About us / Support us
The Minding Centre
The Minding Centre, based in Singapore, is part of Piya Tan’s Dharma ministry. It was founded in 2006 to provide Dharma-based non-religious service to those who seek wisdom, counsel and solace. It also serves as a haven and hub for those seeking Dharma by way of meditation and education, Sutta study and translation, and spirituality. The Centre also supports, and promotes Piya Tan in his full-time Buddhist ministry, so that his works and legacy will grow and last.
The Sutta Discovery Series
The Sutta Discovery Series is a title in the Living Word of the Buddha project, whose mission is to inspire and facilitate Buddhist Studies, both in a Dharma-centred and an academic manner for personal development as well as outreach work on a local and global scale. The Minding Centre and the Living Word of the Buddha project are motivated and guided by the vision of mere Buddhism.
The mere Buddhist vision
We aspire to learn, teach and practise mere Dharma, or just Dharma, that is, “non-religious Buddhism,” for a direct vision and taste of the Buddha Dharma, so that it is open to all who seek true stillness and liberating wisdom. We aspire to compassionately and joyfully proclaim the possibility, necessity and urgency of gaining spiritual liberation in this life itself—at least as streamwinners, with or without dhyana—in keeping with the Okkanti Sa?yutta (S 25). Mere Buddhism is easy: live it and be free
Piya Tan (1949-?2030)
Piya Tan, a former Theravada monk of 20 years, is doing an annotated translation of the early Pali Suttas, harmonizing between the historical critical method and Dharma-moved inspiration, and teaching them. Piya specializes in early Buddhism and its application today. His Sutta translations are especially popular with the forest monastics.
In the 1980s, working closely with Dr Ang Beng Choo, project director of the Buddhist Studies Team (BUDS), Piya was consultant and regular lecturer. BUDS successfully introduced Buddhist Studies in Singapore Secondary Schools.
After that, he was invited by Prof Lewis Lancaster as a visiting scholar to the University of California at Berkeley, USA. He has written a number of educational books on Buddhism (such as Total Buddhist Work) and social surveys (such as Buddhist Currents and Charisma in Buddhism).
As a full-time Dharma teacher, he runs regular Sutta and Dharma classes at various temples, centres and tertiary Buddhist societies. He practises Buddhist counseling therapy using a combination of Forest-Insight meditation and Sutta-based psychology.
Piya often critically writes on contemporary Buddhist-related issues, and often speaks out against the misinformation, misuse and abuse of Buddhism. He sees Buddhism as a humanistic and life-affirming way to spiritual awakening, and has great faith in gaining it in this life.
In his free time, he loves teaching his children and Ratna to think critically and enjoy the wonders of nature. [More info]
You Can Help
Your continued donations will keep the Sutta Translation project & this website going. You can donate to Piya’s translation project or his Buddhist work by clicking the PayPal button.
or (b) write your cheques to: “The Minding Centre“
and mail them to:
Pali House, Blk 248,
Jurong East St 24, #08-50,
Singapore 600248.