Dharma Talks

DHARMA TALKS AT MANGALAM CENTERS, DOWNTOWN BERKELEY

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Dharma Talk by Venerable Prasert Masoom, May 15th, 2011

On the afternoon of May 15th, 2011 Venerable Prasert Masoom kindly agreed to give a Dharma talk on the topic - "Health, Happiness & Longevity through a life in the Dharma," which attracted about eighty people.

Venerable Prasert Masoom (Itthiyano Bhikku) was born and raised in Pisanulok, Thailand. He earned a double B.A. degree in Law from Dharmasart University and in Political Sciences from Ramkhamhaeng Univeristy. Later he received an M.A. degree in Public Administration from University of Sydney, Australia. At the age of 53, Venerable Prasert was ordained as a monk at Wat Phra Bodhisatava in Saraburi. Within five years he returned to Wat Bua Luang, in Pisanulok, his home town where he is currently the Abbot. In 2003 upon the invitation from the Thai community in the greater Los Angeles area he later established Wat Phra-That Bua-Luang Thai Meditation Center in Tehachapi, California, where he is currently also the Abbot.

Venerable Prasert or Luang Por Prasert is well known for his skills and knowledge in Thai and Chinese traditional healing, utilizing medicinal herbs and plants for treatment combined with meditation practice and Luang Por’s energetic transmission.

Dharma Talk by Venerable Anil Sakya, April 30th, 2011

On the evening of April 30th, 2011 Venerable Anil Sakya kindly agreed to give a Dharma talk on the topic - "Deepening our Understanding of the Four Noble Truths," which attracted more than 120 listeners.

Venerable Phra Anil Sakya (Bhikkhu Sugandha) was born in Nepal into the Buddha’s clan of ‘Sakya’. He was ordained as a Samanera at the age of 14 (August 21, 1974) in Nepal and was ordained as a bhikkhu in Thailand under the preceptorship of His Holiness Somdet Phra Nyanasamvara, the Supreme Patriarch of Thailand (July 9, 1980). He studied at Mahamakut Buddhist University, Bangkok, where he graduated with a B.A. in Sociology (1982), and later at Tribhuwan University in Nepal, where he received an M.A. in Anthropology (1987). He also studied at Cambridge University, UK, where he was awarded an M.Phil. in Social Anthropology (1994) and later at Brunel University, UK, with a Ph.D. (2000). Venerable Anil Sakya is currently a visiting professor at Santa Clara University teaching Buddhism.

Dharma Talk by Venerable Bhikkhu Bodhi, March 12th, 2011

The Light of Buddhadharma Foundation International sponsored the first public Dharma Talk at Mangalam Centers in downtown Berkeley on March 12th, 2011. Venerable Bhikkhu Bodhi, who is a well respected American Theravadin Buddhist monk and has many important publications to his credit, either as author, translator, or editor, including The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha — A Translation of the Majjhima Nikaya (co-translated with Ven. Bhikkhu Nanamoli (1995), The Connected Discourses of the Buddha — a New Translation of the Samyutta Nikaya (2000), and In the Buddha’s Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon (2005), kindly agreed to give the Dharma talk in the Mangalam Centers temple to an full-house of about 150. The talk was sponsored and organized by the Light of Buddhadharma Foundation International. We hope that in future we can sponsor more Dharma Talks for the benefit of all.

DHARMA TALKS DURING THE TIPITAKA CHANTING CEREMONY UNDER THE BODHI TREE, BODHGAYA, INDIA

The Light of Buddhadharma Foundation International-India is the primary sponsor of the International Tipitaka Chanting Ceremony that happens from December 2-12 every year. Full details of the ceremony can be found here - www.tipitakachantingcouncil.org.

Every evening Dharma Talks are offered under the Sacred Bodhi Tree by very senior venerables from the various countries of the Theravadin world. These talks are video recorded and are available here. They are translated into English.

Fifth International Tipitaka Chanting Ceremony, 2009