds and canals) would be revitalised. The water from which would prove
to be fairly useful for irrigation. But this tradition would need to
be exploited which people were nowadays forgetting. Mr Varma was addressing
the press in Bodhgaya on Friday. He said the drought situation was getting
more dreadful. In general in the villages the rice crop had not been
planted. Along with irrigation in rural areas the drinking water situation
was becoming a problem. The condition of the animals was terrible. But
the government believed it could deal with any situation. According
to one scheme the government would provide water tankers to take water
to every village. He said that farmers of the region should along with
farming consider keeping bees, fish, and goats etc. Along with this
due to global warming they should consider planting fast growing crops.
For this bank loans would be made available by the commission. He said
that action would be taken against those banks which would not provide
such loans to farmers. On this occasion Temple Committee member Dr.
Kumud Varma and other public figures were present.
Police and Paramilitary stage flag march
April 1 2009 (Jagran
- Yahoo! India)
Gaya. In Gaya city and nearby areas on Tuesday the Police and Paramilitary
forces staged a flag march. The aim was to make firm in the public a
'sentiment of security'. On the streets of Gaya were visible along with
the police the SRPF (from the centre), The Indo-Tibetan border police
and Central Industrial Security Troops, armed with ultra-modern weapons.
The districts top chief of police Saurav Kumar said that the flag march
had been staged at the order of the DM Sanjay Kumar Singh and police
inspector M. R. Nayak. Along with the city areas on the Gaya Bodhgaya
Road in the areas located in Kendui and Manpur in fair numbers the troops
formed a focus of attention for the citizens. DSP Mr Kumar said that
the flag march sent a message to anti-social elements. If they put obstacles
in the way of a unbiased, free-from-fear and independent poll, then
we were ready for action. Nobody would be allowed to take the law into
their own hands.
Judicial Halt on Construction in Bodhgaya
Mar 15, 2009 (Jagran
Yahoo! India)
Gaya, Patna High Court has put a halt on all types of building construction
around the Mahabodhi temple. In this connection the district administration
has notified the local administration and police. Along with this the
District Magistrate Sanjay Kumar Singh has ordered the Police in charge
to make certain that the order is applied to the letter.
Meanwhile, the Regional Commissioner, Dr Karra Parashu Ramayya said
that in the High Court a woman of Bodhgaya has filed a suit. In which
there is the allegation that several foreign monasteries are carrying
out construction works without any permission. Despite after the declaration
of the temple as a world heritage monument the area around the temple
being divided into various zones and there being a prohibition on new
developments.
On the other hand the said woman alleges that the administration has
acted against minor building works. Commissioner Dr Ramayya said that
Attorney General had notified that
until the final decision of the court there was a prohibition on all
forms of building work.
Three worlds' Buddhist Federation's international Conference begins
Feb 25, 2009 (Jagran
Yahoo! India).
Gaya. The sixth annual Conference began on Tuesday late in the evening
in the Federation compound of the Three worlds' Buddhist Federation's
international Council. In this around six hundred Dhammacharis from
America, New Zeeland, Sri Lanka, Australia and India are taking part.
Dhammachari Nagketu said that that this was the first time that the
international conference of the Three Worlds' Buddhist Federation established
by 'Ugyen' Sangharaksita was being held in the land of the Buddha, previously
it had been held in England. In the conference there was discussion
and exchange of views about the activities of Dhammacharis in various
in various countries. The participants at the conference took part every
day in special worship and devotion in the World Heritage Mahabodhi
temple compound. He said that last night the participants had a vido
'visualization' (English word in the Hindi text) of a message from the
founder 'Ugyen' Sangharaksita. In this emphasis was placed on spreading
and propogating the Buddha Dharma . Along with this the Federation's
centre running in the Buddha land was newly named 'Triple Jewel Centre'.
The new name was inspired by the Buddha, Dharma and the Sangha. He said
that on the first of March in the Federation compound an International
Dharma Revolution camp would be held. In which apart from Dhammacharis
also lay men and women followers of Buddhism would take part.
Note: this is a report about the FWBO, with the title applied of 'Urgyen'
(written wrongly in the Hindi as ugyen), to its founder Sangharakshita.
In India the title of the organisation is the trailokya 'three
worlds' Buddhist Federation', In one Friends
of the Western Buddhist Order web page a similar title for the Indian
branch of the FWBO is the 'Buddhist Order of the Three Worlds', and
in another
page Sangharakshita himself translates Trailokya Bauddha Mahasangha
as 'Buddhist sangha of the three worlds', ignoring the maha prefix
on sangha. The Hindi newspaper article also gives it as trailokya
bauddha mahasangha which would be understood by as a Hindi reader
as 'Three worlds Buddhist Federation' or perhaps 'Buddhist Federation
of the three worlds'.
Uproar by Buddhist Monks in Bodhgaya
Bodhgaya, 17 January 2009 (Hindustan
Dainik). There has been an upoar amongst monks over the presentation
at the Buddhist festival organised in Bodhgaya. During this for about
twenty minutes there was a strange situation on the stage. The Buddhist
art director was accused of discrimination. Later there was peace after
there had been conciliation.
After MLA chairman Udit Narayan Chaudri addressed the assembled audience
at the festival on Friday night the program began. At the same moment
as the announcer requested that the folk artists come on stage and make
their presentation the Buddhist monks assembled there began to make
an uproar. The monks came on stage and said that on Thursday they had
been told they would be given an opportunity to present a program but
they had not been given a chance. Even today they were being put off.
Local 'Maitri Monk union' and Chandramani Buddha Monastery monks artists,
including Bhante Vimalakriti, Bhante Sanghratna and W. Bhante said that
they were being discriminated against and prevented from presenting
their program. Whilst the tourist department said that they had been
called yesterday but had failed to show up on time. Main Office DSP
Rajbhaksh Singh, DPRO Shameem Akhtar and BDO Anil Kumar calmed matters
down after discussions with the monks.