Mahabodhi temple plans hospital, medical college

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Patna, India -- Bodh Gaya's Mahabodhi temple, one of Buddhism's holiest shrines plans to set up a world class hospital and medical college with international financial aid in the holy town in Bihar, an official said Wednesday.

"The temple management committee have decided to establish a Buddhist world hospital and medical college in Bodh Gaya with the help of Buddhist countries of southeast Asia," the Bodh Gaya Temple Management Committee secretary N. Dorjee said.
Dorjee told IANS over telephone that it will be first such development project in Bodh Gaya with the sole aim to serve poor and provide them best medical and health care.

"I am happy to disclose that a number of officials of embassies of Buddhist countries of southeast Asia have shown keen interest to help the proposed project in Bodh Gaya," Dorjee said.

Dorjee said that funding for the project would not be a problem. "Most of the 22 countries of southeast Asia are going to fund the project as it would come up at Bodh Gaya," he said.

The committee has already approached the Gaya district administration for land and other requirements.

"We would start work on the project soon after the land is provided to us by the state government," Dorjee said.
The Mahabodhi temple was declared a World Heritage Site in June 2002 by the UNESCO. Lord Buddha had attained enlightenment 2,500 years ago near this temple.

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Brainwashed into quitting medical school

Home Asia Pacific South East Asia Malaysia

PETALING JAYA, Malaysia -- A group of Universiti Sains Malaysia medical students has allegedly been brainwashed into leaving their studies by a Buddhist monk.

Young Buddhist Association of Malaysia lay adviser Chong Hung Wang said the student Buddhist association from the campus in Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, had voiced its concern that around 30 medical students had shown behavioural changes and disinterest in their studies after returning from a trip to Thailand with the monk in August.

"These students were led to believe that patients should not receive medical treatment for their condition as sickness is the result of their karma.

"They are convinced that they should not become doctors as the act of treating patients will interfere with karma," said Chong.

It is believed that the monk had approached the students in March this year and had gained a following through religious activities conducted off-campus.

The monk also allegedly claimed that he had supernatural power and was able to tell the past and predict the future of the students.

"Compassion is central to Buddhist beliefs. What the monk had propagated about leaving patients to their sickness is wrong.

"We hope to curb the spread of misleading religious beliefs among students by creating better awareness on the true teachings of Buddhism," said Chong.

The students are said to want to leave the medical school and transfer to other programmes such as nutrition and sports science.

They are also having strained relationships with their family members following their decision to quit medical studies.

It was understood that some of the students were in their third and fourth year of studies.

A university official confirmed that three students had applied to transfer to other courses.

Vice-chancellor Prof Dr Datuk Omar Osman said none of the students had received approval to switch courses and the university viewed the matter of students being influenced by misleading religious teachings seriously.

"We do not want the students to simply switch courses because they are very good students and had worked very hard to gain a place to study medicine," said Prof Omar.

He added that the university was reaching out to the students through counselling.

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