Who's Who at Abhayagiri

Currently resident at Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery:

Ajahn Pasanno Ven. Ajahn Pasanno - Ven. Pasanno Bhikkhu took ordination in Thailand in 1974, with Ven. Phra Khru Nanasirivatana as preceptor. During his first year as a monk he was taken by his teacher to meet Ajahn Chah, with whom he asked to be allowed to stay and train. One of the early residents of Wat Pah Nanachat, Ven. Pasanno became its abbot in his ninth year. During his incumbency Wat Pah Nanachat has developed considerably, both in physical size and in reputation, and Ajahn Pasanno has become a very well-known and highly respected monk and Dhamma teacher in Thailand. Ajahn Pasanno moved to California on New Year's Eve of 1997 to share the abbotship of Abhayagiri. A recent interview with Ajahn Pasanno from the Ukiah Daily Journal is available online here.

Ajahn Amaro Ven. Ajahn Amaro - Born in England in 1956, Ven. Amaro Bhikkhu received his B.Sc. in Psychology and Physiology from the University of London. Spiritual searching led him to Thailand, where he went to Wat Pah Nanachat, a forest-tradition monastery established for Western disciples of the Thai meditation master Ajahn Chah, who ordained him as a bhikkhu in 1979. He returned to England and joined Ajahn Sumedho at the newly established Chithurst Monastery. He resided for may years at the Amaravati Buddhist Centre north of London, making trips to California every year during the 1990's. Since June of 1996 he has lived at Abhayagiri Monastery. He has written an account of his 830-mile trek from Chithurst to Harnham Vihara called Tudong-- the Long Road North, republished in the expanded book Silent Rain, now available for free distribution, and he edited The Pilgrim Kamanita, a Buddhist novel, published in 1999. Ajahn Amaro is currently on sabbatical, visiting Buddhist holy places in India.

Ajahn Prateep Ven. Ajahn Prateep - Born in Thailand in 1964, Ajahn Prateep received a Civil Aviation Training certificate from Thailand and worked for Thai Airlines for over 6 years. He became interested in the Thai Forest Tradition of Buddhism from reading books by various Ajahns and in 1991 traveled to Wat Pah Nanachat, at which time he expressed interest in becoming a monk. Ajahn Pasanno was the abbot there at the time and recommended Ajahn Prateep to ordain with Ajahn Toon at Wat Tum Sang Ped (the fifth branch monastery of Ajahn Chah). He ordained in 1992 and stayed with Ajahn Toon for 3 years. Ajahn Prateep has also lived at Wat Buddha Vat in Chonburi with Ajahn Dtan for 7 years. During this 11th year as a monk he moved to Wat Pah Nanachat with Ajahn Nyanadhammo as abbot. He arrived at Abhayagiri in December 2003.

Tan Sudanto Sudanto Bhikkhu - Born in Portland, Oregon in 1968, Ven. Sudanto became interested in Buddhism and Indian spiritual traditions while completing a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Unversity of Oregon (1992). After graduation he set-off for a open-ended period of travel and spiritual seeking in India and South East Asia. After a year of traveling, he proceeded to Thailand to begin a period of intensive study and meditation, which drew him to Wat Pah Nanachat in the Northeast of Thailand. There he met Ajahn Pasanno (then the abbot) and requested to ordain and train with the resident community, taking full ordination as a Bhikkhu in November 1994. After training at Wat Pah Nanachat and various branch monasteries in the Ajahn Chah tradition for five years, he came to Abhayagiri to live and train with the emerging Sangha in America. During the winter of 2003 - 2004 he spent a period of time at Birken Monastery in British Columbia, Canada.

Tan Karunadhammo Karunadhammo Bhikkhu - Ven. Karunadhammo was born in North Carolina in 1955. He was trained as a nurse and moved to Seattle in his early twenties. He came in contact with the Theravada tradition in the early '90s, helped out with one of the monastic visits to the Bay Area for 2 months in '92, and spent another 2 months helping on a winter retreat at Amaravati. He decided to 'go forth' while in Thailand in December '95 and asked if he could be part of the prospective California monastery. He too arrrived in San Francisco in May of '96, took the 8 Precepts on the 31st of that month (Vesakha Puja Day), and was part of the original group arriving here on June 1st. After a little over a year in white, Anagarika Tom became Samanera Karunadhamma on the full moon day of July (July 19, 1997), under the preceptorship of Ajahn Pasanno. On May 10, 1998, Samanera Karunadhammo took full bhikkhu ordination, and became the first American-born bhikkhu at the first American branch monastery of our Thai lineage of Ajahn Chah and Ajahn Sumedho. From July 2003 to April 2004 Karunadhammo spent time in monasteries in Australia, New Zealand and the United States.

Tan Hasapanno Hasapañño Bhikkhu - Born in 1972, Hasapañño was first exposed to the Buddha's teaching while learning Chinese at the university in his hometown of Hamilton, Canada. Although immediately interested in monastic life, he spent a few years finishing his degree (in Psychology), visiting Thailand, and 'making sure', before joining Bodhinyanarama Monastery - a branch monastery in New Zealand - in 1997. Ajahn Pasanno visited New Zealand in November 1999 and was preceptor for his higher ordination. Since ordination Hasapañño has split all of his bhikkhu training between Bodhinyanarama and a small hermitage in Victoria, Australia.

Tan Jotipalo Jotipalo Bhikkhu - Jotipalo was born in 1965, in Indiana. He received a B.A. from Wabash College and worked for six years in technical sales. He became interested in Theravadan Buddhism after sitting several Goenka retreats. While on staff at the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts he met Ajahn Amaro and Ajahn Punnadhammo. After leaving IMS, he spent three months with Ajahn Punnadhammo at the Arrow River Forest Hermitage in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, as his steward. His next stop was Abhayagiri, where he requested the "Going Forth", taking Anagarika ordination on July 8, 1998 and Samanera ordination on July 25, 1999. He was ordained as a bhikkhu, with Ajahn Pasanno as preceptor, on Ajahn Chah's birthday, June 17th 2000. From July 2002 to July 2003 Jotipalo spent a year in Thailand at Wat Pah Nanachat monastery.

Tan Phasuko Phasuko Bhikkhu - Born in the Buddhist country of Laos around 1964, Phasuko came to the United States in 1980 settling in Los Angeles. Encountering people interested in the religious teachings of his birthplace, he himself developed a deeper interest while trying to answer the various inquiries put to him. Upon deeper investigation the Buddha's teachings inspired him to take up the practice and seek a temporary ordination at a Laotian temple in Houston, Texas (where an uncle was serving as abbot.) Dissatisfied with his practice he disrobed after three weeks and came back to California to continue seeking. After a spell at Taungpulu monastery (Boulder Creek, California), he learned of Abhayagiri and arranged to visit and later come to seek ordination. He joined the community in June of 1998, ordained as an Anagarika in October, and as a Samanera on July 25, 1999. He was ordained as a bhikkhu, with Ajahn Pasanno as preceptor, on Ajahn Chah's birthday, June 17th 2000. From July 2002 to July 2003 Phasuko recently spent a year in England at Chithurst Monastery.

Tan Dhammadaso Dhammadaso Bhikkhu- Dhammadaso was born in Scotland in 1976, and lived in New Zealand since the age of eight. His father is Sri Lankan and his mother is Czech. He first considered monastic life after reading Ajahn Sumedho's "The Mind and the Way", which introduced him to Buddhist Practice. He trained at Bodhinyanarama Monastery in New Zealand before coming to Abhayagiri. Ajahn Pasanno was preceptor for his Samanera ordination, which influenced his interest in travelling to California to continue training. Dhammadaso was ordained as a bhikkhu, with Ajahn Pasanno as preceptor, in the autumn of 2001. Dhammadaso is currently spending six months at Birken Monastery in British Columbia, Canada.

Ñaniko Bhikkhu Ñaniko Bhikkhu - Ñaniko was born in California in 1980. After graduating from high school in 1998 he started studying Tibetan Buddhism on his own and was looking for direction and meaning in his life. In 2000 he began studying Ajahn Chah's teachings and felt inspired to look for a teacher and take up the training of the Thai Forest Tradition. When he came to Abhayagiri in May 2001 he was very happy with the lifestyle the monastery had to offer and decided to make a commitment as an Anagarika. He was ordained as a Samenera on July 24, 2002 and as a bhikkhu on July 13, 2003, Asalha Puja.

Samanera Ahimsako Samanera Ahimsako - Born in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1959, Ahimsako spent 28 years living abroad and pursuing a career in classical ballet as a dancer, teacher, and community dance educator. In 1991, while living in England, he traveled to Sri Lanka where he came into contact with the Buddha's teachings. In England, Ahimsako began meditating at the London Buddhist Vihara and began visiting Amaravati Buddhist Monastery where he was inspired by the teachings of Ajahn Sumedho. Many years of visits to Amaravati, Chithurst, and Abhayagiri Monasteries led Ahimsako to lay aside his life in England to train as a Buddhist monastic, becoming an Anagarika in October, 2002. Ahimsako received the Samanera Going Forth on January 4, 2004.

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	Ven. Ajahn Pasanno - Ven. Pasanno Bhikkhu took ordination in Thailand in 1974, with Ven. Phra Khru Nanasirivatana as preceptor. During his first year as a monk he was taken by his teacher to meet Ajahn Chah, with whom he asked to be allowed to stay and train. One of the early residents of Wat Pah Nanachat, Ven. Pasanno became its abbot in his ninth year. During his incumbency Wat Pah Nanachat has developed considerably, both in physical size and in reputation, and Ajahn Pasanno has become a very well-known and highly respected monk and Dhamma teacher in Thailand. Ajahn Pasanno moved to California on New Year's Eve of 1997 to share the abbotship of Abhayagiri. A recent interview with Ajahn Pasanno from the Ukiah Daily Journal is available online here.

	Ven. Ajahn Amaro - Born in England in 1956, Ven. Amaro Bhikkhu received his B.Sc. in Psychology and Physiology from the University of London. Spiritual searching led him to Thailand, where he went to Wat Pah Nanachat, a forest-tradition monastery established for Western disciples of the Thai meditation master Ajahn Chah, who ordained him as a bhikkhu in 1979. He returned to England and joined Ajahn Sumedho at the newly established Chithurst Monastery. He resided for may years at the Amaravati Buddhist Centre north of London, making trips to California every year during the 1990's. Since June of 1996 he has lived at Abhayagiri Monastery. He has written an account of his 830-mile trek from Chithurst to Harnham Vihara called Tudong-- the Long Road North, republished in the expanded book Silent Rain, now available for free distribution, and he edited The Pilgrim Kamanita, a Buddhist novel, published in 1999. Ajahn Amaro is currently on sabbatical, visiting Buddhist holy places in India.

	Ven. Ajahn Prateep - Born in Thailand in 1964, Ajahn Prateep received a Civil Aviation Training certificate from Thailand and worked for Thai Airlines for over 6 years. He became interested in the Thai Forest Tradition of Buddhism from reading books by various Ajahns and in 1991 traveled to Wat Pah Nanachat, at which time he expressed interest in becoming a monk. Ajahn Pasanno was the abbot there at the time and recommended Ajahn Prateep to ordain with Ajahn Toon at Wat Tum Sang Ped (the fifth branch monastery of Ajahn Chah). He ordained in 1992 and stayed with Ajahn Toon for 3 years. Ajahn Prateep has also lived at Wat Buddha Vat in Chonburi with Ajahn Dtan for 7 years. During this 11th year as a monk he moved to Wat Pah Nanachat with Ajahn Nyanadhammo as abbot. He arrived at Abhayagiri in December 2003.

	Sudanto Bhikkhu - Born in Portland, Oregon in 1968, Ven. Sudanto became interested in Buddhism and Indian spiritual traditions while completing a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Unversity of Oregon (1992). After graduation he set-off for a open-ended period of travel and spiritual seeking in India and South East Asia. After a year of traveling, he proceeded to Thailand to begin a period of intensive study and meditation, which drew him to Wat Pah Nanachat in the Northeast of Thailand. There he met Ajahn Pasanno (then the abbot) and requested to ordain and train with the resident community, taking full ordination as a Bhikkhu in November 1994. After training at Wat Pah Nanachat and various branch monasteries in the Ajahn Chah tradition for five years, he came to Abhayagiri to live and train with the emerging Sangha in America. During the winter of 2003 - 2004 he spent a period of time at Birken Monastery in British Columbia, Canada.

	Karunadhammo Bhikkhu - Ven. Karunadhammo was born in North Carolina in 1955. He was trained as a nurse and moved to Seattle in his early twenties. He came in contact with the Theravada tradition in the early '90s, helped out with one of the monastic visits to the Bay Area for 2 months in '92, and spent another 2 months helping on a winter retreat at Amaravati. He decided to 'go forth' while in Thailand in December '95 and asked if he could be part of the prospective California monastery. He too arrrived in San Francisco in May of '96, took the 8 Precepts on the 31st of that month (Vesakha Puja Day), and was part of the original group arriving here on June 1st. After a little over a year in white, Anagarika Tom became Samanera Karunadhamma on the full moon day of July (July 19, 1997), under the preceptorship of Ajahn Pasanno. On May 10, 1998, Samanera Karunadhammo took full bhikkhu ordination, and became the first American-born bhikkhu at the first American branch monastery of our Thai lineage of Ajahn Chah and Ajahn Sumedho. From July 2003 to April 2004 Karunadhammo spent time in monasteries in Australia, New Zealand and the United States.

	Hasapañño Bhikkhu - Born in 1972, Hasapañño was first exposed to the Buddha's teaching while learning Chinese at the university in his hometown of Hamilton, Canada. Although immediately interested in monastic life, he spent a few years finishing his degree (in Psychology), visiting Thailand, and 'making sure', before joining Bodhinyanarama Monastery - a branch monastery in New Zealand - in 1997. Ajahn Pasanno visited New Zealand in November 1999 and was preceptor for his higher ordination. Since ordination Hasapañño has split all of his bhikkhu training between Bodhinyanarama and a small hermitage in Victoria, Australia.

	Jotipalo Bhikkhu - Jotipalo was born in 1965, in Indiana. He received a B.A. from Wabash College and worked for six years in technical sales. He became interested in Theravadan Buddhism after sitting several Goenka retreats. While on staff at the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts he met Ajahn Amaro and Ajahn Punnadhammo. After leaving IMS, he spent three months with Ajahn Punnadhammo at the Arrow River Forest Hermitage in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, as his steward. His next stop was Abhayagiri, where he requested the "Going Forth", taking Anagarika ordination on July 8, 1998 and Samanera ordination on July 25, 1999. He was ordained as a bhikkhu, with Ajahn Pasanno as preceptor, on Ajahn Chah's birthday, June 17th 2000. From July 2002 to July 2003 Jotipalo spent a year in Thailand at Wat Pah Nanachat monastery.

	Phasuko Bhikkhu - Born in the Buddhist country of Laos around 1964, Phasuko came to the United States in 1980 settling in Los Angeles. Encountering people interested in the religious teachings of his birthplace, he himself developed a deeper interest while trying to answer the various inquiries put to him. Upon deeper investigation the Buddha's teachings inspired him to take up the practice and seek a temporary ordination at a Laotian temple in Houston, Texas (where an uncle was serving as abbot.) Dissatisfied with his practice he disrobed after three weeks and came back to California to continue seeking. After a spell at Taungpulu monastery (Boulder Creek, California), he learned of Abhayagiri and arranged to visit and later come to seek ordination. He joined the community in June of 1998, ordained as an Anagarika in October, and as a Samanera on July 25, 1999. He was ordained as a bhikkhu, with Ajahn Pasanno as preceptor, on Ajahn Chah's birthday, June 17th 2000. From July 2002 to July 2003 Phasuko recently spent a year in England at Chithurst Monastery.

	Dhammadaso Bhikkhu- Dhammadaso was born in Scotland in 1976, and lived in New Zealand since the age of eight. His father is Sri Lankan and his mother is Czech. He first considered monastic life after reading Ajahn Sumedho's "The Mind and the Way", which introduced him to Buddhist Practice. He trained at Bodhinyanarama Monastery in New Zealand before coming to Abhayagiri. Ajahn Pasanno was preceptor for his Samanera ordination, which influenced his interest in travelling to California to continue training. Dhammadaso was ordained as a bhikkhu, with Ajahn Pasanno as preceptor, in the autumn of 2001. Dhammadaso is currently spending six months at Birken Monastery in British Columbia, Canada.

	Ñaniko Bhikkhu - Ñaniko was born in California in 1980. After graduating from high school in 1998 he started studying Tibetan Buddhism on his own and was looking for direction and meaning in his life. In 2000 he began studying Ajahn Chah's teachings and felt inspired to look for a teacher and take up the training of the Thai Forest Tradition. When he came to Abhayagiri in May 2001 he was very happy with the lifestyle the monastery had to offer and decided to make a commitment as an Anagarika. He was ordained as a Samenera on July 24, 2002 and as a bhikkhu on July 13, 2003, Asalha Puja.

	Samanera Ahimsako - Born in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1959, Ahimsako spent 28 years living abroad and pursuing a career in classical ballet as a dancer, teacher, and community dance educator. In 1991, while living in England, he traveled to Sri Lanka where he came into contact with the Buddha's teachings. In England, Ahimsako began meditating at the London Buddhist Vihara and began visiting Amaravati Buddhist Monastery where he was inspired by the teachings of Ajahn Sumedho. Many years of visits to Amaravati, Chithurst, and Abhayagiri Monasteries led Ahimsako to lay aside his life in England to train as a Buddhist monastic, becoming an Anagarika in October, 2002. Ahimsako received the Samanera Going Forth on January 4, 2004.