Buddhist Meditation Community at Duke
Welcome to the Buddhist Meditation Community at Duke
We are a culturally and ideologically diverse group that brings core Buddhist teachings and practices to bear on our modern lives and cultural contexts through experiential exercises and discussion. We are deeply committed to celebrating different identities and vantage points and welcome all who are curious, including beginners, experienced Buddhists, and those of other faiths or no faith.
Connect
The Monday Night Session. This session meets from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. in Room 148 of the Student Wellness Center. It allows students to practice meditation together and to listen to the Dharma Talk & Discussion, led by the Buddhist chaplain or an experienced meditation teacher and spiritual leader. Dinner is served before the session with a vegetarian option.
The Thursday Night Session. This session meets from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the Meditation Room on Greenhouse Level 1 of the Bryan Center. It allows students to discuss and practice any topics they are interested in, such as Vipassana Meditation, Dharma Discussion, or another topic.
Off-Campus Trips. We will visit the Buddhist Temple in different traditions in the surrounding areas. Usually, we will travel on the weekend and some weekdays.
Retreat. Our community will have a Spring Break retreat “Climate Crisis, Climate Hope: A Bearing Witness Meditation Retreat" led by Sensei Joshin Byrnes from March 10 to 14, 2025, in Valle Crucis, North Carolina. For the retreat, we will join with students and chaplains from Davidson College and Wake Forest University The surrounding areas were impacted by a recent hurricane, so the group will do community service in the afternoons.
One-on-One Appointments. Students who would like to talk one-on-one with Chaplain Prasert Ammartek can contact him by email at prasert.ammartek@duke.edu or by text at (919) 414-5522. He is typically on campus Mondays and Thursdays.
About the Buddhist Meditation Community at Duke
The Buddhist Meditation Community at Duke provides the opportunity for currently enrolled undergraduate and graduate students to learn about Buddhist teachings and practice meditation. Our Monday evening meetings include quiet meditation, group study, and discussion, and we regularly host local Buddhist teachers from across traditions to share their teachings with the group. We deeply value the role of friendship and community in supporting a thoughtful spiritual path of wisdom and compassion.
Chaplain
Rev. Prasert Ammartek (he/him/his) is the Buddhist Chaplain at Duke. He leads the Buddhist Meditation Community and offers education on campus around mindfulness, meditation, and other learnings of Buddhism. Born in Bangkok, Thailand, he served many years as a Buddhist monk and teacher, before moving to the United States and serving in the military. He now lives in Wake Forest with his family. He has extensive experience as an army and hospital chaplain and recently was promoted to Major in the Armed Forces. He came to Duke in August 2023, taking over the leadership of BMCD from Francesca Morfesis.
- Email: prasert.ammartek@duke.edu
- Call/text: (919) 414-5522
BMCD Executive Officers
- Letar Jia, President, litai.jia@duke.edu
- Gigi Chun, Vice President, grace.chun@duke.edu
- Orion Kornfeld, Vice President, walter.kornfeld@duke.edu
- Neha Patel, Treasurer, neha.patel@duke.edu
- Issabelle Zhang, Coordinator, isabelle.zhang@duke.edu
- Sydney Mudd, Organizer, sydney.mudd@duke.edu
- Lana Reddy, Media Communication, rana.reddy@duke.edu
- Lasal Mapitigama, Web Design, lasal.mapitigama@duke.edu
Physical Address
Buddhist Meditation Community at Duke
037E Duke Chapel Basement
401 Chapel Drive
Durham, NC 27708