Kanduboda Siyane Vipassana Meditation Centre

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Kanduboda Meditation Center

Welcome to the Kanduboda Siyane International Insight Meditation Center

The Siyane Vipassana Meditation Centre at Kanduboda came in to being in 1956, when the Buddhist world was commemorating the 2500-year of the coming of the Buddha in to this world. The center was opened shortly thereafter on January 8,1956 under the sponsorship of the late Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw, a most venerated meditation master from Burma (Myanmar)..

The citizens of the world are welcome to come and discover the fountain of wisdom within themselves through Vipassana (Insight) and that without any charges whatsoever!.

The center offers Vipassana meditation instruction in the style of Mahasi Sayadaw of Burma. The meditation centre can accommodate up to 70 meditators at a time. Accommodation, meals and services are offered free of charge, the centre being funded by donations. Programs are designed for meditators to stay for a number of weeks or months.

The Vipassana Bhavana Movement in Sri Lanka

The 2500th Buddha Jayanti saw a great revival in Buddhism in Sri Lanka. There was renewed attention to Vipassana Meditation. With this revival an international level meeting was held in order to discuss what needs to be done to mark the Buddha Jayanti. This meeting was chaired by then Prime Minister Sir John Kotelawala. The Burmese ambassador U Ba Lwin, Mr. H. Sri Nissanka, Mr. Abeysundara and Mrs. Regina Fonseka were also present. The Burmese ambassador suggested that the best thing to do to mark Buddha Jayanti was to promote Insight meditation techniques to the Sri Lankans, which is the only way to bring immense satisfaction to them. The Lanka Vipassana Bhavana Samitiya (Lanka Insight Meditation Society) was formed.

The society with the help from the government, made a formal request to the main meditation center in Burma the Thathana Yeiktha meditation center to send teachers to Sri Lanka to begin meditation courses for laypersons and monks. The chief in charge of this meditation center the Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw U Sobhana accepted the request after having long discussions with Venerable Kahatapitiya Sumathipala who was in Burma when the request came. Soon after this Ven. Sumathipala returned to Sri Lanka and organized the arrangements here. With his help the lay society acquired land for the first meditation center and laid other plans for promoting

The Kanduboda Insight Meditation

The path to obtain worldly pleasures exists always in the world. However the path to obtain Nibbana becomes available only at times of a Lord Buddha. The main purpose of all Buddhas is to salvage the suffering beings from samsara for the attainment of Nibbana. The path all Buddhas have shown for Nibbana is the Insight meditation (Vipassana Meditation). There is no other path other than insight meditation for attaining Nibbana.

There was a time when most Buddhists were more concerned on Dhana and Sila than on insight meditation. But with the Buddha Jayanthi period meditation became more popular. Most Buddhists started to learn meditation. At this time Venerable Kahatapitiye Sumathipala Mahathero went to Burma in search of good meditation techniques and learnt the Satipatthana Vipassana meditation from the Venerable U Sobhana Mahathero, better known as Mahasi Sayadaw. Later Venerable Kahatapitiye Sumathipala Mahathero formed the Kanduboda Siyane Meditation center and started to teach Satipatthana Vipassana meditation technique.

Sathipatthana Vipassana Meditation

Introduced by the Buddha over 2500 years ago, this unique meditation practice is a precise system of scientific investigation by which one develops the power of empirical observation (Sati or Mindfulness) and reveals the underlying nature of the mind and body process. The natural result of a yogi's efforts in sustained meditative observation is a series of developmental discoveries or "insight knowledges." These knowledges reveal the true nature of existence. The accumulation and deepening of such transformative experiences builds existential wisdom which cleanses the mind of destructive mental tendencies called kilesas (greed, hatred and delusion). Firm commitment to this meditation practice ultimately leads one to the development of complete mental purity, the experience of which is known as Nibbana.

Meditation Instructions

The late Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw was a Burmese meditation master and the founder of our lineage. His clear and thorough instructions are based on the Buddha's teachings in the Maha Satipatthana Sutta. The power and authenticity of the Mahasi method has been proven over the years by the thousands of yogis who have successfully practiced and achieved the spiritual attainments described in the Buddhist scriptures.

One should try to set aside a period of time every day for mediation. Whether it's a full hour or just a few minutes is not as important as being consistent and putting in sincere effort in keeping a routine practice. If one sits regularly then one will gradually build the skills and determination (Paramis) helpful for longer retreats. It is during sustained retreat practice that one is most able develop one's practice and make significant spiritual progress.

How To Get Here......

The centre is located at Kanduboda, 16 miles from Colombo and is easily accessible by bus route 224(Colombo/Pugoda) leaving from the central bus stand. from Colombo the bus trip takes 1 to 1 1/2 hours. The distance from the Katunayake International Airport to Kanduboda is longer with no direct bus connection. Taxi service is available from the airport (1 hour) or Colombo (1/2 hour). The information desk at the airport or the Tourist Board in Colombo can provide a schedule of taxi fares to be expected for this distance.