Report on the Proceedings of the Third Meeting of the World Buddhist University Council held on 9 February 2002 at the Maxx Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand
From: Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd.A.C.N 005 701 806 A.B.N. 42 611 496 488, 33 Brooking Street, Upwey, Victoria 3158, Australia.
Prepared by: John D. Hughes Dip. App. Chem., T.T.T.C GDAIE
Research Assistants: Julian Bamford B.A.App.Rec., Leanne Eames B.A., M.A, Evelin Halls, Dip. Foreign Language Correspondence, Rilla Oellien, Anita Svensson, R.N. Div 1 and Pennie White B.A. Dip. Ed.
Prepared on: 25 February 2002
Our email address: wbu@bdcu.org.au
Our Centre has been certified as a duly admitted Associated Institution of The World Buddhist University and entitled to all the rights and privileges of such associated institutions. The Certification was signed and duly authorised by the Chairman Dr. Ananda W.P. Guruge and the Rector Noranit Setabutr on 9 February B.E. 2545 (2002).
Two Members from the Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd attended the Meeting and Conference. Master John D. Hughes and his wife Anita attended the Third Meeting of The World Buddhist University Council on 9 February 2002 and the International Conference on “Buddhism and World Peace” on 10 February 2002 in Bangkok, Thailand.
John D. Hughes and Anita thank Members of the Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd. for their financial support in payment of airfares and other expenses arising from the Meeting and Conference.
The World Buddhist University (WBU) has its office headquarters at the building complex owned by the World Fellowship of Buddhists (WFB) at 616 Benjasiri Park, Soi Medhinivet off Soi Sukhumvit 24, Sukhumvit Road, Bangkok 10110.
The World Buddhist University is a global network of Buddhist Scholars. The WBU does not issue university qualifications.
The Third Meeting of The World Buddhist University Council was held on 9 February 2002 in the Maxx Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand.
Those attending the Council Meeting were:
Most Venerable C. Dambajav
H.E. Phan Wannamethee, President of the World Fellowship of Buddhists
Dr. Ananda W.P. Guruge, First Vice-Chairman, The World Buddhist University
Mr Thakur Man Sakya, Second Vice-Chairman, The World Buddhist University
Associate Professor Noranit Setabutr, Rector, The World Buddhist University
Mr Anurut Vongvanij, Vice Rector, The World Buddhist University
Mr Ruangdej Srimuni, Director World Buddhist University Centre
Dr. Somboon Duangsamosorn, Vice Chairman, The World Buddhist University Council
Mr John D. Hughes, Council Member, The World Buddhist University
Dr. Chris Stanford, International Affairs Coordinator, The World Buddhist University
Dr. Peter D. Masefield
Professor Kodo Matsunami
Professor Dr. Rawi Bhavilai
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Subhadr Panyadeep, Editor-in-Chief, WBU’s Journal of World Buddhism
Assistant Professor Dr. Tavivat Puntarigvivat, Director of the Institute of Research and Development, The World Buddhist University
Mr Nantasarn Seeselab, General Secretary, World Fellowship of Buddhists
Professor D. R. Bhalerao, Vice President for Central Asian Affairs, IAEWP
The Third Meeting of The World Buddhist University Council was formally opened by Dr Somboon Duangsamosorn, of the World Buddhist University Council. The Chairperson of the Council Meeting was Dr. A.W.P. Guruge.
The WBU Councillors and attendants paid homage to the Triple Gem.
Most Venerable Dambajav gave a Puja Blessing.
Dr. Ananda Guruge, Chairman of the World Buddhist University, greeted everyone and welcomed them to the Meeting. Dr. Guruge welcomed Professor Noranit Setabutr. Dr. Guruge said that he was happy to see his good friends from around the world.
Dr Guruge spoke about the notion of Samma Ditthi.
The question “What is the World Buddhist University?” was answered by Dr. Guruge and others after much discussion. The following key points were established:
1. The WBU does not issue degrees and has no actual training or teaching. It is the Associated Institutions that do the research, training and practice.
2. The WBU has made a good start towards globalisation by duly admitting 4 associated institutions. We must look at inviting other institutions to join. A letter will be sent out to invite other Buddhist institutions to apply to join.
3. WBU Council members will be the contact for their country and regions.
4. The WBU is a coordinator of data about Buddha Dhamma research, training and practice and is an information warehouse.
5. All forms of Buddha Dhamma are accepted at the WBU. It does not discriminate.
6. Dr.Guruge said The World Buddhist University is a storehouse of information about Buddhist Curricular at other institutions through out the World, for access by other institutions and persons world wide.
7. Let the WBU be a vast database of every kind of Buddha Dhamma that exists on this planet.
8. Let the WBU unite the Buddhist World by being a point where one can find out what is happening in the world and where one can find out about Buddha Dhamma doctrines.
In terms of structure, the Associated Institutions provide the information from their respective countries of details of publications of Buddha Dhamma Practice. The Associated Institutions may provide the research, training and Buddha Dhamma practice at the grass roots level.
It was agreed the term “Buddha Dhamma” is the preferred term other than “Buddhism”.
The Agenda for the Meeting included 12 Agenda items.
1, Opening Formality
2, Adoption of Minutes of the last Meeting
3, Progress Report on the WBU since its First Meeting in December 2000
4, The Programme of the Third Meeting of the WBU Council and an International Conference on “Buddhism and World Peace”
5, Confirm decisions taken by Postal Voting
6, Action Plan for the Year 2002
7, Financial Regulation of WBU
8, Financial Status of the World Buddhist University
9, A Scheme to Share Administrative Costs of the WBU University Centre by Approved Associated Institutions
10, Confirmation of Applications for Approval as Associated Institutions
11, The World Buddhist University Course and Learning Process
12, Any Other Business
WBU role clarity established a need to put more effort into the several directions that surfaced to facilitate globalisation of the University. Some initially very poor Buddhist countries such as Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore and Taiwan grew strongly from implementing more outward-looking policies.
The formation of the WBU as a network of approved associated Centres in three categories became clear. These Associated Institutions do the teaching, research and practice of Buddha Dhamma at the grassroots level.
The first task is to increase the number of Associated Institutions
The University has no enrolments and issues no degrees, like the United Nations University.
Some of these Associated Institutions may issue degrees at their national level.
The WBU is represented by its Associated Institutions.
The first direction statement is that at least 25 Associated Institutions are needed before the WBU can go to the rest of the Buddhist world and request them to apply to join as an Associated Institution.
The first direction statement considers it would be desirable to have 10 Associated Institutions in Thailand, 5 in Sri Lanka, and 10 in the United States of America join the WBU.
Important national institutions like associated Buddha Dhamma Centres can play a crucial role in the overall ecosystem of Buddha Dhamma research by credentialed emerging scholars through publication in the World Buddhist University Journal and/or on the WBU website, with a content of an ever evolving cultural heritage. This area of excellence and scholarship is important.
Associated Institutions could assist the Rector in unified editing and presentation of WBU publications and reporting on affairs.
The Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd. placed WBU publications and documents from 9 -10 February 2002 deliberations on our website at www.bddronline.net.au.
The second direction statement is to set up a world campaign to promote the WBU.
The WBU must go on a world campaign to promote what it is and what it does. The WBU will become a database of world Buddhist studies representing every Continent and more Buddhist training Centres; and a database of research and PhD studies on Buddha Dhamma.
It must become widely known.
The WBU is a coordinating, information gathering, storing and retrieval centre of Buddha Dhamma.
Arts, ideas and aesthetics have always been borderless. They unite the world Buddhist community.
The simple reason is that to enjoy and learn from aesthetic and heritage of other cultures has always been a critical stimulus to the development of new insights, new ways of looking at the world. The WBU will create a stored, living history of Buddha Dhamma on every Continent of this world that provides a tool skills incubator.
H.E. Professor Phan Wannamethee, Honorary President of the WBU rounded off the discussion by stating the importance of the following points.
The WBU provides opportunities on a global scale of learning by doing.
The WBU ought not to be timid or shy in its activities.
The WBU is a nerve centre, a brain and a Centre of inspiration for the rest of the world..
The WBU ought to codify the criteria for qualifying as an Associated Institution as soon as possible.
WBU Associated Institutions must help with the drafting and editing of documents.
A monetary contribution, such as an annual fee, is to be payable by each Associated Institution of the WBU. The fee adopted is between US$100 to US$1000 per Associated Institution per year.
The Council Meeting adopted a mandate to:
1. Develop a Digital Records Centre and Library
2. Develop a Web Page for the World Buddhist University
3. Collect and store research work completed by Buddha Dhamma Scholars and others
around the world.
4. Network to coordinate current Buddha Dhamma research.
The outcome of the Council Meeting was a clearer role definition and a sense of solidarity between Council Members of the need to spread by globalisation of the outputs to the WBU. Very favourable and cordial relationships have been formed between WBU Members.
The next Meeting of The World Buddhist University Council will be held in Malaysia during the 22nd General Conference of the World Fellowship of Buddhists in December 2002.
Our Centre wishes to thank the Organising Committee of the WBU and their helpers for coordinating the extended Council Meeting at the Maxx Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand and for providing excellent study materials for each of the Agenda Items.
May the WBU continue to bless many scholars and their respective places of learning.