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Bhante
Bhante (Pali; my, ဘန္တေ, ; Sanskrit: ''bhavantaḥ''), sometimes also called Bhadanta, is a respectful title used to address Buddhist monks and superiors in the Theravada tradition.
The term religiously means "Venerable Sir."
Etymolo ...
Kumar Kashyap Mahasthavir ( ne, कुमारकाश्यप महास्थविर) (born Asta Man Shakya) (24 July 1926 – 26 February 2012) was a Nepalese Buddhist monk who was awarded the title of Tripitakacharya ( Tripitaka Master).
In 1944, he was expelled from Nepal by the tyrannical Rana
Rana may refer to:
Astronomy
* Rana (crater), a crater on Mars
* Delta Eridani or Rana, a star
People, groups and titles
* Rana (name), a given name and surname (including a list of people and characters with the name)
* Rana (title), a histori ...
regime for promoting Theravada Buddhism
''Theravāda'' () ( si, ථේරවාදය, my, ထေရဝါဒ, th, เถรวาท, km, ថេរវាទ, lo, ເຖຣະວາດ, pi, , ) is the most commonly accepted name of Buddhism's oldest existing school. The school' ...
and writing in Nepal Bhasa
Newar (), or Newari and known officially in Nepal as Nepal Bhasa, is a Sino-Tibetan language spoken by the Newar people, the indigenous inhabitants of Nepal Mandala, which consists of the Kathmandu Valley and surrounding regions in Nepa ...
. He spent his exile in India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
and Sri Lanka.
Early life
Kumar Kashyap (alternative name: Kumar Bhante) was born inTansen
Tansen ( – 26 April 1589), also referred to and commonly known as Sangeet Samrat () , was a Hindustani classical musician. Born in a Hindu Gaur Brahmin family, he learnt and perfected his art in the northwest region of modern Madhya Pr ...
, Palpa, a district in western Nepal
Nepal (; ne, :ne:नेपाल, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne,
सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in S ...
. His father was Sanat Kumar Shakya and mother Tej Maya Shakya. He was known as Asta Man Shakya before he became a novice monk in 1942.Bajracharya, Phanindra Ratna (2003). ''Who's Who in Nepal Bhasha.'' Kathmandu: Nepal Bhasa Academy. . Page 75. After being ordained, Kumar Bhante moved to Kathmandu
, pushpin_map = Nepal Bagmati Province#Nepal#Asia
, coordinates =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name =
, subdivision_type1 = Province
, subdivision_name1 = Bagmati Prov ...
where he joined the small number of monks and worked to promote Theravada Buddhism.
Into exile
The government was suspicious of the activities of the Buddhist monks as they were becoming increasingly popular. The monks were called before the prime minister and ordered to stop preaching Buddhism and writing in Nepal Bhasa which the regime disapproved of equally. They refused, and on 30 July 1944, were ordered out of the country. The eight monks including Kumar Kashyap,Dhammalok Mahasthavir
Dhammalok Mahasthavir ( ne, धम्मालोक महास्थविर) (born Das Ratna Tuladhar) (16 January 1890 – 17 October 1966) was a Nepalese Buddhist monk who worked to revive Theravada Buddhism in Nepal in the 1930s and 1 ...
and Pragyananda Mahasthavir went to Kushinagar
Kushinagar ( Hindustani: or ; Pali: ; Sanskrit: ) is a town in the Kushinagar district in Uttar Pradesh, India. It is an important and popular Buddhist pilgrimage site, where Buddhists believe Gautama Buddha attained ''parinirvana''.
Etym ...
, India and then to Sarnath
Sarnath (Hindustani pronunciation: aːɾnaːtʰ also referred to as Sarangnath, Isipatana, Rishipattana, Migadaya, or Mrigadava) is a place located northeast of Varanasi, near the confluence of the Ganges and the Varuna rivers in Uttar Pr ...
where they founded a Buddhist association named Dharmodaya
''Dharmodaya'' ( ne, धर्मोदय) was a monthly magazine in Nepal Bhasa on Theravada Buddhism. It was launched from Kalimpong, India, in 1947 to counter the ban on publication in Nepal.
''Dharmodaya'' was published by Dharmodaya Sabha, ...
Sabha (Society for the Rise of the Teaching). Kumar Kashyap later moved to Kalimpong and then to Sri Lanka.
Return to Nepal
In 1946, the monks were allowed to return after a Sri Lankan goodwill mission visited Kathmandu and urged the government to withdraw the expulsion order. Kumar Kashyap returned to Kathmandu and became a writer and teacher at Ananda Kuti Vidyapeeth in Swayambhu. He has published six books. His first book ''Gautam Buddha'' was published in 1956. He was editor of ''Anandabooumi'', a Buddhist magazine published by Ananda Kuti Vihar. He was also named a patron of Nepal Lipi Guthi, an organization dedicated to preserving Nepalese scripts. Kumar Kashyap became abbot of Ananda Kuti Vihar and held the post of Deputy Chief Monk when he died. Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Prime Minister DM Jayaratne expressed grief at the demise of Kumar Bhante. The government of Myanmar has accorded him the title of Agga Maha Saddhammajothikadhaja and he has been honored by Buddhist organizations in India and Sri Lanka.See also
*Banishment of Buddhist monks from Nepal
Exile is primarily penal expulsion from one's native country, and secondarily expatriation or prolonged absence from one's homeland under either the compulsion of circumstance or the rigors of some high purpose. Usually persons and peoples suf ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kumar Kashyap Mahasthavir 1926 births 2012 deaths People from Tansen, Nepal Nepalese Theravada Buddhists Theravada Buddhist monks Nepalese Buddhist monks Newar people Nepalese male writers Nepali-language writers Newar-language writers Nepalese journalists Nepal Bhasa movement Persecution of Buddhists Theravada Buddhism writers Nepalese exiles