Mahathera's mortal remains consigned to flames

HT, Patna 11-02-09

Mahathera's mortal remains consigned to flames

Gaya, Feb. 10

MORTAL REMAINS of 79-years-old Dr. Rashtrapal Mahathera were consigned to flames at International Meditation Centre (IMC), Bodh Gaya on Tuesday. Mahathera died on December 22. since then, the embalmed body had been kept for the last darshan (glimpse) of the devout.

Dr. Rashtrapal Mahathera, an international meditation teacher of repute and supreme patriarch of Indian Buddhism called Sangharaja, was also the founder of IMC. His disciples lit the funeral pyre.

Earlier, a dhamma sabha, presided over by IMC general secretary Dr. Varasambodhi Thera was held for the peace of the departed soul. Around 4,000 persons from different countries, including the UK, the US, Japan, Bangla Desh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Taiwan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Thailand, Indonesia and different parts of India, besides representatives of the Buddhist monasteries at Bodh Gaya participated in the funeral.

Although this was the first instance of display of the body for the benefit of the devout, the IMC general secretary said it was a routine Buddhist tradition.

Mahathera was born on April 25, 1930 in Chittagaonj, now in Bangla Desh. He authored at least 18 books and did his Ph.D. from Magadh University on the thesis, 'God and Goddesses in Pali Tipiutika'. His books included Glory of Bodh Gaya, A guide to mind purification – Bipasana, Psychological approach to Buddhist meditation, etc. The Burmese government had honoured him with Agga Mahasaddhamma Jotikaddhaja award in 2004 and the All India Bhikkhu Sangha (AIBS) had conferred on him the title, Tipitaka Mahapundit, in 2008. Mahathera also held key posts in different organizations. He was general secretary of the International Buddhist Council, an organization of ordinary Buddhist devotees, besides being the third Sangharaja of Bharatiya Sangharaja Bhikkhu Mahasabha and was also a member of Bodh Gaya Temple Management Committee (BTMC) for two terms.