The establishment of a Vihara at Lumbini was closely connected with the vision of Bodhisattva Anagarika A. Dharmapala, the founder of the Maha Bodhi Society. Following his efforts to establish the Mulagandhakuti Vihara at Sarnath, another major sacred site associated with the Buddha, Anagarika Dharmapala had expressed the wish to establish a Buddhist Vihara at Lumbini as well.
The establishment of a Vihara at Lumbini was closely connected with the vision of Bodhisattva Anagarika A. Dharmapala, the founder of the Maha Bodhi Society. Following his efforts to establish the Mulagandhakuti Vihara at Sarnath, another major sacred site associated with the Buddha, Anagarika Dharmapala had expressed the wish to establish a Buddhist Vihara at Lumbini as well.his vision reflected his broader mission to restore and strengthen Buddhist places of worship and pilgrimage connected with the life of the Buddha. The eventual establishment of the Maha Bodhi Society Vihara at Lumbini therefore became a continuation of this historic vision.
An important step towards fulfilling this vision took place in 1993, when land for the construction of the Vihara was generously donated by the Lumbini Development Trust of the Royal Government of Nepal.The availability of land at this sacred location provided the foundation for the Society to proceed with its long-cherished plan of establishing a Buddhist centre in Lumbini. It also strengthened the connection between the Maha Bodhi Society of India and one of the most significant pilgrimage destinations in the Buddhist world.