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Most Venerable Prajñānanda mahāthera | |
|---|---|
𑄝𑅅𑄣𑄬𑄚𑄴𑄘𑄳𑄢 𑄘𑄬𑄤𑄴 | |
 | |
| Personal life | |
| Born | Balendra Dev Chakma 𑄝𑅅𑄣𑄬𑄚𑄴𑄘𑄳𑄢 𑄘𑄬𑄤𑄴 𑄌𑄋𑄟𑄳𑄦 (1952-02-01)February 1, 1952 (age 74) |
| Parents |
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| Known for | Contribution in education, social reform inChittagong Hill Tracts(CHT). |
| Religious life | |
| Religion | Buddhism |
| Order | Mahā Nikāya |
| School | Theravāda |
| Monastic name | Prajñānanda mahāthera 𑄛𑄐𑄴𑄐𑄚𑄚𑄴𑄘𑄴 𑄟𑄦𑅅𑄗𑄬𑄢 |
Prajnananda Mahathera is a socially engaged Buddhist monk inChittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) ofBangladesh.[1]
Prajnananda Mahathera was born on 1 February 1952 at Babuchara Village under Dighinala Upazila in Khagrachari district of present-day Bangladesh. His family name is Balendra Dev Chakma. His father's name was Narendra Lal Chakma and his mother's name is Indrapati Chakma. Mahathera is the youngest of their 4 sons. His father died when he was one year old. Mahathera's family was difficult, however, he persuaded to succeed in study. He became teacher in his village after passing class five to support his family's finance.[2]
Mahathera completed his primary education at a primary school in his village. After completion of his primary education his family was unable to continue his education due to poverty. He continued his education with some money he earned by tutoring small children near to his home. Thus he completed hisJunior School Certificate. In 1965, at the age of 17 he went to Parbatya Chattal Bouddha Anath Ashram (Chittagong Hill Tracts Buddhist Orphanage) at Boalkhali, Dighinala built and managed by its Chief Abbot Jnanashree Mahathera. During his stay at this orphanage he completed hisSecondary School Certificate examination from Dighinala High School in 1968. In the same year he ordained higher ordination as Bhikkhu.
In 1969, he went to Mirzapur Shantidam Vihara inChittagong for higher education. He studied hisHigher Secondary School Certificate at Nazirhat Degree College and thenHathazari College from where he successfully completed his HSC degree in 1972.[citation needed] In 1977 and 1978 he successfully completed hisBA(Hons) andMA inBengali Literature from theUniversity of Chittagong. He also did M.A. inPali Literature from theDhaka University in 1980.[3]
In 1974, while he was studying in theUniversity of Chittagong, he took the charge of General Secretary of the Parbatya Chattal Bouddha Anath Ashram (PCBAA). In the same year, he began to establish another orphanage at Rangapani ofRangamati named Moanoghar with guidance and advice of his preceptor Jnanashree Mahathera, the founder and Chief Abbot of the Boalkhali Dashabal Raj Vihara and the Parbatya Chattal Bouddha Anath Ashram, and in consultation with some monks and lay devotees.[4] To provide modern education to the orphan and destitute children he established the Moanoghar High School in 1980.
The Moanoghar NGO and Moanoghar Children's Home are situated inRangamati Municipality. The Moanoghar Children's home is an institution developing human resources inChittagong Hill Tracts. Mahathera served as the general secretary of this children's home from 1974 to 2008. He served as the general secretary of the Parbatya Chattal Bouddha Anath Ashram from 1974 to 1986. In 1980, he founded Moanoghar Onath Ashram Abasik Bidyalay ("Moanoghar Residential School") in Rangapani, Rangamati and Anath Ashram Abasik Uccha Bidyalay ("Orphanage Residential High School") atBoalkhali under Dighinala Upazila in theKhagrachhari District of Bangladesh. He served as the Chairman of the Managing Committee of the Schools from 1986 to 2008.[5]
Besides, Mahathera founded Jnana and Prajna Charcha Pathagar (Library for the Practice of Wisdom and Knowledge), Rangamati and Buddha Dharmiya Anchalik Pathagar (Regional Library of Buddhism) at Ananda Vihara.
Parbatya Bhikkhu Sangha Bangladesh is the Supreme Sangha Council and the oldestreligious organization of the greaterChittagong Hill Tracts. The objective of this organization is to promote and spread the teachings of the greatBuddha in Chittagong Hill Tracts as well as in the country for the "happiness and well-being of many". This organization has been playing a unique role in preachingBuddhism and religious reform in Chittagong Hill Tracts. Mahathera served as the general secretary of this organization from 1978 to 1988. He also served as the president of Parbatya Bhikkhu Sangha since 2011 to 2014.
The Parbatya Bouddha Sangha Bangladesh is a Dhaka-based NGO. He took over the charge of the President of this NGO in 1987. He served as its president from the year 1987 to 1995, 1998 to February 2013.
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Mahathera visited many countries including theIndia,France,UK,United States,Thailand,Canada,South Korea,Japan,China,Sri Lanka, as the general secretary and chief representative of Moanoghar and Parbattya Chattal Buddhist Orphanage in between 1980 and 1997. Besides, he jointed several international peace conferences-