Search Buddhist Channel

Buddhists seek Dalai Lama help for Bihar temple control

IANS, Feb 7, 2007

Patna, India -- Buddhist monks, who have sought the Dalai Lama's intervention against non-Buddhist control of Bihar's Bodh Gaya temple management, are critical of his continuing silence on the issue.

Bhante Anand, the president of the Bodh Gaya Mahabodhi Vihar All India Action Committee, said Buddhists had been given little role in managing the temple's affairs since a 1949 act. Under the act, the management consists of eight members - four Buddhists and four Hindus. A Hindu was named the ex-officio chairman.

'We demand that the Dalai Lama end his total silence over the non-Buddhist control of the Mahabodhi temple and mobilise support for us to take control of the temple,' said Anand.

He said it was high time the Dalai Lama, being a Nobel laureate and a globally recognized leader, pressure the central and state governments to hand over the management of the temple to Buddhists.

Anand said the monks were shocked over the Dalai Lama's silence during his four-day stay in Bodh Gaya last week. 'We, the Indian Buddhists, have been agitating for Buddhist control for over a decade and will continue to agitate for control of the temple.

'But we wonder (about) the Dalai Lama's neutral stand on an issue directly related to the holiest Buddhist shrine in the world.'

The Dalai Lama should initiate negotiations with the central government on the 2,550-th birth anniversary of Gautam Buddha in Bodh Gaya, he said.

The monks have also asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, United Progressive Alliance chief Sonia Gandhi and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to amend the Mahabodhi Temple Management Act of 1949 for Buddhist control over the temple.

The temple, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in June 2002, attracts hundreds of tourists daily.

We Need Your Help to Train the
Buddhist AI Chat Bot NORBU!
(Neural Omniscient Robotic-Being for Buddhist Understanding)

For Malaysians who wants to donate in MYR, please use the following account:

Account Name: Bodhi Vision
Account No:. 2122 00000 44661
Bank: RHB
Note: Please indicate your name in the payment slip. Thank you.

Dear Friends in the Dharma,

We seek your generous support to help us train NORBU, the word's first Buddhist AI Chat Bot.

Here are some ways you can contribute to this noble cause:

One-time Donation or Loan: A single contribution, regardless of its size, will go a long way in helping us reach our goal and make the Buddhist LLM a beacon of wisdom for all.

How will your donation / loan be used? Download the NORBU White Paper for details.

For Malaysians who wants to donate in MYR, please use the following account:

Account Name: Bodhi Vision
Account No:. 2122 00000 44661
Bank: RHB
Note: Please indicate your purpose of payment (loan or donation) in the payment slip. Thank you.

Once payment is banked in, please send the payment slip via email to: editor@buddhistchannel.tv. Your donation/loan will be published and publicly acknowledged on the Buddhist Channel.

Spread the Word: Share this initiative with your friends, family and fellow Dharma enthusiasts. Join "Friends of Norbu" at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/norbuchatbot. Together, we can build a stronger community and create a positive impact on a global scale.

Volunteer: If you possess expertise in AI, natural language processing, Dharma knowledge in terms of Buddhist sutras in various languages or related fields, and wish to lend your skills, please contact us. Your knowledge and passion could be invaluable to our project's success.

Your support is part of a collective effort to preserve and disseminate the profound teachings of Buddhism. By contributing to the NORBU, you become a "virtual Bodhisattva" to make Buddhist wisdom more accessible to seekers worldwide.

Thank you for helping to make NORBU a wise and compassionate Buddhist Chatbot!

May you be blessed with inner peace and wisdom,

With deepest gratitude,

Kooi F. Lim
On behalf of The Buddhist Channel Team

Note: To date, we have received the following contributions for NORBU:
US$ 75 from Gary Gach (Loan)
US$ 50 from Chong Sim Keong
MYR 300 from Wilson Tee
MYR 500 from Lim Yan Pok
MYR 50 from Oon Yeoh
MYR 200 from Ooi Poh Tin
MYR 300 from Lai Swee Pin
MYR 100 from Ong Hooi Sian
MYR 1,000 from Fam Sin Nin
MYR 500 from Oh teik Bin
MYR 300 from Yeoh Ai Guat
MYR 300 from Yong Lily
MYR 50 from Bandar Utama Buddhist Society
MYR 1,000 from Chiam Swee Ann
MYR 1,000 from Lye Veei Chiew
MYR 1,000 from Por Yong Tong
MYR 80 from Lee Wai Yee
MYR 500 from Pek Chee Hen
MYR 300 from Hor Tuck Loon
MYR 1,000 from Wise Payments Malaysia Sdn Bhd
MYR 200 from Teo Yen Hua
MYR 500 from Ng Wee Keat
MYR 10,000 from Chang Quai Hung, Jackie (Loan)
MYR 10,000 from K. C. Lim & Agnes (Loan)
MYR 10,000 from Juin & Jooky Tan (Loan)
MYR 100 from Poh Boon Fong (on behalf of SXI Buddhist Students Society)
MYR 10,000 from Fam Shan-Shan (Loan)
MYR 10,000 from John Fam (Loan)
MYR 500 from Phang Cheng Kar
MYR 100 from Lee Suat Yee
MYR 500 from Teo Chwee Hoon (on behalf of Lai Siow Kee)
MYR 200 from Mak Yuen Chau

We express our deep gratitude for the support and generosity.

If you have any enquiries, please write to: editor@buddhistchannel.tv

TOP