Special Dhamma Talk Series
By Popular Sangha Members around the World
Dear Dhamma friends, welcome to the Special Dhamma Talk series by some popular and erudite Buddhist Sangha around the world. Under this weekly Dhamma Talk series we will cover up some really important topics on Theravada Buddhism to help benefit our community around the world. We certainly believe this effort by Dhamma USA is going to open up more horizon of Dhamma knowledge among our community. We are so delighted to have Venerable Professor Moragollagama Uparatana Thero as our guest speakers and we are confident that these capable monks and nuns who have been amply trained with both the Dhamma knowledge and practice.
Every Sunday Live at :
- 7:30 am (USA Time 🇺🇸 | PST | GMT-8)
- 10:30 am (USA Time 🇺🇸 | EST | GMT-8)
- 8:00 pm (SL & India Time 🇱🇰 🇮🇳 | IST | GMT+5.30)
Week 20 | How to Trigger Right View (Sammā Diṭṭhi)? | Bhante Sumitta (Sri Lanka)
Bhante Sumitta is a traditionally trained Buddhist Monk from Sri Lanka and vastly experienced in the subject for over 40 years and has a lot of exposure in the fields of Dhamma Talks, Meditation Programs, Pali Chanting, Pali language teaching, Spiritual Care and Social Welfare activities in and out of USA. Bhante Sumitta is currently the Founder of Dhamma USA, a California based Spiritual Care & Community Care services. For more information please visit www.dhammausa.org and other social media networks.
Week 19 | Meditation Teachings based on Ledi Sayadaw's Teachings | Rev. U. Siddhatthalankara (Sri Lanka)
Rev. U. Siddhattha (Siddhatthālankāra) is a Sri Lankan monk ordained as a novice on May 22nd 2004, at Siri Sugata Senasuna, Kurunegala, one of the main branches of the Arankele Forest Monastery, belonging to Shwegyin Nikāya. The main centre is well known as Kanduboda Siyane International Meditation Center. He received his first higher ordination in May 2005 in Shwegyin Nikāya.
While staying in Shwegyin Nikāya, he passed the second level of the Prācīna (Paṇḍita) exam and practised Vipassanā meditation on the Mahāsi method in several meditation centres.
After four years, he went to Na Uyana Forest Monastery and received the second higher ordination on June 18th 2008, in Galdūwa Gunawardhana Yogāśramaya, Ramañña Nikāya. During the first four years, he dwelled at Nā Uyana Forest Monastery, under the guidance of Most Venerable Nā Uyne Ariyadhamma Mahā Thera, Most Venerable Mīgoda Saṅghasobhana Mahā Thera and Most Venerable Angulgamuwe Ariyananda Mahā Thera. He practised Samatha and Vipassanā meditation at Nā Uyana Forest Monastery, Sri Lanka. In the fifth year, he studied Vinaya at Diddeṇiya Forest Monastery under the guidance of Nuwaraeliye Ñāṇasīla Mahā Thera.
For further studies, he came to Myanmar: on February 20th 2013. He learned Vinaya, Sutta and Abhidhamma and Pāli grammar in the following monasteries in Myanmar: Mahvihāra Monastery, Tipitaka Mahā Gandhāyum Monastery and Yatana Pangon Monastery. While studying in Myanmar, he passed the “Sāsanālaṅkāra” (Samaṇejo) exam as the first Sri Lankan monk in 2018 in Myanmar. Moreover, he passed the “Vinaya Vidū” Exam as the first Sri Lankan monk in 2018 in Myanmar. At the same time, he graduated Bachelor of Art in Buddha Dhamma at International Theravada Buddhist Missionary University in 2020. He also practised Samatha and Vipassanā meditation at several Pa Auk meditation centres in Myanmar and Vipassanā meditation at Panḍitārāma (Mahāsi method).
He is currently learning for a Master’s degree in Buddhist Philological Pathway at Shan State Buddhist University. In addition, he is a current secretary and head of the Vinaya department at the International Institute of Theravada.
Week 18 | Radiating Loving Kindness | Practice of Mettā in Difficult Times | Ayya Anandabodhi (England)
Herein through the week number 18 of our weekly special Dhamma Talk series, Ayya Anandabodhi, the co-founder of Aloka Vihara Forest Monastery in California discuss about the Radiating Loving Kindness during the difficult times.
Ayya Anandabodhi first encountered the Buddha’s teaching in her early teens. Igniting deep confidence in the Buddha’s teachings. At the age of 24, she entered monastic training at Amaravati Buddhist Monastery in England. In 2009 she moved to the USA to help create more opportunities for women to live Buddhist monastic life. In 2011 she took full Bhikkhuni Ordination, joining the worldwide revival of the Theravada Bhikkhuni Order. Ayya Anandabodhi is co-founder of Aloka Vihara Forest Monastery in California. Her practice and teaching are guided by early Buddhist scriptures, living in community, and through nature’s pure and immediate Dhamma.
Week 17 | Art of Mindful Living | Venerable Panna Theri (Myanmar)
Ven. Panna Theri is a Theravāda Buddhist nun and a Myanmar citizen. She has completed an M.A degree in Buddhist Studies, Postgraduate Institute of Pali and Buddhist Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka in 2018. She received the ‘Gold Medal Award 2017’ in the M.A program. Currently, she is a Ph.D. Candidate at Shan State Buddhist University (SSBU), Myanmar, and undertaking her Ph.D. Thesis on Grief (Soka) Management and Buddhist Psychology. She is also lecturing Theravāda Buddhist Meditation: Theory and Practice and Study Skills (Academic way of learning Buddhism) modules at the Postgraduate Diploma and M.A programs at Shan State Buddhist University. Her primary interest is the integration of Theravāda Buddhist psychological teachings into contemporary Western psychotherapies. With regard to meditation practices, she is familiar with the Satipaṭṭhāna, Samatha, and Vipassanā meditation practices in different traditions in Myanmar (e.g. Mahāsī, Pa-Auk, Shwe Oo Min, Paḍitārāma traditions, Mogok, S.N Goenka, etc.). Recently, she has established her own center called Bodhi Therī Meditation Centre in Taunggyi, Myanmar, and is also undertaking online meditation retreats and Dhamma teachings.
Week 15 | How to Maintain Inner Peace? | Bhante Sumitta (Sri Lanka)
Bhante Sumitta is a traditionally trained Buddhist Monk from Sri Lanka and vastly experienced in the subject for over 40 years and has a lot of exposure in the fields of Dhamma Talks, Meditation Programs, Pali Chanting, Pali language teaching, Spiritual Care and Social Welfare activities in and out of USA. Bhante Sumitta is currently the Founder of Dhamma USA, a California based Spiritual Care & Community Care services. For more information please visit www.dhammausa.org and other social media networks.
Week 14 | Five Precepts & Happy Home | Venerable Dr. Tikkhavaṃsālaṅkāra (Myanmar) |
Venerable Tikkhavaṃsālaṇkāra is Theravāda Buddhist monk, 17 vācā, and he completed an MA (Buddhist Studies) program from University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka in 2017. Before studying at Srilankā, in 2014, he got ‘Sāsanadhajadhammācariya’ degree in Myanmar and after that, he sat for Tipiṭaka exams and received ‘Vinayadhara’ degree in 2012 and ‘Ubhatovibhaṇgadhara’ degree in 2010 respectively. He passed Sāmane-kyaw exams and got ‘Alaṇkāra’ degree when he was 19 years old. Then, he completed an MA (Pāli and Buddhist studies) program from Shan State Buddhist University, Myanmar in 2021. Now he has been studying a Master of Philosophy program and delivering the Pāli lecture to the Post Graduate Diploma students at Shan State Buddhist University in Myanmar.
Week 13 | Human Condition & Its Value of Moral Life | Venerable Dr. Varanyana (Myanmar) |
Venerable Dr. Varanyana is a Theravada Buddhist monk, was born in 1984, in rural village of Rakhine state, western Myanmar. Venerable has been a monk since 12 years old. He was higher ordained at the age of 20. Since the age of 19, he taught basic Buddhist texts to young novices, and from 2010 to 2012, he became a lecturer of higher Buddhist texts of Dhamma Cariya degree to the monks. In 2014, he received his M.A degree in Buddhist Studies in 2014 from Postgraduate Institute of Pali & Buddhist Studies, University of Kelaniya. He was appointed as a visiting lecturer at PGIPBS, University of Kelaniya during the academic year of 2019. He completed his Ph.D. degree form the same University in 2020. The title of his research is ‘A Critical Study of Concept of Motivation in Buddhist Jātaka Story”. By 2021, he also extended his knowledge area in the field of Buddhist Psychology by joining another M.A course on “Master of Arts in Buddhist Āyuvedic Counseling”. Week 12 | The Art of Mindful Living (Part 1) | Venerable Paññā Theri (Myanmar) |
Ven. Panna Theri is a Theravāda Buddhist nun and a Myanmar citizen. She has completed an M.A degree in Buddhist Studies, Postgraduate Institute of Pali and Buddhist Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka in 2018. She received the ‘Gold Medal Award 2017’ in the M.A program. Currently, she is a Ph.D. Candidate at Shan State Buddhist University (SSBU), Myanmar, and undertaking her Ph.D. Thesis on Grief (Soka) Management and Buddhist Psychology. She is also lecturing Theravāda Buddhist Meditation: Theory and Practice and Study Skills (Academic way of learning Buddhism) modules at the Postgraduate Diploma and M.A programs at Shan State Buddhist University. Her primary interest is the integration of Theravāda Buddhist psychological teachings into contemporary Western psychotherapies. With regard to meditation practices, she is familiar with the Satipaṭṭhāna, Samatha, and Vipassanā meditation practices in different traditions in Myanmar (e.g. Mahāsī, Pa-Auk, Shwe Oo Min, Paḍitārāma traditions, Mogok, S.N Goenka, etc.). Recently, she has established her own center called Bodhi Therī Meditation Centre in Taunggyi, Myanmar, and is also undertaking online meditation retreats and Dhamma teachings.
Week 11| Building Psychological Immunity Through Buddhist Discourses | Venerable Dr. Varanyana (Myanmar)
Venerable Dr. Varanyana is a Theravada Buddhist monk, was born in 1984, in rural village of Rakhine state, western Myanmar. Venerable has been a monk since 12 years old. His higher was made in age of 20... Since at 19, he taught basic Buddhist texts to young novices, and from 2010 to 2012, he became a lecturer of higher Buddhist texts of Dhamma Cariya degree to the monks. In 2014, he received his M.A degree in Buddhist Studies in 2014 from Postgraduate Institute of Pali & Buddhist Studies, University of Kelaniya. He was appointed as a visiting lecturer at PGIPBS, University of Kelaniya during the academic year of 2019. He completed his Ph.D. degree form the same University in 2020. The title of his research is ‘A Critical Study of Concept of Motivation in Buddhist Jātaka Story”. By 2021, he also extended his knowledge area in the field of Buddhist Psychology by joining another M.A course on “Master of Arts in Buddhist Āyuvedic Counseling”. Week 10 | Significance of Jaya Maṅgala Gāthā | Venerable Professor Moragollagama Uparatana Thero (Sri Lanka) |
Venerable Professor Moragollagama Uparathana Thero, the Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies in Buddhist and Pali University of Sri Lanka is a renowned scholar in Pali Language in Sri Lanka with three Master's Degrees, an M.Phil. and a Ph.D. degree. He graduated in 2001 from the University of Kelaniya. He has earned Master’s degrees in Buddhist Studies from the Postgraduate Institute of Pali and Buddhist Studies at the University of Kelaniya in 2002 and 2003, the University of Hong Kong in 2003-2004, the University of Kelaniya in 2009 and Wuhan University of China in 2011 respectively. He was fortunate enough to be awarded the Glorious Sun Group Scholarship offered by the University of Hong Kong. He was offered a scholarship from the Government of China through the Ministry of Higher Education, Sri Lanka to complete his Ph.D. at the University of Wuhan, China. He has sound knowledge of English and Chinese languages as well as classical languages such as Pali and Sanskrit. He is competent in carrying out research and he distinguished himself by presenting exceptionally well-researched articles and papers at many national and international conferences.
For more about Venerable Professor Uparatana please visit this link.
Week 9 | Broadening & Narrowing Mental States | Venerable Palmadulle Vijitanandabhivamsa (Sri Lanka) |
Week 8 | Diligence in Buddhism | Venerable Professor Gallelle Sumanasiri (Sri Lanka) |
Senior Professor Venerable Dr. Gallelle Sumanasiri Thero is a Former Vice-Chancellor of The Buddhist and Pali University of Sri Lanka. For more info about Venerable Professor Sumanasiri, please visit this link.Week 7 | Buddhist Teachings for a Flourishing Life | Venerable Palmadulle Vijitanandabhivamsa (Sri Lanka) | Week 6 | Buddhists for You | Venerable Dr. Mirisse Dhammika Thero (Sri Lanka) | Week 5 | Mettā (Loving Kindness) | Venerable Palmadulle Vijitanandabhivamsa (Sri Lanka) | Week 4 | How Cycle of Rebirth Happens & How to Get out of It? | Venerable Maggavihari (Sri Lanka) | Week 3 | What Are Four Refuges? | by Venerable Maggavihari (Sri Lanka) |
Week 2 | What is Noble Eightfold Path? | by Venerable Watagoda Maggavihari (Sri Lanka) |
Week 1 | 4 Iddhipada | Venerable Maggavihari (Sri Lanka) |
Week 2 | Venerable Watagoda Maggavihari | Vice President of International Institute of Theravada
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- Week 17 | The Art of Mindful Living (Part 2) | Venerable Paññā Theri (Myanmar) |
- Week 16 | Four Sublime Abodes | Ven. Dr. Prasannawati (Nepal) |
- Week 15 | How to Maintain Inner Peace? | By Bhante Sumitta | Special Dhamma Talk Series | Dhamma USA
- Week 14 | Five Precepts & Happy Home | Venerable Dr. Tikkhavaṃsālaṅkāra (Myanmar) |
- Week 13 | Human Condition & Its Value of Moral Life | Venerable Dr. Varanyana (Myanmar) |
- Week 12 | The Art of Mindful Living (Part 1) | Venerable Paññā Theri (Myanmar) |
- Week 11| Building Psychological Immunity Through Buddhist Discourses | Venerable Dr. Varanyana (Myanmar)
- Week 10 | Significance of Jaya Maṅgala Gāthā | Venerable Professor Moragollagama Uparatana Thero (Sri Lanka) |
- Week 9 | Broadening & Narrowing Mental States | Venerable Palmadulle Vijitanandabhivamsa (Sri Lanka) |
- Week 8 | Diligence in Buddhism | Venerable Professor Gallelle Sumanasiri (Sri Lanka) |
- Week 7 | Buddhist Teachings for a Flourishing Life | Venerable Palmadulle Vijitanandabhivamsa (Sri Lanka) |
- Week 6 | Buddhists for You | Venerable Dr. Mirisse Dhammika Thero (Sri Lanka) |
- Week 5 | Mettā (Loving Kindness) | Venerable Palmadulle Vijitanandabhivamsa (Sri Lanka) |
- Week 4 | How Cycle of Rebirth Happens & How to Get out of It? | Venerable Maggavihari (Sri Lanka) |
- Week 3 | What Are Four Refuges? | by Venerable Maggavihari (Sri Lanka) |
- Week 2 | What is Noble Eightfold Path? | by Venerable Watagoda Maggavihari (Sri Lanka) |
- Week 1 | 4 Iddhipada | Special Dhamma Talk Series by Venerable Maggavihari (Sri Lanka) |
