tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78993011917077630782024-03-17T00:22:05.550+05:30Nālandā on the MoveDeepak Anandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14702525494865105362noreply@blogger.comBlogger169125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899301191707763078.post-47480991366428841392024-03-03T21:23:00.005+05:302024-03-05T09:15:34.961+05:30Commemorating the Mahāprajāpatī Gotamī Therī Parinibbāna DayOur sincere thanks to Nava Nalanda Mahavihara, Deemed University, Nalanda for conceiving the commemoration of Parinibbāna of Mahāprajāpatī Gotamī (MPG) in the very locality where MPG attained Parinibbāna. As per the Buddhist texts, Mahātherī Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī along with courageous 500 Shākyan Therīs entered Parinibbāna in Vaishalī. According to 7th CE monk scholar Xuanzang the vicinity ofDeepak Anandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14702525494865105362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899301191707763078.post-5914014816188300042023-12-04T11:12:00.007+05:302023-12-04T11:13:45.284+05:30 Ven. Seck Kai Li Mahathero Pilgrimage to the Ancient KuruAs per Xuanzang, the present-day Sugh in Haryana was intimately associated with the sublime wandering of the Buddha (i.e. the Buddhacarika). Xuanzang saw an Ashokan stupa to mark the visit of the Buddha in Sugh. Sugh and its surroundings consisting of sacred Buddhist sites of the Ashokan Pillar site of Topra Kalan, Ashokan Stupa of Chaneti and the monastic site of Adi Badri represent the ancient Deepak Anandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14702525494865105362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899301191707763078.post-47926832536636571842023-09-09T11:58:00.000+05:302023-09-09T11:58:03.364+05:30Buddhacārikā a Living Heritage and Shechen Tennyi Dargyeling Monastery, KathmanduI had an opportunity to give a talk on the Buddhacārikā (Sublime Wandering of the Buddha) to the Venerable Saṇgha of Shechen Tennyi Dargyeling Monastery (more commonly called Shechen Institute/Monastery), Kathmandu. The idea behind the PowerPoint presentation was to share the present understanding of the Sublime wanderings of the Buddha with the Venerable Saṇgha of Shechen Temple. The Deepak Anandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14702525494865105362noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899301191707763078.post-17566519560651570942023-07-22T09:12:00.000+05:302023-07-22T09:12:15.787+05:30Buddhacārikā a Living Heritage: A Stakeholders MeetNava Nalanda Mahavihara (Deemed to be University) organized a One-Day conference titled, ‘Buddhacārikā a Living Heritage: A Stakeholders Meet’ in Nalanda on the 15th July 2023. The focus of this first-of-its-kind conference was to discuss revitalisation of the very significant ‘sublime wanderings of the Buddha’. The conference saw more than 70 stakeholders coming together for the first time to Deepak Anandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14702525494865105362noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899301191707763078.post-48953100951633835782023-04-01T18:11:00.005+05:302023-04-01T18:11:55.032+05:30Revisiting Sugh with Ven. Khen Rinpoche Sonam Gyatso In February 2020, on my foot journey following Xuanzang, I visited Ms Valveri Hara who lives near the remains of the ancient city of Shrugna (now Sugh). The house of Ms Hara is built over an ancient mound, most likely the Ashokan Stupa to mark the place where the Buddha gave sermons as mentioned by Xuanzang. One can visit the story on my blog here. Lost Ashokan Stūpa of Śhrugna (now Sugh)OnDeepak Anandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14702525494865105362noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899301191707763078.post-89140545465777557522023-02-23T20:02:00.007+05:302023-02-27T15:20:28.601+05:30The Brahmayoni Stupa is Calling!The Brahmayoni Stupa is Calling! Pic: Vikash Kumar.According to all the ancient Buddhist literature the Buddha delivered the Adittapariyaya Sutta (the Fire Sermon) to the Jatila brothers, Uruvela, Nadi and Gaya Kassapa here at the Gayasisha Hill. Gayasisha Hill is also known as the Brahmayoni Hill and is situated in Gaya, 12 kms north of Bodhgaya. According to 7th CE Buddhist monk-scholar Deepak Anandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14702525494865105362noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899301191707763078.post-16505161440640909742021-09-14T10:10:00.002+05:302021-09-14T11:24:59.259+05:30Prayers offered at Ratnāgiri Rock Garden siteVenerable Sangha chanting sacred suttas and offering prayers at Ratnāgiri Rock Garden site.Venerable Bhikkhu Sangha led by Ven. Pragyadeep Bhante, President, All India Bhikkhu Sangha, Ven. Tenzin Ananda, President, Asian Buddhist Cultural Centre), Ven. Kashyapa Bhante, President, Mahabodhi Society of India, Bangalore performed special prayers at Ratnāgiri Rock Garden site on 11th September 2021.&Deepak Anandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14702525494865105362noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899301191707763078.post-61610425318485966792019-07-04T13:01:00.000+05:302019-07-04T13:22:04.226+05:30Veshākha Pūrṇimā 2019- Revitalisation of the Sacred Landscape of Uruvelā
We are aware that
Veshākha Pūrṇimā has a special significance in the life of the Buddha. Buddhists celebrate the three most important life
stages of Buddha on Vesak Pūrṇimā: Birth at Lumbini, Enlightenment at Uruvelā (Bodhgaya) and
Mahāparinirvāṇa
(great demise) at Kushinara.
This year’s celebration
of Buddha Pūrṇimā is very special to me. Because I was part of a team which
facilitated Deepak Anandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14702525494865105362noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899301191707763078.post-54766672477171657562019-01-10T09:59:00.000+05:302019-01-10T09:59:01.054+05:305th International Dhamma Walk from Jeṭhian to Rājgir and Saṇghadāna
Nava Nalanda Mahavihara (Deemed University),
Nalanda in Collaboration with the Light of the Buddha Dhamma Foundation International (LBDFI)
organized 5th Dhamma Walk from Jeṭhian to Rājgir
on 13th December, 2018. Objective of the Dhamma Walk was to facilitate
awareness generation towards the 15km Jeṭhian - Rājgir Buddha
trail. More than 2000 Venerable monks, nunsDeepak Anandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14702525494865105362noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899301191707763078.post-22641692537053506432018-12-10T21:48:00.001+05:302018-12-10T21:48:13.105+05:30Reviving the Dhammayātrā- A Beginning in 2018
I
had privilege to be a part of the third annual Dhammayātrā of the
International Saṅgha of the LBDFI (Light of the Buddha Dhamma Foundation
International).
As all of us know, Buddhism was lost from the Indian
subcontinent in the beginning of 1st millennia.
Translation of ancient Buddhist texts - kept in monasteries of
Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Deepak Anandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14702525494865105362noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899301191707763078.post-58612010944762287472018-05-07T13:35:00.000+05:302018-05-14T16:55:53.561+05:30Theft of Surya sculpture from Tapovana
Surya Sculpture, 2007
Dr Arun Kumar, Assistant Professor at Nava Nalanda Mahavihara,
Nalanda on his visit to Tapovana in February, 2018 noticed a vandalised shelf
inside Tapovan Temple complex which had housed ancient sculptures. According to
the priest of the temple, an ancient image of Surya (Sun God) was plastered into the
shelf, which has got stolen in the last few years. The Deepak Anandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14702525494865105362noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899301191707763078.post-28579013915426646392018-04-16T16:41:00.000+05:302018-04-16T16:41:57.364+05:30Ancient mound at Beswak protected through local community efforts
Boundary wall around the ancient mound, Beswak
There is some good news from village
Beswak in Nalanda district. With the efforts of Shri Dinanand Pandey, an
ancient mound in Beswak has now been protected by constructing a boundary wall
around the mound. In the Magadha region of Bihar, there are hundreds of
villages that are settled over ancient remains. Beswak is one such village. Deepak Anandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14702525494865105362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899301191707763078.post-41663066321269175222018-01-11T10:57:00.001+05:302018-01-11T12:04:54.453+05:30Celebrating the 4th Year of the Dhamma Walk and the 3rd Saṅghadāna at Jeṭhian
Buddhist literatures
indicate that in ancient times, the sites associated with the life of Buddha
were linked through well developed routes which were used by devotees to reach
these sacred sites and offer prayers, perform specific rituals and recite
sūtras. In other words, devotees undertook pilgrimages to sacred sites to walk
in the footsteps of the Buddha and have a spiritual experience. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899301191707763078.post-61289671329545499002018-01-05T18:08:00.000+05:302018-01-08T14:23:05.881+05:30The Starting of a Journey to Rediscover the Roots of Mahāyanā Sūtras: The first ever Mahāyāna Chanting Ceremony held in Rājgir
Chinese Master of the Boshan Zhengjue Monastery leading the prayers at Griddhakūṭa
In ancient times, chanting of sūtras delivered by the Buddha constituted the core activity of the daily life of Buddhist monks and nuns. Chanting was not only a means of recording and remembering the sacred words of the Buddha, it was also a way of fostering unity and brotherhood Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899301191707763078.post-68033360348736727352017-11-07T11:38:00.000+05:302017-11-07T11:49:51.110+05:30Chanting of Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta: Reverberation of the Dhamma in Kurū Land
International
Buddhist Confederation (IBC), the Light of the Buddha Dhamma Foundation International
(LBDFI) and School of Buddhist Studies and Civilisation, Gautama Buddha University
together organised a one-day chanting event on 5th November, 2017 at Gautama Buddha
University titled “Chanting of Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta (The Discourse on
the Foundations of Mindfulness)”. The event constituted ofDeepak Anandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14702525494865105362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899301191707763078.post-27126317811028791842017-10-01T08:29:00.002+05:302017-10-02T19:44:48.298+05:30Dev Nī Morī Relics: From Museum to its Find Spot
Dev Nī Morī Relic Casket
On 19 August 2017, I
had the opportunity of accompanying Ven. Lama Lobzang (Lama Ji), Secretary
General of International Buddhist Confederation (IBC), on a visit to the
ancient Buddhist site of Dev Nī Morī near Shamlaji in Gujarat. Archaeological
excavation in this scenic valley in 1962 had led to the discovery of body
relics of Buddha. Those relics are Deepak Anandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14702525494865105362noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899301191707763078.post-55575529984314947602017-05-23T12:41:00.000+05:302017-05-25T08:28:28.647+05:30Dhauli, Buddhaśarīra and Dhammaghoṣa
I got
a wonderful opportunity to participate in an early morning chanting of the
Buddhist sūtras and offering of prayers at the Aśokan Rock Edicts site of
Dhauli. Dhauli Hills are located on the banks of the river Dayā, 8 km south of Bhubaneswar (capital of Odhisa). The event was organized
by Department of Tourism, Government of Odhisa on 12th April, 2017. More Deepak Anandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14702525494865105362noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899301191707763078.post-45109964429406353512017-02-15T16:17:00.000+05:302017-03-04T07:58:15.009+05:30The case of missing 'Tetrāwan Avalokiteśwara'
Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara in the temple shelf before the theft
An ancient sculpture of Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara in the form of Jaṭāmukuṭa Lokeśwara was stolen from a community temple in Tetrāwan (Nalanda District) on 26th January, 2013. The sculpture is 24 inches (2ft) long and 13 inches wide. Generally, such theft of ancient sculptures from villages in Bihar goes Deepak Anandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14702525494865105362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899301191707763078.post-52500372974335133122017-02-02T11:45:00.001+05:302017-02-02T11:45:30.065+05:30Stolen 'Lohajarā Buddha' restored to villagers
Shri Rajesh Pande (Right) with the Buddha Statue.
The
Buddha statue (9th-10th CE) that was stolen from Lohajarā village (Wazirganj block in Gaya
district) in 2014 was brought back to its findspot finally on 30th January
2017. The statue was recovered from a house in Sithaurā village in Nalanda
district in August 2016 by the Nalanda police.
People of Lohajarā had very little Deepak Anandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14702525494865105362noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899301191707763078.post-27649352556533821122016-11-15T17:19:00.001+05:302016-11-19T11:59:33.442+05:307th Sāriputta World Peace Walk
International
Buddhist Confederation (IBC)
with support of Nava Nalanda Mahavihara (Deemed University), Nalanda and Bodhgaya Temple Management Committee (BTMC) successfully organized 7th Sāriputta
World Peace Walk at the base of Giriyak Hill, Rajgir on 14th November,
2016. Venerable Bhikkhu Saṅgha,
important dignitaries, community of Nalanda Deepak Anandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14702525494865105362noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899301191707763078.post-17130408599111267712016-09-09T14:23:00.001+05:302016-09-12T09:02:03.600+05:30Search for Sarsu Tārā Sculpture
A statue of the Buddhist deity Tārā (110 cm X 45 cm X 20 cm) was stolen
from village Sarsu (Gaya District, Bihar, India) in September 2007. The matter
was reported to the police but the sculpture could not be traced. It is almost
nine years since the statue was stolen and by now it must have reached some
museum in Asia, Europe or USA. Due to lack of awareness the matter was not
reported at Deepak Anandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14702525494865105362noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899301191707763078.post-18860343818904549402016-09-08T16:01:00.001+05:302016-09-08T18:13:20.170+05:30Recovery of stolen 'Lohajarā Buddha' Sculpture
It is wonderful to know that the 4ft statue of Buddha (9-10th CE)
stolen from Lohajarā village (Gaya District) on 02/07/2014 has been recovered
from Sithaurā village (Nalanda District) on 20/08/2016.
In a span of six months in 2014, two statues of Buddha were stolen
in Gaya district. First from the village of Maher (Maher Buddha) and the second
from the village of Lohajarā (Lohajarā Deepak Anandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14702525494865105362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899301191707763078.post-63247021649072986762016-07-11T10:49:00.000+05:302016-08-09T03:38:58.616+05:30Learning and Growing with Dr. Ravindra Panth
After
serving as the Director of Nava Nalanda Mahavihara (Deemed University, NNM) for
16 long and fruitful years, Dr. Ravindra Panth retired on 31st May
2016. Among his many contributions as the Director of Nava Nalanda Mahavihara,
I would like to mention a few initiatives made by Dr. Panth of which,
fortunately, I was also a part.
Dr. Panth took over as the Director of Nava Nalanda Deepak Anandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14702525494865105362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899301191707763078.post-40978040225874463782016-07-01T11:04:00.001+05:302016-08-09T03:39:31.287+05:30Legacy of 7th CE Monk Scholar Xuanzang on Google Cultural Institute (GCI)
Xuanzang Memorial (XM) was conceived in 1957 with the dual objective of commemorating
the visit of 7th CE Chinese monk-scholar Xuanzang to ancient Nālandā University and establishing a research institute to research and promote the
works of Xuanzang. Nava Nalanda Mahavihara (Deemed University, NNM) was established in 1951 with a
view to revive the cultural tradition of ancient Nālandā Deepak Anandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14702525494865105362noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7899301191707763078.post-80668689751851064652016-03-26T17:10:00.000+05:302016-06-15T22:01:49.048+05:301352nd Nirvana Anniversary of Master Xuanzang
Nava Nalanda Mahavihara (NNM) celebrated 1352nd Nirvana Anniversary of 7th CE Chinese monk-scholar Xuanzang. Master Ji Jing and his 300 disciples participated in the event.
Ven. Ji Jing and his followers arrives at the Xuanzang Memoria, Nalanda
At the World Peace Bell Pavilion
Ven. Ji Jing giving the keynote address.
Dr. R. Panth, Director, Nava Nalanda Deepak Anandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14702525494865105362noreply@blogger.com3