Buddhist Education in Bangladesh - a seminar presentation (2014)

Eastern Horizon , 2023

EASTERN HORIZON is a publication of the Young Buddhist Association of Malaysia (YBAM). A non-profit making project, this journal is non-sectarian in its views and approach. We aim to inspire, stimulate and share. The opinions expressed in EASTERN HORIZON are those of the authors and in no way represent those of the editor or YBAM. Although every care is taken with advertising matter, no responsibility can be accepted for the organizations, products, services, and other matter advertised. We welcome constructive ideas, invite fresh perspectives and accept comments.

Journal of Pali and Buddhist Studies

Modes ef Existence ofBuddhist Monasteries in Bangladesh 17 3. Introduction ofChittagong Geographically Chittagong is a district mixed with plain and hilly areas. Its location is in the south of the Himalayas and the Bay of Bengal is just adjacent to the west. Its land is made with the lower space and clay than that of the side covered by several areas of Tripura, Assam and Myanmar. Administratively, Chittagong is now one of the important Division of Bangladesh. This Division consists of fifteen district.(7} Among these districts, the district in between the Cox's Bazar and Feni District is named as Chittagong district. My topic relating the monastery is also located in Raozan Police Station under Chittagong District.

2019

KIaratoya, Journal of the History Department, University of North Bengal, 2017

In the ancient period Bengal used to be a seat of Buddhism. The archaeological ruins and the accounts of the foreign travelers bear testimony to the expansion and richness of this heritage in ancient Bengal. Yet it was not before long that the religion degenerated and became almost extinct. There was hardly any trace of Buddhist practices and heritage in the medieval period when Bengal was ruled by Muslim rulers. There has been a revival and resurgence of Buddhism in modern period almost all over India and it has found its reflection in Bengal as well. The Buddhists of Bengal are few in number yet the Buddhism they practice is not uniform and represent both the Hinayana and Mahayana schools of thought. Northern Buddhism as it had developed in Tibet is followed by the Tibeto Mongoloid population of Darjeeling, the northern district of Bengal . Even though Bengal had connections with Tibet in the ancient period, the Tibetan Mahayana Buddhism that the people of the this region practice was introduced from Tibet itself in the early modern period through certain particular groups of people who migrated either from Tibet or the other two Himalayan kingdoms of Bhutan and Sikkim. In contrast, the Bengalis who practice this religion in the plains of Bengal are almost universally Baruas who claim to be the original descendants of the ancient Buddhists of India. Existence of these different schools are the legacy of the different phases of history of the region and that of the religion itself. The variations in rituals and practices add to the cultural diversity of the state and highlight the different shades in the practice of the religion itself. ‘Buddhism’ survives in Bengal in another form. Buddha’s philosophy has stirred and inspired the psyche of the Bengali intellectuals irrespective of the religion they actually professed. Even this has been possible due to some historical developments in the colonial period. Interest in ‘Buddhism’ has unleashed a plethora of literature on life and message of Buddha . Foremost among those writers was Rabindranath Tagore .. There may not be many practicing Buddhists in modern Bengal but there is a deep rooted respect for “Buddhism” in Bengali psyche- not for any particular sect or school of the religion but for what Buddhadeva had originally preached and proved with his life.

Preamble The Most Venerable Mahasanghhanayaka Visuddhananda Mahathera is a legendary and outstanding personality in the cultural, spiritual, socio-religious field of world community. His immense contribution and versatile leadership influenced the status of Buddhist Community in the second half of twentieth century in Bangladesh. His sacrifice, patriotism, colorful development activities, loving kindness, Sympathetic joy (Mudita) and accountability to his organization, for man and mother land created an environment by making an enlightenment Buddhist society in this 21 st century specially in the capital of Dhaka. Background in Bangladesh:

SMARATUNGGA: JURNAL OF EDUCATION AND BUDDHIST STUDIES

Since the inception of Buddhism, the people of Bengal have maintained a very close relationship with Buddhist ideologies. In fact, Bengal appeared as a dominant center of Buddhist culture in the early medieval period (sixth to twelfth century CE) both for its institutional flavour as well as for state- sponsorship. However, with the fall of royal patronage and the conversion of the Buddhists to other religious faiths, Buddhism gradually lost its prominence in Bengal. It was during the colonial period (1757 to 1947 CE), Buddhism again started reviving in different corners of Bengal principally in the early twentieth century. However, the ‘Partition of Bengal Province (in 1947) appeared as a serious setback for the fate of Buddhism in this region. The East Bengali Buddhists had started a new episode of the struggle for survival in India more precisely in West Bengal as ‘refugees’ or as ‘asylum seekers. After their migration to West Bengal, the Bengali-speaking Buddhists have aspired t...

Buddhist Door Global, 2025

✨Rajban Bihar has been a famous monastery in Bangladesh since the 1970s. Notable for its unique aesthetic and rich heritage, its resident monastics have been devoted to spreading the teachings of the Three Treasures for decades. Rajban Bihar is located on the bank of Kaptai Lake in the district of Rangamati, which is in turn located in the Chattogram Hill Tracts. Rajban Bihar became renowned after Sādhanānanda Mahāsthabir (1920–2012), also called Bana Bhante, led a historic robe-offering ceremony (Kaṭhinchibar Dāna) at the monastery in 1974. Rajban Bihar is deeply connected with the legacy of Bana Bhante. This beloved monk moved to Rajban Bihar permanently and became its abbot in 1977. The memory of Bana Bhante continues to guide his students’ work among Buddhist communities in modern Bangladesh. ✍️My recent article, entitled: "The Legacy of Bana Bhante at the Monastery of Rajban Bihar in Rangamati, Bangladesh", reveals the legacy of Sādhanānanda Mahāsthabir Bana Bhante (1920–2012) in highlighting an auspicious monastery, the Rajban Bihar of Rangamati, Bangladesh. This piece of work has been published in BDG: Buddhistdoor Global . Here is the link to read this article: https://www.buddhistdoor.net/features/the-legacy-of-bana-bhante-at-the-monastery-of-rajban-bihar-in-rangamati-bangladesh/

Springer International Publishing eBooks, 2022

This entry considers Dhaka's literary culture in the context of the history of urbanization in the multiethnic, multicultural region that constitutes present-day Bangladesh. Various phases of development are covered, from prehistory onwards. Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, and various local cults flourished before Islam became the dominant religion. In ancient times, the region was incorporated into the Mauryan and Gupta empires, which used the Prakrit and Sanskrit languages. So did the Pala, Sena, and Chandra dynasties, which also witnessed the growth of early Bengali. The Bengal Sultanate introduced Persian as state language while patronizing writers in Bengali, which became one of the important new vernaculars. The Mughals extended their power into southeastern Bengal and introduced aspects of their imperial culture, particularly in Dhaka, their provincial capital. British rule brought Western modernity through English education while enforcing drastic changes in the economy. Violence and demographic dislocation attended the partition of the subcontinent. Subsequently, simmering discontent due to economic and cultural reasons culminated in a military crackdown and a war of independence that brought into being the People's Republic of Bangladesh. Almost entirely Bengali speaking, it has a thriving literature in the language, alongside some writing in English and minority languages.

International Library Review, 1984

Bangladesh is an old country with a new name. In 1947, at the time of partition1 of India the eastern part of Bengal province with Sylhet district of Assam province became East Pakistan. Twenty-four years later, on 16 December 1971 she took the name Bangladesh as an independent and sovereign state, after a nine-month war of separation with Pakistan from 26 March to 15 December 1971 .2 Bangladesh, with an area of only 55 598 square miles, is located between 24.34"North latitude and between 88.81" and 92.41" East longitude. She is bounded by the Indian states (north, west and east), Burma (south-east) and the Bay ofBengal (south). The total population of the country according to a current estimate is 85.6 million. The density ofthe population is about 1540 per square mile. The population is increasing at an alarming rate of 2.5% per annum and the total is likely to reach 126.5 million in the year 2000.3 Bangladesh enjoys a typical monsoon climate. Much of the land of this country is low-lying plains. They are watered by a five-river system and are subject to catastrophic floods. Ethnically Bangladesh is said to be a melting pot of many races. Bengalis are not homogenous in their origins. They are a mixture of Aryan, Dravidian, Mongolian, Arabian and Turkish bloods. More than 80% of the population are Muslim. The remaining are Hindus, Buddhists and Christians. The national and official language of Bangladesh is Bengali. Almost 100% of the people ofthis country speak Bengali. Although immediately

Bangladesh is a new name for an old land whose history is little known to the wider world. A country chiefly famous in the West for media images of poverty, underdevelopment, and natural disasters, Bangladesh did not exist as an independent state until 1971. Willem van Schendel's history reveals the country's vibrant, colourful past and its diverse culture as it navigates the extraordinary twists and turns that have created modern Bangladesh. The story begins with the early geological history of the delta which has decisively shaped Bangladesh society. The narrative then moves chronologically through the era of colonial rule, the partition of Bengal, the war with Pakistan and the birth of Bangladesh as an independent state. In so doing, it reveals the forces that have made Bangladesh what it is today. This is an eloquent introduction to a fascinating country and its resilient and inventive people. Through the past to the present: a leading scholar traces Bengal's history to explain modern Bangladesh Includes aids for students such as a chronology, biographies of key political figures, a glossary and maps Features over 110 images that bring Bangladesh to life Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009.

History of Bangladesh: Early Bengal in Regional Perspectives up to c. 1200 CE, Vol. II, 2018