The M.L. Maniratana Bunnag Dhamma Society Fund
under the Patronage of
His Holiness Somdet Phra Ñāṇasaṃvara the Supreme Patriarch of Thailand

Origin :

The M.L. Maniratana Bunnag Dhamma Society Fund under the Patronage His Holiness Somdet Phra Ñāṇasaṃvara the Supreme Patriarch of Thailand is a charitable organisation in the Buddhist Theravāda Tradition, founded in 1997 by Thanpuying M.L. MANIRATANA BUNNAG (1923-2000), Lady-in-Waiting to Her Majesty Queen Sirikit (1950-2000) and the Dhamma Society First Chairperson (1998-2000).


Dhamma Society Donation :

Donation of Theravāda Buddhist Scripture in book-form and audio materials to Naresuan University Library, 1998. Organised a royal donation of 1,000 sets for the Queen Sirikit Tipiṭaka Commentary (Pāḷi language/Thai-script 48 volumes) which were presented to Buddhist monasteries and academic institutions both in Thailand and abroad, 1998-99. Donation of the Dhamma Society's Private Collection of very rare palm-leaves Pāḷi Tipiṭaka and Pāḷi Tipiṭaka Editions (first edition) in various national scripts and translations of the World (over 3000 items) to the Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University, 2000, which are housed in the International Tipiṭaka Hall, Mahachulalongkorn Building, Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok.

More information at www.tipitakahall.net


The World Tipiṭaka Project :

Initiated in 1999 by the Dhamma Society upon a request from abroad to support the publication of the B.E.2500 Great International Council Pāḷi Tipiṭaka Edition in Roman script. After a preliminary investigation of all the available electronic manuscripts, the Dhamma Society found that it was necessary to undertake anew the entire proof-reading and editing in Pāḷi language of the International Council Edition, both in printing and electronic formats. In 2004, the development of the electronic Pāḷi Tipiṭaka version was completed and was presented to Her Royal Highness Princess Galyani Vadhana, the Royal Matriarch. In 2005, the printing project was finally completed and was published in Roman script in 40 volumes as a homage to the Supreme Buddha and in honour of the Buddhist Sovereign Monarchy of Thailand. For an inaugural presentation, Her Royal Highness Princess Galyani Vadhana, Honorary President and Royal Patron, led a historic 24-hour Pilgrimage by a special flight to present the special inaugural edition to the President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka on March 6, 2005. Two additional inaugural editions were graciously presented by the Royal Matriarch to the Constitutional Court of the Kingdom of Thailand and to the Carolina Rediviva, Uppsala University, Kingdom of Sweden. 

More information at www.tipitakastudies.net

Since then Princess Galyani Vadhana, the Honorary President and the Royal Matriarch of Thailand annually presents special editions of the World Tipiṭaka in Roman script to designated International institutions around the world.

In 2006, the Dhamma Society published a special 40-volume Pāḷi Tipiṭaka edition together with a 20-volume Tipiṭaka Studies Reference (altogether 60 volumes) and respectfully presented to His Majesty the King of Thailand on the anniversary of his 60-year reign celebration. 

In 2007, a special commemorative edition of 80-volume World Tipiṭaka (40 volumes) together with Tipiṭaka Studies Reference (40 volumes) was presented by the Princess Galyani Vadhana, the Honorary President and the Royal Matriarch of Thailand, to the President of the International Court of Justice as a Gift of Peace and Wisdom on the occasion of His Majesty the King's 80th Birthday Anniversary.  This commemorative edition was later presented in the Royal Chapel of the Emerald Buddha in the Grand Palace to the President of the Supreme Court of Thailand to be preserved at the Supreme Court of the Kingdom of Thailand.

In 2008, printed 600 sets of the World Tipiṭaka "Chanting Version" and organised the special presentation for 600 international venerable monks as standard text for the Anuual Tipiṭaka Chanting at Buddhagaya which was organised by Maha Bodhi Society of India, Buddhagaya, February 12-22.  

Tipiṭaka Sermons & Lectures by Dhamma Society :

• “Meritorious Activities in Buddhist Theravāda” at Sala Devanugoon, Chitralada Villa, Bangkok, (1997);
  
• “The Importance of Tipiṭaka” at Princess Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre, Bangkok, (1998);
  
• “The Pāḷi Tipiṭaka in Roman scrip” at Wat Bovornives, Bangkok, (1999);
  
• “Farewell of Queen Pajabodi” Wat Benjamabopit, Bangkok, (2000);
  
• “Tipiṭaka and Vipassanā” at the International Tipiṭaka Hall, Bangkok, (2001);
  
• “The International Tipiṭaka Project in Romanised script” at the International Tipiṭaka Hall, Bangkok, (2002);
•  “The World Tipiṭaka Project and Contributions to Buddhist Studies” at the Sri Lankan Society of Pāḷi and Buddhist Studies, Kandy, (2003);
  
• “The King of Siam Tipiṭaka : Dhamma Technology for the World from the Thai Nation” at the Ministry of Information Technology and Communications, Bangkok, (2004);
  
• “Pāḷi Tipiṭaka in Siam-script and Roman-script Editions” at the Royal Library, Stockholm, (2005);
  
• “The Importance of Tipiṭaka and the Constitutional Court” at the Constitutional Court of the Kingdom of Thailand, Bangkok, (2006);
  
• “Dhamma & the World Tipiṭaka Edition”at the National Olympic Youth Centre in Tokyo, Japan, jointly organised by Japan Theravāda Buddhist Association and Dhamma Society Thailand & Sri Lanka, (2007); 
  
• “The World Tipiṭaka Edition & Tipiṭaka Technology at the University of Tokyo” organised by Dhamma Society Thailand, Japan and Sri Lanka, Tokyo, Japan (2008).
• “How to tackle a Global Warming : A Wisdom from the Tipiṭaka” organised by Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy (CRMA) with Dhamma Society Thailand, CRMA, Nakorn Nayok, Thailand (2009). 
• Forthcoming USA (2010).
  
  

International Collaborations & Current Activies :

1999-2005: Development of the Roman-script World Tipiṭaka printing database.

2005-present: Development of electronic standard Pāḷi Tipiṭaka database and Tipiṭaka Studies Reference database, i.e. e-Tipiṭaka Quotation