Buddhist College UK

We are writing to formally invite you to the launch ceremony of the Buddhist College, U.K. which will initially be run from Scotland commencing September 2011.

The College has been set up to celebrate the 2,600 year anniversary of the enlightenment of Buddha in conjunction with the University of Buddhism and Pali based in Sri Lanka and the University of Glasgow here in Scotland.

The College will be formally launched by Professor Ittademaliye Indasara Thero, the Vice Chancellor of the Buddhist and Pali University of Sri Lanka.

A public talk will be given by Mr Madawala Hemananda on the subject of “Quantum Theory and Buddhism”. The launch ceremony and public talk will be held on 28th October 2010 at 6.30pm in the University Chapel which is in The Square or can be accessed from the West Quadrangle. (Map here: http://www.gla.ac.uk/media/media_1887_en.pdf.)

The talk by Mr Madawala Hemananda is based on his recently released book which looks at the similarities between Quantum Theory and Buddhism. He will discuss the subject of the Quantum Vacuum, Consciousness and Buddhism and look at recent discussions which have taken place in relation to the question “is there a God?” and how in Buddha’s time he was asked the same question to which he replied “there was no beginning and no end”. Mr Hemananda states “Without consciousness man would merely be a lump of flesh and bone, but consciousness itself cannot be quantified. In a similar way the Quantum Theory discusses an open space where energy comes from and goes to. No one fully understands it, yet everyone knows it exists!”

I hope that you will be able to join us at the launch ceremony and talk.

Tea and coffee will be provided on the evening and the event should close around 7.30pm.

Can you please confirm by 24th October 2010 if you will be able to attend as places are limited for the event. RSVP rewathak@yahoo.com.

Yours Sincerely

Ven. K. Rewatha Thero
Dr. Kenneth Hutton

Visiting Monks

Venerable Rambukpotha Chandrasiri Thero became a monk when he was twelve years old. He has been a monk for forty years now. He was born in a beautiful village called Rambukpotha in Kandy district. He studied at the Sri Dharmapala Buddhist monk training centre at Bellana with Bhante Rewatha. He subsequently became a teacher at the same college. He is now the deputy abbot of Sri Nigridharamaya at Nawalakanda,Kalawana in Ratnapura district. He is here with us for the rains retreat.



Venerable Pinikahane Samitha Thero is from Galle district, Sri Lanka. He became a monk at the age of 13 and completed his monastic training at the Sri Amarawansa monks’ training college in Baddegama .He completed the Royal Pandith degree, the highest degree of traditional monks’ education in 1998. He completed his degree in Sanskrit at the University of Peradeniya in Sri Lanka with Bhante Rewatha in 2000. He followed this by becoming a teacher at the Buddhist monk training college in Galle and is now the principal of Vidyaloka college, Galle. He has been a monk for 26 years.



Venerable Kattakaduwe Sumanarathana Thero.
He studied at Bellana Pirivena where Bhante Rewatha was his instructor. Venerable Sumanarathana became a monk when he was 12 years old. He was born in Kattakaduwa village in Hambanthota district. He completed the Royal Pandith degree, which is the highest degree of traditional monks’ education in 2004 and completed his MA in Buddhism and Pali at the University of Kelaniya in 2007. In 2004 he became a teacher at Sri Dharmapala Pirivena, Bellana and completed his post graduate diploma in education in 2008. Venerable Sumanarathana has been a monk for eighteen years.

Secular Mindfulness Meditation at the University of Glasgow

Venerable Rewatha Thera, The Buddhist Chaplain to the University of Glasgow
will continue the Secular Mindfulness Meditation sessions on
3rd and 10th November 2010 at the Interfaith Room in University of Glasgow Chaplaincy.

The Secular Meditation sessions, which will focus mainly on breathing
techniques, will be from 10am - 11am.

All are welcome and no previous experience is necessary.

Venerable Rewatha Thera will conduct Buddhist Prayers from 9.15am to 9.45am, before beginning the Secular Meditation sessions, for all those who would like to participate.

Saturday Puja and Dhamma School.

During the Vassana time the resident monks will dedicate their energy to develop their own spiritual development as well as that of their followers. To this end, we have organised more activities during the retreat time:--

Every Saturday:-

Dhamma School from 3.00pm - 4.00pm
Sermon and Dhamma Discussion from 4.00pm- 5.00pm

During the week and on Sundays the monks will visit various families. Please feel free to contact the Vihara if you would like to arrange a visit to your family for a Puja or a Paritta chanting.

Invitation to the Rains Retreat.

Devotees of the Vihara have invited the resident monks to observe the Vassa during the rainy season. The head monk of Scotland’s Buddhist Vihara accepted the invitation with compassion for the devotees of the Vihara. He also mentioned that there will be two more monks to observe “Pasu Vas” on the next full moon day as they could not make it on Esala Full Moon Day. The devotees agreed to look after the monks by providing for their basic needs during the retreat period.