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Activities

LOTUS RESEARCH CENTRE
 
   

  1. Research and study

  2. Translation and Publication

  3. Conference and Seminar

  4. The Information Centre

  5. Essay competition      

  6. Preaching and Training programme

  7. Scholarship      

1. Research and study

Since its establishment in 1988, LRC has accomplished study and researches on various topics of Buddhism in Nepal Mandala. Following are the list of researches that has been completed:

  1. Saptavidhanapuja (Seven-fold Worship) by Pandit Asha Kaji Bajrachrya, Mr. Harsha Ratna Dhakhwa and Mr. Shanta Harsha Bajracharya

  2. Sagan Kayeguya Mahattva (Importance of Good-luck Offering) by Ms. Chandra Shobha Shakya

  3. Deke Waneguya Mhattva (Significance of Paying Homage to the Different Shrines) by Ms. Shobha Nani Shakya

  4. A Study on Sinhah (Auspicious Mark of Colored powder on Forehead) by Ms. Roshani Shakya

  5. A General Survey on the Essence of Declaring Nepal as a Secular State by Mr. Mahendra Ratna Shakya and Mr. Yogendra Raj Bajracharya

  6. A Study on the Opinion of the Buddhist Priests on the Traditional Rituals by Mr. Bodhi Vajra Bajracharya

  7. A Case Study on the Impact of the Traditional Vajrayana on the Ritual of Newa Buddhists by Mr. Bodhi Vajra Bajracharya

  8. A Study on the Impact of Vipasyana Meditation in the Daily Life by Ms. Buddha Laxmi Shakya, Ms. Ratna Devi Shakya, Ms. Riddhi Laxmi Shakya, Ms. Arni Maiyan Bajracharya

  9. A Study on the State of Religio-cultural Life of Tamang Buddhists of Dhading District by Prof. Dr. Bajra Raj Shakya

  10. A Study on Bali Offering by Pandit Ratna Kaji Bajracharya

  11. A Study on Yashodhar Mahavihar by Mr. Hera Kaji Bajrachrya

  12. A Study on Vasundhara Devi by Mr. Mahendra Ratna Shakya

  13. A Study on a Buddhist Ritual: Barha by Ms. Ratna Devi Shakya and Ms. Buddha Laxmi Shakya

  14. A Study on the importance of Torana in the Buddhist Art by Ms. Roshani Shakya

  15. A Study on Mataya (the Festival of Light) by Mr. Kiran Bhai Bajracharya and Mr. Dharma Raj Shakya

  16. Mamaki in Vajrayana by Mr. Dharma Raj Bajracharya

  17. A Study on Dipankha by Mr. Hiranya Raj Bajracharya

  18. A Study on Shringaveri Buddhist Tradition by Mr. Tej Ratna Shakya

  19. Macabu Byenkegu (Birth Purification Rituals among the Newa Buddhists) by Ms. Hira Nani Shakya and Ms. Shobha Nani Shakya

  20. A Study on the Tradition of Buddhist Hymns Recitation by Mr. Tej Ratna Shakya

  21. Impact of Jayasthiti Malla's Social Reform on the Buddhism of Nepal by Mr. Buddhacharya Shakya

  22. A Study on the Ornaments of Buddhist Deities By Mr. Anand Bir Bajracharya

Similarly, some of  the important research projects going on at present are :

  1. Bibliography of Buddhist texts.

  2. A study on marriage customs of  Newa Buddhists.

  3. A study on Hiranya Varna Mahavihar, the religious shrine of Newa Buddhists.

  4. A study on Viharas of Bhaktapur.

     

2. Translation and Publications

Translation :

The ancient Buddhist scriptures that are available are mostly in Sanskrit language which very few can understand. So LRC has formulated a policy of translating Sanskrit Buddhist scriptures into vernacular language and publishing them. So far ten Buddhist scriptures have been translated out of which the following remain to be published.

  1. Sadhana Mala part I

  2. Sadhana Mala Part II

  3. Sikshya Samuccaya

  4. Astasahasrika Prajnaparamita with its commentary Abhisamayalankaraloka

Publications :

Publications of LRC can mainly be divided into following six catagories :

A. Sanskrit Mahayana scriptures and their translations

Out of Nava Grantha (Nine famous Mahayana scriptures), LRC has translated into Nepal Bhasa and published the following five :

  1. Saddharma Pundarika Sutra

  2. Lankavatara Sutra

  3. Arya Gandavyuha Sutra

  4. AryaSamadhiraja Sutra

  5. Arya Guhyasamaja Tantra

Book in the press

1.       Dashabhumika Sutra

 

B. Research works

  1. Yen Deya Chaitya (A survey of the Chaityas of Kathmandu)

  2. A study on Vasundhara Devi.

C. Conference and Seminar reports

  1. A report on Newa Buddhist culture preservation seminar (both in English and Nepal Bhasa)

  2. Charyageet in Newa Buddhist culture

  3. Guthi in Newa Buddhist culture

  4. Loka Baja in Newa Buddhist culture

  5. A Conference on Buddhist Heritage of Nepal Mandala: two Reports  (in English and Nepal Bhasa).

D. Education for children

  1. ‘Life of Lord Buddha’, a comic book in five different volumes.

  2. ‘The Lion and The Wolf’ comic based on Jataka story.

E. Journal ‘Paleswan’

LRC publishes a journal named ‘Paleswan’ which covers research reports, research oriented articles, activities of the centre and news. Up till now the centre has published 18 issues. An electronic version of this bulletin named as ‘Paleswan e-Bulletine’ is on-line now.

F. Research conducted by LRC and books published by other agencies

  1. A Study on Yashodhar Mahavihar Sangha

  2. A Study on Bali offering

  

3. Conference & Seminars

Conferences :

LRC takes initiative to hold conferences on Buddhist culture involving national as well as international scholars occasionally. A Conference on Buddhist Heritage of Nepal Mandala was organized by Lotus Research Centre together with eighteen other organizations from Kathmandu valley and Japan on Nov. 1-5, 1998. The theme of the Conference was ‘Buddhist Heritage of Nepal for a Better life’. Scholars from Nepal, USA, UK, Japan, Belgium, Germany, France participated in the conference. Seventeen papers on various aspects of Buddhism in Nepal Mandala were presented during the seminars and exhaustive  discussions were held on them. The conference comprised a wide range of programmes of seminars, lectures, cultural exhibitions and rituals. The conference ended successfully with the adoption of a resolution entitled ‘The Kathmandu Declaration’ having ten points on different aspects of Buddhism and its culture in Nepal.

 

Seminars :

LRC has conducted seminars in two catagories on the topics as mentioned below.

A. Seminars conducted under Regular Programme

Revival of Buddhism and culture in the Kathmandu valley.

  1. Jayama Puja (Priesthood)

  2. Conservation of Newa Buddhism and culture

  3. Caryageet in Newa Buddhist culture.

  4. Guthi  in Newa Buddhist culture

  5. A Buddhist ritual : Bara tradition

  6. The importance of Torana in Buddhist art

  7. Hiranya Varna Mahavihara, a religious shrine of  Newa Buddhists

  8. Loka Baja (Traditional instruments) in Newa Buddhist Culture

  9. Buddhism in Nepal in pre-medieval period.

  10. Sringaveri Jatra 

  11. A study on Dipankha

  12. The impact of reforms of Jaya Sthiti Malla on Buddhism.

  13. A study of Guita Bahi 

  14. A Study on the Ornaments of Buddhist Deities

B. Seminars conducted during conferences

LRC also has organized several paper presentations during ‘Newa Buddhist Culture Preservation Seminar’ in 1993 (3 papers) and ‘A Conference on Buddhist Heritage of Nepal Mandal’ in 1998 (17 papers). The list of the papers are as follows:

  1. Newar Buddhist Culture: A Concept by Prof. Dr. Bajra Raj Shakya and Mr. Shanta Harsha Bajracharya

  2. Traditions of Newar Buddhist Culture by Pandit Ratna Kaji Bajracharya

  3. A Study of Traditional Vajrayana Buddhism of Nepal by Mr. Min Bahadur Shakya

  4. Characteristics of Buddhist Culture of Nepal Mandal by Prof. Dr. Bajra Raj Shakya

  5. Two Topics from the Swayambhu Purana: Who was Dharma-shri-mitra?, Who was Shantikara Acharya? by Mr. Hubert Decleer

  6. Impact of Physical Environment on Buddhism of Nepal Manadal by Mr. Chakra Mehar Bajracharya

  7. Buddhism in Nepal and "Nepal Mandal" by Dr. Naresh Man Bajracharya

  8. Conflicting Conceptions of the Sri Sri Sri Swayambhu Chaitya as a Holy Shrine by Dr. Alexander von Rospatt

  9. Role of Guthi in Newar Buddhist Culture by Mr. Phanindra Ratna Bajracharya

  10. Charyageet by Mr. Yagya Man Bajrachrya

  11. Literary Sources of the Gunakarandavyuha by Mr. William B. Douglas

  12. Concept of Mahayana/Vajrayana Buddhism in Nepal Mandal: it's Present Status and Suggestions for Improvement by Mr. Punya Prasad Parajuli

  13. Status of Newar Buddhist Culture by Mr. Kedar Shakya

  14. Monasticism in Newar Buddhism: A Historical Analysis by Mr. Min Bahadur Shakya

  15. Lokabaja in Newar Buddhist Culture by Mr. Madansen Bajracharya

  16. Role of Theravada in the Preservation of Newar Buddhism by Ven. Sudarshan Mahasthavira

  17. Karunamaya Jatra in Newar Buddhist Culture by Mr. Munindra Ratna Bajracharya

  18. Buddhism and Licchavi Society: A Study by Dr. Bhadra Ratna Bajracharya

  19. Contribution of Nepal Buddhism to the World Culture by Rev. Shucho Takaoka

  20. On the Revival of Newar Mahayana Buddhism: One Scholar's Reflection by Prof. Todd T. Lewis

  

4. The Information Centre

One of the major recommendations made by the above mentioned conference was that LRC should be developed as a research and information centre which should be able to provide necessary information for local people and international scholars on Buddhism of Nepal. Accordingly LRC has initiated its programme of information centre. LRC’s focus for next five years will be to develop and stand as a major information centre in Nepal in the field of Buddhism and its culture by collecting exhaustive information on every possible aspects of Buddhist culture in Nepal Mandal.

The major progress made by LRC in this field are:

  • Prepared database of the Chaityas and Dharmadhatu Mandalas of Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur.

  • Collected significant amount of audio visual materials recorded since last three decades.

  • Collected new  recordings of various festivals and musical traditions (Dapha,  charya, stotra, etc.) of Nepal Mandala.

  • Digitizing important Sanskrit Mahayana scriptures.

  

5. Essay competition

LRC has been conducting Essay competition programme since eight years on the auspicious occasion of birth anniversary of Lord Buddha on various topics related to Buddha Dharma. Up till now Essay Competitions on the perfections of Dana, Sila, Ksanti, Virya, Dhyana, Prajna, Maitri, Karuna, Mudita, Upeksha, Pratitya Samutpad and Bodhicitta have been conducted. The best ones are rewarded with prizes and the essays are published in the LRC journal.

  

6. Preaching & Training programme

LRC has been organizing study based preaching and training programmes on different topics related to Buddhism. These programmes are intended to attract the attention of Buddhist youth to encourage them to make study and research. 

LRC provides trainings on the following fields :

  1. Research Methodology

  2. Public speaking skill for young boys and girls

  3. Skill development for young girls

  4. Comic art

  5. Dharma practices for younger generation

 

7. Scholarship

As a part of social welfare activities according to LRC constitution, LRC has been providing scholarship to orphan-students who are poor and helpless to study upto the secondary level. This programme helps them to pay their tuition fees and buy textbooks.