Ven Ajahn Brahmali, residing in Bodhinyana Monastery, Western Australia, will be in Sri Lanka in March this year from the 14th to 24th. He will, as his preceptor monk Ajahn Brahmavamso has done on several occasions, address those interested at the BMICH on March 24, which is the Medin Poya day. The programme will be from 7.00 to 11.00 am, consisting of a dhamma talk, a brief meditation session, and answering of questions from those present. The talk given by Ajahn Brahmali will be summarized and translated to Sinhala; so also, questions asked and answers given.
Free passes for collection are available at Sri Sambuddhathva Jayanthi Mandiraya, Thummulla, Colombo 5; Buddhist Cultural Centre, Anderson Road, Nedimala; Samayawardhana
Bookshop; Buddhist Congress, 380, Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 7; and at Sarasavi Bookshop, One Galle Face.
Apart from this talk to the general public, Ven Ajahn Brahmali’s principal engagement during his short visit here will be a 10-day retreat of meditation; sutta clarification and discussion at the Paramita International Buddhist Meditation Centre in Kadugannawa for 60 members of the Venerable Sangha – both bhikkhus and bhikkhunis. A small number of lay experienced meditators too will be accommodated.
Biographical sketch
Ajahn Brahmali was born in Norway in 1964. In his early 20s he visited Japan and was introduced to Buddhism and meditation. Deeply interested, he devoted much time to learning more of what the Buddha taught and in quiet reflection and meditation. This was while reading for degrees in engineering and finance. On completion of his academic studies, he moved to Britain and resided in the Amaravati and Chithurst Monasteries as an anagarika – (keeper of eight precepts). Meeting Ajahn Brahmavamso and listening to his teaching, he decided to travel to Australia and train in the Bodhinyana Monastery in Serpentine, near Perth, in Western Australia. This was in 1994. He was ordained in 1996; his preceptor being Ajahn Brahm. In 2015, on completion of twenty rains retreats, he was conferred the title ‘Maha Thera’ – Great Elder.
Ajahn Brahmali’s reputation as an expert in the Pali language and deep knowledge of the Suttas is internationally recognized. He has authored many essays inclusive of two on Dependent Origination and the treatise The Authenticity of Ancient Buddhist Texts, in collaboration with Bhante Sujato. Bhikkhu Bodhi who translated most of the Pali Canon into English for Wisdom Publications, referred to Ajahn Brahmali as one of his major helpers in his recent translation of ‘The Numerical Discourse of the Buddha’.
Ajahn Brahmali conducts Pali language classes and explanatory discourses on the Suttas to devotees of Bodhinyana Monastery. He is also a regular teacher at the Dhammaloka Centre in Perth. In 2014 and 2015, he and Ajahn Sujato led two courses on early Buddhism, Kamma and Rebirth.
The monastics of the Buddhist Society of Western Australia (BSWA) greatly appreciating his teaching, turn to him for clarification of Vinaya – monastic discipline rules. Added to his intellectual excellence is his practicality. He oversees the building and maintenance projects at both the Bodhinayana Monastery and the Hermit Hill property in Serpentine.
While his reputation as an exponent of Buddhism making the suttas clearer to monk and layperson spread worldwide, his teachings are recorded on YouTube and other electronic media and made available to all. He was also invited by countries, to mention but three: Singapore, Indonesia and Sri Lanka to share his knowledge and expertise with both the ordained and lay persons. And thus, his visit to us: fortunate to all here of whatever religion; young and old.
