Bhante Vimalaramsi
Encyclopedia
Bhante Vimalaramsi is an American Buddhist monk. He is the Abbot and founder of the Dhammasukha Meditation Center in Annapolis, Missouri
, USA.
meditation in 1974 at the age of 28. After having successfully led a construction company he became a monk in 1986. He practiced meditation intensively, spending twelve years in Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, Australia, Malaysia and Indonesia. In 1995 he wrote a commentary book on the Anapanasati Sutta
, which is one of the most important teachings from the Majjhima Nikaya
, the Collection of the Middlelength Sayings of The Buddha
. By 2009 more than one million copies had been distributed in seven languages and it continues to be translated into further languages. In 1998 he was given the honorary title of Sayadaw Gyi (Higher Meditation Teacher). Vimalaramsi has developed a mnemonic system of training to help students practice Right Effort at all times.
He travels around the USA and abroad to Europe teaching a simple method to understand meditation that can be taken into daily life.
In 2006 Vimalaramsi was nominated to become the first USA Representative for the World Buddhist Supreme Summit Council which meets every two years. Upon approval he was inaugurated into this lifetime position on November 1, 2008 in the New Royal Grand Hall of Buddhism
in Japan. The Summit represents 32 countries where Buddhism is taught through the three main schools of buddhism. The summit was originally formed in 1998 when H.H. the Dalai Lama
of Tibet, Ven. Dr. Enshinjoh of Japan, and the H.H. Sangha Raja of Thailand came together with this idea. The summit seeks to re-examine the fundamental teachings and practice of the Buddha in order to help the three schools of Buddhism to recognize their commonalities in this 21st Century.
directly from the Suttas using the Pali Canon
. He considers the most workable English translation to be the work of Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi
and Ven. Nanamoli. Generally, Venerable places first emphasis on the texts and references the commentarial works only where they agree with the texts. He teaches by directly reading from the Suttas and expounding what they mean as he goes along. He follows the definitions and drills for meditation that were given by the Buddha to the original group of monks. Therefore, the meditation is taught with Samatha
and Vipassana yoked together as advised by the Buddha
in the texts. The meditation is taught in very simple and practical terms and is to be used all the time in daily life as well as doing the in-depth work at retreats.
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, USA.
Biography
Bhante Vimalaramsi began with the Burmese style of VipassanaVipassana
Vipassanā or vipaśyanā in the Buddhist tradition means insight into the true nature of reality. A regular practitioner of Vipassana is known as a Vipassi . Vipassana is one of the world's most ancient techniques of meditation, the inception of which is attributed to Gautama Buddha...
meditation in 1974 at the age of 28. After having successfully led a construction company he became a monk in 1986. He practiced meditation intensively, spending twelve years in Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, Australia, Malaysia and Indonesia. In 1995 he wrote a commentary book on the Anapanasati Sutta
Anapanasati Sutta
The Ānāpānasati Sutta or Ānāpānasmṛti Sūtra , "Breath-Mindfulness Discourse," is a discourse that details the Buddha's instruction on using the breath as a focus for meditation.-In Theravada Buddhism:...
, which is one of the most important teachings from the Majjhima Nikaya
Majjhima Nikaya
The Majjhima Nikaya is a Buddhist scripture, the second of the five nikayas, or collections, in the Sutta Pitaka, which is one of the "three baskets" that compose the Pali Tipitaka of Theravada Buddhism...
, the Collection of the Middlelength Sayings of The Buddha
Buddha
In Buddhism, buddhahood is the state of perfect enlightenment attained by a buddha .In Buddhism, the term buddha usually refers to one who has become enlightened...
. By 2009 more than one million copies had been distributed in seven languages and it continues to be translated into further languages. In 1998 he was given the honorary title of Sayadaw Gyi (Higher Meditation Teacher). Vimalaramsi has developed a mnemonic system of training to help students practice Right Effort at all times.
He travels around the USA and abroad to Europe teaching a simple method to understand meditation that can be taken into daily life.
In 2006 Vimalaramsi was nominated to become the first USA Representative for the World Buddhist Supreme Summit Council which meets every two years. Upon approval he was inaugurated into this lifetime position on November 1, 2008 in the New Royal Grand Hall of Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
in Japan. The Summit represents 32 countries where Buddhism is taught through the three main schools of buddhism. The summit was originally formed in 1998 when H.H. the Dalai Lama
Dalai Lama
The Dalai Lama is a high lama in the Gelug or "Yellow Hat" branch of Tibetan Buddhism. The name is a combination of the Mongolian word далай meaning "Ocean" and the Tibetan word bla-ma meaning "teacher"...
of Tibet, Ven. Dr. Enshinjoh of Japan, and the H.H. Sangha Raja of Thailand came together with this idea. The summit seeks to re-examine the fundamental teachings and practice of the Buddha in order to help the three schools of Buddhism to recognize their commonalities in this 21st Century.
Teachings
Bhante Vimalaramsi teaches meditationMeditation
Meditation is any form of a family of practices in which practitioners train their minds or self-induce a mode of consciousness to realize some benefit....
directly from the Suttas using the Pali Canon
Pāli Canon
The Pāli Canon is the standard collection of scriptures in the Theravada Buddhist tradition, as preserved in the Pāli language. It is the only completely surviving early Buddhist canon, and one of the first to be written down...
. He considers the most workable English translation to be the work of Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi
Bhikkhu Bodhi
Bhikkhu Bodhi , born Jeffrey Block, is an American Theravada Buddhist monk, ordained in Sri Lanka and currently teaching in the New York/New Jersey area...
and Ven. Nanamoli. Generally, Venerable places first emphasis on the texts and references the commentarial works only where they agree with the texts. He teaches by directly reading from the Suttas and expounding what they mean as he goes along. He follows the definitions and drills for meditation that were given by the Buddha to the original group of monks. Therefore, the meditation is taught with Samatha
Samatha
Samatha , śamatha "calm abiding," comprises a suite, type or style of Buddhist meditation or concentration practices designed to enhance sustained voluntary attention, and culminates in an attention that can be sustained effortlessly for hours on end...
and Vipassana yoked together as advised by the Buddha
Buddha
In Buddhism, buddhahood is the state of perfect enlightenment attained by a buddha .In Buddhism, the term buddha usually refers to one who has become enlightened...
in the texts. The meditation is taught in very simple and practical terms and is to be used all the time in daily life as well as doing the in-depth work at retreats.