Bhante Henepola Gunaratana or "Bhante G", as he is affectionately called, was born in Sri Lanka in 1927. He was ordained as a novice at the age of twelve, and recieved higher ordination in Kandy in 1947. After visiting the Buddhist Missionary College in Colombo, he traveled to India to serve under Mahabodhi Society for five years. He spent another ten years as a missionary in Malaysia, before coming to Washington D.C. in 1968, where he served at the Buddhist Vihara for 20 years. Bhante Gunaratana cofounded the monastery and retreat center Bhavana Society in West Virginia, of which he has been president since 1982. He earned a Ph.D. in philosophy at The American University and has written best-selling books like "Mindfulness in Plain English". Bhante Gunaratana resides at Bhavana Society, where he ordains and trains monks and nuns, and offers retreats to the public. He also travels frequently to lecture and lead retreats throughout the world.
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Bhante Gunaratana (1) What is samatha-vipassana Part 1
Bhante Gunaratana explains the path of samatha-vipassana.
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Bhante Gunaratana (19) Differences between Western and Eastern people - Part 3
Bhante Gunaratana (19) Differences between Western and Eastern people - Part 3
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Bhante Gunaratana (18) Differences between Western and Eastern people - part 2
Bhante Gunaratana (18) Differences between Western and Eastern people - Part 2, a special story about Burma
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Bhante Gunaratana (17) Differences between Western and Eastern people
What are differences between Western and Eastern people?
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Bhante Gunaratana (16) How he learned meditation
How Bhante Gunaratana learned meditation
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Bhante Gunaratana (15) Why meditation was uncommon in Sri Lanka
Why meditation was uncommon in Sri Lanka
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Bhante Gunaratana (14) What were the most joyful things in your life as a monk?
What were the most joyful things in your life as a monk?
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Bhante Gunaratana (13) What was most difficult in your life as a monk? Part 2
What was most difficult in your life as a monk? - part 2. Bhante G relates a story he experienced as a young monk with a boatsman.
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Bhante Gunaratana (12) What was most difficult in your life as a monk?
What was most difficult in your life as a monk?
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Bhante Gunaratana (11) Which qualities are necessary for being a monk for such a long time?
Which qualities are necessary for being a monk for such a long time?
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Bhante Gunaratana (10) What made your initial dream come true?
What made your initial dream come true?
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Bhante Gunaratana (9) Did you have a dream of coming to the USA?
Did you have a dream of coming to the USA?
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Bhante Gunaratana (8) What is the nature of asceticism?
What is the nature of asceticism?
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Bhante Gunaratana (7) How can you arouse energy in times of low effort?
How can you arouse energy in times of low effort?
What is right effort?
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Bhante Gunaratana (5) What are the benefits of practising jhanas? Part 2
What are the benefits of practising jhanas? Part 2
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Bhante Gunaratana (4) What are the benefits of practising jhanas?
What are the benefits of practising jhanas?
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Bhante Gunaratana (3) Why do some teachers warn about practicing jhanas?
Why do some teachers warn about practicing jhanas?
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Bhante Gunaratana (2) What is samatha-vipassana? Part 2: samatha & vipassana
What is samatha-vipassana, why do we practice both?
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