Buddhist Publication Society

What Buddhist Publication Society does

Buddhist Publication Society (BPS) is a Sri Lanka-based non-profit charitable organization founded in 1957 and headquartered in Kandy, dedicated to publishing and distributing authentic Theravada Buddhist literature to a global audience. Its product portfolio centers on three offerings: the BPS Online Bookshop (an e-commerce storefront at bps.lk selling printed books, Wheel Publications, Bodhi Leaves, CDs, DVDs, and titles from other publishers with worldwide shipping), the BPS Online Library (a free digital repository offering PDF, HTML, and EPUB downloads of publications including Pali and Sutta study materials), and a tiered membership subscription program providing 20% discounts and bi-annual newsletters.

Technically, BPS operates a web-based commerce and content platform using specialized Unicode fonts (URW Palladio ITU, URW Palladio Pali, VU Arial Plus) with UTF-8 encoding to properly typeset and display Pali diacritical characters across its digital library. The catalog comprises more than 1,600 items spanning core publication series such as Wheel Publications (400+ issues, with 29 collected bound volumes) and Bodhi Leaves (157+ issues), authored or translated by recognized Theravada scholars including Bhikkhu Bodhi, Nyanaponika Thera, and Bhikkhu Khantipalo.

BPS earns revenue through three streams: one-time book and publication sales priced at intentionally low affordable points (books $8–$10, Wheel publications approximately $1, bound volumes $9.50), recurring membership fees segmented into Sri Lankan (Rs. 600–1,200/year) and Foreign ($25/year or $200 for 10 years) tiers, and voluntary donations plus a book-sponsorship program allowing supporters to underwrite publication costs. The organization serves Buddhist practitioners, scholars, monastic communities, temples, and Buddhist study organizations across South Asia and international Theravada Buddhist diaspora markets.

Name

Buddhist Publication Society

Legal name

Buddhist Publication Society

Website

https://bps.lk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1957

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Buddhist Publication Society is a Sri Lanka-based non-profit that publishes and distributes authentic Theravada Buddhist literature — books, Wheel Publications, and Bodhi Leaves — to individual practitioners, scholars, monasteries, and Buddhist organizations worldwide via online and physical channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Publishing

NAICS

Book Publishers (513130)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro primary industry

Sacred Texts & Scripture Publishing (Bibles, Qur’ans, Vedas, Torah, Sutras) (MPAJAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Devotional & Prayer Publishing (Devotionals, Prayer Books, Meditation Guides) (MPAJAHAB), Sermon, Homiletics & Ministry Resource Publishing (Preaching Aids, Pastoral Resources) (MPAJAHAD)

Keywords

• Buddhist publishing
• Theravada literature
• Religious bookshop
• Spiritual education
• Pali translations

Headquarters

HQ city

Kandy

HQ country

Sri Lanka

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Book and Publication Sales: Sale of printed books, Wheel Publications, Bodhi Leaves, CDs, DVDs, and other Buddhist literature through their online bookshop and physical location. Publications are sold at low, affordable prices to support dissemination of Dhamma.
2. Membership Program: Annual and 10-year membership programs offering benefits including 20% discount on BPS publications, bi-annual newsletters, and new issues of Wheel publications. Memberships available for Sri Lanka residents (Rs. 600-12,000) and international members ($25-200).
3. Donations and Sponsorship: Donations from supporters to help with printing costs, computer maintenance, and general organizational support. Book sponsorship program allows donors to partially or fully sponsor publication costs, with dedication options for deceased relatives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Buddhist Publication Society publishes and distributes authentic Theravada Buddhist literature, including books, the Wheel Publications pamphlet series, Bodhi Leaves leaflets, CDs/DVDs, and Sinhala-language publications, sold through its own online and physical bookshops and made freely available via its digital online library. It runs an annual and ten-year membership program offering publication discounts and newsletters, and supplements its operations with donations and book sponsorships from supporters worldwide.

Product overview

Buddhist Publication Society (BPS) operates a publishing-focused organization offering authentic Theravada Buddhist literature. The portfolio consists of the BPS Online Bookshop for purchasing books and media, the BPS Online Library for free digital downloads, and membership subscriptions. Core publications include Wheel Publications (collected volumes covering 1-464 individual wheels), Bodhi Leaves (short leaflets), full-length Books, CDs/DVDs, and Newsletters. The organization is funded through book sales, memberships (annual and ten-year plans with discounts), and voluntary donations/sponsorships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BPS Online Library: Online digital library containing BPS publications formatted for free downloading in PDF, HTML, and EPUB formats
• Wheel Publications
• Bodhi Leaves

Products and services

• BPS Online Bookshop The primary online retail platform for purchasing BPS-published Buddhist books, Wheel Publications, Bodhi Leaves, CDs, DVDs, and publications from other publishers, featuring search, cart, and checkout functionality with global shipping via air or surface mail.
• BPS Online Library A digital library offering free downloadable Buddhist publications including Book Publications, Wheel Publications, Bodhi Leaves, Newsletters, and Pali & Sutta Study materials in PDF, HTML, and EPUB formats, making Dhamma teachings widely accessible.
• Wheel Publications

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Pali Text Society: The foundational society for the study and publication of Pali texts. Highly comparable to BPS as a scholarly Pali-text publisher targeting academic and practitioner audiences, and historically a critical source for many of BPS's reference materials.
• Dharma Publishing: Publisher associated with the Dharma Drum Mountain tradition, producing Buddhist books and translations. Comparable as a non-profit publisher producing authentic Buddhist literature for an international audience.
• Mahabodhi Society: A historic Buddhist society (founded 1891) headquartered in India/Sri Lanka with publishing and educational activities. Comparable as a Theravada-rooted non-profit producing Buddhist literature, though broader in mission than BPS.
• Wisdom Publications: A leading English-language publisher of Buddhist books, including Theravada, Mahayana, and academic Buddhist studies. Directly comparable to BPS as a scholarly, mission-driven publisher of authentic Buddhist texts targeting Western and global readers.
• Buddhist Text Translation Society (Dharma Realm Buddhist Association): Non-profit publisher and translator of Buddhist canonical texts and commentaries, similar in structure to BPS. Comparable as a charitable organization producing scholarly Buddhist publications for international audiences.
• Parallax Press: Founded by Thich Nhat Hanh's Plum Village community, Parallax Press publishes Buddhist books and meditation guides in English. Direct peer in model (community-rooted, mission-driven Buddhist publishing) though focused on Mahayana/Theravada overlap rather than exclusively Theravada.

Emerging players

• Siddhartha's Intent: International Buddhist organization publishing teachings and translations from Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche and other Tibetan Buddhist masters. Comparable as a non-profit producing authentic Buddhist literature, though rooted in Vajrayana rather than Theravada.
• Sitagu Sayadaw's Buddhist Academies: Myanmar-based Buddhist monastic organization producing publications and translations in English and Burmese, with overlapping Theravada focus. Comparable as a Theravada-rooted publisher, though newer and more monastic-led than BPS.

Broad incumbents

• Shambhala Publications: Major independent publisher with a deep Buddhist and meditation catalog, including works on Theravada practice. Comparable to BPS in mission and audience, though broader in scope across Eastern philosophy and contemplative traditions.

Regional players

• Vipassana Research Publications: Publishing arm of the Vipassana Research Institute (Igatpuri, India), producing translations of Pali texts and commentaries in multiple Indian and Asian languages. Comparable in Theravada focus and Pali-text publishing, primarily serving South Asian audiences.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/buddhist.publication.society
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/buddhist-publication-society

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Buddhist Publication Society