Bhante Wimala, Theravada Buddhist monk from Sri Lanka and author of Lessons of the Lotus: Practical Spiritual Teachings of a Traveling Buddhist Monk will speak at UTC Saturday, Sept. 4, from 2-4 p.m., Raccoon Mountain Room, University Center.
The Dalai Lama, said in the forward to Lessons of the Lotus: Practical Spiritual Teachings of a Traveling Buddhist Monk:
"On a simple and practical level, [Bhante] explains how meditation functions as a healing force for the mind. He also discusses global problems such as the pollution and degeneration of our environment. Bhante Wimala's heartfelt concern for the suffering and the simple remedies he draws from the Buddha's teachings will be a source of strength for everyone confused by the pressures of modern life."
It was Wimala's choice to enter a Buddhist temple at age 13, and he received his ordination as a novice the next year. Following six years of formal training as a Buddhist monk, he received his higher ordination at age 20. Typically, a Buddhist monk at Wimala's age is encouraged to continue strictly formal studies, which are primarily academic in their emphasis. However, Wimala chose to travel the world for two decades, bearing only his robe and bowl.
Students may purchase tickets at the door for $5, general admission tickets cost $20. All proceeds will support the genocide children of Rwanda though Wimala's Triple Gem Society, The Center for Conscious Evolution.