World Fellowship of Buddhists

World Fellowship of Buddhists
Buddhika Sanjeewa21 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Name	World Fellowship of Buddhists
Formation	1950
Founder	Buddhism in Sri Lanka, Buddhist monks
Headquarters	Bangkok
Location	Thailand
Membership	International Buddhist organizations
Leader title	President
Leader name	Buddhist clergy

World Fellowship of Buddhists is an international umbrella organization connecting Theravada Buddhism, Mahayana Buddhism, and Vajrayana communities across Asia, the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Oceania. Founded amid post‑World War II reconstruction, the Fellowship links monasteries, lay associations, universities, and national councils to promote Buddhist cooperation and cultural exchange. It engages with prominent religious figures, diplomatic missions, and interfaith networks to influence religious life in multiple countries.

History

The Fellowship was established in 1950 during a period shaped by the aftermath of World War II, the emergence of the United Nations, and decolonization movements in India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, and Cambodia. Early conferences attracted leaders connected to Anagarika Dharmapala, Mahinda Rajapaksa, U Nu, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Burmese independence movement, and scholars from University of Colombo, University of Oxford, University of Tokyo, and Harvard University. Founding assemblies referenced texts from Pali Canon, Tripitaka, and commentaries associated with Nagarjuna, Asanga, Vasubandhu, and invoked precedents like the Colombo Conference and regional gatherings led by International Buddhist Congresses. During the Cold War era, the Fellowship navigated relations involving People's Republic of China, Republic of China (Taiwan), Soviet Union, and nonaligned states such as India and Indonesia. Key historical ties formed with national bodies including the Myanmar Thathana Organizations, Sri Lanka Amarapura Nikaya, Thailand Dhammayuttika Nikaya, and Japanese Buddhist Federation.

Organization and Membership

The Fellowship's structure includes a General Assembly, an executive council, and committees with representation from national councils like the Korean Buddhist Jogye Order, Nepalese Sangha Council, Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, and the Sri Lanka Ramanna Nikaya. Institutional members have included Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University, Nalanda University (revival), University of Yangon, Buddhist Publication Society, and monasteries such as Mahabodhi Society, Jetavana Monastery (historical), and Tibet House. Notable leaders associated with membership roles derive from figures linked to Dalai Lama, Thich Nhat Hanh, Ajahn Chah, Hsing Yun, and state patrons like King Norodom Sihanouk and Shah of Iran who participated in cultural diplomacy. Membership categories encompass national federations, monastic orders, lay associations, and academic institutions connected to Oxford Centre for Buddhist Studies, Harvard Divinity School, and the Collège de France.

Activities and Programs

Programs include humanitarian relief coordination with International Red Cross, cultural preservation with UNESCO, and education initiatives in collaboration with UNESCO World Heritage, UNICEF, and regional development agencies such as Asian Development Bank. The Fellowship sponsors monastic exchanges linking Wat Phra Kaew, Mahabodhi Temple, Kiyomizu-dera, and Ganden Monastery; scholarships at Nalanda University and Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University; and meditation training influenced by traditions associated with Vipassana movement, Zen monasteries, and Tibetan Buddhism centers. It partners with NGOs like World Health Organization on mental health programs drawing on practices from Mahamuni Buddha Temple and with universities including University of California, Berkeley, University of Cambridge, National University of Singapore, and Peking University for research fellowships.

Conferences and Resolutions

The Fellowship organizes pan‑Asian conferences mirroring formats used by Asian Buddhist Conference for Peace and convenes sessions parallel to interfaith forums such as those at Vatican II and Parliament of the World's Religions. Major congresses have produced resolutions referencing human rights instruments like the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and policy statements engaging states including Thailand, India, Sri Lanka, Japan, and China. The resolutions often addressed issues tied to conflicts in regions like Tibet, Burmese Civil War, and postcolonial disputes involving Indonesia and Malaysia, and aligned with peace efforts by organizations such as Non-Aligned Movement delegates and diplomats from United Nations missions. Proceedings have been circulated to institutions like Columbia University, SOAS University of London, and national libraries in Bangkok and Colombo.

Regional and National Affiliates

Affiliates include the Sri Lanka Amarapura–Rāmañña Nikāya, Bangladesh Mahila Buddhist Association, Indian Buddhist Association, Bhutan Kagyupa, Nepalese Buddhist Federation, Korean Jogye Order, Japanese Sōtō Zen, Chinese Buddhist Association, Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, and the Myanmar Buddhist Sangha Council. In the Americas, affiliates span groups tied to Soka Gakkai International, Tibetan Buddhist Center of Philadelphia, and university clubs at Columbia University and University of British Columbia. European links include connections with Triratna Buddhist Community, European Buddhist Union, and national councils in France, Germany, and United Kingdom.

Publications and Educational Initiatives

The Fellowship has issued bulletins, conference proceedings, and translated materials distributed to libraries such as British Library, Library of Congress, National Library of China, and university presses including Cambridge University Press and Oxford University Press. Educational initiatives feature curricula for monastic schools modeled after programs at Mahamakut Buddhist University and collaborations with seminaries like Dharmaram College and institutes such as Naropa University. It has supported translations of canonical texts associated with Dhammapada, Lotus Sutra, and Buddha's teachings by scholars affiliated with Ecole Française d'Extrême-Orient and research centers at University of Hamburg.

Criticism and Controversies

The Fellowship has faced scrutiny over political neutrality in contexts like Sri Lankan Civil War and allegations of alignment with state patrons in Thailand and Myanmar. Critics from academics at SOAS University of London and Columbia University have raised concerns about representation of Tibetan exile communities and responses to human rights issues in regions like Tibet and Rakhine State. Debates have involved NGOs such as Human Rights Watch and think tanks like International Crisis Group, and have prompted discussions in journals published by Routledge and Taylor & Francis.

Category:Buddhist organizations