The 3rd ATBU EXCO Meeting Minutes

Date: 14 September 2554/2011
Venue: ATBU Meeting Room, Somdet Phra Nyanavarodom Building, MBU
Time: 10:00 hrs

Attendees:
1. The Most Ven. Aggamahapandita Dr. Ashin Nyanissara, ATBU Chairman
2. The Most Ven. Dr. I Indassara, ATBU Exco from Buddhist and Pali University, Sri Lanka
3. The Most Ven. Dr. Phrakhru Thirasarnpariyattikhun, ATBU Exco from MBU
4. Ven. Assistant Professor Phramaha Panya Panyavuddho, MBU Deputy Rector for Administration Affairs
5. Ven. Phramaha Vithaya Paripunnasilo, MBU Deputy Rector for Foreign Affairs
6. Ven. Dr. Suthep Supandito, representing ATBU Exco from MCU
7. Ven. Anil Sakya, ATBU honorary treasurer
8. Ven. Phramaha Bunsri Nyanavuddho, Dean of Faculty of Humanities, MBU
9. Ven. Phramaha Sillapa Dhammasippo, Secretary for MBU-ATBU
10. Ven. Phramaha Arun Panyaruno, Faculty of Social Sciences, MBU
11. Associate Professor Sornchai Thaomit, MBU Assistant Rector and Director of Utilities Department
12. Dr. Suvin Ruksat, MBU Graduate School
13. Representative from MBU Central Department
14. Representative from MBU Public Relation Department
15. Representative from MBU Media Department
16. Representative from MBU IT Department
17. Representative from MBU Students Committee and
18. ATBU staff

Minutes according to Agendas:

1. The Most Ven. Aggamahapandita Dr. Ashin Nyanissara assumed the Chair. Ven. Anil Sakya, ATBU honorary treasurer introduced all attendees from the Mahamakut Buddhist University and informed the meeting that the MBU Rector is not able to attend the meeting as he had another appointment elsewhere. However, 3 MBU deputy rectors for administration affairs, foreign affairs, and student affairs attended the meeting in the name of the host university.
2. Dr. Ravindra Panth from India and Dr. Eko Legowo from Indonesia informed ATBU for their absence in written by e-mail.
3. Ven. Dr. Nyanissara opened the meeting with paying homage to the Buddha and gave opening address. In the opening address, he emphasized that the purpose of ATBU is working together in harmony with all member universities and colleges. The fundamental virtues for such harmony are to cultivate patience (khanti), forgiveness (abhaya) and loving-kindness (metta). By upholding these virtues surely leads to strengthening the ATBU objectives i.e. to propagate, promote and preserve Theravada Buddhism.
4. Ven. Anil Sakya submitted the report of the 2010 Exco Meeting of Association of Theravada Buddhist Universities which was held on 30 September 2010 at Mahamakut Buddhist University for review and requested for adoption of the minutes by the Exco members. Ven. Phramaha Sillapa requested an amend of the number of conference attendance from 300 to 600. The minute was adopted unanimously.
5. Ven. Anil Sakya informed about the dates and venue for the 3rd ATBU conference which will be hosted by MBU. The 3rd ATBU conference dates are from 20-22 November 2011 and venue has been decided from the 2nd ATBU conference as the main campus of MBU at Salaya, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand. It will be two-day conference with 19 November will be arrival date and 23 November will be departure date for all foreign VIPs, delegates, observers, and paper presenters.
6. Ven. Anil Sakya informed the meeting about the theme of the conference as ‘Buddhist Education, Life Education.’ The theme was developed based on all suggestions made by ATBU members at the 2010 ATBU Exco meeting.
7. On behalf of MBU, Ven. Anil Sakya informed tentative program which was drafted by MBU.
a. First day: 19 November 2011 is arrival day and checked into hotel and a preliminary meeting of ATBU Exco.
b. Second day: 20 November 2011 is MBU convocation day and request all foreign VIPs, delegates, and participants to participate and witness the MBU convocation ceremony. Evening is dedicated for cultural show from Myanmar and Thailand.
c. Third day: 21 November 2011 is inaugural day of the conference. MBU is proceeding on inviting HRH Princess Mahachakri Sirindhorn to preside over the inaugural ceremony as well as inviting Prime Minister of Thailand for the inaugural ceremony. The conference will be followed by keynote speakers and panel discussions. There will be cultural show in the evening.
d. Fourth day: 22 November 2011 morning continues with panel discussions and in the afternoon is dedicated for ATBU Exco and general meeting. Closing ceremony will be in the evening.
e. Fifth day: 23 November 2011 departure day for all foreign VIPs and delegates.
8. Regarding the keynote speech the meeting has decided that there should be maximum 3-4 keynote speakers. Each speaker should be briefed with the scope of the content delivering relevant message according to the main theme and panel themes. So far, there is only one keynote speaker who has accepted the invitation. She is Prof. Shauna Shapiro from Santa Clara University, USA. Her expertise is on Buddhism and Psychology. Ven. I. Indassara and Ven. Dhammasami (in written) suggested Prof. Chandima Wijebandara as second keynote speaker. Both Venerables will try to extend the invitation to Prof. Wijebandara. One more keynote speaker from Thailand side would be good. Let MBU decide for the third keynote speaker.
9. Ven. Anil Sakya proposed the committee to cut down number of panel discussion from 6 to 4 as advised by the Ven. Chairman. The 4 panels are: 1) Buddhism and Education (English Medium), 2) Buddhism and Science (English Medium), 3) The Pali-tipitaka studies then and now (Pali Medium) and 4) Buddhism and Education (Thai medium).
10. For each of the panel discussion and session the committee needs to find moderator to run the program. This needs to be work on further.
11. Ven. Anil Sakya suggested that in order to have interactive activities and some fruitful inspirations for the ATBU members there should be some kind of workshop which can evaluate and continue in future. This idea is favored by Ven. I. Indassara but rejected by the Ven. Chairman. As the issue was not resolved at the meeting so keep it open for future decision.
12. In regards to number of participants, Ven. Chairman suggested that in order to expand ATBU network invitation should be sent to Head of Buddhist Studies Department from universities all over. However, due to limited budget we should at least invite heads of Buddhist Studies representing each continents of the world. The full board expenses should be offered to them.
13. Ven. Dr. Phramaha Suthep Supandito, representative from MCU suggested that the MCU can extend invitation to head of Buddhist Studies from 6 MCU affiliated universities from abroad to participate in the conference provided MBU sponsor full board expenses.
14. The Chairman also suggested that some representatives of reputed old Buddhist organizations should be invited as observers such as YMBA of Myanmar. Regarding the sponsorship for observers it is decided that domestic travel, lodging and food should be sponsored by MBU. However, for the air ticket will be considered based on case by case under scrutiny of MBU. For observers from Myanmar, Ven. Chairman offered to sponsor the air tickets.
15. The Chairman suggested setting up editorial board for screening all papers submitted so far. The editorial board includes: Ven. Dr. Ashin Nyanissara, Ven. Dr. I. Indassara, Ven. Dr. Khammai Dhammasami, Dr. Mint Myo, and Dr. Ravindra Panth. The Chairman urged to send all papers for screening as soon as possible. This will help to maintain quality of papers and limit the number of qualified paper presenters.
16. The Ven. Chairman requested MBU to sponsor expenses for domestic tour and travel as well as food for cultural performance from Myanmar. Ven. Chairman will sponsor air tickets and hotel. The number of cultural performance artists from Myanmar would be around 25 in total.
17. MBU estimated that the total number of foreign delegates should be around 150 in total.
The preparatory meeting was ended around 14.30 pm with an hour lunch break. At the end Ven. Chairman gave closing speech in which he emphasized that in order to promote, propagate and preserve Theravada Buddhism it is necessary to look into the Buddhist education. Buddhist education can be divided into 2 lines: monastic and secular. We must make sure that the monastic education should be heavily based on Tipitaka while secular education should apply teachings from Tipitaka to secular subjects like sociology, economy, and political science and so on.
As a remark, Ven. Anil Sakya informed the meeting that the MBU has entitled this 3rd ATBU conference as ‘the 3rd International Theravada Buddhist Universities Conference.’ This is to express that this conference is not merely an association’s meeting but it is an International Buddhist Academic Conference. The committee acknowledged the title of the conference.
VEN. ANIL SAKYA
ATBU Honorary Treasurer
Rapporteur

ATBU Secretariat
Mahamakut Buddhist University
3rd ATBU Conference Preparatory Meeting
at ATBU Meeting Room, Somdet Phra Nyanvarodom Building
September 14, 2554/2011
10:00-16:00 hours

Agenda

01 Paying homage to Triple Gem
02 The Most Venerable Phra Theppariyattivimol, Vice-Chairman and Rector of MBU gives a welcome address
03 The Most Venerable Dr. Ashin Nyanissara, Chairman of ATBU gives opening address
04 Review and adopt the minutes of the last meeting held in 2010
05 Reports of ATBU in 2010
06 3RD ATBU CONFERENCE 2011, SALAYA, THAILAND HOSTED BY MBU
01- Dates and Venues
02- Theme
03- Program for the 3rd ATBU CONFERENCE 2011
a. 3rd ATBU Conference 2011
i. Keynote Speakers
ii. Guest Speakers
iii. Workshop
iv. Panel Discussion
1- Call of academic Papers
a. List of members to Invite for papers
b. Appointment of Panel or Task Force to approve the papers submitted
v. Cultural Show
04 – Invitation
vi. Quota of Participants by countries
vii. Guest- speakers and Speakers
viii. Payment of Air –tickets for participants
ix. Cultural Performer by country- Number of countries to invite.
06 Other Relates Matters
07 Next ATBU MEETING.