The monk in charge of the Buddhist shrine inside the Olympic Village says it is a privilege to look after the psychological well-being of more than 500 Buddhists in the Village.

It is, however, not only the Buddhists who seek his spiritual guidance, says the Most Ven Bogoda Seelawimala Thera.

As well as the athletes from Buddhist countries such as China, Thailand, Taiwan, Japan, Korea and Sri Lanka, there are others also who regularly visit the shrine.

“And there are non-Buddhists in the delegations of those Buddhist countries,” he told BBC Sinhala service.

“When whoever comes to my shrine first of all I welcome …

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Padraig O’Morain, Irish Times

‘Discuss your problems and meditate together each morning to empty the mind of all your problems.”

This is the advice given to Prince William and Kate Middleton by Britain’s senior Buddhist monk, the Venerable Bogoda Seelawimala.

The picture of the two young royals sitting down to meditate each morning seems an unlikely one. Yet they could do a lot worse, and there is much in Buddhist philosophy that can help them or anyone else to negotiate the sometimes stormy waters of marriage.

For stormy waters there will be, meditation or no meditation. A point will come when they will start to irritate each other and the age-old question – Why …

The first Buddhist monk to be invited to a royal wedding has advised Prince William and Kate Middleton to meditate daily for a happy marriage.

The Venerable Bogoda Seelawimala, the most senior Buddhist monk in Britain, said that would help them get through any marital difficulties.

He said: “Discuss your problems and meditate together each morning to empty the mind of all your problems.”

Mr Seelawimala, 55, who is head priest at the London Buddhist Vihara in Chiswick, has been invited to join the 1,700-strong congregation at Westminster Abbey on April 29.

But the head of Britain’s…

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150,000 Buddhists also warned the couple to “set …