Minnesota Buddhist Vihara is a

Theravada ''Theravāda'' () ( si, ථේරවාදය, my, ထေရဝါဒ, th, เถรวาท, km, ថេរវាទ, lo, ເຖຣະວາດ, pi, , ) is the most commonly accepted name of Buddhism's oldest existing school. The school' ...

Buddhist Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...

temple in the state of Minnesota. It was established in 2004 by Venerable Witiyala Seewalie Maha Thera, who is also the current Abbot of the Vihara and the Deputy Chief Sangha Nayaka of North America, appointed by the Malwatta Chapter in Kandy, Sri Lanka. Its 10th anniversary was celebrated on March 30, 2014.

History

The Vihara came to an existence in need of a spiritual place in the Midwest. Ven. Seewalie was invited by the Buddhist community in

Twin Cities Twin cities are a special case of two neighboring cities or urban centres that grow into a single conurbation – or narrowly separated urban areas – over time. There are no formal criteria, but twin cities are generally comparable in statu ...

to conduct religious and spiritual activities. Initially, the activities were held at Thien An, a Vietnamese Buddhist temple, in Blaine. As the community started to grow, the current location was purchased and held an opening ceremony on June 24, 2006. A president of Sri Lanka issued a greetings on the opening of the temple and said,

“In an era when the Buddhist teaching is most wanted to the world. I treat the inauguration of the Minnesota Buddhist Vihara as a remarkable event. I wish the sublime motive of propagating the teaching of the Buddha by the inaugurators of this vihara be a success”

Services

Since its inception, the Vihara has been a central place for Buddhist community from various backgrounds to come and experience religious and spiritual events such as weekly meditation session, monthly meditation retreats and annual ceremonies. Its service is not limited to the state but has expanded to neighboring states as well. Resident monks visit

South Dakota State Penitentiary The South Dakota State Penitentiary is a state prison located in South Dakota's largest city, Sioux Falls. The building's industry shop makes several things for the state, including woodwork and license plates. The State Penitentiary also houses S ...

once a month to teach and guide mindfulness session for inmates. They also travel to

North Dakota North Dakota () is a U.S. state in the Upper Midwest, named after the Native Americans in the United States, indigenous Dakota people, Dakota Sioux. North Dakota is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba to the north a ...

twice a year to lead a day-long mindfulness session in Fargo-Moorhead area. In addition, they visit universities, churches, and schools to share the teachings of the Buddha. On April 21, 2019, a public memorial service was held in memory of Sri Lanka Bombing victims.

Mission

The Vihara promotes to create peace and harmony within and the surroundings. It is open to public and invites everyone to come and explore the Buddha's teachings.

References

External links

*{{official website, https://www.mnbv.org/
Videos of Minnesota Buddhist ViharaChantings and Dhamma talks conducted in the temple
Buddhist monasteries in the United States Buddhist temples in the United States Theravada Buddhist monasteries Buddhism in Minnesota Temples in Minnesota