|
|
Bodhicitta Foundation
Taking Light into the Dark Places of the World
Buddhism In India
- Retreats and free Buddhist teachings - Indian Buddhists often live in very crowded
and oppressive conditions. To be able to come on retreat and experience
spaciousness and peace can be a life changing experience.
- Assistance to women being abused by their husbands, divorced women and widows, who are often regarded as pariahs by Indian Society.
- Free english classes in slums (the key to getting a better job)
- Health camps
- Computer training
- Awareness programmes (i.e women's rights, human rights, the law, overcoming oppression and inequality etc).
- Assistance to women being abused by their husbands, divorced women and widows, who are often regarded as pariahs by Indian Society.
- Free english classes in slums (the key to getting a better job)
- Health camps
- Computer training
- Awareness programmes (i.e women's rights, human rights, the law, overcoming oppression and inequality etc).
Buddhism disappeared in India in
approximately the 9th Century C.E.
There were many reasons for its demise.
The complete teachings of Buddhism
from the great Indian monasteries of
Nalanda andVikramshila were Preserved
by Tibetan Buddhists for Centuries.
Now the world is a Global Village, and
Buddhism is spreading, not just in Asia,
but also in Western countries. It has
also made it’s way back to India. In 1956
500,000 Indians converted to
Buddhism under the guidance of
Doctor Ambedkar to escape the Indian
Caste system, which had oppressed
them in a dehumanizing way for many
centuries.
Doctor Ambedkar was one of the
first people of scheduled caste
(previously known as ‘untouchables’
– people who in the past did the
lowest and most degrading kind of
work for society and suffered under
slave like conditions) to receive a
higher education in Law. He was the
‘Martin Luther King Jnr’ (i.e. the
black civil rights leader from
America) of his people. There are
also a growing number of Indians
from many backgrounds who are
taking an interest in Buddhism, an
Indian spiritual tradition of their own
free wills.
In a country where approx 40 % of the population is illiterate and approx 65% lives in
poverty, we believe the compassionate principles of Buddhism can make a difference.
Not by from a missionary like approach, but a humanistic and socialist one.
Sponsorship to poor Indian Buddhist students to study Buddhism and other
subjects that will increase their quality of life and enable them to live dignified lives
and lift their families and communities out of oppressive poverty:
In future we also hope to run job training and income generating projects for poor
Indian Buddhists so they can help themselves and become educated and financially
independent. Only then can they focus time on the spiritual path.