Meditation, as we called in our language – “Bhavana” is an exercise to be performed few minutes a day, to train mind to keep targeted only on one simple thought. Practising meditation will help to overcome stresses and to get inner peace and balance in mind. Meditation centres are available at number of locations in Sri Lanka, where meditation is practised strictly. Most of these places are on hills in woods, where the environment advocates the exercises.

These places are mainly ment for those who practise meditation continuously throughout there lifetime, with ultimate aim to gain a permanent inner peace known as “Nirvana” or “Liberation” which offers only peace and happiness in mind, not only in the present life but as Buddhists believe, in life after life. Doors are open at these places for others also to get general understanding on meditation to enable to practise at their own locations.


Aim of most of us is not to gain “Nirvana” or “Liberation” but to drive away hurtful thoughts from mind and to clear and balance the mind and to return to normalcy, the possibility of which through meditation is accepted even by the medical specialists. To achieve basic knowledge of meditation for this purpose, it is not necessary to go to hills in woods in distant places for which nearby Buddhist temples are available. Number of Sundays I have visited “Young Mens’ Buddhist Association” (YMBA) at Borella for this purpose. The training so received is ample to practise alone at home.