SIBA –The Pioneer in Buddhist Education

For the last 25 years ,Buddhism has largely influenced the life of Asia and its culture.. Also it has influnced the thinking and behaviour pattern of the western world. During the past two centuries we have seen how changes have occurred and greatly contributed to changes that have taken place. The institutions that were offering the study of Buddhism as a purely academic institution have failed to understand the real need of the country and the training needs of the clergy . This of course requires students to actively engage to remedy this situation in Sri lanka and to cater to the local, national, and international demand. The SIBA established in 2009, February based on the privileges of democracy, peace, gentleness, loving kindness, and compassion catering to the great demands of the country.

SIBA – has a vision of its own and trying to fulfil its mission and is vying to be the leading International Buddhist university in Sri Lanka . It is established on a picturesque location in Pallekele bordering the Kandy – Teldeniya high way adjacent to Gamudawa with a vision to teach degree , Diploma and cetificate courses in Buddhist studies, oriental and foreign lanugages, English and Information technology. Inaddition SIBA is conducting Diplomas in Buddhist Counselling(on Campus and E- learning ) Diploma in Dhammadutha work , Diploma in Buddhism and Social work, Certificate courses in Buddha Dhamma, Buddhist Meditation, Yoga and Monastic Administration etc. It is open for clergy and laity of both genders . At the moment there are nearly 125 students belonging to both genders following courses in the academy and over 40 are foreign bhikkus. The University is affialted to Mahaculalongkornaraja Vidyalaya University in Thailand for degree programmes . SIBA through its research project, DCI, translating Pali tripitakaya and commentaries into English and Sinhala . Also SIBA is affiliated to Dhammachai Institute of WatPhraDharmakaya , Thailand Research activities.

Buddhist philosophy is centred around active and cooperative learning , critical thinking and analysis . It is trying to finding viable solutions to human and environmental problems and ethical crises. SIBA through its academic programmes is designed to help students both at home and overseas. SIBA prepares students to gain skills in Sinhala, Tamil. Sanskrit , Japanese and Chinese. The aim of SIBA is toequipe students with linguistic and other skills so that the graduates would work with Leaders in Sri lanka and other countries and they would continue to do further studies at Postgradaute level at home or abroad. Recently SIBA started MA programme in Buddhist Studies with IBC , Thailand. and plans to commence Phd in Buddhist studies in coloboration with DCI in Thailand, from September, 2012.It has close association with Virgenia Tech , USA and University of West Chester , Pensylvania , USA and University of Hamburg , Germany and has implemented student exchange programmes in recent years.

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SIBA library , through its sincere efforts have been able to receive donations of PTS English tripitaka from Ven.Sister Khema the chairperson cum administrator at DSMC, Annapolis in USA and the 226 books on religion, Philosophy, Psychology,

Physics from ISSR library project from Great Britain, this year. The library has a collection of about 4500 text books covering fields such as Buddhsm , Buddhist Tripitaka ( Pali&Sinahala) Buddhsit PTS English translation , Buddhist Encyclopedia , Chinese Buddhism ,Buddhsit Psychology, Buddhist Epistemology, Buddhist Ethics , Buddhist Counselling , Indian Buddhism, Indian Philosophy , Encyclopedia Britannica & the donations of fiction books from Mr. Max Metcalf . SIBA library is making arrangements to have the database making use of CDS /WinISIS in the near future.

Presently SIBA has streamlined its courses to recruit students for the following courses.