Two years toward B.Sc. in mathematics, Dr. Ambedkar College of Nagpur University, Deeksha Bhumi, Nagpur, India.

Formal Religious Training — Buddhist Studies

 1]        Indosan Nihonji, Buddhagaya, India (Japanese multi-disciplinary Buddhist training temple) two years formal Zen training and extensive Japanese language studies (conversational, technical and written) 1984 through 1986.

2]        Sogen-Ji Rinzai Zen Monastery, Okayama-Shi, Japan.  Formal, advanced studies in the Rinzai Sect lineage of Zen Buddhism.  Temple certified as a Rinzai Zen disciple in 1986 under Zen Master Venerable Shodo Harada, Roshi, the Abbot of Sogen-Ji Monastery.  Venerable Harada, Roshi is a direct Dharma Heir of Venerable Master Yamada Mumon, Roshi and the 83rd generation lineage holder in the Rinzai Zen Tradition in Japan. 

Activities in Japan 

During his studies in Japan, Venerable Bhikku Bodhidhamma traveled throughout the country educating monks and nuns of various sects, university professors / students, and lay people concerning the thought and philosophy of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar.  Dr. Ambedkar was the emancipator of the Dalit (untouchable) people, a father of the Indian Constitution and the avatar of the revival of Buddhism in modern India. 

Venerable Bodhidhamma is immersed in the Japanese Buraku Liberation Movement involved in exposing and publicizing the “unmentionable” Buraku people of Japan.  The Buraku people are Japan’s “untouchables” and have been quietly held down and officially oppressed through secretive systematized genealogical discrimination by Japanese society for generations.

Venerable Bodhidhamma hosted a delegation of Buraku people from Japan to visit Nagpur, Gulbarga, Bijapur, Mumbai, Delhi and other venues in India to experience and explore first hand the oral and written history of Dalit people and Dr. Ambedkar’s powerful liberation movement.

Activities in India

Venerable Bodhidhamma founded the Dr. Ambedkar Bhikku Training Center and Children’s Home for Education in 2001 at Bijapur, Karnataka State, India.  From 2001 more than 300 boys and young men have entered training at the Center.  Presently 20 boys are enrolled in Center programs studying academics combined with monastic life experience fostered by the rigorous training program instituted by Ven. Bodhidhamma.

Dhamma Yatra

Venerable Bhikku Bodhidhamma traveled throughout South India in the years of 2001, 2003 and 2006 bringing a unique village-to-village program of education and exposure to The Buddha Dharma with the Dalit (untouchable) people.

Ven. Bodhidhamma named his educational pilgrimage The Creation of an Enlightened Human Society and brought his message to the States of Karnataka, Andrapradesh, Tamilnadu, and Kerla.

 Ven. Bodhidhamma’s Dhamma Yatra “The Creation of an Enlightened Human Society“ was engineered by the Venerable to accelerate the religious and social development of the Dalit community.  The Dhamma Yatra raises consciousness to sharpen awareness and bring into focus the historical conversion begun by Dr. Ambedkar, affectionately known to the people as Babasaheb.  Dr. Ambedkar embraced Buddhism on October 14, 1956 at Nagpur.  At that historic time of conversion Babasaheb proclaimed Buddhism as the only path to the emancipation of all beings.

Dhamma Deeksha

Karnataka State

 

a]        Bangalore —  On October 14^th 2003 more than 80,000 people embraced Buddhism.

b]        Gulbarga —  On October 14^th 2006 more than 50,000 people embraced Buddhism.  Likewise, over than 15 major conversions were held in Karnataka.

 

Tamilnadu  State

Vellore and Perambalur Districts —  On October 14^th 2004 more than 15,000 people embraced Buddhism.  Among them were many Dalit Christians.  The conversion program was held in many other parts of Tamilnadu State, from Kanyakumari to Vellore District. 

Kerala State

Kerala —  Here many Dalit Christians embraced Buddhism over the years.  Every year Venerable Bhikku Bodhidhamma visits these areas.

Zen Training Sesshins (Intensive Retreats) and Lay Ordinations

Venerable Bhikku Bodhidhamma has continuously conducted over 60 Sesshins (intensive zen Buddhist retreats) with his root teacher, Zen Master, Venerable Shodo Harada, Roshi.  The Venerables have conducted meditation retreats in the Karnataka and Kerala states in India.  The intense nature of these retreats have brought the direct experience of the awakening of the Buddha to large numbers of former Hindu followers and provided them with the tools necessary to negotiate the travel of the path of the awakened state of mind rather than mere adherence to superstitious belief systems.  Through their own practice and experience people have freely chosen to become staunch travelers on the path of the Buddha and Babasaheb.  They express this commitment by accepting lay ordination by Venerable Harada, Roshi.

Acupuncture / Free Medical Treatment

Over the last four years Bhikku Bodhidhamma has conducted Free Medical Seminars for poor people in India.  Doctors were recruited to provide free training from Japan and America.  These seminars have been conducted at Nagpur in Maharashatra State, Bijapur in Karnataka State, and Vellore in Tamilnadu State.

Awareness programs

During the past five years, Venerable Bhikku Bodhidhamma has traveled from village to village in South India bringing a comprehensive religious, social and political awareness program introducing background material concerning the rights of the Dalit people enshrined in the National Constitution of India.  These social awareness programs are targeted at educating women and young people to enable them to recognize and realize their full potential as free and productive citizens of a great nation.

 Activities in the Punjab

Recently Venerable Bhikku Bodhidhamma has maintained an on going communication with Upasak Harbhajan Singh Suman in Phagwara, Punjab and Upasaka Gurudyal Sandhi in London, England.  Their conversations led to Venerable Bodhidhamma visiting Phagwara, Punjab, India for the first time on October 28^th and 29^th, 2006 to engaged in the preliminary planning for village to village programs and Zen meditation retreats.  The Venerable looks forward to bringing his programs and Venerable Harada, Roshi to Punjab.  Thus establishing the path of the awakened state of mind firmly in the hearts of the people of the Punjab region.

Venerable Bhikku Bodhidhamma
Sogen-Ji Zen Monastery,
Maruyama 1069
Okayama-Shi
JAPAN  703-8271

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