Buddhist groups from across India come together to organise 20th Annual International Tipitaka Chanting Ceremony

Bodhgaya (Bihar) [India], November 16 (ANI): In a significant milestone for Buddhist heritage and inter-community cooperation, seventeen Buddhist groups from across India have joined together to organize the 20th Annual International Tipitaka Chanting Ceremony in Bodhgaya, Mahabodhi Temple, Bihar, an official statement said.

This marks the first time in the event's history that such a broad coalition has come forward to collectively organise the event that has been held continuously since 2006 by Wangmo Dixey, the Founder and Executive Director of the Light of Buddha Dharma Foundation International (LBDFI- USA) whose father is a Buddhist monk.

The chanting is followed by the commemorative walk (of retracing the Buddha's footsteps) from Jethian Valley to the bamboo grove of Venuvana in Rajgir. The event will be held from December 2-13.

At a press conference today held by the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC), in partnership with the Ministry of Culture, Ms Wangmo highlighted that they were honouring the Pali tradition by reciting the Tipitaka; remembering it and reflecting on the words of the Buddha. "We are honoured with the recognition of Pali as a classical language by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we are hopeful that more people from India will join the recitation ceremony this year," she said.

Dixey added that it was a great honour to bring the sound of Dharma back to the Motherland of India, and that so many eminent Sangha members and laypeople were joining in this great endeavour. "We are grateful to all the Indian and international participants who make this ceremony so auspicious and fruitful. May we dedicate all our good actions to inner harmony and world peace for the benefit of all beings."

The International Tipitaka Chanting Ceremony is the largest annual gathering of Theravada Buddhist monks and lay devotees from Southeast Asian Buddhist nations. Each year, thousands travel to the sacred Seat of Enlightenment to honour the Buddha and to participate in the recitation of the Pali Canon -- a living tradition that strengthens historic ties and revitalizes the ancient Buddhist culture of the 'Aryadesh', as the organisers call, the land of the Buddha.

This year's unified leadership by India's diverse Buddhist communities reflects a renewed commitment of over 15,000 Indian monks and laypeople are expected to attend, with international devotees from America, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Laos PDR, Indonesia, Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam also in attendance. 1000 volunteers will assist in the organization of this great gathering.

On the opening day, the Chief Guest will be Pema Khandu, Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, and Chawana Mein will be the Guest of Honour. On December 6, Kiren Rijiju will be the Chief Guest, and on December 12, Nitin Gadkari will be the Chief guest for the closing ceremony. Many other VIPs are also expected to be in attendance during the event, according to the information received by LBDFI, the statement said.

The President of the core committee of the International Tipitaka Chanting Committee (ITCC) of India is Sanghasena Mahathero of the Mahabodhi International Meditation Centre, Ladakh. The 12-day festival is being sponsored by many Buddhist organisations of India including the Mahabodhi Society of Bangalore who are contributing in a significant way towards the success of the project. The IBC will be sponsoring a cultural group that will perform on the opening day of the Chanting programme, the statement added.

Sanghasena highlighted that under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi the sacred relics of the Buddha from India have been on exposition to many nations for the larger benefit and veneration of the global Buddhist community. The Prime Minister in his leadership is well- balancing the mind and the heart (spiritual) side of humanity.

"India has already been the Vishwa Guru in the past, as we had Buddha! Now we are trying to retrieve that position by spreading the message of Buddha, of peace, compassion and non-violence." He added.

The Director General of the International Buddhist Confederation, Abhijit Halder explaining the importance of chanting, noted that it not only purifies the mind but also brings discipline and oneness to the body. "When a congregation chants in unison, it is purifying the environment as well as the individual. The atmosphere elevates a person to a completely different level, making the experience almost ethereal," he described.

On December 2, the event will open with a major Buddhist procession at 8:00 am, following which a ten-day program of chanting from the Pali Canon alongside evening Dharma talks in Hindi and English will be offered. A 30,000 square foot food tent will be erected on the Kalachakra grounds beside the main temple and food will be offered to all participants. Each day various countries will offer dana to the senior international monks present at the event. On December 13, the assembly will take the walking pathway from the Jethian Valley to the Bamboo Grove, the site of an ancient meditation park on the outskirts of Rajgir. It is expected that this year a thousand followers are expected to join in this historical walk, the statement mentioned.

The Tipitaka are scriptures, containing the teachings of the Buddha. The Tipitaka is revered not only as a spiritual guide but also as a monumental literary and philosophical work that reflects the intellectual and cultural landscape of ancient India.

This year the program will feature daily recitations of the Buddha's teachings in Pali under the Bodhi Tree, discourses by Dhamma gurus, question-and-answer sessions, an art gallery, and cultural performances by artists from India and abroad. A major highlight this year is the consecration and donation of 220 four-foot golden Buddha statues, handcrafted in Odisha, to lay devotees and communities across India. These statues, representing wisdom and compassion, will serve as spiritual foundations for new temples, meditation centres, and community spaces around India, marking a resurgence of Buddha Dhamma in its sacred homeland. (ANI)

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