The Maha Bodhi Society of India

The Maha Bodhi Society of India

The Maha Bodhi Society of India was founded in the year 1891 by a 26 year old Sri Lankan youth named Don David Hewavitarne who later became the champion for the cause of Buddhism in India and Sri Lanka, and became the Anagarika Dharmapala or the homeless one. His forming of the Maha Bodhi Society is almost legendary, young Dharmapala after he came to India was shocked to see the deplorable condition of the Maha Bodhi maha Vihara and the Bodhi tree at Buddhagaya. He at once went back to Sri Lanka to form the Maha Bodhi Society of India in 1891 to free the Maha Bodhi Temple from the Mahant and restore the temple back to its original stature. He also wanted to revive Buddhism in India where it lay uncared for out of sheer (ignorance by the people then). It is mainly due to Dharmapala that Buddhism in its present state is still functioning as a major religion in the world.

The Maha Bodhi Society of India is the Premier Buddhist organisation. It was established for the purpose of resuscitating Buddhism in India and for restoring the ancient Buddhist shrines at Buddhagaya, Sarnath and Kusinara. Venerable Dharmapala opened the eyes of the people of India and the world towards the Buddha and the Ancient holy site of Buddhagaya where Siddhartha Gautam attained Enlightenment. Today the Maha Bodhi Society has several centres all over India and abroad which are spreading the message of the Enlightened one. The society stands today for Buddhism and its principles and active in each and every sphere where it can change the lives of the needy.

The Maha Bodhi Society of India is an Association registered with the Government of India in 1915 (under Act VII of 1913) and its Head Quarters is situated at 4A, Bankim Chatterjee Street, Calcutta-73.

The Name:

The Maha Bodhi Society derives its name from the tree under which about two thousand five hundred and thirty-five years ago, at Buddha Gaya, the Great Being, Gautama Buddha, took his adamantine seat (Vajrasana) and visualised the Truth, The Reality. This Tree was an Asvattha (Ficus Religiosa), which was sanctified by Siddhartha Gautama’s attaining Supreme Knowledge (Bodhi) beneath its shade. Thenceforth, it became known as the Bodhi-Tree in India and Bo-Tree in Sri Lanka. Today the word Bodhi has become internationally known term or noun in connection with the Buddhist activities. (Source Accessed Nov 20, 2024)

Organization Website

Bodhi - Enlightenment or awakening. In Tibetan it is translated as "purified" (byang) and "perfected" (chub), which corresponds to Siddhartha Gautama's achievement of purifying all obscurations and perfecting or attaining all qualities associated with a buddha. Skt बोधि  Tib བྱང་ཆུབ་  Ch 菩提;悟;覺  

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Avidyā - Literally "unknowing," it refers to a lack of knowledge or misunderstanding of the nature of reality. As such, it is considered to be the root cause of suffering and the basis for the arising of all other negative mental factors. Skt अविद्या  Tib མ་རིག་པ་  Ch 無明  

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