Bhante Henepola Gunaratana
Biography
Bhante Henepola Gunaratana, often known as Bhante G, is a revered Sri Lankan Theravada Buddhist monk and meditation master. Born in 1927 in Henepola, Sri Lanka, he was ordained at the age of twelve. After receiving higher ordination in 1947, he dedicated his life to teaching and spreading the Dharma. He arrived in the United States in 1968, where he served as the General Secretary of the Buddhist Vihara Society in Washington D.C. for ten years. In 1983, he founded and became the abbot of the Bhavana Society, a forest monastery and meditation retreat center in High View, West Virginia. Bhante G is widely recognized for his clear, accessible, and practical teachings on Vipassana (insight) meditation, particularly through his highly influential book, 'Mindfulness in Plain English,' which has introduced countless Westerners to the practice.
Selected Thoughts
«Mindfulness in plain English means paying attention to your experience in the present moment, with curiosity and without judgment.»
«The purpose of meditation is not to stop thinking. It is to learn how to relate to your thoughts.»
«Don't get caught up in the exotic; get caught up in the mundane. The mundane is where you live.»
Writing Style
Bhante Gunaratana's writing style is characterized by its remarkable clarity, directness, and practicality. He avoids jargon, using straightforward language and relatable analogies to demystify Buddhist philosophy and meditation practices. His tone is compassionate, encouraging, and deeply insightful, emphasizing personal experience over rigid dogma, and guiding readers with a gentle yet firm hand towards understanding and practice.