Message from the Head of Department
Ven.Balangoda Ananda Chandrakeerthi
Senior Lecturer
Bhiksu University of Sri Lanka, Anuradhapura is the only University established merely for Teravada Buddhist monks, securing the identical heritage of Sri Lankan Buddhist Monks. Therefore, The University belongs a special recognition among the universities in Sri Lanka, and the Department of Applied Buddhist Studies represents the symbol of that identity. It is identified the major function and responsibility of the Department of Applied Buddhist Studies is to implement practical programmes and studies of the teaching of the Buddha (dhamma), the monastic discipline (vinaya) and the Buddhist cultural heritage from ancient times. While many of the other philosophies and humanities subjects are focused on merely theoretical studies, the Department of ABS propagates activities to enhance the practical value of those cultural disciplines. For the time being, the Department of Applied Buddhist Studies offers two Bachelor’s degrees and Compulsory Foundations Course for students. Theoretical and practical courses of Practical Buddhist Heritage, Planning and Managing Monasteries, Buddhist Communication Methods, Theory and Practice of Spreading Dhamma, jyotishya (astrology) and Domestic Medicine, Buddhist Law and Civil Law, Buddhist Teaching on Health and Wellbeing, Buddhist Painting and Sculpture, Tour Guide of Buddhist Temples and Sanctuaries are offered under the Bachelor’s degree (general) in Practical Buddhist Studies. In addition to that, the Department offers Bachelor’s degree (honors/general) in Buddhist Psychology and Counselling, from 2018, with theory and training on practicing Buddhist counselling programs. It is appreciated the most attracted of the social sciences in the academic world today. In addition to these Bachelor’s degrees, the Department offers foundation courses which are vital for Buddhist monks, including Meditation, Mindfulness (satipatthana) methods, Yoga and Bhikkhu and Contemporary Social Consciousness. We have a meditation research center for studying these meditation methods in the department. Additionally and Foundation Course of Information Technology (IT) are also offered by the Department with the intention of spreading the Buddhist philosophy and Buddhist culture into the world in a systematic way using the modern technological and communication methods. Recently, the Department introduced an Advanced Certificate Course and Diploma Course (external) in Astrology (jyotishya) and Information Technology (IT) for all monks and lay students.