Venerable Bimal Bhikkhu (Mahathera) is one of the most respected Buddhist monks from the Indian subcontinent. He is the founder and director of Karuna Sangha, Bodhichariya Vihara, and Bodhichariya Senior Secondary School, with branches in Kolkata, Assam, and Tripura, India.
He is widely known for his humanitarian and educational work among orphaned and underprivileged children, especially among Indigenous communities from the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh and the northeastern states of India. Throughout his life, he has worked tirelessly to bring education, dignity, and hope to poor and disadvantaged children.
Perhaps the most fitting way to describe him is this: he has been a beacon of hope for poor and orphaned children.
Early Life and Education
Venerable Bimal Bhikkhu was born on November 12, 1945, in Udal Bagan, Dighinala, in present-day Khagrachari District of the Chittagong Hill Tracts. He was the fourth child among the five children of Mr. Satya Chakma and Mrs. Parani (Forali) Chakma.
He began his primary education at Udal Bagan Government Primary School in his native village. Later, he completed his Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) at Hathazari College in Chattogram.
He went on to study at the University of Dhaka, where he earned both his Bachelor of Arts (Honours) and Master of Arts degrees.
In 1963, at the age of eighteen, he entered the Buddhist monastic order as a novice monk. On May 16, 1966, he received higher ordination (Upasampada) at Joubra Sugata Vihara in Chattogram.
Even during his student years, he balanced academic studies with active involvement in social and humanitarian work. Over the decades, he became one of the most experienced and respected Buddhist monks originating from the Chittagong Hill Tracts.
Social Service and Humanitarian Activities
In 1974, Venerable Bimal Bhikkhu took the initiative to establish a unique Buddhist monastery and residential educational institution known as Moanoghar.
With the support and cooperation of fellow monks and colleagues, this visionary project became a reality. Many of those who helped him were disciples of the same spiritual teacher.
Among them were Venerable Prajnananda Mahathera, now President of Bonoful Green Herbal College in Dhaka; Venerable Sri Lanka Mahathera, who has continued serving society through Moanoghar; Priyatosh Bhikkhu; and Jinapal Bhikkhu.
Later, Priyatosh Bhikkhu and Jinapal Bhikkhu left monastic life and became known as Sajjan Chakma and Subhash Chakma respectively. Their contributions to education and social development are also highly respected. The people of the Chittagong Hill Tracts continue to remember their service and dedication.
Now, Moanoghar is one of the best-known social, educational, and religious institutions in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.
Thousands of children have received education through Moanoghar. Many former students have gone on to establish successful careers in different developed countries around the world. They now serve in governments, corporations, and professional sectors in many nations.
Through their achievements, they have become skilled professionals and valuable contributors to society. As a result, Moanoghar has grown into one of the leading non-governmental organizations in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.
Founding of the Parbatya Buddha Sangha
In 1976, Venerable Bimal Bhikkhu also played a leading role in establishing another important organization known as the Parbatya Buddha Sangha (PBS).
The organization was formally established on December 10, 1976, at Green Road in Dhaka.
The creation of PBS marked another important step in strengthening Buddhist religious, educational, and social activities among the Indigenous Buddhist communities of the Chittagong Hill Tracts.
Over the years, both Moanoghar and the Parbatya Buddha Sangha have played significant roles in promoting education, social development, and community welfare.
These institutions stand as lasting examples of Venerable Bimal Bhikkhu’s vision, dedication, and commitment to serving humanity.
Relief Work for Refugees in Tripura
In 1986, the people of the Chittagong Hill Tracts faced severe political instability, ethnic persecution, and widespread human rights violations. As a result, nearly 60,000 indigenous people fled across the border into India and sought refuge in the neighboring state of Tripura in order to save their lives.
During that difficult period of political unrest and ethnic conflict, even the orphaned children living at the Parbatya Chattagram Buddhist Orphanage were not spared. They too became victims of the violence. According to the account, some Muslim fundamentalist supporters, together with members of the security forces, attacked the orphanage.
As a result, the orphaned children had no choice but to leave their homeland and seek refuge in Tripura, India, in order to survive.
Upon learning of their situation, Venerable Bimal Bhikkhu immediately rushed to the refugee camps and began relief work. His mission was not only to protect the orphaned children but also to reduce the immense suffering experienced by refugees living under extremely difficult conditions.
The refugees were sheltered in six camps located in southern Tripura: Takumbari, Karbuk, Pancharam Para, Shilachari, Kathalchari, and Libachara.
Venerable Bimal Bhikkhu worked tirelessly in these camps. Understanding that education was essential for the future of refugee children, he established twenty temporary schools. At the same time, he organized the distribution of clothing, medicine, blankets, and other relief supplies.
Among the twenty schools, three were primary schools and five were secondary schools. He mobilized members of the refugee community to help manage the schools and ensured that teachers received honorariums for their work. He also provided educational materials and whatever support was necessary to keep the schools functioning.
However, serving suffering humanity through relief work was not his only goal. He also wanted to draw the attention of governments and the international community to the harsh conditions faced by the refugees.
His larger objective was to help ensure that the refugees could one day return to their homeland with dignity and that peace and human rights could be restored in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.
Human Rights Advocacy and the United Nations
From August 3 to August 7, 1987, Venerable Bimal Bhikkhu was invited to Geneva, Switzerland, by the United Nations Working Group on Indigenous Populations.
The conference was organized under the framework of the United Nations Economic and Social Council, the Commission on Human Rights, and the Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities.
Since 1980, Venerable Bimal Bhikkhu had been actively involved in efforts to restore fundamental human rights in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.
He worked closely with several international human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, Anti-Slavery International, and Survival International in London.
His work also brought him into contact with organizations such as the International Fellowship of Reconciliation in Amsterdam, the International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA) in Copenhagen, Human Rights Watch (HRW) in New York, the International Network of Engaged Buddhists (INEB) in Bangkok, and the Buddhist Peace Fellowship in Berkeley, California.
These organizations regularly published reports and raised awareness about the human rights situation in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.
Many of them invited Venerable Bimal Bhikkhu to speak about the conditions faced by Indigenous communities in the region.
As a result of these efforts, the issue of human rights in the Chittagong Hill Tracts gradually gained greater international attention.
Each year, representatives from the Chittagong Hill Tracts continue to participate in Indigenous conferences at the United Nations headquarters in New York, advocating for the restoration of human rights and lasting peace in the region.
On December 10, 1992, during the International Year of the World’s Indigenous People, Venerable Bimal Bhikkhu participated in the United Nations General Assembly in New York as a representative of Indigenous peoples from Asia.
During his address, he highlighted the many challenges faced by Indigenous communities throughout Asia and called for greater international understanding and support.
According to this biography, he became the first Theravada Buddhist monk to address the United Nations General Assembly on Indigenous issues and appeal to the international community for compassionate and peaceful solutions.
His message emphasized love, compassion, and human dignity rather than confrontation.
Over the years, Venerable Bimal Bhikkhu traveled extensively throughout the world in support of peace, human rights, and humanitarian causes.
His travels took him to the United States, Canada, Honduras, France, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Germany, Italy, China, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Taiwan, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Bhutan.
Through these international engagements, he became an important voice for Indigenous peoples, refugees, and vulnerable communities whose struggles often remained unheard.
The Journey of Seventy-Two Orphaned Children to France
October 30, 1987, became a historic day both for the people of the Chittagong Hill Tracts and for Venerable Bimal Bhikkhu.
On that day, through his initiative, seventy-two orphaned children from refugee camps in Tripura, India, were sent to France to receive an education and a better future. Their education, care, and support were provided by the French humanitarian organization Partage.
These children were students of the Parbatya Chattagram Buddhist Orphanage in Dighinala.
After the children arrived in France, rumors began to circulate accusing Venerable Bimal Bhikkhu of child trafficking. However, over time these allegations proved to be completely baseless, fabricated, and malicious.
The strongest evidence against those accusations can be seen in the lives of the children themselves.
Today, most of the seventy-two children have become successful adults and are well established in France. Many have built families, careers, and stable lives. They continue to support their relatives and friends in Bangladesh and contribute financially to their communities.
Their success has transformed not only their own lives but also the social and economic conditions of many family members and relatives back home.
A Prayer for Peace in the Chittagong Hill Tracts
In 1998, one year after the signing of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord, Venerable Bimal Bhikkhu visited Rangamati.
He was accompanied by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Mairead Corrigan Maguire of Ireland, French humanitarian and peace activist Pierre Marchand, and several distinguished international guests.
Together, they organized a special peace prayer gathering for the Chittagong Hill Tracts, a region that had experienced nearly two decades of violence, conflict, and bloodshed.
Venerable Bimal Bhikkhu’s sincere wish was that the people of the Chittagong Hill Tracts would never again have to witness such suffering.
He believed that the time had come to encourage people to practice kindness, compassion, forgiveness, and reconciliation so that lasting peace and harmony could take root in the region.
The peace prayer ceremony was held on the evening of November 20, 1998, at the sacred grounds of Anand Vihara in Rangamati.
The gathering was attended by local residents, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Mairead Corrigan Maguire, Pierre Marchand, and other international guests.
The Chittagong Hill Tracts Accord was signed on December 2, 1997, between the Government of Bangladesh and the Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (PCJSS). Its goal was to establish lasting peace and stability in both the Chittagong Hill Tracts and Bangladesh as a whole.
Like many people of the hills, Venerable Bimal Bhikkhu believed that the long chapter of bloodshed had finally come to an end.
Following the peace prayer ceremony in November 1998, he suspended his human rights advocacy work, believing that the peace process had opened a new path toward reconciliation and stability.
Working for World Peace
In 2000, Venerable Bimal Bhikkhu participated as a Buddhist representative in the Millennium World Peace Summit of Religious and Spiritual Leaders, held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York from August 28 to August 31.
During the summit, he shared his belief that genuine peace in the world could only be achieved when people follow the Five Precepts and the Four Noble Truths taught by the Buddha.
On May 15, 2009, he was invited to the United Nations Headquarters in New York to participate in the international observance of Vesak, commemorating the birth, enlightenment, and passing away of the Buddha.
The event marked a historic international recognition of Vesak.
During the celebration, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon recalled one of the Buddha’s teachings, saying:
“When others suffer, we cannot truly be happy.”
Millions of people around the world continue to draw inspiration from the life and teachings of the Buddha.
Religious Service and Spiritual Leadership
One of Venerable Bimal Bhikkhu’s most important contributions in Bangladesh was the establishment of Shakyamuni Buddhist Vihara in Dhaka.
The foundation stone of the monastery was laid on February 27, 1983, and the vihara was officially inaugurated in 1984.
Later, he established Bodhichariya Vihara in Kolkata, India. The vihara was formally inaugurated during Buddha Purnima in 1989.
Within the Bodhichariya Vihara complex, a school and student hostel were also established. Residential students regularly participate in study sessions, chanting, and meditation practices every morning and evening.
Venerable Bimal Bhikkhu also played a significant role in the establishment of the Shakya Metta Buddhist Temple in Sandwell, England.
Through this temple, local communities have been provided with opportunities to learn and practice Buddhist teachings.
As a spiritual advisor, he continues to offer guidance and support to the temple community.
Today, many people from Los Angeles and surrounding areas also participate in religious and spiritual activities associated with his work.
In 2001, another important institution, Bodhi Dhamma Chakra Vihara, was established in Sarnath, Varanasi, in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.
This project reflected his long-standing commitment to building educational foundations that would help future generations gain access to quality learning opportunities.
Recognition and Honor
In 1997, during the Golden Jubilee celebrations of India’s Independence, Venerable Bimal Bhikkhu received special recognition for his contributions to social development, human rights, and peacebuilding.
He was honored at Darbhanga Hall by Kolkata University and the Universal Integration Council in acknowledgment of his outstanding service to society.
Conclusion
The life of Venerable Bimal Bhikkhu was never an easy one.
From an early age, he faced hardship and adversity. He lost his father when he was only three years old and experienced poverty firsthand.
Yet he never viewed poverty as a curse.
Instead, he regarded it as a blessing that could teach valuable lessons about life and inspire people to seek both material and spiritual growth.
He once expressed the belief that poverty can provide an opportunity to live a meaningful life and discover deeper forms of wealth beyond material possessions.
This understanding became the foundation of his social, educational, and religious work.
Throughout his life, he has used his experience, knowledge, and resources to serve people regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, or religion.
Drawing upon his own experiences of hardship, he demonstrated how Buddhist philosophy and practice can help individuals overcome poverty and suffering.
His approach offered a new perspective on understanding and addressing poverty—not merely as an economic condition, but as a challenge that can be overcome through wisdom, compassion, self-confidence, and moral living.
By relying on inner strength and a deep understanding of life, he opened new paths of hope and opportunity, especially for his own community and for oppressed and disadvantaged people more broadly.
Even in his seventies, he remained active, energetic, and optimistic, continuing to work tirelessly for peace, education, and human welfare.
We sincerely wish him a long, healthy, active, peaceful, and meaningful life.
About the Author:
Deebash Chakma is a Japan-based writer and a former student of Bodhichariya. He writes on education, culture, community development, and the history of the Indigenous peoples of the Chittagong Hill Tracts.
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