Mani Lama President of Bodhi Srawan Dharma Sangha.

PLD.COM : What is new?

We are still pushing to make our Sangha strong, we are promoting open membership of Bodhi Srawan Dharma Sangha. Soon the first mass meeting of the BSDS will take full shape. Eventually we will also make district sangrias. We will have two methods of increasing our Sanghas. These will include opening our branches in each district and coordinating the upcoming event announced by Khenpo Sonam Gyurme with the help of the Dharma Gurus so that we will be able to reach each district of the country with in a six months. We will also be trying to increase the number national and international devotees and Dharma Gurus exponentially.

PLD.COM : What are the plans and preparations for (Feb 19th  2011) Falgun 7th ?

Khenpo Sonam Gyurme has said that he will gather 700 monks to train them for three days and send them all over the country to promote BSDS and makes sangrias in all 4000 VDCs (Village Development Centre). We retrying our best to accommodate his wishes. Logistically it will be difficult to manage 700 people, we have to make cottages, tents, sanitation facilities and provide food, medical assistance in the case that people are ill or injured as they will be staying in the jungle for serval days. All this requires serious consideration. The alternative would me to begin this program with less people (about two or three hundred ) in initial phase.

Khenpo suggested that since this is a spiritual matter we do not want to interfere with our management concerns although organizing such a number of dharma gurus in one place in such a short period of times is nonetheless daunting. Discussions with Khenpo are ongoing. On the one hand we have to develop the sangha and on the other hand we have to collect donations for managing this event. Also our present priority is to officially declare the jungle as Bodhi Shrawan Tapoban (Meditation Jungle). This is not to overlook that we have to prepare our selves for what is now the world's most important event which is going to take place in six months. All this must be carried out effectively.

PLD.COM : Please tell us briefly about the meeting

To tell you briefly about today's meeting, it was good meeting with Japanese Myohonji administrator, Ven. Terasawa. He promised to spread the news internationally which was good and inspiring for us. Secondly he gave us very important and long awaited suggestions. Thirdly it was pleasant for us that such a holy person came to our new office to give us such hope for the successful spreading of Ven. Dharma  Sangha's Dharma teachings.

PLD.COM : What is the peace march you were discussing about  ?

Ven. Terasawa has proposed us to make a peace march from Lumbini to 
Halkoriya which would be an auspicious way of beginning the Dharma teachings. However, this thing we cannot make any decisions without permission from Ven. Dharma Sanga himself.

Thank you .