Pradnya Jadhav
Global Buddhist Congregation, 2019 is a Mega-Conference with the noble motive of spreading the teachings of the Lord Buddha on mindfulness, compassion and peace. It is being organised under the guidance of All India Bhikkhu Sangha, in the historical city of Aurangabad, Maharashtra. And it is being blessed by the auspicious presence of His Holiness The Dalai Lama and Most Ven. Dr Warakagoda Dhammasiddhi Sri Pagnananda Gnanarathanabidhana Mahanayaka Thero of Sri Lanka and very senior monks from India and other countries.
Aurangabad is a historical city well known for the ancient Buddhist caves around it, including world famous Ajanta and Ellora Caves. Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar established many educational institutions through the People’s Education Society in Aurangabad to uplift the masses from the marginalisation historically imposed on them. His benchmarking efforts as an institution builder gave an opportunity for millions of the oppressed to avail rightful education and a life of dignity. Many people from across the country came to study in the educational institutions started by Dr Ambedkar, in the Nagsenwana campus.
To break free from the shackles of caste, Dr Ambedkar, along with lakhs of followers embraced Buddhism on 14th October 1956, at Deekshabhumi in Nagpur. He revived Buddhism in India. This Buddhist Congregation is part of the several momentous attempts to keep the wheel of Dhamma in motion.
This Buddhist congregation is being organised in the historic Campus of Nagsenwana where Dr Ambedkar sowed the seeds of revolution.
India is famously known as the land of the Buddha, the enlightened one. It was in Bodhgaya, 2500 years ago, that the Buddha attained enlightenment and found a way for cessation of suffering in the world. Throughout the rest of his life, he explained through his teachings, the path to salvation, to end suffering. In the era of Emperor Ashoka, the spread of Buddhism gained momentum, expanding to many countries. However, it traversed through the phases of rise and fall in later years. It was declining in India, the land of its very origin until Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar rejuvenated it.
Many senior venerable Monks and Upasakas have now come forward to revive and restrengthen Buddhism in India.
A new beginning has been made by constructing a Lokuttara Mahavihara Bhikkhu Training Centre (Lokuttaramahavihara.org) at Chauka, Ajanta Caves Road, Aurangabad, last year mainly because of the donation from Upasika, Ms Rojana Vanich Kamble from Thailand and with support from Dr Harshadeep Kamble, who is a senior bureaucrat from Mumbai.
The organisation of this Global Buddhist Congregation in Aurangabad is a major step in the coordination of efforts towards the goal of the revival of Buddhism and the Buddhist way of life in India.
We request you to kindly join this noble cause, by attending this Buddhist Congregation, starting from 22nd November 2019 till 24th November 2019, at Sports Stadium of Milind College of People’s Education Society, Nagsenvan, Aurangabad.
~ GBC Team
http://www.gbcindia2019.in/gbc2019.php
https://www.facebook.com/GBCAURANGABAD2019/videos/1680858965372437/
Pradnya Jadhav is the editor of Bhimachya Lekhanya and a doctoral student at JNU.
