1. Aniruddha Mahathera was one of the most important figures in the revival of Theravada Buddhism in Nepal and the development of Lumbini, the Buddha's birthplace in southern Nepal, into a center of international pilgrimage.
11 Facts About Aniruddha Mahathera
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Aniruddha Mahathera was named Gaja Ratna Tuladhar and belonged to a merchant family with a business house in Lhasa, Tibet.
3.
Aniruddha Mahathera's father engaged in trade in Tibet before becoming a Buddhist monk taking up the name Dhammalok Mahasthavir.
4.
Aniruddha Mahathera enrolled in the Vidyalankara Pirivena Buddhist college and became a novice monk, and was given the name Aniruddha.
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Aniruddha Mahathera then traveled to Burma for further studies in Buddhism.
6.
Aniruddha Mahathera lived in Moulmein for 10 years studying Burmese and Buddhist literature.
7.
Aniruddha Mahathera returned to Nepal in 1946, and became the first editor of Dharmodaya, a Buddhist magazine in Nepal Bhasa which started publication in 1947 from Kalimpong.
8.
Aniruddha Mahathera built a monastery and a rest house, and extended assistance to pilgrims.
9.
In 1967, Aniruddha Mahathera received the then UN Secretary-General U Thant during his visit to Lumbini which led to the formulation of the Lumbini Development Master Plan.
10.
Aniruddha Mahathera spent 46 years in Lumbini and returned to Kathmandu in 1991 to become the abbot of Ananda Kuti Vihar at Swayambhu.
11.
Aniruddha Mahathera has translated Buddhists texts from Sinhala and Burmese into Nepal Bhasa and written and published 21 books.