A VIEW POINT IN BUDDHISM IN BANGLADESH

Introduction

Bangladesh is a country with rich natural resourses in which is different-different nationals, races, religions and society since ancient period with rich heritage, which is situated in the eastern part of the South-Asian sub-continent. The country is bordered by India on the east, west and north and by the bay of Bengal and a small border strip with Myanmar on the South and land area is 147,570 sq km.

Over centuries, about 45 minority groups have been living in different regions of Bangladesh. They are different from the majority Bengal's in respect of racial origin, history, language, culture, religion, traditions and way of life



Early Period:

Bangladesh was an integral part of Vanga or ancient Bengal. Based on the Pali texts' records one of the foremost disciples of the Buddha, Vangissa was haild from this part. Although we have no sufficient evidence if Buddhism was flourished in Bangladesh under the period of Emperor Asoka ( 3rd century B.C.). But Nagarjuna inscriptions of Asoka dating from 3rd century A.D. are provided that this faith was followed in Bangladesh under Asoka's rules. the name of Vanga were mentioned this inscriptions where many Ceylonese monks been to propagate Buddhism in this part. In the 5th century A.D., the Chinese pilgrim, Fa Hien visited Tamralipti ( west Bengall, India) and found 24 Buddhist monasteries,Huen-Tsang visited different parts o Bengal in 7th century A,D. In Samatata (comilla,Noakhali district of present Bangladesh), he found 30 monasteries over 2000 monks belonging to Sthavira Sangha, in Karnasuvarna (Northern Bengal) 10 monasteries with 2000 monks belonging to Samityas School. Besides in Tamralipti, he found only 10 monasteries with 1000 monks belonging to Sarvastivada School. InPundravardhana (according to Mr.Cunningham it is Mahastan, located 7 miles North of present Bogra district of Bangladesh, he found 20 monasteries with 3000 monks belonging to Mahayana and Sthavira School. this fact also corroborated by many others account recorded by many Chinese pilgrims who visited Bengal in the following period f time. some of these monasteries ere tuned into world famous Universities such as somapuri, Taxila, Udanapuri and Vickramasila etc.

In the Pala period (750-1150 A.D) Buddhism reached to the height peak under the assistance of Pala Kings as Gopala, Dharmapala and Devapala etc., Generally, the reign of the Palas was called the golden age of Buddhism in Bangaladesh. They were devout Buddhist and under their patronage several world famous monasteries as Somapura Mahavihara, Shalban Vihara, Paharpur Maha Vihara, Vickrampuri Mahavihara, Pandit Vihara etc. were established in Bangladesh. Under their rules, the greatest scholar, Ven. Acariya Sri Jnana or Atisa of Bengal (982-1050 A.D) played an important role to propagate Buddhism. Following the decline of the Palas, the sovereignty of Bengal went into the hand of the Senas. But their rules did not last long and Bengal soon came under the Muslim occupation.

Mughal period (13th - 1760 A.D) :

Under this period, the repeat progress of Islam was commence. Buddhism was disappearing in a hurry lack of royal patronage of the Buddhist king. The Muslim destroyed many monasteries in India as Taxila, Vickramasila, Nalanda, Udantapuri etc. prior to establishment of their rule in Bengal. (They killed many Buddhist monks and started Islamization by force.) They killed Buddhist monks and carried out force conversion. The same tragedy took place in Bengal as well. They carried out persecution and force conversion to the Buddhist of Bangaladesh, destroyed Buddhist temples and some were turned into Mosque. Even today, some Muslim prayer halls in Chittagong are called Buddher Mokkan (lit, Buddhist house or temple) Actually these categories of prayer hall have no any typical sign of Mosque. These are considered to be Buddhist temple established during the Palas rule, Eventually, the victory of Muslims was the main reason for disappearing Buddhist from India, Bengal or Bangladesh. Today Bangladesh is the third largest Muslims country in the world with 88 percent of 126 million populations.

British Period, (1760-1947 A.D):

On September 1760, the British east-India Company established their rule in Bangladesh. The liberal policy of the British enabled the Buddhist to re-establish themselves in Bangladesh on a solid foundation. At the beginning of their rule, the state of Buddhist in Bangladesh went into the lowest position. The few Buddhist who migrated from Myanmar, India and Nepal etc. in different period of times in Bangladesh knew nothing on Buddhism. Buddhist religious texts were not available in Bangladesh. Even Buddhist monks and monasteries were very few in number. The Buddhists were influenced by Hinduism and performed various categories Hindu rites and rituals instead of Buddhist ceremonies. In 1864, the Chakma Queen Kalindi introduced Theravada Buddhist living in Bangladesh. She invited Ven. Saramedha Mahathero from Burma (Myanmar) to establish this faith. Under her royal patronage, Buddhism commence to flourish in Chittagong, Comilla and Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh. She built a Buddhist temple at Rajanager in 1866 and established a Bhikkhu Sima (ordination hall) for propagaion of Buddhism in Bangladesh. In addition to this, she built many others Buddhist temple in different parts of Chittagong. Gradually many others Buddhist temples and organizations established in Chittagong, Chittagong Hills Tracts and some other districts of Bangladesh.

Pakistan period (1947-1971) :

When the British rule came to an end this state was known to be East Pakistan. It was independent in 14th August 1947. In 1959, a Buddhist religious association named Parbatya Chattagram Bhikkhu Samiti (Chittagong Hill Tracts Bhikkhu Association) under the leaderships of Ven. Aggavansa Mahathero. It played a significant role in spreading Buddhism in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), Bangladesh. Based on this organization, a considerable number of Buddhist monks and Buddhist monasteries were increased in this part. it is still prevalent in CHT and playing the same role. Now this association in widely known to be Parbatya Bhikkhu Sangha (Hill Monk's Association) in CHT . The revival of forest meditation moment took place in this period. A Buddhist monk named. Ven. Sadhanananda (Banabhante) hailed from CHT was forerunner for introduction of this practice. He ordained in 1949 in Chittagong Buddhist temple, which was established in 1899. He is still playing important role to teach and practice meditation in Bangladesh. He belongs to about 30 Buddhist temples where meditation is taught and practice in CHT.

Bangladesh Period (1971-till now) :

In 1971, the East Pakistan came into being to be Bangladesh through a bloody war. Now the Buddhist follows Theravada Buddhist as Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand. In 1972, a Buddhist temple named Dharmarajik Bouddha Vihara was established in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. In addition to this, Shakyamuni Budhdist Vihara, Mirpur-13, Dhaka Bangladesh was also established. At present, there are 4 Buddhist temples in Dhaka. The present Buddhists of Bangladesh are can be divided into two groups. Bengali Buddhists (Barua and Singh) and tribal or indigenous Buddhists groups (Chakma, Marma,Rakhain, Tangchagya and Chak etc) Majority of the Buddhist communities have been (are) living mostly in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) and a considerable number of them in Chittagong, Cox's Bazaar, Comilla, Rangpore, Patuakhali, Barishal and Dhaka districts.

In 1972, a CHT Buddhist delegation group approached to the then prime Minister of Bangladesh, demanding regional autonomy in CHT with a view to safeguard social, religious and cultural right of the Buddhist people. But no demands were met by the then Govt. of Bangladesh. In the same year, the Buddhist formed an armed group to realize their demand. And in the last 2nd December 1997 peace agreement was signed between the Govt. of Bangladesh and the said-armed group. the Buddhists f CHT, were victim of persecution, eviction and violation of Human Rights in different ways. Due to two decade of political unrest many Buddhist monasteries were destroyed or set fire by the Muslim and military personnel.

Since 1978 not only armed less Buddhists innocent people in CHT were killed but also many monks in different period of times. We can obtain clear picture about persecution from a memorandum of Parbatya Bhikku Sangha carried out in protest against killing and destroying of Buddhist temples in CHT.