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Sagacious Buddhist Dharma Training
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Advanced Path Guidance with a Buddhist Ariya-puggala
linkedin profile @ www.linkedin.com/in/bhante

My Path & My Purpose

Hi!  My name is Michael Turner. 

In early 2021, I renounced my career, my possessions, and my worldly life and boarded an air plane for Southeast Asia so that I may dedicate myself full-time to Buddhist practice, study, and teaching — pursuing the path of becoming a Buddhist monk, scholar, and teacher.

I am an ariya-puggala and a deeply-skilled and sagacious pre-monastic Buddhist teacher and a full-time Buddhist anagārika.  I work with dedicated and serious Buddhist practitioners to teach them how to overcome the things that hold them back from true progress.  If you are looking for an insightful and skilled early Buddhist Dhamma-based coach, counsellor, trainer, or teacher, or if you strive to become a streamenterer, then you've come to the right website.

Hitherto, I had been a successful and accomplished international Fortune-500 business leader, transatlantic board member, and strategic growth counsellor to several companies and non-profit organisations; while at the same time, being an advanced non-sectarian teacher-practitioner who, for years, has been guiding others in Buddhist streamentry, cultivating the behaviours and dedication that are in accordance of those who genuinely strive to realise the Buddhist path toward Nibbāna.

I first took an interest in Buddhist studies and meditation almost 30 years ago and I currently continue to expand my studies under the direction of monastic leaders in both the Theravāda and Gelugpa traditions.  My personal practice is that of a pre-monastic early Buddhist with a firm emphasis on the time-honoured core of the Buddha's traditional pre-sectarian Pāli teachings (e.g., the sutta and vinaya piṭaka); but, I am also one who sees some practical value in a few of the innovations found in Tibetan Buddhism (e.g., lojong, lamrim, tonglen), and I have developed an efficient method that works them together to make rapid progress to awakening, streamentry and beyond; more on that below.

I created this community of students after having helped countless numbers of people get past the intermediate and more advanced challenges associated with their meditation and dharma practice by enhancing their activities with time-tested Buddhist techniques coupled with personalised, insightful, and deeply-knowledgeable training, coaching, and guidance for the practical application of Buddhist practices in real life.

​I evolved into this "service" as a natural by-product of deep study, followed by steady practice and deep insights paired with the successful tutoring at the request of countless business colleagues and Dhamma/meditation practitioners over the years.

My Philosophy & My Practice

Despite spending much of my life as a corporate business leader, I am not a casual Buddhist; I am academically-oriented and have been deeply involved in meditation, and the study and practical application of the Dhamma-Vinaya for a long time.  I've directly experienced awakening and the transformative benefits of Buddhist mind training first-hand, and I have a strong motivation to help others overcome the challenges that they are experiencing along the way.

What I bring to my Path coaching and advanced dharma training is direct experience and a deep interdisciplinary expertise in the early Buddhist teachings on meditation, insight, ethics, rationality, compassion, and happiness that fills a space between the rigours of Eastern Buddhism and the laissez-faire attitude of its Western counterpart and my focus is foremost on the practical application of Buddhism to actually achieve happiness and peace-of-mind through meditative stability, analytical insight, and dharma practice to help you make your way toward (or through) the Stages of Enlightenment.

I came to this form of practice after having spent many years balancing my Buddhist Philosophy and Dhamma studies with my daily practice, when I could have otherwise have just been spending that time working with the Dhamma (both on- and off-the-cushion) and directing my practices toward attaining Nibbāna instead.  Once I dropped all of those very-Buddhist distractions, my own personal progress toward awakened enlightenment accelerated rapidly.  What that demonstrated to me was that the time we spend on- and off-the-cushion should be directly conducive to actually attaining Nibbāna rather than to satisfying our ego-centric thirst for academic knowledge, or our attachments to sectarian views, monastic rituals, or our desire for resting in blissful altered states of consciousnesses.

My Teaching & My Style

Sīla, samādhi, and pañña.   And, in that order.
My teaching and coaching style is direct and incisive, and it focuses on developing your sīla and on recognising and abandoning the bad habits, wrong views, and incorrect understandings of the Buddha's teachings that are holding you back from the progress that you strive so hard to achieve; while at the same time, developing the skilfulness of your thoughts, feelings, and emotions to lean toward more positive and peaceful states of mind — despite the problems of life — to support a strong and productive meditation and dharma practice.

I do not teach basic Buddhism and I don't specifically teach the suttas; I also don't teach the same thing to all students from a fixed-curriculum — there are countless other Buddhist resources that are readily available for those high-level, boilerplate purposes.  I help people who already possess a core understanding of the Dhamma/Dharma, have subscribed to the Buddhist worldview, and have a stable meditation practice to better understand how to take the teachings out of the suttas and off the cushion, and how to actually use the Buddha's teachings to address their human problems while living out here in the "real world."

My training and teaching is highly-personalised and focuses on the individual and specific needs and gaps that each unique student brings to the table.  ​I do this by understanding you as a person and as a Buddhist practitioner, and by course-correcting your understanding of the teachings, honing and focusing your meditation practices, and helping you cultivate your innate capacity for resilience, compassion, patience, generosity, kindness, and happiness.  Actually learning how to leverage these built-in skills when the going gets tough will not only fundamentally transform your life, but will flow into, and directly fuel your progress in your practice, your meditation, and your wisdom.

I teach, guide, and train with a high degree of emphasis on the Early Buddhist Texts (EBT) and the practical application of the Three Higher Trainings (i.e., sīla, samādhi, paññā), the Three Characteristics (i.e., anicca, dukkha, anattā), the Four Noble Truths,  the Four Brahmavihārās (a.k.a., the four immeasurables of loving-kindness, compassion, altruistic joy, and unbiased equanimity), the Five Aggregates, the Eight Worldly Concerns, and the Ten Pāramīs (a.k.a., the ten perfections) coupled with a strong and stable ānāpānasati meditation practice as a practical and realistic path to the clearly defined stages of Buddhist awakening, enlightenment, and Nibbāna.

It's worth noting that I do not teach a singularly "direct path" or shortcuts toward streamentry; streamentry doesn't work that way and you're going to have to put in the work; but with my guidance, and when you get really good at observing-and-guarding your mind, and actually using the tools, techniques, and practices that are available to you through Buddhism in your moment-to-moment experiences, and when you can support those practices with the proper cultivation of correct understandings, skilful views, compassionate interactions, and positive mind-states, then your moment of spiritual awakening becomes natural by-product of your skilful and practical application of the Buddha's teachings.  This is what I teach.  And, while this isn't as difficult as rocket science, this also isn't for those without a keen mind, supportive conditions, sincere determination, ample time, and a deep commitment to study, contemplate, and practice what's on offer. 

It is additionally worth noting that what I offer can ultimately result in genuine streamentry for those so inclined and dedicated.  I ask a lot of my students, and in return, they mature their sīla and experience sustainable and measurable spiritual progress toward Nibbāna.  Be prepared to let go of some long-held beliefs, views, practices, and other personal peccadilloes that are, in fact, keeping you from the success that you are working so diligently to attain.

My Caveats & My Emphasis

With the above being stated, if you are seeking instruction on how to be a "dry-insight arahant," or how to use jhāna as a form of escapism (i.e.,  becoming a "jhāna junkie"), or if you are deeply attached to religious rituals; or, if you are particularly sensitive to, or defensive of, the internal beliefs or teachings of the various Buddhist traditions and sects, I may not be a good fit for you; the Buddha had no place for sectarianism and circuitous routes to enlightenment, so my focus is deeply-rooted in the canonical and time-honoured teachings found in early Buddhism (e.g., emphasising the sutta piṭaka, ānāpānasati, and pure practice), coupled with some mind-training and applied-dharma techniques to accelerate your progress toward streamentry and through the first two Stages of Buddhist Enlightenment.  I am pragmatic and from that perspective, all the other bells and whistles are viewed as distractions from the goal.

Along those lines, I also don't encourage a focus on the practices of post-schismatic Buddhist doctrines or rituals.  I guide my students away from their attachments to the alluring eddies of post-sectarian doctrinal dogma, religious practices, spiritual materialism, Buddhist metaphysics, and most importantly, contemporary shortcuts — these are all distractions and are not conducive to progress, streamentry, or spiritual enlightenment, so I strongly de-emphasise notions and practices that don't directly support the development or cultivation of the views and skills required to make measurable progress along the Path toward Buddhist enlightenment — because our time is limited and precious and so are the opportunities that we have to practice.

What I emphasise is developing your innate potential to be happy, patient, and peaceful through the deepening and focusing of your daily meditation, your dhamma studies, and your applied dharma practice.  With my help, you may be able to become a veritable streamenterer; and, along the way you will learn that while life isn't always good, it doesn't ever have to be bad, and that's one of the most valuable lessons I believe anybody can learn, especially in these troubling times of ours, and what could possibly be more important than developing your capacity to be unshakably peaceful and happy?

Thank you for reading all of this.  Now, I invite you to message me today to start yourself down a better path.

With mettā,
Michael Turner
Buddhist Anagārika
Advanced Practical Dharma Teacher
Pre-monastic Ācariya & Applied-Buddhism Trainer

My Dharma Teachings.

Frequently Asked Questions.

I've come here for your business consulting services.  do you still offer them?
My main interest has become helping individuals achieve greater peace-of-mind and happiness in life by way of the Dharma and meditation.  I am occasionally available to share my business acumen, taking a special interest in helping companies that are looking to do some good in the world, but, I do so for free (pro-bono) on a case-by-case basis, and not as a professional service, but rather as a community service.

If you are nonetheless still interested in learning more about my business services, you can find more information here: Sales & Business Growth Consulting, and here, SMB & Startup Collaboration and Advising.
A MAHAYANA practitioner vows not to enter into nirvana until all beings are liberated.
YET YOU CLAIM TO Teach enlightenment and nibbĀna?
Thank you.  This is a remarkably common misunderstanding of the Mahayana Bodhisattva Path and the altruistic intention to guide others; understanding the root texts and commentaries can help us to better understand the intent and esoteric meaning of the teachings on this concept.  My beliefs, views, and practices are in accordance with Mahayana texts and practices and are influenced by my direct experience of entering into the stages of Enlightenment.

I hear this frequently, so I have written a teaching to address the most common myths and misunderstandings surrounding the Altruistic Intention and Enlightenment, which I have published to my dharma blog.
You mention that you teach happiness, I have my doubts, but tell me more.
Yes, it sounds almost silly, but much of my success as an Enlightenment teacher is that I teach people the skill of being happy. It's something so simple, yet so utterly elusive that, surprisingly, even most practicing Buddhists struggle to find genuine happiness.

During difficult times such as these, one's capacity to smile at others and to experience a consistent sense of happiness has never been so important. Some people bounce back from adversity quickly, while others suffer the impact of adversity long after they've passed. Patience and resilience are not randomly-assigned traits, they are skills that can be developed, and you can actually learn to cultivate those skills to quickly and gracefully bounce back from all of life's ups-and-down, regardless of their severity--that's what learning to be Happy can do for you.  And it feels great.

It just so happens that coaching and cultivating Happiness is one of my core interests and specialties, and I can guide you to learn how to be indestructibly happy, and it also just so happens to be a skill that you will naturally develop as we progress toward and through the stages of Buddhist enlightenment. 

This isn't an emotional, foolish, or giddy type of Happiness, but a deep, unshakeable inner-happiness and sustainable collectedness that is grounded in your personal sense of well-being, peace-of-mind, and personal safety that generates a transformation in how you interact with the world around you, and consequently, the how the world interacts with you.  Additionally, it's about changing the habitual and happiness-destroying ways that we've learned to use when we come across the typical stressors in our lives.  After all, it's much easier to learn to be happier and more peaceful when we can learn how to not be so easily agitated and irritated.  And, it's also about learning to smile again. :)

If you want to be happy, you have to practice being happy; and I can help you learn this life-changing skill.

This subject deserves much more attention.  I will be posting a blog-teaching on this subject which will go into much more detail regarding my views and skills in this area.  Please subscribe to my dharma blog to be notified when it's published, or check back often.
ASKING for DONATIONS for your time and skills with the dhamma? is that Ok?
Thank you.  As mentioned above in greater detail, I do not specifically teach the Dhamma; there are many, less advanced, resources and teachers for basic Dhamma and Sutta studies.  Additionally, all of services and teachings rendered within our student community are provided for free and at no charge.  If kind visitors or generous students wish to donate to help cover monthly expenses and make it possible to offer and provide pro bono services to those in-need, they are welcome to do so, and their generosity is greatly appreciated.

Nevertheless, the question of receiving donations for these services reflects a common misunderstanding of the Buddha teachings, and one that seems to be unduly applied to those who have not taken up monastic vows.  Understanding the root texts can help us to better understand the teachings on this concept and my beliefs, views, and practices in this matter are well in accordance with the sutta pitaka, de facto and de jure.

At the highest of levels, there are countless Buddhist resources available that provide their offerings in-exchange for compensation: from the many Buddhist book and magazine publishers, both online and traditional (e.g., wisdom, shambhala, snow lion), to the countless Buddhist authors, speakers, counselors, coaches, and trainers out there, and everything in-between.  I am also not charging for the sutta-dhamma (which is of course free and available to anyone), but rather for my very specialised expertise and interdisciplinary experience with practices that use Buddhism to directly work with our human problems.  Furthermore, my approach is quite a bit more skilful than that of my counterparts and is neither gratuitous nor indulgent.  But this is not a sufficiently appropriate answer, and I recognise that.

I plan to write a teaching on this, but in the mean time, I'd respectfully refer you to the disclaimer on the top of my 'suggested pricing and donation' page coupled with Itivuttaka § 107. {Iti 4.8; Iti 111} which covers the skilful exchange of teachings for the four requisites.  This is what allows even those who are within monastic communities and under the restrictions of the vinaya rules (i.e., monks and nuns) to make requests for food, clothing, medicine, and these days, for labour, skills, materials, and money in skilful exchange for their spiritual services, offerings, and support.

It is with this perspective that I have the humble opportunity to share my skilled instruction with others: by relying on the kind generosity of others so that I may be able to cover my four requisites as I dedicate my time to the Path and to help others along theirs.

If you would like to make a donation to support what I am doing here, your donation will directly support the work I do to support and guide others who wish to attain spiritual success; your support and kindness would not go unnoticed and would be greatly appreciated.
Please contact me if you would like more information or if you would like to schedule a discussion to learn more about how Buddhist training with me can help you develop the skills, practices, and views that cultivate the kinds of peaceful and positive states of mind that will help you navigate the rough waters of your daily life.
Opportunities to meet someone who can veritably teach what I teach don't come by often.