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The Origin of Bodhigaya Vijjalaya 980 Institute

Building History with Faith — From ‘Dhammayatra’ to the ‘Dhamma Century'

Meaning BodhiGayāVijjālaya 980 Institute, India

Bodhi means Perception or Wisdom of Enlightenment of the Lord Buddha.

Gayā means the location of the Holly Site of the Bodhi Tree under which the Lord Buddha has found enlightenment.

Vijjālaya means the educational institute where people can seek

980 means His Majesty King Rama IX 80th Birthday Anniversary

The Bodhigaya Vijjalaya 980 Institute is an intellectual think tank with its roots in a royal ordination project held in 2007 to honor the 80th birthday of His Majesty King Rama IX. This ordination took place at Bodh Gaya, India—the site of Lord Buddha’s enlightenment. The deeply spiritual experience inspired the participants to establish the Bodhigaya 980 Club in 2007, which later evolved into the Bodhigaya Vijjalaya 980 Institute in 2009, with offices at Wat Thai Kushinagar and Wat Thai Buddhagaya in India.

Under the leadership of Dr. Supachai Verapuchong, Secretary-General, the institute has been dedicated to promoting education and the dissemination of Buddhism. From 2009 to 2014, it initiated the “Promotion of Thai Monks’ Advanced Study and Practice in India and Nepal” program, which later expanded to monks from Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, and Thailand, following the Buddhist Studies curriculum.

From 2013 to 2016, the institute organized projects to inspire Buddhist faith, such as the “Buddha Revolution Tour,” “Buddhist Diplomacy,” and “Buddha Revolution in Suvarnabhumi.”

The most significant initiative was the “Dhammayatra Across Five Countries,” conducted four times. • The first pilgrimage in 2017 connected countries in the Mekong sub-region and planted Bodhi tree saplings, symbolizing wisdom and unity among the nations.

The second Dhammayatra in 2019 gained strong support from national and religious leaders:

In Vietnam, for the first time, the government allowed a large-scale Buddhist event in Ha Tien City.

ประเทศเวียดนาม เป็นครั้งแรกที่รัฐบาลอนุญาตให้เปิดเมืองต้อนรับคณะธรรมยาตรา 5 แผ่นดิน เพื่อทำบุญครั้งใหญ่ ใจกลางเมืองฮาเตียน นับเป็นครั้งแรกในประวัติศาสตร์

In Laos, the almsgiving ceremony at Wat That Luang in Vientiane was the largest in history.

In Cambodia, the closing ceremony was held at Angkor Wat under the royal patronage, and supported by General Tea Banh, the Minister of Defense and then Prime Minister Hun Sen

Following the success of these events, Dr. Supachai Verapuchong and Mr. Maris Sangiampongsa were invited to the 7th International Dharma Dhamma Conference in Bhopal, India, opened by Honorable Smt. Droupadi Murmu, the President of India. The conference, organized by the India Foundation and Sanchi University, aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision: “It is said that the 21st century will be Asia’s century. There is no disagreement on that. Without Buddha this century cannot be Asia’s century,”

The growing collaboration in India led to the third Dhammayatra, “ Ganga Mekong Holy Relics Dhammayatra,” during which the sacred relics of Lord Buddha’s disciples—Sariputta and Moggallana—were temporarily enshrined in Thailand (Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Ubon Ratchathani, and Krabi) for 26 days in 2024. Nearly 5 million people paid homage to the relics.

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This event further strengthened Thailand-India relations, symbolizing a connection between the Ganges and Mekong Rivers. The Thai government offered royal tributes, which were later displayed at the National Museum in New Delhi, the permanent home of the sacred relics.

The Bodhigaya Vijjalaya 980 Institute aims to unify efforts across Southeast Asia, South Asia, and East Asia to create a powerful “Army of Dhamma”—arming humanity with wisdom and promoting the principle that “Leaders must use Dhamma as power, not power as Dhamma.” This will lead to true peace and harmony, heralding the “Dhamma Century.”

In late 2024, the institute will organize its fourth Dhammayatra under the theme “From the Mekong to the Ganges: Declaration on Dhamma Century at Bodh Gaya, India.” This initiative aims to promote Dhamma as a universal path, open to all religions and cultures. Additionally, “Time Capsules” containing messages from the institute’s secretary will be sealed at three locations—Bodh Gaya, Gujarat, and Wat Mahathat Yuwaratrangsarit, Bangkok—to be opened 234 years later, under the cooperation of Indian think tanks and the Indian government such as Embassy of India-Bangkok, Vivekanada International Foundation ,India (VIF) , International Center for Cultural Studies, India (ICCS) ,International Buddhist Confederation (IBC) , Mahabodhi Society of Sri Lanka

BodhiGayā Vijjālaya 980 Institute

The Origin of Bodhigaya Vijjalaya 980 Institute

Building History with Faith — From ‘Dhammayatra’ to the ‘Dhamma Century'

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