Jamshedpur, Dec. 29: After failed attempts to procure suitable land in Bihar to construct a university, the Bodhi Society had now set its eyes on Jharkhand.
Prime minister of Tibet (in exile), Kalon Tripa Ven. Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche, today said if the Jharkhand government provides land, then, the society would construct a university under the Maitreya Project here.
Earlier, the Bodhi Society had submitted a proposal to the Bihar government for land in Bodh Gaya but the government was unable to find a suitable plot. Thus, the Central Tibetan Administration decided to approach the state government.
Rinpoche, who was also the chief guest at the golden jubilee celebrations, organised by the Jharkhand chapter of the Bodhi Society in Sakchi, said students from different parts of the country as well as abroad could study at the university.
“With each passing year, we see a rise in the number of Buddhist followers. But there is no proper mechanism to educate them about the religion and its principles,” Rinpoche said.
The World Buddha Society aims to invest money to build a university in order to teach the present and future generations.
“If the Jharkhand government agrees to provide appropriate plots of land, then, the university could be built here. The state possesses huge amounts of picturesque forest land, which would be an ideal site for building the university,” Rinpoche said.
He also criticised the role of the United Nation Organisation (UNO) for overlooking the long-standing demands of Tibetan people of attaining complete sovereignty.
Prakash Barua, chief of the Bodhi Society (Jharkhand), said the office bearers of the religious outfit have advocated building a university in the state.
“We have asked Rinpoche to negotiate with the state government. The followers of Buddhism in India and abroad want to contribute money for the project,” Barua said.
