About Bhante Wimala
Venerable Bhante Y. Wimala is a Sri Lankan Buddhist monk of the Theravada tradition, who travels the world to share his guidance and wisdom with people of all faiths. Sent by choice to a Buddhist temple at the age of 13, Bhante completed six years of formal training and received his higher ordination at age 20. At this stage, a Buddhist monk is typically encouraged by custom or inclination to continue in strictly formal studies, which are primarily academic in their emphasis. Bhante Wimala however, chose to set out into the world bearing only his robe and bowl.
Bhante has devoted his life to helping others by promoting his message of inner peace and spiritual transformation. Through his Triple Gem Society, where he serves as Spiritual Director, he has impacted the lives of people far and wide. He is currently based in Princeton, NJ, and continues to travel the world sharing his spiritually enlightened and inspiring message - teaching and inspiring people to create more peace, harmony and joy in their everyday lives.
Unlike most monks who wander their homelands or live ascetically in monasteries, Bhante has been called to spend his life traveling the world, teaching and healing and bringing peace to the people of our planet. He has forged friendships across the globe, and his contagious compassion in action has resulted in numerous varieties of humanitarian projects.
Venerable Bhante Wimala is also the Chief Monk and Spiritual Director of Nairobi Buddhist Temple, Nairobi, Kenya. In Europe, Bhante is the founder and spiritual teacher of the Samadhi Buddhist Meditation Centre in Tupadly (Prague) and is the founder of the Lotus Buddhist Center in Prague, Czech Republic.
Appointments and Awards
Bhante Wimala is the recipient of many awards and appointments for his peace efforts and humanitarian activities including:
2020Distinguished Humanitarian Award from Dr. Eden Chua, the President of the Chairmen of the Local Governments of the Philippines
2017 the Mr. Universe Award by the government of the Philippines for his extraordinary humanitarian work there.
2014 a Humanitarian Service Award by the Asian Development College, Tacloban City. Philippines
2010 Bhante was reinstated as the head monk of the USA. He was also appointed as the Chief Sangha Nayaka of the Czech Republic and Kenya
2010 the prestigious “Samadutha” Ambassador of Peace Award from the Upcountry Amarapura Supreme Council of Monks of Sri Lanka
2009 the Health Services Excellence Award from the Ministries of Health and Resettlement of the government of Sri Lanka
2008 the Ambassador for Peace Award, offered by the Universal Peace Federation, an international and inter-religious federation for world peace
2007 the Global Peace Award from the Center of Peace in Philadelphia
1994 Bhante Wimala received an honorary appointment as the Chief Sangha Nayaka of the USA and Canada by the supreme Council of Monks of the Samastha Amarapura Sangha Sabha of Sri Lanka