Vesak 2021 – 26 de maio

Mae Chee Brigitte Schrottenbacher teaches vipassana meditation and other meditation techniques at the Wat Prayong Gittivanaram International Meditation Center in Thailand. She was ordained as Mae Chee in January 1990 at the Sorn Thawee Meditation Center Bangkhla, Chachoengsao, Thailand, and her first meditation master was Phra Ajahn Thawee Baladhammo — Abbot of the Sorn Thawee Meditation Center, based on the method of Mahasi Sayadaw. At the request of Ven. Phra Ajahn Thawee Baladhammo she began teaching meditation to foreigners in English and German in 1992. In March 2009, Mae Chee Brigitte was honored with the UN Women’s Day International Award “Outstanding Woman in Buddhism 2009” and in December 2009, Mae Chee Brigitte was honored by Her Royal Highness Princess Chulabhorn of Thailand for “Peace Building and Meritorious Actions for Humanity”. In addition to her kindness and loving disposition, and her skills in meditation and practical Dhamma, Ajahn Brigitte is known for her dedicated involvement in social works.

Venerable Sonam Dorji was born to father Tashi Phuntsho and mother late Yoezer Dolma in 1965 at Tshotsalo village Samdrup Jongkhar Eastern Bhutan. In 1986 after the completion of High School at Motithang High School, Thimphu, Bhutan, he entered the Centre Monastic Body of Bhutan as a novice monk and did a Buddhist Philosophy studies at Dodedra Buddhist Collage, Thimphu, Bhutan. He was fully ordain as a monk (Bhikkhu) in 1989 under the preceptor of present supreme Head Abbot of Bhutan, HH the 70th Je Khenpo of Bhutan, Trulku Jigme Chodra. In 1992, he came to India to serve under the 9th HH Shabdrung Rinpoche Ngawang Jigme. Actually he is secretary to HH Shabdrung Rinpoche’s Charitable Trust, Delhi and also Secretary to Druk Ngawang Thubten Choling, Buddhist Institute, Bodhgaya, which run under the HH Shabdrung Rinpoche’s Charitable Trust. He is a member of European Network of Buddhist-Christian Studies and also member of World Buddhist Sangha Youth, head office at Sri Lanka.

Heila Downey received inka – teaching permission – from Zen Master Seung Sahn, in April 1996, becoming the first African Ji Do Poep Sa Nim (Master Dharma Teacher) in Africa, officially authorized to lead retreats and teach Kong-an practice. Prior to this she was a student of Kapleau Roshi and a member of the Rochester Zen Centre – U.S.A. for a period of eight years. Before embarking on the path of Zen, she attended retreats in both the Tibetan and Vipassana traditions. Her professional career spanned 22 years, and she served on the Executive Committee at Life Line, a 24-hour crisis counseling service, for a number of years. It is this experience combined with many years of meditation practice that she draws on when teaching and leading retreats in South Africa, Russia, Lithuania, Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Brazil, Hungary and the United States of America. Together with Rodney Downey, Heila has offered meditation instruction to M.B.A. students at University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business. Rodney Downey started meditation practice in 1980 and has attended retreats in all of the major Buddhist traditions. Prior to joining the Kwan Um School of Zen, he traveled to the United States of America to further his training at the Rochester Zen Centre. In February 1996 he was appointed the Abbot of the Dharma Centre, and at the same time became Senior Dharma Teacher. In combining his extensive experience of both business and meditation practice, he is able to share his wealth of insight by giving talks, and leading retreats. He was also a guest lecturer at the University of Cape Town – Graduate School of Business, Executive M.B.A. Course.

Ricardo Guerrero Diáñez es licenciado en CC de la Información por la Universidad Complutense de Madrid, diplomado en CC Económicas y Empresariales por la UOC, experto en escritura creativa para medios por la New School University (EEUU). Es presidente y fundador de la Asociación Hispana de Buddhismo. Traductor y editor de distintas obras del Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi, Ven. Dr. K. Dhammasami, Ven. Ñāṇaponika Thera, Francis Story y Ven. Narada Thera entre otros. Comisionado por la Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University (Tailandia) para la traducción al español del Common Buddhist Text. Miembro de la Fundación Lumbini Garden y responsable de asuntos institucionales y religiosos en el proyecto Gran Buddha de dicha Fundación en Cáceres, España..