The All India Bhikkhu Sangha is the oldest ‘Apex Pan-India Society’ uniting the Bhikkhus and giving them the credibility to serve the Indian Buddhist Society since the early 1970’s. Registered under the Society Act XX1 of 1860, Vide 37-1971-72, dated 10th Oct. 1972. The Society was inspired by and motivated by the eminent Scholar Monk Maha Thero Jagdish Kashyap.Who felt the dire need to see that I
ndian Buddhism was once again revived and firmly established in the ‘land of its origin.’ It was his great desire that monks from all over India spread the sublime teachings of the Buddha and set an example by living lives of chastity,compassion and a pure life. It is also worth mentioning that Maha Thero Jagdish Kashyap was also the Founder of Nava Nalanda Mahavihar (now deemed Buddhist University),Nalanda. At that period, in the early 70’s, when India was a very young, Indedpendent Democracy, Maha Thero Jagdish Kashyap was aware of the reasons why Buddhism had lost its credibility in India centuries ago – and did not want that history to be repeated again. Hence, with the cooperation of Wat Thai, Bodh Gaya (who had built a Monastery in the Holy Land in 1957 on the invitation Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India), he invited the Buddhist Monks to establish a ‘All India Bhikkhu Sangha’ in 1970. Two years and many meetings later, on 10th, October 1972 the All India Bhikkhu Sangha came into official existence. Over the last 5 decades, the All India Bhikkhu Sangha, has grown in innumerable dimension by establising a Monastery at Bodh Gaya, which was inaugurated by H.E. Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, President of India, on 3rd May 2003. The Monastery has rest rooms for visiting monks and pilgrims, a well stocked library of Buddhist scriptures and books and ample space and garden for meditation and peaceful contemplation.
