The Bangladeshi Buddhist community in Hong Kong gathered at the Buddha-Dharma Centre of Hong Kong (BDCHK) on 29 March to honor three senior monks. The event featured ceremonies for sangha-dana* and atthaparikkhara-dana,* as well as a series of Dhamma talks led by Emeritus Professor Venerable K. L. Dhammajoti, founder of the BDCHK.

This occasion was particularly significant as it was attended by the newly elected president of the Supreme Sangha Council of Bangladesh (Bangladesh Sangharaj Bhikkhu Mahasabha; SSCB), Ven. Pannananda Mahathera, former SSCB secretary Ven. Dr. Sanghapriya Mahathera, and Ven. Ratanananda Thera, SSCB office secretary.

The event coordinator, Dr. Dipen Barua, who oversaw the arrival of the monks, delivered an introductory speech in which he emphasized the importance of the event and introduced the monks to the gathering. He also expressed gratitude to community members for their contributions to organizing the event and for their warm participation.

A Bangladeshi monk and student at The University of Hong Kong (HKU), Ven. Pragnapala, led an offering puja to the Buddha, which was followed by the community participants undertaking the Five Precepts.

In his speech, Ven. Dhammajoti highlighted the significance of the gathering, noting that it was wonderful for Hong Kong’s Bangladeshi community to come together to honor their monks, thus preserving the Buddhist tradition.

“Although I am not Bangladeshi, I feel a strong connection to the Bangladeshi Buddhist community,” Ven. Dhammajoti explained. “I have founded the Compassion Buddhist Institute in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, where I have supported many Bangladeshi Buddhist children, including monastics, providing them with essential resources, including education. Many of them have come to HKU to pursue master’s degrees in Buddhist studies, and some have even completed PhDs and become teachers at HKU.”

“This brings me great joy as I witness the development of Bangladeshi Buddhists,” he added.

Ven. Sanghapriya urged all Bangladeshi Buddhists in Hong Kong to remain united and support one another during challenging times. He expressed particular thanks to Ven. Dhammajoti for his unwavering support of the Bangladeshi Buddhist community.

One Bangladeshi Buddhist,  Dr. Amrita Nanda, a disciple of Ven. Dhammajoti, who currently teaches at HKU, paid tribute to the monks on behalf of the community in Hong Kong. He also expressed gratitude to Ven. Dhammajoti and other community members for their consistent support.

The morning session concluded with the offering of accumulated merit to all sentient beings, followed by lunch for the monks and participants.

After lunch, the monks delivered Dhamma talks to the attendees. Ven. Pannananda remarked that although they were only in Hong Kong for a short time, the local Buddhist community had honored them with a special tribute, which he found remarkable. He also thanked Ven. Dhammajoti for supporting the Bangladeshi Buddhist community, including scholarships for needy students—especially monastics—and other educational assistance.

Ven. Pannananda praised the city’s discipline and expressed gratitude to the people of Hong Kong for recognizing Buddhism as one of the important religions. He noted that their values were reflected in various monasteries in Hong Kong, including the Big Buddha, Tsz Shan Monastery, and Chi Lin Nunnery. He mentioned that these religious structures had profoundly influenced his thoughts, and that he would share his memories with Bangladeshi Buddhists on his return. Ven. Pannananda also stated that he planned to incorporate the natural aesthetics of each of the aforementioned monasteries into his own monasteries in Bangladesh.

The Dhamma talk wrapped up with concluding remarks from Ven. Ratanananda and Ven. Sanghapriya.

* Pali. Offerings from the laity to the monastic sangha.

** Pali. Offerings of eight essential requisites for monks, including robes, bowls, belts, needles, water strainers, and razors.) 

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