The World Needs Metta & Mindfulness Now - a message from Venerable Mahinda
​
In this time of crises, we need to invoke the blessings, guidance and protection of the Buddha Dhamma Sangha, and transform ourselves in order to meet the challenges of our time with love, compassion and wisdom.
​
Metta and Mindfulness are powerful means of self-transformation. Transformation within ourselves is essential in order to develop the wisdom and insight that will enable us to see things from a different perspective and have greater acceptance towards the rapid changes that are taking place in the world. As we transform ourselves, so too will others around us be transformed.
​
Metta, or loving-kindness, will transform emotions such as anger and aversion, enabling us to remain calm in times of trouble and not react to adverse situations. Metta also has an important role to play in developing caring and sharing communities.
Mindfulness will effectively check the craving and grasping tendencies which condition all the stress and tension we experience in our daily lives. It also generates the wisdom and insight to overcome our ego, the root cause of all human problems.
Million Minutes of Metta and Mindfulness aims to inspire as many people as possible, both young and old, to come together and connect as one global family to generate a collective consciousness of compassionate love and awareness. We need your participation in order to reach a critical mass that will bring about a swift and positive change to the critical situation that we are facing with the Covid-19 pandemic, and usher in a “new normal” of peace, harmony and stability for all.
Venerable Mahinda
​
Born in 1949 to a Chinese Peranakan family in Melaka, Malaysia, Venerable Mahinda, popularly known as Bhante Mahinda, was ordained as a Buddhist monk under the tutelage of the late Venerable Dr K. Sri Dhammananda Nayaka Thera in 1976.
​
He undertook basic Buddhist studies and training at Paramadhamma Buddhist Institute in Sri Lanka and trained in Buddhist meditation under several masters in Sri Lanka, India, Myanmar, and Thailand. He has also been inspired by Mahayana masters from China, Taiwan, Korea, and Japan, as well as Vajrayana masters from Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan, and India. He has travelled to more than 30 countries to share the peace message of the Buddha.
​
Venerable Mahinda has taught Metta and Mindfulness meditation for more than 40 years, and with the assistance of Sister Sumitra, has also conducted meditation retreats in various countries.
​
Venerable Mahinda is the Founder and Spiritual Director of Aloka Foundation, Spiritual Advisor of Aloka Fellowship, as well as the Abbot of Samadhi Vihara and General Advisor to the Buddhist Missionary Society Malaysia. He also serves as the Religious Patron to the Young Buddhist Association of Malaysia and advisor to several other Buddhist organisations in Malaysia.
​
In Australia, Venerable Mahinda is the Founder and Spiritual Director of the Australian Buddhist Mission Inc. and Aloka Meditation Centre. He is also the Religious Patron of the University of Sydney Buddhist Society (UniBodhi), Macquarie University Buddhist Society, and University of Technology, Sydney (UTS) Buddhist Meditation Society.
​
In addition, Venerable Mahinda serves as Spiritual Advisor to Aloka Mitra Singapore and Religious Advisor to the Singapore Buddhist Mission.