परिशिष्ट-२२
महाबोधी सोसायटी
“ The Maha Bodhi Society is the first Buddhist Organisation
in the history of modern Buddhism to begin a propaganda for the
dissemination of the Dharma in non-Buddhist lands. India had
completely forgotten the Aryan doctrine of the Tatha gata, although
at one time it held the foremost place among the Aryan religions
in Aryavarta. For twenty-six years the Maha Bodhi Society has
continued to exist in spite of the many obstacles, thanks to the
generosity of a few friends of the Anagarika Dharmapala. The
Society was founded by him in May, 1891, under the presidency of
the late illustrious High Priest Sumangala of Ceylon, at Colombo.
In 1892 the Anagarika Dharmapala established the Journal of the
Maha Bodhi Society, which is still in existence, and now being
printed at Colombo in the Maha Bodhi Press. Owin g to the pau-
city of Buddhists who are able to understand English in Buddhist
countries the number of subscribers thereto is insufficient to make it ‘ pay. The Journal is sent free to the learned societies throughout
the world as well as to the princes and nobles of Buddhist , countries. For twenty years we are sorry to state the wealthy _ Buddhist dignitaries in Buddhist countries have failed to respond ' generously for the expansion of the objects of the Maha Bodhi
Society. Japan and Siam have not helped by a single contribution
for the furtherance of the noble objects of the society. Burma,
contributed generously at the commencement of operations of the
society, but since sixteen years have failed to render any
assistance. Several hundreds of subscribers to the Maha Bodhi
Journal in Burma, India and Ceylon have failed to pay their
subscriptions, and the loss thereby to the Journal amounts to
several thousand rupees.
The society had been able to erect two Dharmasalas at Buddhagaya
and Sarnath, Benares through the help of the Buddhists of Burma,
Arakan and Ceylon.