Lok Sabha Question No. 4217 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-27
Subject: Dissemination of Teachings of Lord Buddha
Ministry: CULTURE
Asked by: Vinod Kumar Sonkar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4217

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 27.03.2023

## DISSEMINATION OF TEACHINGS OF LORD   BUDDHA

## 4217#  SHRI. VINOD  KUMAR  SONKAR:

Will the Minister of CULTURE  be pleased to state :

- (a)  whether  various   programmes  and felicitation  celebrations are organized by Government on  the  days  related  to  the  Janm  Gyaan  and  Mahaparinirvana  of Lord Gautam Buddha  in  the  country ;
- (b)   if  so, the  details  of   functions  organized  on these  days  across  the  country during the  last  five  years;
- (c)    whether      the    work  of  disseminating  the    teachings  of  Lord  Buddha    to    the people is done through these functions and if so, the  details thereof;
- (d)  whether the  foreign dignitaries  and  guests  are also  participating  across the world  in these functions and  if so, the details thereof; and
- (e)   the other steps being taken by the Government   to popularize and disseminate the teachings  of  Gautam Buddha in the country?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF CULTURE, TOURISM AND DEVELOPMENT OF NORTH EASTERN REGION (SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY)

- (a)  Yes,  Sir.  The  Janm,  Gyaan  &  Mahaparinirvan  day  also  known  as  'Triple Vaishakh  Day'  (Buddha  Poornima)  is  celebrated  by  the  Government  through various   programmes  and felicitation  celebrations.
- (b)  Details of functions  organized by Government on the days related to the Janm, Gyaan and Mahaparinirvana of Lord Gautam Buddha  during the last five years are given as under:
- (c)  Yes, Sir. The events are attended by large number of monastics and lay persons from  India  and  abroad.  The  events  are  also  telecasted  live  through  digital platform for wider dissemination.
- (d)  Yes,  Sir.  The  participation  of  monastics  from  other  countries  of  the  world  is ensured through  respective Embassies located in various countries.
- (e)   As per Annexure

| Sl. No.   |   Year | Event                                                                                                                                                                                           | Date of the Events              | Venue of the Events                                |
|-----------|--------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------|
| i.        |   2018 | Buddha Jayanti Celebrations.                                                                                                                                                                    | 30 th April, 2018               | Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, New Delhi            |
| ii.       |   2019 | Buddha Jayanti Celebration.                                                                                                                                                                     | 18 th May, 2019                 | India Habitat Centre, New Delhi                    |
| iii.      |   2020 | Virtual Vaishakh Buddha Purnima.                                                                                                                                                                | 7 th May, 2020                  | Virtual Programme                                  |
| iv.       |   2021 | Virtual Vaishakh Buddha Purnima.                                                                                                                                                                | 26 th May, 2021                 | Virtual Programme                                  |
| v.        |   2022 | (a) Vaishakha Buddha Purnima Divas. (b) Foundation stone laying ceremony by Hon'ble Prime Minister for constructing India International Centre for Buddhist Culture & Heritage, Lumbini, Nepal. | 16 th May, 2022 16 th May, 2022 | Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, New Delhi Lumbini, Nepal |

## *************************

To  provide  education  in  Buddhist/Tibetan  philosophies  and  Culture  &  Art through the system  of a modern  university, the following  four  Autonomous Organizations  are  working  under  the  administrative  control  of  Ministry  of  Culture, Government of India:

- i. Central Institute of Buddhist Studies, Leh (Deemed To Be University)
- i. Nava Nalanda Mahavihara, Nalanda, Bihar (Deemed To Be University)
- ii. Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies (CIHTS), Sarnath (Deemed To Be University)
- iii. Central  Institute  of  Himalayan  Culture  Studies  (CIHCS),  Dahung ,Arunachal Pradesh
2. In  addition  to  the  aforesaid  four  Autonomous  Organizations,  Ministry  of Culture  also  provides  annual  grants-in-aid  for  the  upkeep  and  maintenance  of  the following six Grantee Bodies for promoting Buddhist/Tibetan Culture and Art:
- i. Library of Tibetan Works and Archives, Dharamshala
7. ii Tibet House, New Delhi
8. iii Centre  for  Buddhist  Cultural  Studies,  Tawang  Monastery,  Arunachal Pradesh
9. iiii Namgyal Institute of Tibetology, Sikkim
10. iiv International Buddhist Confederation
11. iv GRL Monastic School, Bomdila, Arunachal Pradesh
12. 3 Further, the following two Financial Grant Schemes are also being implemented by the Ministry for propagation and scientific development of Buddhist/Tibetan Culture and tradition as also for preservation of cultural heritage of Himalayas.
- I. Scheme of Financial Assistance for the Development of Buddhist/Tibetan  Culture and Art
- II. Scheme of Financial Assistance for the Preservation & Development of Cultural Heritage of the Himalayas
4.         Recently with the M/o External Affairs, the M/o Culture organized a two-day Conference  on  the  theme 'Shared  Buddhist  Heritage  in  Shanghai  Cooperation Organization (SCO) Member States' from 14 th -15 th March, 2023.