Venerable Debongshi Bhante 师父修习佛法超过30年时间,主修禅观。于1987年剃度至今,修学南传和大乘佛法。曾于韩国、美国多处佛教机构任教,传授南传佛教并且走访过泰国、印度、尼泊尔、斯里兰卡、香港、台湾、日本等多地。后于2014年在加拿大创办Dhammanjali禅修中心。
Venerable Debongshi Bhante 师父经常长期在森林和墓地修习禅观,严格遵循律藏,长期一日一食,身边只带三衣和钵。这次有幸能够邀请到Venerable Debongshi Bhante师父莅临多伦多弘法,并于本周五12月1日晚上7:00——8:30pm讲授禅观。此次讲座机会难得,十年一逢,愿大家珍惜因缘,随喜参加。
From the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh he spent his early years in India. Bhante studied and practiced Dhamma for over thirty years and has been trained in two major vehicles (Theravada and Mahayana), particularly in Vipassana and Zen Meditation.
According to Theravada tradition Bhante received ordination in 1987. He was educated in the University of Dhaka in Pali Literature and Philosophy, studied Tripitaka for nine years in Moanoghar Pali College and acquired Sutta, Binaya and Abhidhamma Titles from Bangladesh Sanskrit and Pali Education Board in 1991. In 1994 he undertook a pilgrimage to India and Thailand.
After Bangladesh Bhante moved to South Korea. He studied there Mahayana Buddhism for three years and has completed 16th monastic education in Korean Buddhist Jogye Order in 1998. He was trained at Jikjisa one of the Korean oldest and well-known monastery in Korea. In beginning he stayed at Heinsa for a short period where six huge, 802 woodblock Tripitaka Koreana have been preserved.
1998-2000 He taught Theravada Buddhism at Lotus Lantern International Buddhist Center, in Seoul and later moved to Kanghwa-do (worked as mentor), and exclusively involved in Vipassana meditation that helped people to incorporate the physical health and mental wellbeing. He did collaborate with social workers and psychiatric professionals to discuss treatment ideas and progress.
He also helped to establish and then became the first non-Korean Incumbent of the Sang Youn Sa Zen Center in Suri Mountain, Gunpo-si. It was founded by the Zen master Dr. Ki Youn Lee Sunim where he trained his non-Korean students. He also undertook a pilgrimage to Singapore and Thailand.
Through yoga and meditation Bhante helps students to go beyond their emotional and physical pain improve their lives. He has travelled to Thailand, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Japan for Buddhist conferences, retreats, and pilgrimages. He also attended number of Vipassana courses taught by S.N Goenka in Japan, USA and Canada.
Bhante lived in the forest Mountain and practiced Vipassana in the Theravada forest tradition. He would go on an alms round traveling through the rural side of the country in quest of suitable setting for deepest practice of meditation. He frequently stayed in forest and cemetery using a technique called *Asuvanussati* (contemplation on impurity, life and death) to explore the true nature of life, to experiment and ultimately defeat the fear of ailments and death. He keeps strictly to the original Vinaya rules, laid down by the Buddha as the Monastic code of discipline. He lives very simple life following the monastic rule of eating one meal a day and carries only basic needs of three robes and alms-bowl.
In 2000, Bhante Debongshi was invited to visit USA by Cor. Kirti Ranjan Chakma one of Dhamma devotees who lives in California. Seeing the interest of Dhamma in Buddhist community there, he stayed for a few months. Then he moved to Washington DC. A few months later he was invited to come to Detroit by Wat Lao Buddhist Temple where he worked as Secretary for two years and collaborated with different communities, Sri Lankan and Korean communities in particular. Bhante taught meditation at Great Lakes Buddhist Temple, Michigan, Mu Moon Sa Korean Temple, Rochester, Wat Lao Buddhist Temple, Detroit, and strongly involved in psychotherapy activities that help integrate the physical health and mental wellbeing.
Having spent for four Vassas (Rains Retreats) there in USA, then in 2004 he moved to Canada. After years of public service, he decided to establish a Center for grater benefit, where he could regularly teach his simple technique of meditation. After ten years in GTA he then moved to Hartsmere, McArthus Mills and established Dhammanjali Meditation Center, a non-profit charity, in February, 2014. It was a far remote woodland in Hasting County. Supported by many devotees and friends like Professor Aditya Kumar Dewan, Dr. Le ba Ton Nu, Dr. Alan McAllister of Bancroft, Ven. Shengguang Shi (Sifu) Abbot of the Chan Buddhist Society of Cobourg and Venerable Thay Thong Tri Bhante has developed number of relationship with different communities there in MacArthur’s Mills.
Currently Bhante moved the Center to Regina, teaches meditation and share his extensive wisdom with the communities. A spiritual teacher at heart, Bhante encourages others to develop the qualities from the enlightened teaching of Buddha in order to foster peace and harmony in Canada, and around the world.
His simple yet insightful technique of meditation has a universal appeal to students. It involves wisdom, genuine understanding, compassion and mental purification that help students to make their life happier, healthier and more expressive.