A History of the Buddhist Library

The Buddhist Library (BL) has been created and supported by volunteers who first encountered the spirit of the Buddhism of Nepal and its culture in a small house in Kathmandu called "Shanti Kuthi" Below I recount the events which took place around Shanti Kuthi.

1970	The late Dr. Akio Ujike, Professor of Koyasan University studied the ritual system of Nepal's Buddhism and Buddhist Sanskrit manuscripts under Rev. Amogha Bajra Bajracharya, a man deeply concerned for the future of the Buddhism of Nepal. This was the motivation of founding Buddhist Library . Dr. Ujike was a pioneer in the introduction of the Buddhism of Nepal to Japan. At that time in Japan, Buddhist scholars were not only uninterested in the current situation but had not even heard of the Buddhism of Nepal or its existence.
1972	Rev. Takaoka Shucho studied the iconography of 108 Lokeswars (Avalokitesvaras), Swayanbhu Purana (Genesis of Kathmandu Valley) and ritual manuals under Rev. Amogha Bajra Bajracharya. Rev. Takaoka learned Nepalbhasa (the Newari language) under Mr. Prem Bahadur Kansakar, a famous activist for Nepalbhasa. He told Rev. Takaoka about the history of Nepalbhasa and explained the struggles and activities surrounding its preservation and promotion. They talked about establishing a library of Newar manuscripts and books in Nepalbhasa. Mr. Dharma Ratna Bajracharya, a collector of Sanskrit manuscripts, told Rev. Takaoka the difficulty of preventing such manuscripts from flowing out from Nepal.
1973	Rev. Takaoka started to make microfilms of the manuscripts. with help from Mr. Dharma.
1974	A group formed to publish a book of wood block prints of the 108 Lokeswars (Japanese Name: Hyakuhachi Kannon mokkoku zuzoshu kankokai) was established by Mr. Ito Akira, late Mr. Kumagaya Seiji, and Takaoka etc. for the purpose to introduce the Buddhism of Nepal to Japan. The Shanti Kuthi was established. It is a free space for travelers where they can exchange and gather traveling information . At first it was called Heiwa Shokan in Japanese, meaning Small House of Peace. The house was donated by a Chinese gentleman, Mr. Won Hutmin
1976	Mr. Ito Akira arrived in Shanti Kuthi to direct the production of wood block prints of the 108 Lokeswars. BL researched and photographed of old wall paintings in Gompas (Tibetan Buddhist temples) especially at Archi Gompa in Ladhak, India. BL conducted research in Zanskar 1977 and Rahul, India 1978 for the purpose of collecting photos of wall paintings and wood-block print amulets.
1977	Lokeswar parichaya was written by Rev. Amogha Bajra Bajracharya"(Introduction of 108 Lokeswars of Nepal's Buddhism) was published. It was printed by Mr. Padma Ratna Tuladhar at Madan Printing Press, which was a center of the Nepalbhasa movement.
1978	The Buddhist Library was established to endeavor to record "The Now of Nepal's Buddhism" and to contribute to the preservation of Nepal's Buddhist culture.
1979	Mr. Hatanaka Kokyo and Mr. Miyamoto Michio and groups from Shanthi kuthi made expeditions to copy old the old wall paintings in Archi Gompa which was established in the eleventh century by Rev Rinchen Zanpo in Ladakh India. This work continued for nearly four years. The Shanthi Kuthi enlisted the help of Mr. Ishwari P. Karmacharya who was a specialists in copying old Newar painting.
1980	The Shanthi Kuthi sent Mr. Mahendra Ratna Bajracharya to Varanasi to study Sanskrit under Dr. Jagan Nath Upaddhiyaya in Sanpurnanda University . In 1981 Mr. Bijaya Raja Bajracharya joined the same program. Nepala Bouddha Prakasana (Nepal-Buddhist Publisher) was established by BL to publish translations of the Buddhist Sanskrit texts Mr. Azuma and Mr. Miyazaki and others started to record the rituals and festivals of Nepal's Buddhism. It was decided that the basic mission of the group would be record as comprehensively as possible, "The Now of the Buddhism of Nepal."
1981	Nepala Lipi Kendra (The School of Newari Letters was established with the cooperation of Shanthi Kuthi) A Microfilm Catalogue of Buddhist Manuscripts in Nepal" was published by the BL. The wood block printing collection of 108 Lokeswars was published. 108 kannnonn shoukai, Japanese translation of "Lokeswar parichaya written by Rev. Amogha Bajra Bajracharya" was published. 108 Kannonn shogon, the introductory book for wood block print collection of 108 Lokwswars which explains the artistic techniques involved in its production, was published by Mr. Ito Akira and Mr. Nakamura Osamu.
1982	The BL supplied 55 roles of Microfilms to universities and institutes in Japan. The 108 Lokeswar Sangha (Hyakuhachi kannon sanga) was established. It succeeded the activities of the group which had organized the wood block printing project. Under the auspices of the sangha, Shanthi Kuthi published the book and also offered introductory workshops in the actual culture of the Buddhism of Nepal.
1984	The 108 Lokeswar Sangha invited Rev. Asha Kaji Bajracharya to introduce "Chanting and Puja of Sanskrit Prajnaparamita:" at Sensoji-temple in Asakusa, Tokyo; at Tokurinji-temple in Nagoya; at Myoujuji-temple in Osaka; and, at Saikyoji-temple Kobe, etc.
1985	The 108 Lokeswar Sangha arranged study trips to Nepal.
1986	Nepala Bouddha Sanskrita Adhyayan Kendra (a school of Nepal's Buddhist Sanskrit)was established. Asha Saphu Kuthi (Asha Archives = ASK) was established with cooperation of The Toyota Foundation BL cooperated in transferring the Dharma Ratna collection to ASK. Mr. Yoshizaki started to make their catalogue. The 108 Lokeswar Sangha invited a group of Nepal-Buddhist musicians, Gyana Mala Bajan, to Japan.
1988	The Lotus Research Center, which works for the preservation of the Buddhism of Nepal and its culture was established in Lalitapur Nepal with full cooperation of the Shishinkai (a Japanese lay Buddhist Group).
1990	Lokeswar Sangha invited a group of Newari bronze artisans to Japan.
1991	The 108 Lokeswar Sangha invited Rev. Ratan Kaji Bajracharya and Rev. Prajywar Bajracharya to lead workshops on Carya Nrtya (Dance of the Buddhism of Nepal) in Japan.
1992	The BL received a letter from Mr. Padma Ratna Tuladhar, who asked that they make microfilms of the ASK.
1994	The BL negotiated with ASK to create a project for preserving their manuscripts. The BL secured a subsidy from the Asia Center, Japan Foundation to help in this.
Febuary 1995	BL exchanged a memorandum with the ASK regarding the Preservation Project of Manuscripts in Asha Saphu Kuthi.
October 1996	BL and ASK decided to abandon making micro film, but instead to make pictures of the manuscripts by scanning them digitally. The first stage of ASK-P is to scan these manuscripts, we call this DP, or the Digital Project.
May 1997	DP was begun.
October 1999	Scanning was completed . Mr. Tanoue created a Web catalogue of DP based on Yoshizaki Catalogue and others. We call it Tanoue Search Engine or DP catalogue. An intranet system for the DP Database was established at ASK.
Febuary 2000	ASK opened the Database to public which was made in DP.
June 2000	The 108 Lokeswar Sangha invited a group of Newari Farmers to Japan, Dapha paean.
October 2000	The BL (Rev. Hayashi Keiho, Ms. YSH and Ms. YUK) undertook a photogrpahy project. They recorded the present structure and situation of Kathmandu Valley in 2000 from Nov.2000-Feb. 2001.
Febuary 2001	BL and ASK decided to supply the database to the world this Autumn.