Education:
B.A University of Peradeniya
M.B.S. The University of Hong Kong
M.Div. Harvard Divinity School
Biography
Ven. Mahayaye Vineetha was appointed the Buddhist chaplain at Tufts in December 2024. He supports the Tufts Buddhist Mindfulness Sangha. He leads meditation programs and Dhamma talks for both students and staff at Tufts.
He grew up going to the Buddhist temple in his village in Sri Lanka. He received his novice ordination at the age of ten. In 2015, he found himself desiring for a strict practice. Then, he started going for retreats and seeking guidance from well-known teachers. While he was paying more attention to his spiritual journey, he also continued his studies.
Towards completing his master’s degree at Harvard Divinity School in May 2022, he was very dissatisfied with his own practice as a human. He really did not want to separate from his loved professors and friends in Boston. He was torn between his career as a chaplain and his practice as a monk. He started questioning about his life. He finds he really does not know who he is and what he really wants for the rest of his life.
Before moving forward, he decided to go to Sri Lanka and find out who he was and what he enjoyed doing. He started a life as a forest monk. Going for alms round, receiving some food for his meal, bathing in the river, having his three robs and bowl, and cleaning his cave brought him so much joy. In September 2024, he begins to feel he is ready to fly wherever he feels like flying.
He enjoys walking around the Charles River in the cold dark evenings and trying different varieties of tea and chocolate.
