10/08/2026
Monk Burin Delivers Opening Keynote for Brain Days at UNGA81 in New York City
On Thursday, September 24, 2026, nearly one hundred experts, including scientists, policymakers, organizational leaders, and mental health professionals, gathered at the Cure Building in New York City for Brain Days at UNGA81 during Sep 23-24, 2026. Venerable Burin Thitakusalo, known as Monk Burin, Executive Director of The Middle Way Institute, was invited to open day 2 of the event with a keynote address titled "The Science of Wisdom: Discovering a New Medicine for Brain Health."
Monk Burin began by noting that neurological conditions are now the leading cause of ill health and disability worldwide, and that treatment alone cannot close this gap. Prevention and resilience, he argued, must become practices available to every person. He then elaborated the concept of "The Science of Wisdom" through the Buddha's teaching on the Three Kinds of Wisdom: Wisdom from the Inquisitive Mind, Wisdom from the Imaginative Mind, and Wisdom from the Silent Mind.
He went on to introduce Luang Pu Wat Paknam, Founding Teacher of The Middle Way Tradition, who taught The Middle Way Meditation as the path to experiencing Wisdom from the Silent Mind. Monk Burin brought its impact to life with real stories from his own students, from a burned-out CEO to a child on the autism spectrum, whose lives had been transformed through the practice. He concluded his remarks with a key message from Luang Pu Wat Paknam, “Stillness of the mind is the key to success,” and encouraged participants to keep practicing and to share it with others, so that its benefits for brain health could reach more people.
He then led all participants in a session of The Middle Way Meditation, giving them the chance to experience Wisdom from the Silent Mind firsthand. The talk resonated with many in the audience, and after Monk Burin stepped off the stage, several attendees approached him to learn more about The Middle Way Meditation and The Middle Way Institute.
