Theravāda Buddhism in Sri Lanka | Dr. Asanga Tilakaratne | Chung Huong Institute Podcast

Dr. Asanga Tilakaratne is also known as Professor Tilakaratne. Join us in this impromtu discussion from an in-person meeting live from Sri Lanka on Theravāda Buddhism in Sri Lanka. You will gain some practical tools to take your practice off the cushion.

Who is Dr. Asanga Tilakaratne?

Asanga Tilakaratne (PhD University of Hawai’i) Emeritus Professor of Buddhist Studies is (former) senior chair professor of Pali and Buddhist Studies and founder Head of the Department of Buddhist Studies at University of Colombo (2009-2018), Sri Lanka. During 2003-2006 he served as the director of Postgraduate Institute of Pali and Buddhist Studies, University of Kelaniya.

In 1999-2000, Professor Tilakaratne was a Senior Commonwealth Fellow and was attached to Oriental Institute, Oxford University. He has served as Visiting Professor at Yonsei University, Korea, Otago University, New Zealand, Savitribai Phule Pune University, India, Somyya Vidyavihar, Mumbai, India, Sitagu International Buddhist Academy, Myanmar and Nalanda University, Rajgir, India. He has published, both in Sinhala and English, more than one hundred papers on Buddhist studies. Of his more recent academic works, Theravada Buddhism: the View of the Elders (2012) was published by University of Hawaii Press in the series of ‘Dimensions of Asian Spirituality’. He co-edited with Prof. Oliver Abenayaka 2600 Years of Sambuddhatva: Global Journey of Awakening (2012), a work covering the history and the current status of global Buddhism of all three traditions. 

In 2002, Prof. Tilakaratne founded Sri Lanka Association of Buddhist Studies (SLABS), an academic and professional organization of Buddhist scholars in Sri Lanka, and continues to serve as its joint secretary. In 2003 he founded, with a group of academics and professionals, Damrivi Foundation, a government registered, not for profit voluntary organization for economic, social, educational and spiritual development, and continues to function as its founder chairman.

He served as the Editor-in-chief of Encyclopaedia of Buddhism, Ministry of Buddha Sasana and Religious Affairs, Government of Sri Lanka, Colombo (2019-2023). He has published both in Sinhala and English more than 20 books and one hundred papers. His collected works in 08 volumes were published in 2021 in Colombo. 

Currently he serves as the Dean of Graduate Faculty of Nagananda International Institute for Buddhist Studies (NIIBS), Manelwatta, Kelaniya, Sri Lanka.