Ven. Bhikkhu Nyanapurnik (Jnanapurnik) Mahathera, a Pali scholar and Vipassanacariya has been working actively for the progress and development of Theravada Buddhism in Nepal. He was born on 21st November, 1939 in Tansen, Palpa which is about 90 kilometers north of Lumbini, the birth-place of Lord Buddha. Ordained as a novice at the early age of 16, he spent a year in Buddhist studies in Nepal and went to Myanmar for further study. He received “Sasanadhaja Dhammachariya” a highly reputed order of Buddhist monastic education of Myanmar in 1963. Besides this Dhamma education, he has also completed various levels of formal education which includes School Leaving Certificate (SLC) in 1971, IA (1974), BA (1977) and MA (Culture and History) from Tribhuvan University, Nepal along with Diploma in Sanskrit from Banaras Sanskrit University, India.
He is an author and translator of about 50 books on Buddhism, both in Nepali and Nepal Bhasha languages. He was also one of the members of publication team of the Pali Burmese World Dictionary, Burma (1964-66). He has travelled extensively around the world as a Meditation instructor. He had also served as the assistant Chief of West Midlands Buddhist Centre in Birmingham from 1979 to 1982. In 1982, he established the Buddha Vihara, a Buddhist monastery at Nashville in Tennessee, USA.
He has been working as a missionary monk ‘Dharmadoot’ in different countries of Asia such as Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore along with some European countries and the USA. He has also played an important role in building and renovating various viharas in Nepal. He is Spiritual Advisior of the Kota Kinabalu Vipassana Meditation Center (Vimuttisukharama), Sabah, Malaysia and Dhammanusasaka of the International Buddhist Meditation Centre, Shankhamul, the Young Men’s Buddhist Association (YMBA) and the Buddhist Women’s Association. He is the General Secretary of All Nepal Bhikkhu Association and an active member of the Lumbini Development Trust. He is also the Founder and Director of the only training centre for the new generation monks and the Vice-Rector of the Nepal Buddha Pariyatti Shiksha at Vishwa Shanti Vihara, Kathmandu. He has also represented Nepal in many international conferences and seminars such as one in Ulan Bator, Mongolia, 1979 and 1982. He is awarded with Agga Maha Saddhammajotikadhaja title from the Govt of Union of Myanmar on 98th March 2001.
Ven. Bhikkhu Nyanapurnik had also been designated as the official member representing Nepal in the 5th “World Buddhist Supreme Conference” held in Japan on November 1 to 4, 2008.
For half a century, Ven. Bhikkhu Nyanapurnik has been actively participating for the growth and development of Buddhism in Nepal. He is keenly interested in the education of the new generation in the line of Buddhist thought and philosophy. In fact, he has rendered a momentous service in this regard.
