Guwahati: The chief monk of World Buddhist Pope Association of Korea, Shakya Gasan will lay the cornerstone for the International Buddhist University in Manu Bankul in South Tripura on November 29, a senior monk announced on Sunday.
Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, local MLA Sankar Roy and senior Buddhist monk from Thailand Dr Pornchai Pinyapoong will be present at the foundation stone laying programme.
“Dhamma Dipa International Buddhist University (DDIBU) will be the first Buddhist University in India to be headed by Buddhist Monastics and run and monitored by Buddhists. This university will set an example in the history of Indian Buddhism for the promotion and revitalization of Buddhist culture”, said Dhammapiya, the founder chairman of Bahujan Hitaya Education Trust (BHET).
“His holiness Dalai Lama will not be joining the programme physically but has sent his message for his spiritual participation”, he said.
Dhammapiya hopes that DDIBU will provide depth and insight into the Buddhist worldview, a deeper comprehension of modern society, and will also equip students and young people with the knowledge and skills they need to lead a healthy, peaceful, and fulfilling life.
In the proposed university, students from 31 nations will have the opportunity to study and conduct research on Buddhist literature, culture and tradition. Moreover, there are plans to build medical, technical, and general degree institutions on site.
A law authorising the establishment of a Buddhist University at Manu Bankul, some 135 kilometres from the state capital, was approved by the Tripura Assembly on September 26.