Henepola Gunaratana

Bhante Henepola Gunaratana (b. 1927) is a Theravada Buddhist monk, and founding abott of the Bhavana Society in West Virginia, United States.

Born in rural Sri Lanka, he has been a monk since age 12 and took full ordination at age 20 in 1947. He came to the United States in 1968. “Bhante G” (as he is fondly called by his students) has written a number of books, including the now-classic meditation manual Mindfulness In Plain English and its companion Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness. Bhante G regularly leads retreats on vipassana, mindfulness, metta (loving-friendliness), concentration, and other topics at the Bhavana Society.

Bhante Gunaratana is an internationally recognized author and meditation teacher. Prior to coming to the United States, he spent five years doing missionary work with the Harijanas (Untouchables) of India and ten years in Malaysia. He has taught in a number of settings, including the Buddhist Vihara of Washington D.C. where he served as president, the American University in Washington D.C. where he served as Buddhist chaplain and also earned a Ph.D. in philosophy, and at meditation centers worldwide. Bhante G has a strong scholarly background and lifelong commitment to dhamma.

In 1985, Bhante G co-founded the Bhavana Society and became its abbot. He wanted to teach meditation in an environment allowing for longer retreats and intense practice free from the trappings of a city vihara. He continues to teach in the direct, compassionate style that characterizes his books and articles. Bhante G conveys a well-rounded approach to Buddhist Dhamma, touching on all aspects of the Noble Eightfold Path. He emphasizes metta bhavana (the cultivation of loving-friendliness) as a basis for samma-samadhi, or right concentration. As a teacher, he is known for his emphasis both on samadhi and on metta as part of spiritual training.

Published works

• The Path of Serenity and Insight. Motilal Banarsidass. 1985. ISBN 0-8364-1149-8. 
• The Jhanas in Theravada Meditation. Buddhist Publication Society. 1988. ISBN 955-24-0035-X. 
• Mindfulness in Plain English. Wisdom Publications. 1992. ISBN 0-86171-321-4. 
• Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness: Walking the Buddha's Path. Wisdom Publications. 2001. ISBN 0-86171-176-9. 
• Journey to Mindfulness: The Autobiography of Bhante G. Wisdom Publications. 2003. ISBN 0-86171-347-8. 
• Beyond Mindfulness in Plain English. Wisdom Publications. 2009. ISBN 978-0-86171-529-9. 
• The Four Foundations of Mindfulness in Plain English. Wisdom Publications. 2012. ISBN 978-1-61429-038-4. 
• Meditation on Perception: Ten Healing Practices to Cultivate Mindfulness. Wisdom Publications. 2014. ISBN 978-1-61429-085-8. 
• Loving-Kindness in Plain English: The Practice of Metta. Wisdom Publications. 2017. ISBN 978-1614292494. 

External links

• About Bhavana Society