Gabji S. Gombojav, the Khambo Lama of Gandan Tegchenling Monastery, the Center of Mongolian Buddhists invited Buddhist monks from Sri Lanka, Nepal, India and Russia (former USSR) and met them in Ulaanbaatar on December 5, 1960. United under a common desire to promote cooperation among Asian Buddhists to establish peace in Asia basing on the teachings of Lord Buddha on compassion, unity and harmony, the first meeting of the Asian Buddhists was organized on 11-13 June 1970 in Ulaanbaatar founding the Asian Buddhists Conference for Peace under the appeal“May those who fight with arms in hands, meet with flowers.”
The Second President of ABCP, and Khambo of Gandan Tegchenling Monastery, the Center of Mongolian Buddhist Kh. Gaadan in his memoires had written that Asian Buddhists in commemoration of the 2,500th birth anniversary of Lord Buddha, which was observed in the 1960s, were engaged in promoting the Lord Buddha’s teachings on compassion, which became the fountain source of establishing the Asian Buddhists Conference for Peace (ABCP).
ABCP’s first President S. Gombojav was an outstanding peace champion who made every effort to expand and strengthen the ranks of the organisation, stop wars and aggressions in Asia, step up the involvement of the regional Buddhists in this struggle, ban weapons of mass destruction and promote universal disarmament.
Khambo Lama of Gandan Tegchenling Monastery, the Center of Mongolian Buddhists and President of ABCP S. Gombojav passed away in 1980 and on 10 June 1981 Kh. Gaadan was appointed the Khamba Lama of the Gandan Tegchenling Monastery. One year later on 16-18 August 1981, the 6th General Conference of ABCP was held successfully in Ulaanbaatar thanks to the unfailing effort of Khambo Lama Kh. Gaadan, who then spearheaded the Organising Committee of the 6th ABCP General Conference, where he was unanimously elected as the President of ABCP.
Kh. Gaadan, ABCP President and Khambo Lama of the Gandan Tegchenling Monastery, the Center of Mongolian Buddhists, supported and contributed in every way the activities of ABCP. After the 6th ABCP General Conference, Khambo Lama Kh. Gaadan established close contact with all the important Buddhists leaders in Asia, and took an active part in the peace efforts in the continent. In his capacity as ABCP President, Kh. Gaadan went on several peace tours to Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, India, former Soviet Union, Sri Lanka, and Japan, where he met with the leaders of the ABCP National centers and held business-like consultations with them.
ABCP President Kh. Gaadan in his speeches and remarks made at ABCP leader’s and Executive Council meetings, and round-table conference since the 6th General Assembly, focused on guidelines and orientation for future work of ABCP. Moreover, he issued a number of statements on the most important issues of international peace and gave interviews to the media on this topical issue.
He also took an active part in peace promotion activities and events organised by both religious and non-religious organisations and movements, where the President clearly outlined the missions and objectives of ABCP. He also took an active part in the global conference of religious leaders held in Moscow, a meeting of the Presidium of the World Peace Council, the 6th Congress of the Afro-Asian People’s Solidarity Organisation held in Algeria and many other international fora.
Khamba Lama Gaadan accomplished many noble deeds by directing the efforts and financial sources of the Mongolian Buddhists to the cause of peace and against war. He also published many research papers on issues of peace in the “Buddhists For Peace” magazine of ABCP.
Basing on the contribution and the effort of Khambo Lama Kh. Gaadan to the noble cause of international peace, against war, unity and harmony, he was re-elected as the President of ABCP at the 7th general Conference of ABCP held in Vientiane, Laos in 1986.
Noteworthy would be to recall ABCP President’s speech at the 6th General Conference. He then had appealed to the Asian Buddhists “to make every effort to establish peace and justice, and promote compassion and harmony for the good of intensifying the peace movement of the Asian Buddhists, and forging closer collaboration among Buddhists organisations and also organisations and individuals of other religions and faiths.” Proceeding from this premise, the ABCP President Kh. Gaadan redefined the goals and objectives of ABCP which led to the growth of the efforts and initiative of the Asian Buddhists, and the contacts and relationship of temples, monasteries and the religion as a whole with the general public.
Within the framework of the 20th foundation anniversary of ABCP, the 8th General Conference was held in Ulaanbaatar in September 1990. This coincided with a period when democratic changes and transformations began in Mongolia and the period marking the end of the Cold War. At the General Conference, the ABCP President summed up the historic lessons of the organisation and at the same time, called on the member National Centers to continue with their comprehensive activities and defined the reform plans of the organisation.
It must be noted that the late ABCP President and Khambo Lama Kh. Gaadan was a prominent peace promoter, who made his personal contribution to turning ABCP into a prestigious international organisation, brought closer together collaboration among the member National Centers and directed the attention of the international Buddhists to the issue of global and regional peace and security.
Former President of ABCP, Khambo Lama of Gandan Tegchenling Monastery Kh. Gaadan
ABCP President Kh. Gaadan with Mr. Romesh Chandra, President of the erstwhile World Peace Council from 1977 to 1990
ABCP President Kh. Gaadan in Laos during a General Assembly of ABCP
This is a summary of a paper entitled “The peace efforts of President of ABCP, Khambo Lama Kh. Gaadan” presented by ABCP Secretary General Da lama Kh. Byambajav at a scholarly conference organised jointly by the Gandan Tegchenling Monastery-Center of Mongolian Buddhists, Department of Philosophy and Theology of the Mongolian National University, Institute of Language and Literature of the Mongolian Academy of Sciences and the local council of Uvs Aimag’s Sagil and Turgen Soums in commemoration of the Birth centenary of Khakhuugiin Gaadan at the Gandan Tegchenling Monastery in Ulaanbaatar on 23 June 2023.
