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| Buddhist Publication Society | |
|---|---|
| Name | Buddhist Publication Society |
| Formation | 1958 |
| Founder | Ñāṇa Samuel (Oliver Abeynayake), A.J. (A. J.) Weeraratna |
| Type | Religious publishing nonprofit |
| Headquarters | Kandy, Sri Lanka |
| Leader title | President |
| Key people | Walpola Rahula, Nyanaponika Thera, Bhikkhu Bodhi, Maurice Walshe |
Buddhist Publication Society is an independent publishing organization founded in 1958 in Kandy, Sri Lanka, devoted to producing English-language literature on Theravāda Buddhism, Pāli studies, Buddhist philosophy, and comparative religion. It has served as a nexus connecting figures from the Sri Lankan Sangha such as Walpola Rahula and Nyanaponika Thera with international scholars like Bhikkhu Bodhi, translators such as Maurice Walshe and Roger-Pol Droit, and institutions including University of Peradeniya, Wisdom Publications, and the Oxford University Press network. The society's work interlinks movements and events across Asia and the West, engaging with traditions rooted in locations like Anuradhapura, Kandy, Colombo, and ideas discussed at gatherings such as the Fourth Buddhist Council (Theravada) and conferences like the World Fellowship of Buddhists.
The organization emerged in postcolonial Ceylon amid interactions among figures associated with Nalanda College, Colombo, the Buddhist Revival, and academics from University of Colombo and University of London. Early involvement included monastics and lay intellectuals who had connections to movements such as the Sri Lanka Buddhist Sangha Council and international exchanges with the Buddhist Society (London), the Mahabodhi Society, and trustees from Theosophical Society circles. Publications drew on canonical sources from the Pāli Canon, commentarial traditions linked to Buddhaghosa, and modern exegesis influenced by scholars at Harvard University, University of Cambridge, and University of Chicago. Over decades the society navigated shifts tied to events like the Independence of Ceylon (1948), Cold War cultural diplomacy involving Asia Foundation, and the growth of Western interest through venues like the London Buddhist Centre.
The society's stated aims have emphasized spreading understanding of Theravāda doctrine and promoting study of texts such as the Dhammapada, Sutta Nipāta, and Mahāvagga. Activities include producing translations for readers associated with monastic libraries at Mahavihara, Kandy, study circles affiliated with International Buddhist Society, and lay study groups linked to Buddhist Publication Society (Malaya)-style networks. The society has collaborated with scholars from University of Oxford, translators connected to Pali Text Society, and organizations such as Buddha-Dhamma Foundation to run seminars, lectures, and outreach programs inspired by figures like Anagarika Dharmapala and U Nu. It also worked with printers and distributors tied to firms in Colombo District and partners in publishing hubs including New York City, London, and Singapore.
Major series include the longstanding "Wheel" and "Bodhi" pamphlet lines, comparable in scope to series produced by Pali Text Society and Journal of the Pali Text Society. The "Wheel" series often features essays and translations by contributors linked to Galway, Hamburg, and Sydney academic units; comparable editorial standards are found in editions from Cambridge University Press and Routledge. The "Bodhi" series presents in-depth studies akin to monographs from Oxford University Press and pamphlets circulated by Society for Buddhist-Christian Studies. Key translated works paralleled editions by translators associated with Sangharakshita and scholars from Columbia University. The society's catalog has included annotated editions of texts related to the Abhidhamma, commentaries on the Vinaya, and modern expositions comparable to writings from Ajahn Chah and Dhammapala.
Notable contributors include monastics and lay scholars such as Nyanaponika Thera, Walpola Rahula, Bhikkhu Bodhi, Anagarika Munindra, K. Sri Dhammananda, and translators like Maurice Walshe and I. B. Horner. Editors and advisors came from academic settings including University of Peradeniya, Vidyalankara Pirivena, and international centers like Sri Lanka International Buddhist Academy and California Institute of Integral Studies. The society's editorial board historically included personalities connected to World Fellowship of Buddhists, International Association of Buddhist Studies, and figures who participated in symposia at Princeton University and University of Hawaiʻi.
Governance combined a board of management with representatives from monastic fraternities such as those attached to Mahamevnawa and lay trustees drawn from Colombo-based civic groups and alumni of Royal College, Colombo and Trinity College, Kandy. The structure mirrored nonprofit models found in organizations like Carnegie Endowment for International Peace regarding fiduciary roles, while editorial oversight reflected scholarly norms from bodies such as the Pali Text Society and International Association of Buddhist Studies. Financial support over the years came from donors and endowments linked to patrons in Sri Lankan diaspora communities, philanthropic networks connected to Asia Society, and publishing partnerships with presses in New Delhi and Hong Kong.
Distribution channels have included monastic bookstores in Kandy, academic libraries at University of Colombo, retailers in Colombo Fort, and international distributors comparable to Oxford University Press networks. The society's publications influenced curricula at institutions like University of Peradeniya, inspired translations used in chapels at Harvard Divinity School and study groups at University of California, Berkeley, and were cited in theses from University of London and University of Toronto. Its impact extended to Buddhist communities in Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, and the global diaspora communities in United Kingdom, United States, and Australia.
Archives comprise correspondence, editorial files, and early print runs similar to collections housed at British Library and manuscript holdings reminiscent of repositories at National Archives of Sri Lanka. Digital initiatives paralleled projects by Pali Text Society and academic digitization efforts at University of Oxford Digital Library, providing scanned pamphlets, searchable catalogs, and downloadable PDFs for scholars affiliated with SOAS University of London and independent researchers in the Buddhist Studies field. Collaborations included partnerships with university departments such as Department of Pali and Buddhist Studies, University of Sri Jayewardenepura and international digitization programs connected to HathiTrust-like consortia.
Category:Buddhism in Sri Lanka Category:Religious publishing organizations