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Activities
The 4th International Conference of the WFB in Kathmandu, the capital town of Nepal The Nepalese Delegation led by Ven. Amritananda had returned from Rangoon(yangoon) with a very happy mind to report to the Dharmodaya Sabha that the request of the Dharmodaya Sabha to host the 4th International conference of the WFB to hold it's 4th International Conference of the WFB to hold it's 4th International Conference in Nepal.
To make preparation for hosting the 4th WFB International Conference The Dharmodaya Sabha had requested Late King Tribhuvan to be gracious enough to issue necessary order to His Majesty's Government for providing necessary held and assistance to the Dharmodaya Sabha for the international conference ever to be held in Nepal for the first time in Nepal. His Majesty's Government also was kind enough to provide India rupees 15000.00 and Nepalese rupees 15000.00 for meeting the cost of expenses of the conference. A liaison committee was formed with the representatives of both the Dharmodaya Sabha and his Majesty's government with Mr. Loke Darshan, the Principal private secretary of His Majesty King Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah Deva as the Chairman. In 1955 H.M. king Tribhuvan had passed away in nice in Switzerland during his tour of the European countries. Brisk preparations were going on as 4th International Conference was to be held in November 1956. All the regional centers of The World Fellowship of Buddhists numbering about 45 countries were invited to attend to conference as per advice of the Central Secretariat of the World Fellowship of Buddhists.
Thought it was a new experience for the Nepalese Buddhists in particular and Nepalese people in general the efficient leadership of Ven'ble Amritananda, the president, Vice Presidents poet Chittadhar Haridaya, Ven Aniruddha and Prof Asha Ram Shakya, newly elected Secretary General, Mr. Purna kaji Tamrakar, elected as the assistant secretary, along with other executive member of like Mr. Daya Bir Singh, Mr. Maniharsha Jyoti, Prof. Surya Bahadur Shakya and many other members of the Dharmodaya Sabha the conference was excellently conducted without any flaw. King Mahendra Bir Bikram Shaha Deva graciously inaugurated the Grand Opening Ceremony in the Tundikhel parade ground situated in the heart of Kathmandu city. The whole proceeding of the conference was conducted in Shitala Niwas the Government Guest House. All the delegates were lodge in Hotel Royal, Hotel Snowview and Hotel continental. The International Buddhist conference was attended by almost all the founding member of the WFB including Dr. Malalasekera, the Founder President of The World Fellowship of Buddhists of Sri Lanka, Mr. U Chantoon, the Secretary General of the WFB of Burma, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar of India, Mr. Chrismus Humohris of England, Mr Chau Pu, the President of The peoples' Republic of China and many other prominent Buddhist monk like Bhadanta Ananda Kausallyana and many prominent Buddhist monk from Japan, Singapore, Mongolia, France, Germany, Switzerland, Penang, Singapore, Indonesia, United States of America and many other countries of the world. In this historic conference held in Nepal, the Land of the Buddhist including Lord Shakya Muni Buddha who was born in Lumbini in the western terai region of Nepal the historic decision was made to provide necessary assistance to His Majesty's Government in it's effort to develop Lumbini.
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The concluding session was held on the Gallery Hall in the Singha Durbar Premises H.M. King Mahendra was gracious to preside over the concluding session of this historic Buddhist Conference. Late Dr. B. R. Ambedkar had delivered a special talk on Buddhism and Communism, perhaps his last public speech dealing with the problems crested by Communism and the Buddhist way to solve them. His Majesty King Mahendra had expressed his hop that the problem appearing in the world will be solved the teachings of the Buddha.
His Majesty King Mahendra and Her Majesty Queen Ratna Rajya Luxmi Devi Shah was also gracious enough to present to the participating delegate Buddha figures to the lay delegates and the figure of Tara to the women delegates before bedding farewell to the delegates.
As per the decision of the conference to assist in the development of Lumbini, the sacred birthplace of Lord Buddha Prof. Asha Ram Shakys had taken all the delegates to Lumbini to give them an opportunity to pay their homage to sacred of Lord Buddha. Those days it was very difficult to go to Lumbini, as there were no good roads to go to Lumbini.
The concept of the development of the Lumbini Developed as the out of the 4th International of the WFB
After the request of the Dharmodaya Sabha to host the 4th Conference of the Dharmodaya Sabha was unanimously accepted by 3rd International Conference of the World fellowship of Buddhists. The Dharmodaya Sabha reconstituted The Lumbini Dharmodaya Committee to construct a Buddhist Monastery in Lumbini. The committee was to be chaired by the Governor of the Rupandehi district. The member were Ven Dhammaloka, Ven Mahanama, Mr. Mani harsha Jyoti as the treasurer and Prof. Asha Ram Shakya as the secretary to manage the farewell ceremony of the all the delegate to the 4th International Conference of the Buddhists.
The Lumbini Dharmodaya committee requested H.M. King Mahendra to construct a Buddhist Monastery in Lumbini and a request of providing 25 biggest as of land in and around the Maya Devi temple with nativity stone sculpture of queen Maya Devi delivering Prince Siddhartha. H. M. king Mahendra was gracious enough to order the government to provide necessary men, money and land. Late Mr. Ganesh Man Singh, the famous Nepali Congress Revolutionary lead and the then Minister of transport, and communication was compassionate enough to provide the 25 bighas of land along with power to Lumbini Dharmodaya committee to look after the Maya Devi Temple. The most Archeologically important Ashoka Pillar standing by the side of the Buddha's nativity temple as the sentinel to tell the visitors that here verily was the Buddha born. Emperor Ashok had set up the stone pillar with it's most history stone inscription telling very clearly that the Prince of Peace Buddha Shakya Muni was born here. He had visited Lumbini to pay homage to lord Buddha on the auspicious occasion of his 20th anniversary of his ascending the throne of India besides, the Lumbini Dharmodaya Committee constructed guest house too to facilitate the pilgrims to stay over night in Lumbini, which at that time was lying, neglected and isolated with no good roads to approach it.
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In 1967 late U.Thant, the secretary general of the U.N. visited Lumbini and he was very sorry for the state of Lumbini lying in the wild state. Prof. Asha Ram Shakya had briefed him about the need to develop Lumbini when he was briefing him during his visit to Swayambhu Maha Chaitya which reminded him of the great Swedagon Pagoda in Rangoon, After seeing H.M. king Mahendra who was also doing his best to develop Lumbini Prof. U.Thant said that the UN would be doing his best possible for the development of Lumbini. The result was that the unformed a UN Lumbini development committee to provide the best possible assistancetechnical and financial for the development of Lumbini. The result was that in 1978 Prof. Tange of Japan prepared the Master Plan fof the development of Lumbini and presented to His Majesty's government of Nepal. The development of Lumbini has been going on with faltered steps because of politicization of the formation of Lumbini by the political parties in power in stead of strictly maintaining the starts of the autonomous given to the Lumbini development trust as provided in the Lumbini development trust act 2042 B.S. Recently during the period of ten strenuous years Mr. Loke Darshan as the chairman of the Lumbini development committee could secure 11000 bighas of land beside giving a sacred shape to the Lumbini as the birth place of the Buddha by planting about 100,000 trees of different fruits and trees. Also he has been able to make all of best possible platform for the development of Lumbini. Later during the period of three years when Prof. Surya Bahadur Shakya was the vice chairman, Prof. Asha Ram Shakya was the member secretary and Mr. Mani Harsha Jyoti was the Hony. Treasurer agreement were signed with 19 Buddhist donor organizations of the world to construct their Buddhist monasteries zone as per provision laid down in the Lumbini trust act 2042 B.S. with facilities of tax exemptions in the construction materials and free multi entry visa for the foreign donor personnel engaged in the construction of their respective monasteries. Later when there was a change in the government the development process has not been able to proceed with meaningful development.
After the delegate were given hearty farewell the Dharmodaya Sabha on behalf of it to all the delegates of the 4th international conference of the WFB the attention of the Buddhist world was clearly attracted towards the development of Lumbini. Late U.Nu, the then Primeminister of Burma visited the sacred place of Lord Buddha's Birth and presented a Burmese Buddha figure made of white marble to the Lumbini Dharmodaya Committee to be enshrined in the newly constructed monastery.
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The Dharmodaya Sabha again hosted the 15th international conference of the WFB in 1986
In 1986 the Dharmodaya Sabha had the opportunity to host the 15th international conference of the WFB in Kathmandu. In that conference too the delegates had experienced the unforgettable experience the grand opening ceremony held in the national stadium of Nepal. His Majesty King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Deva was gracious to inaugurate the 16th WFB conference in Nepal in a very unique culture, religious, spiritual and universal brotherhood atmosphere. Dharmodaya Sabha wonderfully managed the conference in the premises of the Tribhuvan university premises. This conference too unanimously passed a resolution with a promised to whatever possible to for the development of Lumbini. In this conference too as in 1956 took a solemn pledge to help Lumbini.
List of Various National Buddhist Conferences organized by Dharmodaya Sabha.
| S.No |
Place |
Dist |
Date |
| 1st |
Anandakuti Vihar, Swayambhu |
Kathmandu |
B.S.2044 Paush 18 to 20 |
| 2nd |
Lumbini |
Rupandehi |
B.S.2046 Paush 12 to 14 |
| 3rd |
Dharan |
Sunsari |
B.S.2048 Paush 07 to 09 |
| 4th |
Taulihawa |
Kapilvastu |
B.S.2050 Paush 20 to 22 |
| 5th |
Pokhara |
Kaski |
B.S.2052 Paush 08 to 10 |
| 6th |
Dhangadhi |
Kailali |
B.S.2054 Paush 19 to 21 |
| 7th |
Narayangadh |
Chitawan |
B.S.2056 Magh 21 to 23 |
| 8th |
Kirtipur |
Kathmandu |
B.S.2059 Bhadra 14 |
| 9th |
Kirtipur |
Kathmandu |
B.S.2062 Bhadra 24 |
|