Uttar Pradesh

• 06 Oct 2022

International Abhidhamma Day

Why In News?

• On October 5, 2022, the Ministry of Culture of Uttar Pradesh informed about the International Abhidhamma Day event to be held on October 9 at Gautam Buddha University (GBU) in Greater Noida, the state.

Key Points

• According to the information, the International Abhidhamma Day program will be organized by the Ministry of Culture of the state government.
• Representatives and ambassadors from around 20 countries, followers of Buddhism, are expected to attend the event and Gautam Buddha University (GBU) Chancellor and state Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will also attend the event.
• Delegates from Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, China, South Korea, Bhutan, Taiwan, Romania, Korea, Afghanistan, Nepal, Mongolia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and the United States may participate on the occasion of International Abhidhamma Day. Most of the students from these countries come to study in Gautam Buddha University.
• After becoming the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath made his first foreign trip in 2017 to Myanmar (Burma), a follower of Buddhism.
• Significantly, the only university in the country named after Lord Buddha is in Gautam Buddha Nagar district. Along with the state, Buddha studies are taught in various universities of the country, but the most trend of foreign students is about Gautam Buddha University. At present, students from 15 countries visit Gautam Buddha University every year for Buddhist studies.
• Gautam Buddha University is also a center of Buddhist in NCR. The centre of Buddha Studies was earlier in Delhi, but due to various courses conducted at Gautam Buddha University, BA, MA, PhD in Buddhist Studies with Buddha Faculty, Diploma Certificate Course in Buddhist Tourism, Pali Language and Literature, students are more inclined towards it.
• It is known that Abhidhamma day is actually a three-month rain retreat (symbolizing the end of Varsavasa or Vasa) for Buddhist monks, during which they stay in one place and pray. Abhidhamma Day is mostly celebrated in countries where the majority of the population is the followers of Buddhism. According to the belief, on this day Lord Buddha returned from heaven to earth.