 | This article needs additional citations for verification .(December 2012) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) |
Barua Buddhists come from the small Barua community of Bengali-speaking Theravada Buddhists native to Tripura in north-east India. [1] Barua Buddhist institutes have been established in India and Bangladesh.
The World Fellowship of Buddhists (WFB) is an international Buddhist organization. Initiated by Gunapala Piyasena Malalasekera, it was founded in 1950 in Colombo, Ceylon, by representatives from 27 nations. Although Theravada Buddhists are most influential in the organization,, members of all Buddhist schools are active in the WFB. It now has regional centers in 35 countries, including India, the United States, Australia, and several nations of Africa and Europe, in addition to traditional Buddhist countries.
The Maha Bodhi Society is a South Asian Buddhist society founded by the Sri Lankan Buddhist leader Anagarika Dharmapala and the British journalist and poet Sir Edwin Arnold. The organization's self-stated initial efforts were for the resuscitation of Buddhism in India, and restoring the ancient Buddhist shrines at Bodh Gaya, Sarnath and Kushinara.
It is said that Buddha once in his life came to this region of East Bengal to spread his teachings and he was successful in converting the local people to Buddhism. Buddhism is now the third largest religion in Bangladesh with about 2% of population adhering to Theravada Buddhism. Over 65% of the Buddhist population is concentrated in the Chittagong Hill Tracts region, where it is the predominant faith of the Chakma, Marma, Tanchangya, other Jumma people and the Barua. The remaining 35% are from the Bengali Buddhist community. Buddhist communities are present in the urban centers of Bangladesh, particularly Chittagong and Dhaka.
The Barua are a distinct Bengali-speaking indigenous tribal ethnic group native to Chittagong Division in Bangladesh, Rakhine State in Myanmar, where they are known as the Maramagyi or Maramagri, and parts of Tripura in northeast India. According to Arakanese chronology, the Barua Buddhists are the ancient peoples of Bangladesh who have lived there for five thousand years. They are commonly identified by their last name, "Barua". In Myanmar, the Barua are classified as one of the seven groups that make up the Rakhine nation.
Prajnalok Mahasthavir (1879–1971) was a scholar, writer and orator of Pali and a preacher, educationist and writer of Buddhism.
Benimadhab Barua was a Bengali Indian scholar of ancient Indian languages, Buddhism and law. He was a prominent educationist and writer.
Rajguru Aggavamsa Mahathera-𑄢𑄎𑄴𑄉𑄪𑄢𑄪 𑄃𑄉𑄳𑄉𑄤𑄁𑄥 𑄟𑄦𑄗𑄬𑄢 was one of the delegates from Bangladesh) in the Sixth Buddhist council held in Yangon, Burma in 1956.
Sayadaw U Rewata Dhamma was a prominent Theravada Buddhist monk and noted Abhidhamma scholar from Myanmar (Burma). After pursuing an academic career in India for most of two decades, he accepted an invitation to head a Buddhist centre in Birmingham UK, and over the next three decades gained an international reputation as a teacher of meditation and an advocate of peace and reconciliation.
Bhante Kumar Kashyap Mahasthavir was a Nepalese Buddhist monk who was awarded the title of Tripitakacharya.
Pragyananda Mahasthavir was a Nepalese Buddhist monk who was one of the leaders of the revival of Theravada Buddhism in Nepal. In 1930, he became the first monk wearing yellow robes to be seen in Kathmandu since the 14th century.
Karmayogi Ven. Kripasaran was a 19th and 20th century Bengali Buddhist monk and Indian yogi. His life has significance as the main figure responsible to bring together the Buddhists living scattered in West Bengal and the northeastern part of India. Kripasaran led a renaissance of Buddhist thought and culture in nineteenth century India.
Barua Buddhist monks are monks from the Barua community in Bangladesh. Since ancient times, they have guided the Barua community on Buddhist philosophy. They practice their Buddhist faith in the Chittagong Hill Tracts and surrounding areas. Their valuable contributions are respected by all Baruas.
Rai Bahadur Surya Kumar Bhuyan MBE (1894–1964) was a writer, historian, and a poet from Assam. He presided over the Asam Sahitya Sabha (1953) held at Shillong. He was the elected member of Rajya Sabha during 1952–53, and was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India in 1956.
Nagen Saikia is an Indian writer. He was formerly a professor of Dibrugarh University. Saikia had also been a member of the Rajya Sabha from 1986-1992 and was the vice-chairman of the Upper House from 1990-1992. Saikia started his career as a teacher and went on to serve in different reputed institutions in various categories. He also delivered lectures on various topics about Assamese literature, including in the US and England. He has published numerous literary essays, short stories, novels, books and articles, to his credit. Saikia was conferred with the Sahitya Akademi award in 1997 for his short stories collection Andharat Nizar Mukh and was honoured by the Mohan Chandra Sahitya Sabha in 1980 for Chinta aru Charcha. He was conferred the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship, the highest honour conferred by the Sahitya Akademi on the most distinguished Indian writers.
Jorhat is a city and one of the important urban centres in the state of Assam in India.
Prajnananda Mahathera is a socially engaged Buddhist monk in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) of Bangladesh.
Buddha Vihara is a Buddhist temple and spiritual center in Gulbarga, Karnataka, India.
Bangladesh Bauddha Kristi Prachar Sangha is a political and social organization that works for the welfare of the Buddhist community of Bangladesh.
Bishuddhananda Mahathera was a Bangladeshi Buddhist monk and scholar.