Ven. Uda Eriyagama Dhammajiva Thera, Chief Preceptor and Deputy Chief Monk, Mititrigala Forest Hermitage, a monastery in the strict forest tradition in Sri Lanka, visited the Berlin Vihara (Das Buddhistische Haus) in Berlin – Frohnau, Germany early this month. He was at the Berlin Vihara from June 3 – 11, where he conducted a programme on Buddhist meditation and led a meditation retreat.
Ven. Dhammajiva has practised as a meditation master for over a decade and trained under the late Ven. Matara Sri Gnanarama Mahathera (Sri Lanka) and Sayadaw U. Panditabhivamsa (Burma).
He is on the last leg of an exhaustive trip to North America – USA and Canada, and Germany, to teach and promote Buddhist meditation. The German Dharmaduta Society along with approximately ten other Buddhist Associations based in USA, Canada and Australia co-sponsored his visit.
On Sunday June 6, Ven. Dhammajiva delivered a Dhamma talk on ‘ Buddhism and Meditation’ in the library of the Berlin Vihara.
Manager of the Berlin Vihara Tissa Weeraratna, gave a brief introductory speech and drew the attention of the visitors to the history of ‘Das Buddhistische Haus’ (Berlin Vihara) which is the oldest and largest Theravada Buddhist temple in Europe. Mr. Weeraratna paid tribute to Dr. Paul Dahlke, Asoka Weeraratna and others including renowned monks and laity, for their indefatigable efforts to ensure its continuity in serving the cause of Buddhism in the West.
Ven. Rambukwelle Devananda Thera was also present at the Dhamma talk and ensuing discussion.
Source: www.sundaytimes.lk
