Founded: March 15 2002
Last updated: Tuesday, April 30, 2002

Hundreds of Hindus convert to Buddhism by taking the five refuges
Gaya, 17 March. In the Kharkhura area in the west of the city a function was held which exceeded in crowds the expectations of its organisers. Hundreds of people from outside of the state were present in the crowd and about 500 Hindus took the five refuges and converted to Buddhism. Bhante Prajnadeep gave the five refuges to those who converted and the chairmanship of the meeting was taken by the In-Charge of the Burmese Vihar Bodh Gaya Bhante Jnanendra.
The meeting was held in the Ashok High School Kharkhura under the banner of the "Youth Buddhist Society of India". Buddhists from Jharkhand, UP, Maharashtra and Bihar took part in the meeting. Countless people converted and Bhante Prajnadeepa gave teaching to them on Buddhism and the Buddhist community.
Injanol, a South Korean women, addressing the meeting said that Buddhism was a religion which was spread throughout the world and that she was happy to see the way that the meeting had been organised. In addition another South Korean woman [called?] Sai said she was happy at the way the meeting was organised.
Suresh Chandra Bauddha, the President of the Youth Buddhist Society of India stressed that the message of the Buddha was mutual harmony, love, compassion, loving-kindness, equality, equal rights and self confidence. He said that two and a half millennia ago Buddha began a mental revolution against caste sentiments, caste prejudice, caste discrimination, superstition and other evils. Today also to do away with these evils we must take action.
In the meeting apart from other people were also present; Bhante Priyapal, Bhante Vinayananda, Bhante Priyadarshi, Bhante Prajnarata, Badri Singh Bauddha the President of the All India General Conference, Chief Minister Abhay Kumar Baudhapriya, K.K. Chaudri, and others.

Texts and Translations © Peter G. Friedlander unless otherwise indicated.