Table Of ContentJOURNAL
OF
THE DEPARTMENT
OF
PALI
VOLUME : FOURTEEN, 2007
UNIVERSITY OF CALCUTTA
JOURNAL OF THE
DEPARTMENT OF PALI
Volume : XIV, 2007
Editor of this Volume
Bela Bhattacharya
UNIVERSITY OF CALCUTTA
Journal of the Department of Pali
© University of Calcutta
Published in India by the Registrar, University of Calcutta
87/1 College Street, Senate House, Kolkata 700 073
and Printed by Pradip Kumar Ghosh, Superintendent,
C.U. Press, 48, Hazra Road, Kolkata 700 019.
Price: 70.00
Reg. No. 2596B
Pandit Dharmadhar Mahasthavira,
Tipitaka Visarada & Winner of
Rastrapati’s Certificate of Honour
—...................................' .......................... ........ ............ -..................f!-------•"""-------'■~N
DEDICATED TO
LATE DHARMADHAR MAHASTHAVIRA
DEPARTMENT OF PALI
UNIVERSITY OF CALCUTTA
^ .......................................................... ............ .... .................
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EDITOR’S NOTE
We, the faculty members of the Department of Pali of the University .of Calcutta,
are very happy to publish this fourteenth volume of the Journal of the
Department of Pali, 2007. The present volume is dedicated to Late Pandit
Dharmadhar Mahasthavira, Tipitaka Visarada and recipient of Rastrapati’s
Certificate of Honour, Guest-lecturer Department of Pali, University of Calcutta,
In 22nd May, 2007, the teachers and the students of the Department of
Pali, observed of 2551st BUDDHA PURNIMA DAY, a day of triple important
events in the Buddha’s life, day of Birth, day of Enlightenment and the Demise.
In this connection, Pali Department, Calcutta University published a
Commemoration volume, ‘Haraprasad Smarane’ in memory of Late M.M.
Haraprasad Sastri. Prof. Asis Kumar Banerjee, Honourable Vice-Chancellor,
Calcutta University was the President of the Ceremony. Prof. Satyajit
Choudhury, Director, Bankim Bhavan Gavesnna Kendra, Naihati, graced the
ceremony as a chief-guest. Prof. Biswanath Baneijee, President, Asiatic Society,
Kolkata, graced the Ceremony as a guest of honour. Prof. Devaprasad Guha,
retired teacher of Rangoon University, enriched the ceremony as a guest of
honour. Prof. Arun Kumar Bandyopadhyay, Dean (Arts), Calcutta University,
graced the ceremony by his kind presence as a guest of honour. Prof. Binayendra
Nath Choudhury, Ex-Research Professor in Pali and Buddhism, The Asiatic
Society, Kolkata, Prof. Sukomal Choudhury, Ex-Principal, Govt. Sanskrit
College, Kolkata, Dr. Asha Das, Ex-Head, Department of Pali, Calcutta
University, had enriched the ceremony. In this connection many dignitaries were
present and the teachers of the Pali Department and the teachers of other
Departments also participated. Prof. Bela Bhattacharya, delivered welcome
address and Dr. Manikuntala Haidar (De) gave the vote of thanks.
This volume contains twenty valuable articles from eminent scholars both
in India and abroad. We take the opportunity here to offer our sincere thanks
and profound gratitude to our respected patrons for contributing their valuable
research papers which enriched the Journal with their scholarly approach on
different aspects of Pali and Indology and hope to receive their sympathetic
attitude in future.
Lastly, I would like to express my hearty gratitude to Prof. Asis Kumar
Banerjee, the then Vice-Chancellor, Calcutta University and Prof. Suranjan Das,
the then Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Calcutta University, for
their sincere help and encouragement. I further, express my hearty gratitude
to Prof. Tapan Kumar Mukherjee, Pro. Vice Chancellor for Business Affairs
and Finance, Calcutta University, for the financial assistance to publish this
volume in time and also convey my heartiest thanks to Mr. Pradip Kumar Ghosh,
Press Superintendent, Calcutta University for his untiring help in the publication
of this volume quickly.
Department of Pali Bela Bhattacharya
University of Calcutta
12.03.2008
CONTENTS
Nos. Pages
1. Most Venerable Sangharaj Pandit Dharmadhar
Mahasthavira A Grateful Homage
Santosh Bikash Barua ... 1
2. Ayam vesakhapunnamiya gurutta-mahattam sandhaya
vannitanibandho (The significance of vesakha-fullmoonday...)
S. Sasanananda, Nalanda ... 5
3. Historical Perspective of Contemporary Buddhism
and its followers in India
Dipak Kumar Barua ... 8
4. Medium of Instruction of Buddhavacana
Binayendra Nath Chaudhury ... 38
5. The Image of Buddha in Ramchandra Kabi BharatT’s
, ‘BhaktiSatakam’
Asha Das ... 47
6. Buddhism and the Environment in Assam
Bela Bhattacharya ... 53
7. The Jatila-Kassapas and the Buddha
Mani Kuntala Haidar (De)' ... 58
8. Fable-Literature in Buddhism
Jay anti Chattopadhyay ... 61
9. Buddhist Samaneri tradition; past & present
Saswati Mutsuddy ... 65
10. Some Madhyamika Acharyas in India during its last phase
[Circa 8th - 11th century A.D.]
Aiswarya Biswas ... 75
11. Buddhism In Tripura: The Early Phase
Arindam Bhattacharyya ... 81
12. Buddhist Way of Mind Training
Varasambodhi Thera , ... 90
Nos. Pages
13. Concept of Saddha from the Buddhist point of view
Subhra Barua ... 98
14. Heart Sutra Reconsidered
Rameshchandra Mukhopadhyay ... 102
15. Contribution of Foreign Buddhist Monasteries Towards
Propagation of Buddhism in India
Jinabodhi Bhikkhu ... 112
16. Buddhist concept of mind for promotion of world peace
Bandana Mukherjee ... 123
17. The Publications of the ‘Buddhist Mission’ of
Burma (1928-1941): Its role towards the awakening
of the Bengali Buddhists
Mohammad Mafbubul Hoque ... 128
18. Buddhist Karma Theory and the Question of Determinisim?
Siddharth Singh ... 140
19. Third Buddhist Council: Theravada Perspective
Belu Rani Barua ... 146
20. The Doctrinal Maxims in the Dhammapada
Saheli Das 151
Most Venerable Sangharaj Pandit Dharmadhar
Mahasthavir
A Grateful Homage
Santosh Bikash Barua
It was indeed a rare and happy occasion for us when we had an opportunity
of offering our felicitation to Venerable Sangharaj Pandit Dharmadhar
Mahasthavir in his pious presence at a function arranged by the Sangharaj
Dharmadhar Centenary Celebration Committee at Vidarshan Siksha Kendra on
completion of ninety-nine years of his holy life in July 2000. We then had
heartily prayed and hoped to celebrate his birth centenary in his presence, but
unfortunately to our deep disappointment Yen. Dharmadhar Mahasthavir passed
away on 4 November 2000.
During the long period of, his holy life Pandit Dharmadhar Mahasthavir
has earned wide reputation in India and neighbouring Buddhist countries for
his invaluable dedicated service to the Buddhist world through the propagation
of Lord Buddha’s teachings, his erudite scholarship and profound knowledge
in Buddhist doctrines.
It is well-known that the pioneering missionary work done for the revival
of Buddhism in India where it had been dead for a millennium and its spread
abroad by Anagarika Dharmapala, the founder of the Mahabodhi Society of
India and Yen. Kripasaran Mahasthavir, founder of the Bauddha Dharmankur
Sabha, inspired some of their immediate eminent successors. Pandit
Dharmadhar Mahasthavir is distinctly one of them who greatly contributed .to
this noble cause.
I had an opportunity of coming in contact with Yen. Mahasthavir and
having his affectionate blessings for a long time.
It is significant to note that his way of life was conducted from the
beginning in a well planned manner, conducive to his future attainments.
Yen. Dharmadhar Mahasthavir was bom on 27 July 1901 in the village
of Dharmapura in Chittagong (now Bangladesh) and grew up in atmosphere
of devout and traditional Buddhist family. In 1914 he was ordained as Sramana
(noviciate monk) and in 1922 as Bhikshu (higher ordination) under the direct
supervision of the most revered Dhammakathika Mahasthavir. He studied Pali
