Symbolic illustration of Agaratara, the Chakma Mahayana Buddhist heritage. Illustration: The Times of Jumland
This article is written from the perspective of the Chakma people and the Luri tradition, whose historical role in preserving Mahayana Buddhism has long been ignored, reduced, or erased. What follows is not speculation or belief, but documented history.
There is no doubt that the Chakmas originally practiced the Luri or Rauli tradition, which was a form of Mahayana Buddhism. This means that the Chakmas were once followers of the Mahayana or Mahasanghika Buddhist path. The Luris were not ritual performers alone; they were the custodians of Chakma Buddhist knowledge, responsible for preserving religious teachings, rituals, and moral instruction.
Origin of Agaratara
During the time of Prince Bijoygiri’s expeditions, Mahayana Buddhist religious rules and practices were brought for the purpose of religious observance. It was not possible to bring the complete Buddhist scriptures, such as the Tripitaka. Instead, selected teachings were summarized and written in the Chakma script on palm leaves. These texts were brought by seven Luris and became known as Agaratara.
Agaratara was therefore not a new religion. It was the Chakma method of preserving Buddhist teachings in a localized, accessible form.
Structure and Meaning of Agaratara
Agaratara consists of 28 Taras (sutras). Each Tara reflects the virtues and qualities of enlightened Buddhas and was recited on specific religious and social occasions. Scholars agree that Agaratara represents adapted forms of Tripitaka sutras, preserved through oral and manuscript traditions.
The Luris ensured that Buddhism remained alive within Chakma society at a time when Buddhist learning was disappearing from many regions.
Academic Documentation
In the research work “Chakma Manuscripts, Its Preservation and Conservation: Issues and Challenges,” Dr. Jyotir Moy Chakma, Associate Professor, conducted surveys and interviews between 2010 and 2017. His findings confirm that Agaratara is the oldest holy scripture of the Chakmas and belongs to the category of religious manuscripts.
According to his research, all 28 Taras together are known as Agaratara, and each Tara was traditionally recited by Raulis or Luris, who were Mahayana Buddhist monks, during specific Chakma religious and customary rites.
The 28 Taras of Agaratara
The 28 Taras recorded in Agaratara are:
- Malemtara
- Sadengiritara
- Anijatara
- Sigal Mangaltara
- Sarga Arohantara
- Sadha Paramitara
- Barakuruktara
- Sadakuruktara
- Fuduratara
- Arentamatara
- Suvadijatara
- Fudumfulutara
- Porangfulutara
- Serakfulutara
- Rakhimfulutara
- Samifulutara
- Sahasfulutara
- Parifulutara
- Patumfulutara
- Arinamatara
- Buddhafulutara
- Fudumfulutara
- Tamma Panyatara
- Jiyandarantara
- Triputtara
- Aditnamatara
- Dadasyatara
- Dasaparamitara
Each Tara served a specific purpose, including funeral rites, marriage ceremonies, ancestral offerings, moral instruction, healing practices, and social rituals.
Forced Decline of the Luri Tradition
There may be differences of opinion regarding the exact process, but there is no disagreement about the outcome: Agaratara was systematically removed from Chakma society.
When Queen Kalindi converted from Mahayana to Theravada Buddhism, Mahayana Luris still existed among the Chakmas. At that time, there were no Chakma Theravada monks. Theravada monks were mainly from the Barua community, and some were Marma monks. Chakma Mahayana Luris continued to serve in royal and religious spaces.
Later, five Luris—Nambhab, Priya Ratna, Kala Choga, Ananda Mohan, and Bimalanda—were forced to accept Theravada Buddhism. A royal order declared that all Luris in the Chittagong Hill Tracts must become Theravada monks. Many resisted. Some were ridiculed, some fled, and others were socially isolated. This was not a natural religious transition; it was religious restructuring through authority and enforcement.
Destruction of Agaratara Manuscripts
Following reports that Luris were opposing the change, a royal order was issued to collect and destroy all Agaratara manuscripts. These palm-leaf texts were gathered and stored carelessly in royal warehouses. Over time, many were destroyed by rats, termites, moisture, and neglect. Others were lost permanently.
Today, only a small number of Agaratara texts survive. They remain handwritten, largely unpublished, and scattered. No systematic institutional effort has been made to preserve or digitize them.
Although much of Agaratara was destroyed, efforts are now underway to recover what remains.
Current Efforts to Recover Agaratara
Members of the Luri Organization are currently engaged in efforts to locate, collect, and document old Agaratara manuscripts from Myanmar, Bangladesh, and India, where Chakma communities continue to live. The initiative focuses on recovering surviving materials of the Luri Mahayana Buddhist tradition that were scattered, displaced, or privately preserved over time.
Sumonananda Luri, one of the members involved in the effort, told The Times of Jumland that the recovery work has already shown progress. “We are working to recover the old Agaratara manuscripts, and some of the recovery work has already been completed,” he said.
At the same time, he emphasized that proper identification of the recovered materials will require careful study and time.
“At this stage, it may not be possible to confirm which recovered parts belong to which Tara,” Sumonananda Luri explained. “This will take time, and the Luri Organization will make confirmations only after proper verification.”
Separately, Bijoy Chakma Tuglo, who is closely working with the Luri Organization, told The Times of Jumland that he is preparing a book related to Luri Agaratara, which he plans to distribute free of cost to interested readers.
“I am going to print a book related to Luri Agaratara and distribute it freely so that people can at least understand how Mahayana practices were followed,” he said.
Mr. Bijoy also shared a photograph of the book titled “Luri Niyame Bondona O Dhormiyo Karjakolap”, which documents Luri rules and religious practices.
Photo sent by Mr. Bijoy “Luri Niyame Bondona O Dhormiyo Karjakolap”
Those involved in the initiative said the recovery process is being conducted with caution to ensure historical accuracy. They emphasized that the objective is not only to collect manuscripts, but also to properly identify, preserve, and document them as part of the Chakma people’s Mahayana Buddhist heritage, following collective review and scholarly assessment.
Why This History Matters
Recognizing the role of the Luris does not oppose present-day Theravada Buddhism practiced by the Chakmas. It restores historical truth. Agaratara represents the Chakma intellectual heritage, religious memory, and cultural sovereignty.
The loss of Agaratara was not only the loss of manuscripts. It was the loss of a Chakma voice in Buddhist history. Recovering this history is not about returning to the past; it is about understanding who we were and why that knowledge was taken from us.
