ATBU

Dear ATBU Member-Universities and Colleges,

The ATBU will be two years in coming March, so another bi-annual conference is due. This Second Bi-Annual Conference of the ATBU is going to be held in Sitagu International Buddhist Academy, Sagaing, Myanmar between 6 to 9th, March 2009 (not in December as intended earlier).

The theme of the conference as approved during the January 2008 Executive Council meeting held at MBU in Bangkok is "Theravada Buddhism: tradition, identity and development". There will be four sub-topics, each forming a panel, are: (1) Pariyatti and patipatti-dhamma in Theravada countries; (2) Pali literature since the 19th century; (3) Engaged Buddhism; (4) Monasticism and Theravada Buddhism.

But altogether, the conference will have five panels. The additional one is dedicated to presentation and conversation in Pali on any of the four sub-topics. In other words, the Pali panel is open to all the four topics and this is the first time that Pali will be used as a medium in an international conference.

I wish to take this opportunity to call for papers from member-universities and colleges. All papers will be have to be in by the end of November 2008. We need to papers well in advance because we want to publish them in a book.

If you need additional time or information on any of the four topics, kindly consult with me.

So far, we have six confirmed papers in Pali already: four from Thailand and two from Sri Lanka. Prof Oliver Abeynayake, PhD (Lancaster) of Sri Lanka will be the keynote speaker.

I believe you will make an effort to contribute a paper to this conference.

Yours in the dhamma,

Ven.Dr. Khammai Dhammasami
Executive Secretary
ATBU