The Mahasthabir Nikaya or Mahāsthabir Nikāya is a
Bengal
Bengal ( ) is a Historical geography, historical geographical, ethnolinguistic and cultural term referring to a region in the Eastern South Asia, eastern part of the Indian subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. The region of Benga ...
i order of
Buddhist
Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...
monks. They were anti-reformists and anti-foreign influence who attempted to replace the movement led by Saramitra Mahasthabir ("Saramedha Mahathera" in Pali), which led to the formation of the
Sangharaj Nikaya in 1864.
The anti-reformation movement came into being in order to counter-act that which was led by Saramitra Mahasthabir. This movement became known as the Mahasthabir Nikaya and was led by Radha Charan Mahasthabir, the Bengali monk who first invited Saramitra Mahasthabir to Bangladesh.
However, the Mahasthabir did not oppose the Sangharaj on doctrinal grounds - they did not advocate the practices the Sangharaj Nikaya attempted to eradicate. They are doctrinally identical to the Sangharaj Nikaya. The Mahasthabir Nikaya believed that a Bengali Buddhist order should not come under a powerful influence from a foreign entity. They opposed the Sangharaj Nikaya on the grounds that the Sangharaj Nikaya was foreign in origin, not on the grounds that the Sangharaj Nikaya was degenerate. Differences between the lineages are purely practical, i.e., they advocate different day-to-day practices for their monks. As such, differences are extremely minimal, and important only to the monastic sangha. Laity following the different traditions did not particularly differentiate between the two. The distinction served only to maintain an organizational front, not a doctrinal opposition.
See also
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Theravāda Buddhism
''Theravāda'' (; 'School of the Elders'; ) is Buddhism's oldest existing school. The school's adherents, termed ''Theravādins'' (anglicized from Pali ''theravādī''), have preserved their version of the Buddha's teaching or ''Dharma (Buddhi ...
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Bengali Buddhists
Bengali Buddhists () are a religious subgroup of the Bengalis who adhere to or practice the religion of Buddhism. Bengali Buddhist people mainly live in Bangladesh and Indian states West Bengal and Tripura.
Buddhism has a rich ancient heritag ...
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Sangharaj Nikaya
External links
A Study of the Reformation Movement in the Buddhist Sangha of Bangladesh
{{Buddhism topics
Theravada Buddhist orders
Schools of Buddhism founded in Bangladesh