Dr. Bhante Saranapala, a.k.a. Urban Buddhist Monk in Toronto, Canada, has been spreading kindfulness, mindfulness, and Vipassana meditation across Canada/United States for over two decades.

Known as the “Urban Buddhist Monk”, an appropriate nomenclature for a Buddhist Monk for modern times, Reverend Dr. Bhante Saranapala has been acclaimed as a consummate teacher of meditation by a growing number of seekers of spiritual and healthy life and peace of mind in North America and Europe who admire his simple and all-embracing approach in transmitting the universal message of love, kindness, compassion, understanding, and wisdom.

Bhante has brought the ancient teachings of wellness techniques forward, but with a contemporary way of helping us better understand the teachings of the “Awakened Ones” from a western application. Dr. Bhante Saranapala’s deep knowledge of meditations and neuroscience have him captivating audiences all over.

Dr. Bhante Saranapala is the author of Are You Kindful? 

He is the recipient of:

• The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms from the Government of Canada
• “Canada 150 Medal and Sesquicentennial Community Award” from the Government of Canada
• Spirit Award from the Government of Ontario
• 2024 Dr. Ambedkar Peace Award

Born in Chittagong, Bangladesh, Dr. Bhante Saranapala received both his monastic and secular education in Sri Lanka, which is rooted in the Theravada tradition. He then made his way to Canada to further his studies (master’s and doctoral studies at the University of Toronto and McMaster University) and soon addressed his mind to the noble task of spreading in the West his own tested approach to mindfulness and insight meditation. Settling down in the City of Mississauga-Toronto West, he has been a monk in residence at the monastic fraternity of the West End Buddhist Temple and Meditation Centre for the past 30 years. In September 2019, Venerable Dr. Bhante Saranapala was appointed as the World Civility Ambassador by the iChange Nations for his extraordinary kindfulness works around the world. Currently, Dr. Bhante serves the Toronto Police Service as the Buddhist Chaplain.

Dana for Bhante can be offered here: https://www.urbanbuddhistmonk.org/donate