World Tipiṭaka Edition

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

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 this exhibition will be “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 specially commemorative hand-bound in gold and silver dust edging will be exhibited at the 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. Printed with the most advanced and “appropriate technology”, Pāḷi Tipiṭaka, the universally acclaimed Teachings of the Buddha almost 3,000 years old, is now available in a complete edition in Roman script for the first time. 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 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 global IT developments, the 40-volume Pāḷi Tipiṭaka in Roman Script will also be available to Tipiṭaka Network through WebService Technology (www.dhammasociety.org). The World Tipiṭaka Project from Thailand also demonstrates that a heritage of humanity has been well-integrated to international technology with new potential application worldwide. Because of an innovative presentation of the Tipiṭaka Project with far-reaching consequences towards World Peace and Wisdom, the Ministry of Commerce has presented the World Tipiṭaka Project as a ‘special activity” in the Thailand Pavilion this year.

Since the World Tipiṭaka Edition was first published, 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, Her Royal Highness made a Pilgrimage to Colombo, to present an inaugural set of the World Tipiṭaka to the President of Sri Lanka.

On October 12, 2007, a Commemorative World Tipiṭaka and its Reference edition in honour of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, was presented as a Gift of Peace and Wisdom by the Princess Matriarch of Thailand to the International Court of Justice, popularly known as “the World Court at the Peace Palace” in the Hague, Kingdom of Netherlands.