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Journey to Mindfulness: The Autobiography of Bhante G.
Bhante Gunaratana - Bhante G., as he is affectionately called - has long been among the most beloved Buddhist teachers in the West. Ordained at twelve, he would eventually become the first Buddhist chaplain at an American university, the founder of a retreat center and monastery, and a bestselling author. Here, Bhante G. lays bare the often-surprising ups and downs of his seventy-five years, from his boyhood in Sri Lanka to his decades of sharing the insights of the Buddha, telling his story with the "plain-English" approach for which he is so renowned.
272 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 1998
9 people are currently reading
182 people want to read
About the author
Henepola Gunaratana
33 books354 followersBhante Henepola Gunaratana is the founding abbot of the Bhavana Society. 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 both at the Bhavana Society and elsewhere.
Bhante Gunaratana is an internationally recognized author and meditation teacher. Prior to coming to the United States, he spent five years doing in missionary work with the Harijanas (Untouchables) of India and ten years in Malaysia. He has taught in a number of settings, including American University of Washington DC where he served as Buddhist chaplain and the Buddhist Vihara of Washington DC, where he served as president. Bhante G has a strong scholarly background and livelong 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.
In 1996, Bhante G received the title of Chief Sangha Nayaka Thera for North America. This acknowledged his status as highest-ranking monk of his sect in the United States and Canada. In 2003, his autobiography, Journey to Mindfulness, was published. In 2005, the Sri Henepola Gunaratana Scholarship Trust was founded under his guidance. This trust provides educations for poverty stricken children in rural Sri Lanka.
Bhante G continues to write articles, lead retreats, and teach at the Bhavana Society and all over the world.
Bhante Gunaratana is an internationally recognized author and meditation teacher. Prior to coming to the United States, he spent five years doing in missionary work with the Harijanas (Untouchables) of India and ten years in Malaysia. He has taught in a number of settings, including American University of Washington DC where he served as Buddhist chaplain and the Buddhist Vihara of Washington DC, where he served as president. Bhante G has a strong scholarly background and livelong 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.
In 1996, Bhante G received the title of Chief Sangha Nayaka Thera for North America. This acknowledged his status as highest-ranking monk of his sect in the United States and Canada. In 2003, his autobiography, Journey to Mindfulness, was published. In 2005, the Sri Henepola Gunaratana Scholarship Trust was founded under his guidance. This trust provides educations for poverty stricken children in rural Sri Lanka.
Bhante G continues to write articles, lead retreats, and teach at the Bhavana Society and all over the world.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
August 7, 2013
I've read that meditation in Sri Lanka is rarely practiced among Buddhists, even monks. The attitudes about it are similar to attitudes about fasting or giving your possessions to the poor in the West. Those things are all over the Bible, they are praised, but Christians don't regularly do those things and Christians who regularly do those things are noticed.
Bhante Gunaratana is a famous Buddhist meditation teacher who started off as a sutta ( Buddhist text ) scholar who wanted to learn meditation. I've been told that he could not find anyone to teach him meditation so he learned it for himself by reading the suttas. If you ever read any Buddhist texts from the Pali Canon you know that this is not an easy task. Meditation instructions are not described in precision step by step instructions and connections between the teachings and how meditation is actually done are not always clear.
Bhante Gunaratana's education about meditation and his spiritual evolution are not described in this book.
Instead, Bhante Gunaratana put the focus of his autobiography on how much of an ordinary human being he is.
He tells of his childhood being abused by his father, then being beaten by other monks. He tells of his addiction to smoking as a teenage monk and how he ran away from being a monk several times ( the aforementioned abuse ). He was also the victim of and a participant in petty conflicts. He lost his patience with his people.
I was interested to read about the "other side" of the image I had of Bhante Gunaratana as the highly intelligent, serene, spiritually perfected monk. I just always assumed that his life was one of the Eastern equivalent of the straight A student and jock, who did everything right, who had things come to him gracefully.
Bhante Gunaratana has been humble and frank in this autobiography to an almost virtuous level.
I think those kind of revelations make this autobiography valuable. It will help the reader to properly put themselves, their lives, and their spirituality into a more accurate perspective.
Bhante Gunaratana is a famous Buddhist meditation teacher who started off as a sutta ( Buddhist text ) scholar who wanted to learn meditation. I've been told that he could not find anyone to teach him meditation so he learned it for himself by reading the suttas. If you ever read any Buddhist texts from the Pali Canon you know that this is not an easy task. Meditation instructions are not described in precision step by step instructions and connections between the teachings and how meditation is actually done are not always clear.
Bhante Gunaratana's education about meditation and his spiritual evolution are not described in this book.
Instead, Bhante Gunaratana put the focus of his autobiography on how much of an ordinary human being he is.
He tells of his childhood being abused by his father, then being beaten by other monks. He tells of his addiction to smoking as a teenage monk and how he ran away from being a monk several times ( the aforementioned abuse ). He was also the victim of and a participant in petty conflicts. He lost his patience with his people.
I was interested to read about the "other side" of the image I had of Bhante Gunaratana as the highly intelligent, serene, spiritually perfected monk. I just always assumed that his life was one of the Eastern equivalent of the straight A student and jock, who did everything right, who had things come to him gracefully.
Bhante Gunaratana has been humble and frank in this autobiography to an almost virtuous level.
I think those kind of revelations make this autobiography valuable. It will help the reader to properly put themselves, their lives, and their spirituality into a more accurate perspective.
February 2, 2013
I loved this autobiography! It changed my life because of the person Bhante G is. I really learned the value of meditation and began to meditate. He is one of my role models; my teacher of both theory and practice in Buddhism. This man is worth knowing if you are on the path of wisdom. He maintains his integrity throughout his life in spite of many obstacles in the way. Read it. Afterward you will want to meet him he is such a good person. But these are mere words you really have to read it to know for yourself.
October 18, 2024
Read for my Intro to Buddhism class. LOVED it. Such a great insight into the Buddhist religion and the lives of monks.
September 24, 2023
It is always inspirational to read about the lives of renunciants. After reading Mindfulness in Plain English by Bhante G as he is affectionately known, I wanted to find out more about him.
I appreciate his autobiography, as it also paints the less savoury aspects of a cultural tradition and religious institutions because these are made up of humans with all our petty jealousies, cravings, rigidity and cruelty. As well as aspects of his own folly and temper when he was a young man. But the kindness and compassion we are capable of knows no bounds too, and can transcend so many divides.
When I read about the difficulties he, as a monk from a poor family, had to endure it really made me grateful for him and all other teachers who had to face so much challenges to learn the dhamma and to share it with the rest of the world. This book reminded me of another one that I ready "The Life of Nyanatiloka Thera" - one of the earliest western monks (a German), and his followers. How harsh life was in the past, to travel and live in Ceylon with bare necessities and on the kindness of dana contributions. And to be rejected by many countries because he was German (during the two world wars), even though he was a monk as Germans were treated with suspicion then.
I appreciate his autobiography, as it also paints the less savoury aspects of a cultural tradition and religious institutions because these are made up of humans with all our petty jealousies, cravings, rigidity and cruelty. As well as aspects of his own folly and temper when he was a young man. But the kindness and compassion we are capable of knows no bounds too, and can transcend so many divides.
When I read about the difficulties he, as a monk from a poor family, had to endure it really made me grateful for him and all other teachers who had to face so much challenges to learn the dhamma and to share it with the rest of the world. This book reminded me of another one that I ready "The Life of Nyanatiloka Thera" - one of the earliest western monks (a German), and his followers. How harsh life was in the past, to travel and live in Ceylon with bare necessities and on the kindness of dana contributions. And to be rejected by many countries because he was German (during the two world wars), even though he was a monk as Germans were treated with suspicion then.
December 24, 2015
Tôi chỉ đọc được bản dịch sang Tiếng Việt của cuốn sách của ngài. Và tôi cũng không có nhiều thời gian để đọc nó vào ban ngày. Tôi tranh thủ đọc trươc khi ngủ mỗi tối.
Khi nhận được cuốn sách này từ anh Việt Hùng như một món quà giáng sinh. Trong thâm tâm tôi nghĩ cuốn sách hồi ký này như bao cuốn tương tự, sẽ kể về những điều tốt đẹp và những thành tựu to lớn. Nhưng tôi thực sự chìm đắm vào cảm xúc thăng trầm trong những chặng đường đầy khó khăn của một vị thầy từ khi còn trẻ cho đến lúc trưởng thành. Nó không phải là lời kết tội cho bất cứ ai đó được nhắc tới trong cuốn sách này. Khi nhìn rõ vào sâu trong từng câu chuyện tôi thấy đó là cả quá trình tiến đến mục tiêu cao cả của sự chia sẽ hơn mọi thứ. Và đau khổ trong cuộc dời của Sư như tất cả bao người. Và cái cách ngài vượt lên tất cả khó khăn ra sao với thái độ vô ngã như thế nào trước những biến cố lớn của xã hội thời chiến tranh vào thời đó. Tôi nguyện cho ngài luôn khỏe mạnh và tôi có đủ thiện duyên để đảnh lễ người.
Khi nhận được cuốn sách này từ anh Việt Hùng như một món quà giáng sinh. Trong thâm tâm tôi nghĩ cuốn sách hồi ký này như bao cuốn tương tự, sẽ kể về những điều tốt đẹp và những thành tựu to lớn. Nhưng tôi thực sự chìm đắm vào cảm xúc thăng trầm trong những chặng đường đầy khó khăn của một vị thầy từ khi còn trẻ cho đến lúc trưởng thành. Nó không phải là lời kết tội cho bất cứ ai đó được nhắc tới trong cuốn sách này. Khi nhìn rõ vào sâu trong từng câu chuyện tôi thấy đó là cả quá trình tiến đến mục tiêu cao cả của sự chia sẽ hơn mọi thứ. Và đau khổ trong cuộc dời của Sư như tất cả bao người. Và cái cách ngài vượt lên tất cả khó khăn ra sao với thái độ vô ngã như thế nào trước những biến cố lớn của xã hội thời chiến tranh vào thời đó. Tôi nguyện cho ngài luôn khỏe mạnh và tôi có đủ thiện duyên để đảnh lễ người.
July 21, 2017
Reading a good memoir is like holding the author's hand and experiencing his/her life together. we cry together, we laugh together, we learn together, we grow together. It's a beautiful experience.
After reading his book "Mindfulness in Plain English" several times and practicing his teaching for a while, I logged on the website listed at the end of the book and received this book as a bonus read. This is a very well written book. Bhante G's down-to-earth and humorous personality comes alive on the pages, he is real, a real human being just like us, not some man-made saint high up there with whom we cannot relate a single bit. I especially appreciate his honest about the ugly human nature among monks, about politics in temples, and his struggles and striving. I find myself choked up, sometimes laughed out loud while walking his life walk together through these pages.
This is a wonderful read, thank you Bhante G!
After reading his book "Mindfulness in Plain English" several times and practicing his teaching for a while, I logged on the website listed at the end of the book and received this book as a bonus read. This is a very well written book. Bhante G's down-to-earth and humorous personality comes alive on the pages, he is real, a real human being just like us, not some man-made saint high up there with whom we cannot relate a single bit. I especially appreciate his honest about the ugly human nature among monks, about politics in temples, and his struggles and striving. I find myself choked up, sometimes laughed out loud while walking his life walk together through these pages.
This is a wonderful read, thank you Bhante G!
May 1, 2018
This is one man's story of following his dreams.
Determined from a very early age that he wanted to be a Buddhist monk, and that he wanted to learn to speak english, get an education (pretty much unheard of in his small village in
Sri Lanka), and to see the world and spread the teachings of the Buddha.
I found this book to be of value in how one can practice buddhist principles in challenging
situations, and inspirational in how one can manifest support in dire or drastic situations.
And how one man's dreams were realized.
A well told account and one that made me glad to have read it.
Determined from a very early age that he wanted to be a Buddhist monk, and that he wanted to learn to speak english, get an education (pretty much unheard of in his small village in
Sri Lanka), and to see the world and spread the teachings of the Buddha.
I found this book to be of value in how one can practice buddhist principles in challenging
situations, and inspirational in how one can manifest support in dire or drastic situations.
And how one man's dreams were realized.
A well told account and one that made me glad to have read it.
May 15, 2012
A really quick read because it is so engaging.
March 17, 2024
Four stars because I did enjoy reading it for the most part and learned a lot about Sinhalese Buddhist monks. But overall it just kind of felt like a list of things Bhante G. did and places he went, without delving into too much detail. I wished he would have gone into more detail about what life at the forest meditation center is like and what kind of work he’s doing there. It is a shorter book though so obviously details had to be cut.
June 28, 2021
Honest reflections.
September 5, 2024
Another great book by Bhante G. Entertaining. It strikes me to be a very direct and honest account of his journey, including difficulties, mistakes made, learnings ..
May 8, 2023
This book made me cry and cry.
June 13, 2016
I happened upon this book in the library and decided to choose it for book club. It was great book. Loved learning about buddhism and the culture of other countries. His stories are fascinating and kept me captivated.
May 16, 2020
Đọc xong cuốn sách, mình đã quyết định tới Sri Lanka, nơi thiền sư đã lớn lên. Mình cảm thấy rất gần gũi với làng quê Việt Nam, nơi mình đã lớn lên, với làng quê nơi thiền sư sinh sống. Vì thế, nó thôi thúc mãnh liệt mình tới Tích Lan và cảm nhận điều đó.
April 28, 2021
In case you wanna hear about all the drama monks have in their life check this book out!
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews