Project Proposal:

Kaleniya International Buddhist University

Goal

Buddhism originated in India some 2,500 years ago and yet suffered severe destruction from the 11^th century onward. Nowadays, Buddhism is mostly found outside of India.

Generally speaking, present Buddhism can be divided into two major traditions: the Theravada Pali tradition that is found in Sri Lanka and other southeast Asian countries and Mahayana tradition that is furtherer divided into the Chinese-literary tradition and Tibetan tradition.

It is the goal of Kaleniya International Buddhist University to bring different traditions together in order to promote inter-tradition dialogue, mutual understanding and share thoughts and spiritual practice.

Mission

1. 
   

   To advance academic study in Buddhism and to cultivate talents in Buddhist studies;

   
   
2. 
   

   To revive the bhikkhuni sangha in Sri Lanka and to improve the status of bhikkhuni around the world;

   
   
3. 
   

   To encourage educational activities and to apply Buddha-Dharma in the social-cultural works;

   
   
4. 
   

   To collect and preserve Buddhist texts, literature, arts, etc.;

   
   
5. 
   

   To support inter-traditions dialogue and academic exchange.

Proposed Programs

There will be long-term as well as short-term programs at the university. They are either diploma-intended or degree-intended programs. Postgraduate degrees will also be provided.

Site location

1. 
   

   Only 10 km. to the capital Colombo and 40 km to Bandaranaika International Airport.

   
   
2. 
   

   A total of 40 acres of site measure.

   
   
3. 
   

   The Lord Buddha visited Kaleniya.

stupa at the site of the university

the bodhi tree

Kaleniya International Buddhist University

University projectThough the Manelwata Vihara temple in Kaleniya near Colombo comprises a big site, however it lies half in ruins.

After the elderly Ven. Dhamma Kitthi Thera, the late abbot of the Sangharaja Museum, Kandy, conveyed this temple as a gift to our founder Ven. Dr. Bodagama Chandima, the idea to establish a university at this site was soon born.

In order to provide better understanding among Buddhists of different traditions the Kaleniya International Buddhist University will differ from other Buddhist universities in Sri Lanka.

It will provide not only courses in Pali and Theravada Buddhism but also courses in Buddhist studies of other traditions.The fundraising measures for the establishment of the university have however been diverged to the tsunami relief project, because of the devastating situation caused by the Tsunami in the end of 2004.

Let's hope the Kaleniya International Buddhist University will be with our collective efforts the reality in the near future anyhow.

Scholarship Project

Due to financial difficulties students from Asian countries are often unable to successfully finish their studies.Our founder Ven. Dr. Bodagama Chandima made a public appeal to help those students and many people gave generously. So those scholarships have helped more than 100 students in the past years, more than 40 students among them have been from overseas.We provide different scholarships for students who want to study in Sri Lanka. Among are scholarships for medical studies, for Buddhist studies and scholarships for excellence. The recipients of our scholarships are both Buddhist monks and laypersons.

Lianxian kindergartens

As the population in rural Sri Lanka is due to financial difficulties often not in the position to offer their children adequate preschool education, our organisation support the Lianxian kindergartens.By supporting those kindergartens we give children from less privileged families an early opportunity to obtain a basis for their future education. So they have regardless of their origin the chance to go a successful path of life.The kindergartens are located in impoverished areas and are free of charges due to our support. So far we have been able to promote 10 Lianxian kindergartens. Lianxian is a Chinese word and can be translated with lotus mind.