The International Association of Buddhist Universities Celebrating the Endeavors of a Decade 2007-2017 6-8 May 2017/2560 Mahachlalongkornrajavidyalaya University Thailand (1) (2) Preface The International Association of Buddhist Universities (IABU) was founded during the UN Day of Vesak celebrations at the UN Conference Centre in Bangkok in 28 May 2007/ 2550 by Buddhist universities as well as secular universities engaged in Buddhist studies from more than twenty nations and regions. It is “an international forum for institutes of Buddhist higher education to network, understand and benefit from the richness and variety of the multinational Buddhist tradition”. Before that, there have already been “excellent international organizations which bring Buddhist scholars together; but those organizations, for example, the IABS and the AAS, bring together Buddhist scholars only at the individual level”. So, the IABU is the first “global forum that brings entire institutions together. As such, it provides new challenges as well as opportunities to those involved.” Challenges - there are still difficulties in networking or in maintaining it for effective collaboration between members and the IABU; so far, the IABU has been orientated as a conference-based organization. It can and should grow outside the conference setup as well. That said, there have also been positive developments, as many geographically favourable individual member-institutions have been working together, the kind of cooperation which could have not otherwise been possible. Some of those joint efforts are evidenced in the MoUs in this volume. By and large though, just as it was born of our collective efforts during the UN Day of Vesak celebrations, the IABU has grown from strength to strength, together with the UN Day of Vesak, by serving as its academic arms, for the last ten years, mostly organizing academic panels and discussions. The two major pilot projects of the IABU, namely the Common Buddhist Text (CBT) and the Union Catalogue of Buddhist Texts (UCBT), are ideas originated from the UNDV annual gathering of worldwide Buddhists. The CBT project was undertaken by the IABU and sponsored by Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University (MCU) and it has now been successfully concluded. The first edition in the English medium is published and launched during this IABU conference. The UCBT, however, is still an ongoing undertaking; and just as in the case of the CBT, its success will depend on the strength of the IABU. (3) In its ten years of existence, the IABU has held three international conferences, all at MCU. The first in August 2008 had Buddhist ethics as its theme while the second one, held in 2012 in conjunction with the UNDV, focussed on Buddhist philosophy and praxis. This 3rd IABU conference is organized to update the IABU family of the development of Buddhist mindfulness meditation practices within and beyond traditional boundaries and to also aspire ourselves to engage in it more in moving forward what has become a global interdisciplinary endeavour. The theme is formulated as “Mindfulness: Traditions and Compassionate Applications”. We bring all three major schools of Buddhism, Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana, together; they focus on three aspects: texts, meditation traditions and contemporary applications. It has been 2600 years since the enlightenment of our great teacher, Gotama Buddha, and for the 3rd IABU Conference, we discuss what most of his followers believe and have confirmed: that mindfulness, being more mindful of and compassionate to ourselves and our environment, is best for our civilizations. In addition to the academic side, the IABU also dedicates its efforts to reorganizing itself for more efficient coordination. So, the first day, 6 May 2017, will be devoted to brainstorming among administrators. In the organization workshops, the following should be arranged for discussion: (a) curriculum development, (b) meditation practice in the curriculum, (c) IABU members and their roles, (d) quality assurance/ quality control, and (e) MoUs that have been signed between members since 2007. The second day, 7 May 2017, will focus on the main theme of mindfulness and its traditional and contemporary applications. 26 thematic papers on those ideas, including two keynote speeches, will be presented. The third day, 8 May 2017, is when the IABU joins the International Council for the Day of Vesak (ICDV) and the host _ the Kingdom of Thailand_ at the UN Conference Centre for the Vesak celebrations to pay homage to the fully self-awakened one, the Lord Buddha. So far, the IABU has brought together Buddhist higher institutions from different traditions as well as nations and regions who would otherwise have less contact with each other. We have built and maintained unity for the past ten years since its inception. Some concrete progress has been achieved. The next decade is about developing the mother institution - the IABU itself, so that it can play a bigger role in Buddhist education and research globally. For this to happen, we rely on each every member-institution to contribute, certainly financially, or in any other way that they can. (4) Mindfulness: Traditions and Compassionate Applications 52 Mindfulness: Traditions and Compassionate Applications Part III: the IABU Executive Council Meeting, and Some of the IABU Projects 53 Mindfulness: Traditions and Compassionate Applications 54 Mindfulness: Traditions and Compassionate Applications IABU EXECUTIVE COUNCIL The first IABU Executive Council; International Secretariat was elected in 2007. The Council consisted of these following members: Chairman The Most Venerable Professor Dr. Phra Dharmakosajarn, PhD (Delhi), Rector, Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University, Thailand Vice Chairmen 1. Venerable Xue Chen, Vice President, Buddhist Association of China & Buddhist Academy, Beijing, China 2. Most Ven. Prof. Dr. Le Mahn That, PhD (Wisconsin)., Deputy Rector, Vietnam Buddhist University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam 3. Reverend Prof. Dr. Chisho M. Namai,D.Litt., Former President & Director of the Research Institute of Esoteric Buddhist Culture, Koyasan University, Japan Executive Secretary Venerable Professor Dr. Khammai Dhammasami, DPhil (Oxford), Research Associate, The Centre for Buddhist Studies, SOAS, University of London; Oxford Centre for Buddhist Studies, University of Oxford, UK and Professor, International Theravada Buddhist Missionary University (ITBMU), Yangon, Myanmar Assistant Executive Secretaries 1. Venerable Associate Prof. Dr. Phramaha Somjin Samapanyo, PhD (BHU), Vice Rector for Academic Affairs, Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University, Thailand 2. Venerable Dr. Kim Misan, DPhil (Oxford) Joong-Ang Sangha University, Korea 3. Dr. Tamas Agocs, PhD (Budapest National University), Foreign Relations Manager & Director of East –West Research Institute, Budapest Buddhist University, Hungary 55 Mindfulness: Traditions and Compassionate Applications Members 1. The Most Venerable Dr. Ashin Nyanissara, PhD., D.Litt., Chancellor, Sitagu International Buddhist Academy, Myanmar 2. Senior Prof. Sumanapala Galmangoda, PhD (Kelaniya), Director, Postgraduate Institute of Pali and Buddhist Studies & Senior Professor, Department of Pail and Buddhist Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka 3. The Most Venerable Ching Hsing, PhD, Ching Cheuh Buddhist Sangha University, Chinese-Taipei 4. Venerable Prof. Geshe Gnawang Samten, Vice Chancellor, Central University of Higher Tibetan Studies, Sarnath, India 5. Venerable Prof. Dr. Tepsattha Sovanratana, MA (Kelaniya), PhD (Delhi), Vice Rector, Preah Sihanouk Raja Buddhist University, Cambodia 6. Prof. Philip Stanley, PhD (Chicago), Chair, Department of Religious Studies, Naropa University, Colorado, USA 7. Dr. Rabindra Panth, PhD (Delhi), Director/Rector, Nalanda University (Nalanda Mahavihar), India 8. Dr. Eko Legowo, PhD (Hawaii) Principal, Kartarajasa Buddhist College, Malang, Indonesia (Later replaced by Mr. Lauw Acep, S.Ag.,M.Pd.B Principal, Nalanda Buddhist College, Jakarta, Indonesia) Later in 2012, the second IABU Executive Council; International Secretariat was elected. The Council consisted of these following members: Chairman The Most Venerable Prof. Dr. Phra Dharmakosajarn, PhD (Delhi) Rector, Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University & Member, Supreme Sangha Council of Thailand, Thailand 56 Mindfulness: Traditions and Compassionate Applications Vice Chairmen 1. The Most Venerable Xue Chen, MA Vice President, Buddhist Association of China & Buddhist Academy of China 2. Most Ven. Prof. Dr. Le Mahn That, PhD (Wisconsin) Deputy Rector for Academic Affairs, Vietnam Buddhist University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam 3. Prof. Phillip Stanley, PhD (Virginia) Professor of Religious Studies, School of Humanities and Interdisciplinary Studies, Naropa University, Colorado; Dean of the Academic Affairs of Nitartha Institute, Seattle, USA & Co-Convener of Union Catalog of Buddhist Texts Executive Secretary 1. Venerable Dr. Khammai Dhammasami, DPhil (Oxon)., PhD (MCU) Research Fellow & Trustee, Oxford Centre for Buddhist Studies, University of Oxford, UK; Professor, International Theravada Buddhist Missionary University (ITBMU), Yangon, Myanmar and Founder, Shan State Buddhist University Assistant Executive Secretaries 1. Venerable Prof. Dr. Phra Srigambhirayan (Somjin Samapanyo), PhD (BHU), Deputy Rector for Academic Affairs, Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University, Thailand 2. H.E. Janos Jelen (Budapest) Rector, Dharma Gate Buddhist College, Hungary 3. Venerable