Bhikkhu Analayo
Encyclopedia
Bhikkhu Anālayo is a German bhikkhu
(Buddhist monk
), scholar and meditation teacher. He was born in 1962, and ‘went forth
’ in 1995 in Sri Lanka
. He is well known for his comparative studies of early Buddhist texts belonging to different traditions.
, after a meditation retreat at Wat Suan Mokkh, the monastery established by Ajahn Buddhadasa
. After two years as a monk, he disrobed and went back to Germany. In 1994 he went to Sri Lanka, where in 1995 he took Pabbajja
again under Balangoda Ananda Maitreya Thero. He received his Upasampada
in 2007 in the Sri Lankan Shwegyin Nikaya
(belonging to the main Amarapura Nikaya
), with Ven. Pemasiri Thera of Sumathipala Aranya as his Acariya. Bhikkhu Bodhi
has been Ven. Anālayo's main teacher.
at the University of Peradeniya
in 2000, which was later published as Satipaṭṭhāna, the Direct Path to Realization. During the course of that study, he had come to notice the interesting differences between the Pali
and the Chinese
versions of the Sutta. This led to his undertaking a habilitation
research at the University of Marburg, in which he compared the Majjhima Nikāya
discourses with their Chinese
, Sanskrit
, and Tibetan
counterparts, which was completed in 2007.
Bhikkhu Anālayo has published extensively on early Buddhism. The textual study of early Buddhist discourses in comparative perspective is the basis of his ongoing research interests and activities. After the completion of the first English translation of the Chinese Madhyama-āgama (Taishō 26),of which he is one of the editors and translators, he plans to undertake an integral translation of the Saṃyukta-āgama (Taishō 99), the Chinese parallel to the Pali Saṃyutta-nikāya.
Central to Bhikkhu Anālayo’s academic activity remain theoretical and practical aspects of meditation. He has published several articles on insight and absorption meditation and related contemporary meditation traditions to their textual sources.
His comparative studies of early Buddhist texts have also led Bhikkhu Anālayo to focus on historical developments of Buddhist thought, and to research the early roots and genesis of the bodhisattva ideal.
Bhikkhu Anālayo was a presenter at the International Congress on Buddhist Women's Role in the Sangha
. Exploring attitudes towards nuns in early Buddhist texts and the story of the foundation of the nun’s order has allowed him to be a supporter of Bhikkhuni
ordination, which is a matter of controversy in the Theravada
and Tibetan traditions.
Bhikkhu Anālayo is a Privatdozent
of the Centre for Buddhist Studies at the University of Hamburg
and works as a researcher at Dharma Drum Buddhist College
, Taiwan
. He is also a professor at the Sri Lanka International Buddhist Academy, Kandy.
Bhikkhu
A Bhikkhu or Bhikṣu is an ordained male Buddhist monastic. A female monastic is called a Bhikkhuni Nepali: ). The life of Bhikkhus and Bhikkhunis is governed by a set of rules called the patimokkha within the vinaya's framework of monastic discipline...
(Buddhist monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
), scholar and meditation teacher. He was born in 1962, and ‘went forth
Pabbajja
Pabbajja literally means "to go forth" and refers to when a layperson leaves home to live the life of a Buddhist renunciate among a community of monks . This generally involves preliminary ordination as a novice...
’ in 1995 in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
. He is well known for his comparative studies of early Buddhist texts belonging to different traditions.
Monastic Life
Bhikkhu Anālayo temporarily ordained in 1990 in ThailandThailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, after a meditation retreat at Wat Suan Mokkh, the monastery established by Ajahn Buddhadasa
Buddhadasa
Buddhadasa Bhikkhu was a famous and influential ascetic-philosopher of the 20th century. Known as an innovative reinterpreter of Buddhist doctrine and Thai folk beliefs, Buddhadasa fostered a reformation in conventional religious perceptions in his home country, Thailand, as well as abroad...
. After two years as a monk, he disrobed and went back to Germany. In 1994 he went to Sri Lanka, where in 1995 he took Pabbajja
Pabbajja
Pabbajja literally means "to go forth" and refers to when a layperson leaves home to live the life of a Buddhist renunciate among a community of monks . This generally involves preliminary ordination as a novice...
again under Balangoda Ananda Maitreya Thero. He received his Upasampada
Upasampada
Upasampadā literally means "approaching or nearing the ascetic tradition." In more common parlance it specifically refers to the rite of ordination by which one undertakes the Buddhist monastic life....
in 2007 in the Sri Lankan Shwegyin Nikaya
Shwegyin Nikaya
Shwegyin Nikaya is the name of the second largest monastic order of monks in Burma. Approximately 5% of Burmese monks belong to this order. It is one of 9 legally sanctioned monastic orders in the country, under the 1990 Law Concerning Sangha Organizations...
(belonging to the main Amarapura Nikaya
Amarapura Nikaya
The Amarapura Nikaya is a Sri Lankan monastic fraternity founded in 1800. It is named after the city of Amarapura, Myanmar , the former capital of the Burmese kingdom...
), with Ven. Pemasiri Thera of Sumathipala Aranya as his Acariya. 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...
has been Ven. Anālayo's main teacher.
Scholarly career and activity
Bhikkhu Anālayo completed a Ph.D. thesis on the Satipaṭṭhāna SuttaSatipatthana Sutta
The Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta and the Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta are two of the most important and widely studied discourses in the Pali Canon of Theravada Buddhism...
at the University of Peradeniya
University of Peradeniya
The University of Peradeniya is a world renowned state university in Sri Lanka, funded by the University Grants Commission...
in 2000, which was later published as Satipaṭṭhāna, the Direct Path to Realization. During the course of that study, he had come to notice the interesting differences between the Pali
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...
and the Chinese
Chinese Buddhist canon
The Chinese Buddhist Canon refers to the total body of Buddhist literature deemed canonical in Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese Buddhism...
versions of the Sutta. This led to his undertaking a habilitation
Habilitation
Habilitation is the highest academic qualification a scholar can achieve by his or her own pursuit in several European and Asian countries. Earned after obtaining a research doctorate, such as a PhD, habilitation requires the candidate to write a professorial thesis based on independent...
research at the University of Marburg, in which he compared the Majjhima Nikāya
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...
discourses with their Chinese
Chinese Buddhist canon
The Chinese Buddhist Canon refers to the total body of Buddhist literature deemed canonical in Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese Buddhism...
, Sanskrit
Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit
Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit is a modern linguistic category applied to the language used in a class of Indian Buddhist texts, such as the Perfection of Wisdom sutras. BHS is classified as a Middle Indic language...
, and Tibetan
Tibetan Buddhist canon
The Tibetan Buddhist canon is a loosely defined list of sacred texts recognized by various sects of Tibetan Buddhism. In addition to sutrayana texts from Early Buddhist and Mahayana sources, the Tibetan canon includes tantric texts...
counterparts, which was completed in 2007.
Bhikkhu Anālayo has published extensively on early Buddhism. The textual study of early Buddhist discourses in comparative perspective is the basis of his ongoing research interests and activities. After the completion of the first English translation of the Chinese Madhyama-āgama (Taishō 26),of which he is one of the editors and translators, he plans to undertake an integral translation of the Saṃyukta-āgama (Taishō 99), the Chinese parallel to the Pali Saṃyutta-nikāya.
Central to Bhikkhu Anālayo’s academic activity remain theoretical and practical aspects of meditation. He has published several articles on insight and absorption meditation and related contemporary meditation traditions to their textual sources.
His comparative studies of early Buddhist texts have also led Bhikkhu Anālayo to focus on historical developments of Buddhist thought, and to research the early roots and genesis of the bodhisattva ideal.
Bhikkhu Anālayo was a presenter at the International Congress on Buddhist Women's Role in the Sangha
International Congress on Buddhist Women's Role in the Sangha
The International Congress on Buddhist Women's Role in the Sangha: Bhikshuni Vinaya and Ordination Lineages, took place on July 18–20, 2007, was an historic event. It was a meeting of internationally recognized Buddhist scholars specializing in monastic discipline and history, as well as...
. Exploring attitudes towards nuns in early Buddhist texts and the story of the foundation of the nun’s order has allowed him to be a supporter of Bhikkhuni
Bhikkhuni
A bhikkhuni or bhikṣuṇī is a fully ordained female Buddhist monastic. Male monastics are called bhikkhus. Both bhikkhunis and bhikkhus live by the vinaya...
ordination, which is a matter of controversy in the Theravada
Theravada
Theravada ; literally, "the Teaching of the Elders" or "the Ancient Teaching", is the oldest surviving Buddhist school. It was founded in India...
and Tibetan traditions.
Bhikkhu Anālayo is a Privatdozent
Privatdozent
Privatdozent or Private lecturer is a title conferred in some European university systems, especially in German-speaking countries, for someone who pursues an academic career and holds all formal qualifications to become a tenured university professor...
of the Centre for Buddhist Studies at the University of Hamburg
University of Hamburg
The University of Hamburg is a university in Hamburg, Germany. It was founded on 28 March 1919 by Wilhelm Stern and others. It grew out of the previous Allgemeines Vorlesungswesen and the Kolonialinstitut as well as the Akademisches Gymnasium. There are around 38,000 students as of the start of...
and works as a researcher at Dharma Drum Buddhist College
Dharma Drum Mountain
Dharma Drum Mountain is an international Buddhist spiritual, cultural, and educational foundation founded by late Ch'an Master Sheng-yen. The international headquarters of this organization is located at Jinshan District, New Taipei City, Taiwan .Dharma Drum Mountain is one of the most...
, Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
. He is also a professor at the Sri Lanka International Buddhist Academy, Kandy.