Sudarshan Mahasthavir
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Sudarshan Mahasthavir (Nepali: सुदर्शन महास्थविर) (alternative name: Sudarshan Bhante, born Lumbini Raj Shakya) (1938–2002) was a Nepalese Buddhist monk and author who played a major role in the development of Theravada Buddhism in Nepal and Nepal Bhasa literature. He was jailed by Nepal's repressive Panchayat regime for his activities supporting language rights.[1][2]
Sudarshan was born Lumbini Raj Shakya at OkuL Baha, Lalitpur. His father was Nhuchhe Raj Shakya and mother Harkha Maya Shakya. In 1950, he travelled to Kushinagar, India to be ordained a novice monk and was given the dharma name Sudarshan. He received higher ordination in Sarnath.
Teacher and writer
Sudarshan graduated in literature in Hindi in 1954 and in Nepal Bhasa in 1967. He went on to receive a master's degree in Nepalese history, culture and archeology in 1979. He taught at various schools and was a lecturer at Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu.
Sudarshan was a prolific writer, and greatly enriched the corpus of Nepal Bhasa literature. His favourite genre was drama, and he has written more than nine plays, most of them based on Buddhist themes. He also wrote short stories and poetry. In addition to Nepal Bhasa, he has written in Nepali and English. A number of his books on Buddhism have been prescribed as course books at the bachelor and Master's levels by Tribhuvan University.[3]
He was also engaged in journalism, and has been the editor of Nepal Bhasa Patrika daily, Dharmodaya and Lumbini monthlies and Purnima annual.
Sudarshan was a member of the preparatory committee formed by the Lumbini Development Trust to establish a Buddhist university. Under its initiative, Lumbini Bauddha University was founded in 2004.[4]
Sudarshan became the abbot of Shri Kirti Vihara, a Theravada Buddhist monastery built in Thai architectural style, which he established in Kirtipur in 1989. He also founded the Shri Kirti Buddhist Center here to teach Buddhism.[5][6]
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