Our lineage
Maha Bodhi Society
Our parent society: founded in Bengaluru in 1956 to practise and teach the Buddha's Dhamma, and to put compassion into action.
Practising and teaching the Dhamma since 1956
The Maha Bodhi Society was founded in Bengaluru in 1956 by the Most Venerable Acharya Buddharakkhita, on land given by Mahā Upāsikā Mrs Bianca Moonasinghe. Its aim is simple: to practise and teach the Buddha’s teaching.
From that beginning it has grown into a family of monasteries, meditation centres, schools and medical services across India, from Karnataka and Telangana to Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura and Bodh Gayā. Sunday Dhamma discourses have been held at its headquarters every week since 1956.
The work of the Society
Some of the institutions founded and run by the Maha Bodhi Society.
- Mahabodhi Monastic InstituteTrains novices and monks, from school level to the advanced Dhammācariya degree.
- Meditation centresResidential meditation courses in Bengaluru, Hyderabad and beyond.
- Tipiṭaka translationThe Tipiṭaka Granthamālā has published the Pāli canon with translations in Kannada and Telugu.
- Mahabodhi Maitri MandalaSchools, a college, homes and relief work, under the motto "Compassion in Action".
- Medical serviceHospital dāna since 1956, a burns and casualty centre, and charitable medical centres.
- Buddha Vachana TrustAn associate trust that has published more than 300 books on the Dhamma.
The Hyderabad branch
Mahabodhi Buddha Vihara is the Society’s branch in Hyderabad. Here the Society carries out monastic training, meditation retreats, Dhamma classes and Sunday discourses, Buddhist study programmes, Telugu publications, hospital dāna and an annadānam (free meals) project.
Compassion in Action
The motto of the Mahabodhi Maitri Mandala, the Society's service wing.
