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The Royal Gift of the World Tipiṭaka Edition

From Frankfurt Book Fair 2007 to the Peace Palace at the Hague

October 10, 2007, Bangkok, Thailand.

Mr. Krirk-krai Jirapaet, Minister of Commerce, Kingdom of Thailand, and Air Chief Marshal Chalit Pukbhasuk, President of Thai Airways International PLC, together with Océ (Thailand), have jointly sponsored the World Tipiṭaka Project to be unveiled in Germany at Frankfurt Book Fair 2007. The highlight of exhibition is “the International Wisdom–Based Technology from Thailand”, a 40-volume Pāḷi Tipiṭaka edition in Roman Script (2005), and its newly published 40-volume Tipiṭaka Studies Reference which was published for the first time in Bangkok this year.

This commemorative 80-volume collection have been published by Dhamma Society Fund with various modern technologies, such as open-standard database with the latest high-quality, digital printing, the first time that quality digital-printing technology has ever been used in the world to propagate the Pāḷi-language corpus in the Tipitaka. The specially commemorative hand-bound in gold and silver dust-edging edition will be exhibited at Thailand Pavilion, organised between October 10-14 by Department of Export Promotion, Ministry of Commerce.

The objective of the World Tipiṭaka Project at the Frankfurt Book Fair is to demonstrate a perfect combination of modern technology and wisdom-based content of old. Printed with the most advanced and “appropriate technology”, Pāḷi Tipiṭaka, the universally acclaimed Teachings of Peace and Self-enlightened Wisdom by the Buddha almost 3,000 years old, is now available for the first time in a complete international edition in Roman script, the most universally recognised international alphabet as well as the most widely-read script in the world. The European digital-printing technology which was used in this Tipiṭaka production also represents a model of “sufficient economy” as well as environmentally friendly technology.

Frankfurt Book Fair in Germany is today the largest trade fair in the world. The Fair encompasses newly published books and prints as well as electronic multi-media. To keep up with e-books and latest global IT developments, the 80-volume Pāḷi Tipiṭaka in Roman Script and its Tipiṭaka Studies Reference are formated in an international open-starndard will also be available to Tipiṭaka Network through WebService Technology worldwide (www.dhammasociety.org). The World Tipiṭaka Project from Thailand also demonstrates that a heritage of humanity has been well-integrated into modern international technology with new potential applications. Because of an innovative approach of the Tipiṭaka as an "Internationally Wisdom-based Technology" from Thailand with far-reaching consequences towards Peace and Wisdom, the Ministry of Commerce has presented the World Tipiṭaka Project as a ‘special activity” in Thailand Pavilion this year.

Since the World Tipiṭaka Edition was first published three years ago, Her Royal Highness Princess Galyani Vadhana, Honorary President of Tipiṭaka Presentation Worldwide who is the Royal Matriarch of Thailand, has presented these special sets as gifts of Dhamma to leading institutions of the world. In 2005, upon a presidential invitation, the Princess made a historic 24-hour Pilgrimage from Bangkok to Colombo, to present an inaugural set of the World Tipiṭaka to the President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.

On October 12, 2007, a special 80-volume Commemorative Edition of the World Tipiṭaka and its Reference, printed on the occasion of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand's 80th Birthday Anniversary, will be presented as a Royal Gift of Peace and Wisdom by Her Royal Highness Princess Galyani Vadhana, Honorary President of Tipiṭaka Presentation Worldwide, to Her Excellency Judge Rosalyn Higgins, President of the International Court of Justice, popularly known as “the World Court at the Peace Palace” in the Hague, Kingdom of Netherlands.

The Royal Gift of Tipitaka was especially brought from Bangkok and was handed over to the World Court at the Peace Palace by H.E. President of the Supreme Court of Thailand, Mr. Virat Limvichai, who is also the President of the Constitutional Court of Thailand.