Ep. 248 - Bringing the Dhamma to Africa with Bhante Buddharakkhita, PhD & Vincent Moore

Pioneer of Buddhism in Africa, Bhante Buddharakkhita, dives into building a sangha, practicing meditation, and the journey from pleasure to lasting peace.

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This week on the BHNN Guest Podcast, Bhante and Vincent discuss:

• Bringing the dhamma to Africa and creating the Uganda Buddhist Center 
• Creating a self-sustaining Sangha out of simplicity & self-sufficiency 
• What made Bhante commit to ordination as a Buddhist monk
• Disillusionment with experiences that were once pleasurable
• Education and excellence in training one’s own mind
• The joy and fascination of looking into the mind through meditation
• Making a habit out of meditation rather than only focusing on pedagogy
• Cultivating happiness and peace in your life as the first step to living fully
• Stepping out of books and into a retreat or working with a teacher

This conversation was originally recorded on the Paths of Practice Podcast. Listen to more episodes HERE.

“Really meditate in order to find peace within oneself, because for me, there is one thing that brings me a lot of joy, which is to be able to see and look at my mind. There are many aspects of Buddhism, ceremonies, rituals, culture, and academics. Of all the things we can do, what I found to be very helpful is to really learn how to meditate and make it a habit. It's such a fascinating thing being able to look at your mind.” –Bhante Buddharakkhita, PhD

About Bhante Buddharakkhita, PhD:

Venerable Bhante Buddharakkita was born in Uganda, Africa. He first encountered Buddhism in 1990 while studying and living in India. He was ordained as a Buddhist monk by the late Most Venerable U Silananda in 2002 at the Tathagata Meditation Center in San Jose, California. He then spent eight years under the guidance of Bhante Henepola Gunaratana at the Bhavana Society, West Virginia. He is the founder and Abbot of the Uganda Buddhist Center in Uganda. Besides spending time at the Uganda Buddhist Center, he is a visiting professor at Union Theological Seminary in New York City, and he holds an Honorary Doctorate in Buddhist Studies from Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University (MCU), Thailand. He is long-time member of Global Buddhist Relief’s advisory council in New Jersey.

He has been teaching mindfulness meditation in Africa, the U.S., and worldwide since 2005, and he is a much-loved teacher in many countries. His book, Planting Dhamma Seeds: The Emergence of Buddhism in Africa, tells the story of his religious and spiritual work in the continent of his birth. Keep up with Bhante on his website.

About Vincent Moore:

Vincent Moore is a creative and creative consultant living in San Francisco, California, with over a decade of experience in the entertainment industry and holds a graduate degree in Buddhist Studies. For years, he performed regularly at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, an improv and sketch comedy theatre based in New York and Los Angeles. As an actor, Vincent performed on Comedy Central, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, The Late Show with Seth Meyers, Above Average, and The UCB Show on Seeso. As a writer, he developed for television as well as stage, including work with the Blue Man Group, and his own written projects have been featured on websites such as Funny or Die. Additionally, he received a Masters of Buddhist Studies from the Institute of Buddhist Studies with a Certificate in Soto Zen Studies and engages in a personal Buddhist practice within the Soto Zen tradition. Vincent is also the creator and host of the podcast, Paths of Practice, which features interviews with Buddhists from all over the world. Learn more on Vincent’s website HERE.

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