Anagarika Dharmapala and the Revival of Buddhism

Anagarika Dharmapala, who lived from 1864 to 1933, was a Sri Lankan Buddhist revivalist who became a central figure in the modern revival of Buddhism and in the restoration of the Buddhist pilgrimage sites of India. Born Don David Hewavitarne, he took the life of an anagarika, a celibate renunciant between the lay and monastic states, and devoted himself to the cause of his faith. He founded the Maha Bodhi Society in 1891 and campaigned tirelessly for the restoration of the Mahabodhi temple at Bodh Gaya, the place of the Buddha’s awakening, and he spoke at the World’s Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893. His work is woven into the story of Buddhist pilgrimage in India, and as a modern figure his dates and achievements are securely documented.

Key Takeaways

• Anagarika Dharmapala (1864-1933) was a Sri Lankan Buddhist revivalist, born Don David Hewavitarne.
• He was central to the modern revival of Buddhism in India and in Sri Lanka.
• He founded the Maha Bodhi Society in 1891.
• He campaigned for the restoration of the Mahabodhi temple at Bodh Gaya, place of the Buddha’s awakening.
• He spoke at the World’s Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893.
• Late in life he was ordained as the monk Sri Devamitta Dhammapala.

The sections below explain who Anagarika Dharmapala was, the meaning of his title and his original name, his life and era, the state of Buddhism in his time, the Maha Bodhi Society, Bodh Gaya and the Mahabodhi temple campaign, his restoration of pilgrimage sites, the 1893 Parliament of Religions, his ordination as a monk, and his lasting legacy.

Quick Facts

Who Was Anagarika Dharmapala?

Anagarika Dharmapala was a Sri Lankan Buddhist revivalist who became one of the most influential figures in the modern revival of Buddhism, and above all in the effort to restore the Buddhist holy places of India. He devoted his life to the renewal of his faith and the care of its sacred sites.

Living from 1864 to 1933, and born Don David Hewavitarne, he took up the life of an anagarika, a celibate renunciant, and dedicated himself wholly to the Buddhist cause. He founded the Maha Bodhi Society, campaigned for the restoration of the Mahabodhi temple at Bodh Gaya, and carried the message of Buddhism to a wide international audience. As a modern figure, his life and achievements are securely documented. Anagarika Dharmapala is remembered as a tireless worker, writer and speaker whose energy helped to reawaken interest in Buddhism in India and around the world, and to restore its most sacred places of pilgrimage.

What Does the Title Anagarika Mean?

The title anagarika denotes a celibate religious renunciant who lives between the lay and the fully monastic states, devoting himself wholly to the religious life while not yet taking the full ordination of a monk. Dharmapala adopted this way of life for much of his career.

The word may be understood as homeless one, marking a person who has renounced ordinary household life for the sake of religious dedication, taking vows of celibacy and simplicity. By living as an anagarika, Dharmapala was able to travel freely and work tirelessly for the Buddhist cause without the full constraints of monastic life, while still embracing renunciation. This distinctive status became closely associated with his name. The title reflects the seriousness of his dedication and the practical freedom it gave him for his mission. Understanding the meaning of anagarika helps explain how Dharmapala could devote himself so completely to the revival of Buddhism and the restoration of its sacred places.

What Was His Original Name?

Anagarika Dharmapala was born Don David Hewavitarne, in Sri Lanka, then known as Ceylon, and took the religious name Dharmapala, which may be understood as protector or guardian of the dharma, when he dedicated himself to the Buddhist cause. The name expresses his life’s mission.

His birth into a prominent family of colonial Ceylon gave him an education that bridged his own tradition and the wider world, and he later set aside his given name for one that proclaimed his devotion to the Buddhist teaching. The name Dharmapala, joined to the title anagarika, became the name by which he is known in history. Late in his life he received a further name upon ordination as a monk. Knowing his original name helps a reader trace his path from a young man of colonial Ceylon to a revered revivalist. The chosen name Dharmapala, guardian of the dharma, fittingly captures the purpose to which he gave his whole life.

When and Where Did He Live?

Anagarika Dharmapala lived from 1864 to 1933, born in Sri Lanka, then the British colony of Ceylon, and working across India and internationally in the cause of Buddhist revival. As a modern figure, his dates are securely known.

He grew up in colonial Ceylon at a time when Buddhism in the island was under pressure, and he came of age amid a stirring of interest in its renewal. Much of his life’s work was carried out in India, where he laboured for the restoration of the Buddhist holy places, and his influence reached as far as Europe and the United States through his travels and speeches. His long career spanned the later nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, an age of religious and cultural awakening across Asia. The fullness of the record sets him apart from figures of the distant past. Living through this period of change, Dharmapala became a leading voice for the revival of Buddhism in his homeland and in India.

What Was the State of Buddhism in His Time?

In Anagarika Dharmapala’s time, Buddhism in India had long since declined from its ancient prominence, and its great pilgrimage sites had fallen into neglect, while in his native Ceylon the tradition was under colonial pressure. His work arose as a response to this situation.

Though India was the land of the Buddha’s life and teaching, the centuries had seen Buddhism largely disappear from the country of its origin, and its holy places had suffered long neglect. In Ceylon, Buddhism faced the challenges of colonial rule and missionary activity, prompting movements of renewal among its adherents. This climate of decline and awakening shaped Dharmapala’s sense of mission and gave urgency to his efforts. Because this is recent history, it is well documented. The state of Buddhism in his time explains the passion with which Dharmapala worked to restore its sacred sites in India and to renew pride and devotion among Buddhists, setting the stage for the revival with which his name is linked.

What Is the Maha Bodhi Society?

The Maha Bodhi Society is the organisation that Anagarika Dharmapala founded in 1891 to work for the revival of Buddhism and, above all, for the recovery and care of the Buddhist holy places of India. It became the chief instrument of his life’s mission.

Through the society, Dharmapala campaigned for the restoration of the Mahabodhi temple at Bodh Gaya and other sacred sites, published writings to spread Buddhist teaching, and built links among Buddhists of different lands. The society gave organised and lasting form to his efforts and drew support from across the Buddhist world. It played an important part in reawakening interest in Buddhism in India and in restoring the dignity of its pilgrimage places. As a modern organisation its history is well documented. The founding of the Maha Bodhi Society in 1891 stands as one of Dharmapala’s most enduring achievements, and the society has continued its work long after his own lifetime.

Why Is Bodh Gaya Important?

Bodh Gaya is important as the place where, according to tradition, the Buddha attained enlightenment beneath the Bodhi tree, making it the most sacred of all Buddhist pilgrimage sites. Its restoration was the central cause of Anagarika Dharmapala’s life.

Revered as the site of the Buddha’s awakening, Bodh Gaya holds a place in Buddhism comparable to the holiest of pilgrimage destinations, drawing devotees from across the world. The Mahabodhi temple there marks the sacred spot, and a descendant of the Bodhi tree is honoured beside it. In Dharmapala’s time the site had suffered long neglect, which moved him to campaign for its restoration and care. Because this is recent and well-recorded history, it may be stated with confidence. The importance of Bodh Gaya explains why its condition so stirred Dharmapala, and why the effort to restore the Mahabodhi temple became the heart of his mission for the revival of Buddhism in the land of its birth.

What Was the Mahabodhi Temple Campaign?

The Mahabodhi temple campaign was Anagarika Dharmapala’s sustained effort to restore the great temple at Bodh Gaya to Buddhist care and to see it honoured according to its sacred significance. It was the defining struggle of his career.

Moved by the neglected state of the holiest Buddhist site, Dharmapala devoted himself through the Maha Bodhi Society to campaigning for the restoration and proper care of the Mahabodhi temple, raising awareness among Buddhists worldwide and pressing the cause through many years. The effort was long and difficult, and much of its fruit came only over time, but it awakened Buddhists everywhere to the importance of their holy places in India. Because this is recent history, its outlines are well documented. The Mahabodhi temple campaign gave focus to Dharmapala’s whole mission and remains the achievement for which he is best remembered, a struggle that helped return Bodh Gaya to a central place in the devotion of the Buddhist world.

How Did He Restore Buddhist Pilgrimage Sites?

Anagarika Dharmapala worked to restore the Buddhist pilgrimage sites of India by drawing attention to their neglected condition, organising support through the Maha Bodhi Society, and labouring to see them cared for and honoured by Buddhists once more. His efforts reached beyond Bodh Gaya alone.

Through writing, speaking and tireless travel, he reminded Buddhists across the world that the land of the Buddha held their most sacred places, and he sought to recover and protect sites associated with the Buddha’s life and teaching. The Maha Bodhi Society built facilities for pilgrims and worked to care for holy places, helping to revive the practice of pilgrimage to India. Because this is recent and well-recorded history, it may be described with confidence. Through these efforts Dharmapala helped to reawaken the tradition of Buddhist pilgrimage in India, restoring the dignity of the sacred sites and drawing devotees once more to the land where Buddhism began.

What Happened at the 1893 Parliament of Religions?

At the World’s Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893, Anagarika Dharmapala spoke as a representative of Buddhism, presenting its teaching to a large international audience and helping to introduce the faith to the Western world. The occasion brought him wide attention.

The Parliament gathered representatives of many religions from around the world, and Dharmapala’s presence and words made him one of the notable voices for Buddhism on that international stage. His participation helped to acquaint audiences in the West with Buddhist teaching and added to the growing interest in the faith beyond Asia. The event enhanced his standing as a spokesman for Buddhism and strengthened his mission of revival. Because this is recent and well-documented history, it may be stated with confidence. His appearance at the 1893 Parliament of Religions is remembered as a significant moment in the modern encounter between Buddhism and the wider world, and in Dharmapala’s own career as a revivalist.

What Was His Role in Sri Lanka's Buddhist Revival?

Anagarika Dharmapala played an important part in the revival of Buddhism in his native Sri Lanka, then Ceylon, encouraging pride in the tradition and working to renew its practice and learning amid the pressures of colonial rule. His homeland was one centre of his wider mission.

In a colonial setting where Buddhism faced challenges, he urged his fellow Buddhists to take renewed pride in their heritage, to support education and to strengthen their religious life. His writings and activities contributed to the broader movement of Buddhist renewal in the island during his lifetime. His work in Ceylon and his labours in India were two aspects of a single mission for the revival of the faith. Because this is recent history, it is well documented. Dharmapala’s role in Sri Lanka’s Buddhist revival reflects the same energy and devotion that he brought to the restoration of the holy places in India, making him a leading figure of Buddhist renewal in both lands.

How Was He Ordained Late in Life?

Late in his life, Anagarika Dharmapala received full ordination as a Buddhist monk, taking the name Sri Devamitta Dhammapala. This step completed the path of renunciation he had followed for many years as an anagarika.

Having lived for much of his career as a celibate renunciant between the lay and monastic states, he was ordained as a monk toward the end of his life, taking the monastic name by which he is also remembered. The ordination marked the culmination of a lifetime dedicated to the Buddhist cause, allowing him to enter fully into the monastic life he had long served. Because this is recent and well-recorded history, it may be stated with confidence. His ordination as Sri Devamitta Dhammapala set a fitting seal on a life given wholly to the revival of Buddhism and the care of its holy places, uniting at the last the renunciant and the monk in a single devoted figure.

What Were His Ideas and Message?

Anagarika Dharmapala’s message centred on the revival of Buddhism, pride in its heritage, the care of its sacred places, and the renewal of religious and ethical life among Buddhists. He combined devotion to his faith with tireless practical effort.

He urged Buddhists to recover confidence in their tradition, to honour and restore the holy places of India, and to carry the teaching of the Buddha to the wider world. His writings and speeches addressed the renewal of Buddhist practice, education and self-respect, especially in the face of colonial pressures. He saw the restoration of the sacred sites and the revival of devotion as parts of a single cause. Because this is recent history, his message is well documented. The ideas of Dharmapala gave direction to the modern Buddhist revival, linking the recovery of the holy places with a broader renewal of the faith and inspiring Buddhists in India, Sri Lanka and beyond.

How Is He Connected to Buddhist Pilgrimage Today?

Anagarika Dharmapala is connected to Buddhist pilgrimage today through his pioneering work to restore the holy places of India, which helped to reopen the land of the Buddha to devotees from across the world. His legacy lives on wherever Buddhists visit these sacred sites.

The revival of pilgrimage to Bodh Gaya and other places associated with the Buddha owes much to the efforts he began, and the Maha Bodhi Society he founded has continued to serve pilgrims and care for holy places. The flow of devotees to the sacred sites of India in the present day stands as a living fruit of his mission. Because this is recent and well-recorded history, it may be described with confidence. The connection between Dharmapala and Buddhist pilgrimage today is a reminder of how one dedicated life helped to restore the sacred geography of Buddhism in the land of its birth, so that pilgrims might once again honour the places where the Buddha lived and taught.

Anagarika Dharmapala Today

Anagarika Dharmapala today is remembered as a central figure in the modern revival of Buddhism and in the restoration of the Buddhist holy places of India. His work remains a living presence through the Maha Bodhi Society and the thriving pilgrimage he helped to revive.

Through the society he founded in 1891, his campaign for the Mahabodhi temple at Bodh Gaya, and his appearance at the 1893 Parliament of Religions, he reawakened interest in Buddhism in India and around the world. Born Don David Hewavitarne and ordained at the last as Sri Devamitta Dhammapala, he gave his whole life to the cause of his faith. As a modern figure his achievements are securely documented. His legacy endures as a reminder of how devotion and tireless effort could restore the sacred places of Buddhism and renew the faith in the land of its origin, for the pilgrims and devotees of generations to come.

Sources & Further Reading

• Ministry of Culture, Government of India (indiaculture.gov.in).
• Maha Bodhi Society of India (general institutional reference).
• Archaeological Survey of India (asi.nic.in), general references on the Mahabodhi temple, Bodh Gaya.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who was Anagarika Dharmapala?

Anagarika Dharmapala (1864-1933) was a Sri Lankan Buddhist revivalist, born Don David Hewavitarne, who became central to the modern revival of Buddhism and to the restoration of India’s Buddhist pilgrimage sites. He founded the Maha Bodhi Society and campaigned for the restoration of the Mahabodhi temple at Bodh Gaya.

What is the Maha Bodhi Society?

The Maha Bodhi Society is the organisation Anagarika Dharmapala founded in 1891 to work for the revival of Buddhism and the recovery and care of the Buddhist holy places of India. It campaigned for the restoration of the Mahabodhi temple at Bodh Gaya and has continued its work long after his lifetime.

Why did Dharmapala campaign for Bodh Gaya?

Dharmapala campaigned for Bodh Gaya because it is the most sacred of Buddhist pilgrimage sites, revered as the place where the Buddha attained enlightenment, and in his time it had suffered long neglect. Restoring the Mahabodhi temple there to Buddhist care became the central cause of his life.

What did Dharmapala do at the 1893 Parliament of Religions?

At the World’s Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893, Anagarika Dharmapala spoke as a representative of Buddhism, presenting its teaching to a large international audience. His participation helped introduce Buddhism to the Western world and enhanced his standing as a spokesman for the faith.

What does the title anagarika mean?

The title anagarika denotes a celibate religious renunciant who lives between the lay and monastic states, devoting himself wholly to the religious life. It may be understood as homeless one, and it allowed Dharmapala to work tirelessly for the Buddhist cause before his full ordination as a monk.

Was Anagarika Dharmapala ordained as a monk?

Yes. Late in his life Anagarika Dharmapala received full ordination as a Buddhist monk, taking the name Sri Devamitta Dhammapala. This step completed the path of renunciation he had followed for many years as an anagarika and set a fitting seal on a life given to the Buddhist cause.