2011 DHARMA TALKS, 6-9pm
Evening Dharma talks have become an important feature of the chanting ceremony, offering both lay and ordained members of the sangha the opportunity to hear learned and eminent Bhantes from all traditions of the Theravadin world give discourses under the Bodhi Tree itself. These talks are translated into English and Hindi to reach as wide an audience as possible.
In 2011, we shall have ten dharma talks every night under the Sacred Bodhi Tree from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. We will be posting the speakers and their biographies over the coming months. Please stay posted!
DHARMA TALKS SCHEDULE FOR 2011
December 2nd: TBA
December 3rd: Venerable Ajahn Jamnien, Thailand
December 4th: Myanmar (TBA)
December 5th: TBA
December 6th: Venerable Ajahn Gavesako, Thailand
December 7th: Venerable Nivitigala Sumitta Thero, Sri Lanka
December 8th: Phrajsiddhimuni, Thailand
December 9th: Bangladesh (TBA)
December 10th: India
December 11th: Phra Dhammoli, Thailand
Venerable Ajahn Jumnien is a traditional Thai Forest monk. He has practiced and mastered various concentration practices with well-known teachers in Thailand, trained as a shaman and healer, traveled as a wandering ascetic, and became a master of intensive insight meditation. No matter what technique is used, he eventually directs the student back to the insight practice of seeing the true nature of their own body-mind process with compassion and freedom of heart.
He will be speaking on December 3rd.
Venerable Ajahn Mitsuo Gavesako, from Japan, ordained as a disciple of Venerable Ajahn Chah in 1975. He helped found Wat Pah Nanachart. He has experienced various practices in Buddhism and has taken Dhutańga (Austere Practices) to several difficult places in Thailand and abroad. He is the abbot of Wat Sunandhavanaram, Baan Tha Tian, Kanchanaburi Province. Since he was a child, he thought there should be more to life. He traveled through India, Nepal, Iran and European countries. When he arrived at Bodh Gaya and observed the Buddha’s Image, he recalled Buddhadhamma and his question was answered: absolute truth is within our own body and mind, true happiness is in our mind and everyone can overcome unhappiness. Then he stopped seeking from the outside and started cultivating insight.
He will be speaking on December 6th.
Venerable Nivitigala Sumitta Thero, is a Buddhist monk from Sri Lanka who is currently a lecturer at Buddhasravaka Bhiksu University, Nandana Mawatha, Anuradhapura. He pursued his B.A. and M.A. in Delhi University, India and as at present reads for his PG Degree in Linguistics in Kelaniya University, Sri Lanka. He also works as a visiting lecturer at Victory Military School of Nursing in Anuradhapura apart from working as the Course Coordinator for External English Courses at his university. At present he is engaged in organizing an international Buddhist Conference to be held in February 2012 to mark the 2600th year of Supreme Enlightenment of the Buddha. He is also a Board Member for the Sri Lanka Association for Buddhist Studies (SLABS). He is a member of the administrative committee of Sri Sugatha Community Development Centre which deals with social welfare works such as running a children's orphanage, children's library and so on. He also served as the Master of Ceremony at the First Tipitaka chanting ceremony last summer in Anuradhapura.
His dharma topic will be "The Noble Path as Reflected in the Devata Samyutta of Sagatha Vagga" on December 7th, 2011.
