His Holiness XIVth Dalai Lama, 1989 Nobel Peace Laureate, Susan Woldenberg, Colin Butler, Dharamsala, India, 1990 photo: Tenzin Geyche Tethong
Since 2015 this has been the website for the NGO Benevolent Organisation for Development, Health and Insight (BODHI) Australia. Founded in 1989 during teachings by the Dalai Lama in Los Angeles BODHI has supported small scale development projects mainly in India, Bangladesh, Thailand and Tibet. We are possibly the world's fourth oldest Buddhist development (aid) organisation, following Tzu Chi (founded Taiwan 1966), the Karuna Trust, (UK 1980), and Gaden Relief Projects, (Canada, 1988) (We have ongoing links with three of these groups.) The Jamyang Foundation was also founded in the late 1980s.
"Bodhi" in Sanskrit can be translated as "true nature". "Bodhicitta" means the development of mind ("citta" or awareness) - that wants to be of benefit to all. BODHI's partners and people are predominantly Buddhist, but not exclusively. Our main aims are to improve:
Nalori Chakma, New Delhi, India (2013-2014) Krishan Chakma, Guwahati, Assam, India (2010-2013) Tenpa TK, Mundgod, Maharashtra, India (1994-2005)
ACFID - we are not a member, as we are as yet unconvinced of the benefits, as we place no volunteers overseas and our income is currently too low to justify ACFID's fees.
Running costs: BODHI's administration is largely provided by volunteers. From 2017 we started paying Colin Butler 5% of the total external* income for the previous calendar year. In 2018 that was $1,671. In 2023 (to be checked) this was increased to 10%.
*by this, we exclude funds donated by our committee members.