Luang Pu Somboon Kantasilo

Phrathepvatcharayanvetee, or Luang Pu Somboon Kantasilo, was born on December 9, 1940, in Nai Subdistrict, Khon Kaen Province, Thailand, to parents Mr. Sum and Mrs. Pang Somunjarn. At the age of 84, with 52 vassa/rains, he has devoted his life to spiritual practice, teaching, and community service.

Ordained on March 24, 1972, at Wat Srichan, Luang Pu Somboon Kantasilo's journey in the Buddhist monastic life began with studying Dhamma under the guidance of Phra Acharn Fun Acharo at Wat Pa Udomsomporn, Phanna Nikhom District, for 5 years. He later pursued further studies with Luang Pu Chob and embarked on a 12-year pilgrimage in the forests of Phu Ruea District.

In 1989, Luang Pu Somboon Kantasilo founded Wat Pa Somboontham, where he continues to serve as a spiritual leader and teacher. His dedication to improving the lives of others extends beyond spiritual guidance, as he actively engages in philanthropic endeavours such as the construction of Pak Chom Hospital in Pak Chom District, Loei Province.

Luang Pu Somboon Kantasilo's life and work embody the core values of Buddhism, demonstrating his commitment to the well-being of his community and fostering spiritual growth in those who seek his guidance. His legacy serves as an inspiration for monks and laypeople alike, illustrating the transformative power of selflessness, devotion, and compassion.

Tan Chao Khun Samai

Tan Chao Khun Mahā Samai Sukhasamiddho was born in Laos in 1943. After migration to Bangkok, he was ordained as novice in 1957. His full ordination took place in June 1963. During his time as young novice and young monk he completed his Dhamma studies at the advanced level and Pali Language at level 5. Before being admitted to study at the University level, he took another three years to do the secular studies. He was graduated from Mahamakut University in 1972. After taking one year course of training for Buddhist Missionary overseas, he was sent together with the most senior meditation teacher Luang Pu Boonyarith to Sydney to look after the newly established Buddhist center in 1974. 

As a reward for his long and good service to the Buddhist Community in Australia, Tan Chao Khun Samai has been given the new titles four times in the last 42 years. His current title is Phra Thepsilaporn.

Each time the new title has been conferred upon him by the King of Thailand on his birthday, the 5th of December.  Moreover, Mahamakut University has conferred upon him PhD Honorary Degree in May 2003 in acknowledging his long service in spreading Buddhism. 

Tan Chao Khun Samai assumed the position as the leader of the Dhammayutta Sangha in Australia and New Zealand in 1998. He currently serves as a spiritual advisor to the Dhammayutta Sangha Council, and is the Abbot of Wat Pa Buddharangsee in Leumeah, NSW.

Ven. Ajahn Jutindharo

Introduction

Ajahn Jutindharo is a highly respected senior monk within the Western Forest Sangha. Having ordained in the late 1980s, he belongs to the influential generation of monastics who helped solidify the Forest Tradition in the United Kingdom under the guidance of Luang Por Sumedho. Currently serving as the Abbot of Hartridge Buddhist Monastery, he is known for his calm, reflective teaching style and his ability to make the ancient wisdom of the Thai masters accessible to a modern, Western audience.

Early Life and Spiritual Search

Born and raised in Leeds, England, Ajahn Jutindharo’s spiritual path began during his university years. It was here that he first encountered the Buddha’s teachings and began exploring meditation as a tool for understanding the mind. This intellectual and practical curiosity eventually evolved into a profound life-calling.

In 1987, he made the life-altering decision to join the monastic community. He entered the Sangha during a pivotal time when the Forest Tradition was beginning to take deep root in British soil through monasteries like Amaravati and Cittaviveka (Chithurst).

Training and Development

Ajahn Jutindharo’s monastic training was primarily based in Britain, where he benefitted from the direct mentorship of the first-generation Western elders. His practice has been marked by:

• The British Forest Way: Mastering the art of maintaining forest standards within a Western cultural context.

• Asian Pilgrimage: Spending formative periods in Asia to connect with the roots of the tradition, visiting the great forest monasteries of Thailand to strengthen his link to the lineage of Ajahn Chah.

• Internal Reflection: Developing a teaching style that emphasizes the "Internal Monastery"—the cultivation of a peaceful heart regardless of one's external environment.

Leadership at Hartridge Monastery

In 2007, Ajahn Jutindharo assumed the abbotship of Hartridge Buddhist Monastery in Devon. Nestled in the quiet countryside of Southwest England, Hartridge is a sanctuary dedicated to the practice of the Dhamma-Vinaya. Under his guidance, the monastery has flourished as a center for both monastic training and lay retreats.

Āyasmā Rāhula

Introduction

Āyasmā Rāhula is a dedicated practitioner and teacher who bridges the profound meditative traditions of Myanmar with a modern, scholarly understanding of the mind. Having lived and practised in Asia for over two decades, he brings a global perspective to the Dhamma. He is particularly recognized for his ability to translate the complex maps of the Abhidhamma (Buddhist Psychology) into practical "anatomy of the mind" courses that resonate with students across the world.

Monastic Training in Myanmar

Āyasmā Rāhula’s monastic foundation was forged in the heart of Myanmar, where he was ordained by the Most Venerable Sayadaw Dr. Nandamālābhivaṃsa, one of the world's leading authorities on Abhidhamma and Pali scholarship.

His training has been defined by two distinct yet complementary pillars:

• Awareness Meditation: Since 2004, he has received personal meditation guidance from Sayadaw U Tejaniya at Shwe Oo Min Forest Center, focusing on the cultivation of continuous, relaxed awareness in daily life.

• Scriptural Mastery: He studied the Suttas and Abhidhamma intensively under Sayadaw Dr. Ukkamsacara, gaining a deep technical understanding of the Buddha’s psychological framework.

Academic Excellence and Global Teaching

In 2019, Āyasmā Rāhula further deepened his intellectual grasp of the tradition by completing a course on Buddhist Scriptures at Harvard University. This combination of traditional forest practice and Western academic rigor allows him to present the Dhamma in a way that is both authentic and intellectually accessible.

He is well-known for his weekly online courses, "Anatomy of the Mind," which apply Abhidhamma principles to modern life. These sessions are conducted in both English and Spanish, reaching students in more than 15 countries and fostering a global community of practitioners.

Humanitarian Work and SBS Malaysia

Currently, Āyasmā Rāhula resides at the Sasanarakkha Buddhist Sanctuary (SBS) in Taiping, Malaysia, where he continues his training under the guidance of Ven. Ariyadhammika.

Despite his focus on practice, he maintains a strong commitment to social service in South America, where he:

• Addiction Recovery: Assists in programs helping society members gain freedom from drug and alcohol addiction.

• Educational Campaigns: Supports preventative education to empower the youth against substance abuse.

• Propagating Dhamma: Continues to introduce the Buddha’s teachings to the Spanish-speaking world, where the Dhamma is still emerging.

Luang Por Kalyano

Introduction

Luang Por Kalyano is a senior Western disciple in the lineage of the renowned meditation master Ajahn Chah. With over 40 years of monastic experience, he is a pivotal figure in the global expansion of the Thai Forest Tradition. As the founding abbot of Buddha Bodhivana Monastery in Australia, he is widely respected for his unwavering commitment to the monastic code (Vinaya) and his ability to guide lay practitioners toward inner peace through the development of "Stillness and Wisdom."

Early Life and Path to the Robe

Born Daniel Jones in London in 1962, Luang Por Kalyano’s spiritual quest began during his youth. While a student at Bristol University, he encountered the Buddha’s teachings and felt a deep resonance with the Path of Dhamma.

Following the completion of his degree, his search led him to Thailand, where he sought a life dedicated entirely to meditation and renunciation. In 1985, he received full ordination as a Bhikkhu at Wat Nong Pah Pong, the mother monastery of Ajahn Chah’s lineage.

Deep Roots: Training with Ajahn Anan

A defining feature of Luang Por Kalyano’s monastic life is his long and close association with Venerable Ajahn Anan Akiñcano. Ajahn Anan is celebrated as one of Ajahn Chah’s most accomplished meditation disciples, known for his profound mastery of Samadhi (concentration).

Luang Por Kalyano spent many years training under Ajahn Anan at Wat Marp Jan in Thailand. This rigorous apprenticeship provided him with a direct transmission of the forest tradition's values: endurance, meticulousness in practice, and a heart grounded in deep meditative absorption.

Establishing the Forest Tradition in Australia

In the year 2000, Luang Por Kalyano was invited by the Buddhist community in Australia to help establish a forest monastery that would uphold the standards of the Ajahn Chah lineage. This led to the founding of Buddha Bodhivana Monastery in East Warburton, a secluded forest area near Melbourne.

Under his leadership, Buddha Bodhivana has grown from a humble patch of forest into a flourishing center for monastic training. Today, it serves as a vital sanctuary for both local and international monastics, and as a spiritual hub for lay practitioners in the Melbourne region and beyond.

Ven. Ajahn Pavaro

Venerable Ajahn Pavaro is a Canadian-born bhikkhu within the Thai Forest Tradition, bringing a rich blend of deep contemplative experience and unique scholarly insight to the Sangha. Before entering monastic life, he had a distinguished academic career as a university lecturer in comparative religion in Calgary, Alberta—a field that perfectly reflected his lifelong inclination toward understanding the diverse spiritual paths of humanity. Having spent over two decades in the robes across Canada, the United States, and Thailand, Ajahn Pavaro beautifully bridges Eastern monastic practice with Western cultural frameworks.

Formative Training in the West

Ajahn Pavaro’s path of renunciation began in earnest after retiring from his academic career. In 2001, he embarked on his early, formative monastic training under the guidance of Ajahn Sona at Sitavana Forest Monastery (Birken Forest Monastery) in British Columbia, Canada. Immersed in the quiet isolation of the Canadian wilderness, he built a solid foundation in mindfulness and strict Vinaya discipline, leading to his full higher ordination (Upasampada) as a Bhikkhu in 2003.

As his practice matured, he spent his 7th year as a Bhikkhu at Abhayagiri Forest Monastery in Northern California. There, he trained directly under his preceptor, the highly revered elder master Luang Por Pasanno, alongside the Abhayagiri Sangha, cementing his connection to the international lineage of Ajahn Chah.

Deep Roots in Thailand

Seeking to experience the spiritual heartland of the forest tradition, Ajahn Pavaro relocated to Thailand in late 2010. The next nine years marked a monumental chapter in his monastic journey, the majority of which was spent residing with Ajahn Achalo at Anandagiri Forest Monastery in the scenic mountain province of Phetchabun.

During his near-decade in Asia, Ajahn Pavaro was deeply integrated into the wider Wat Nong Pah Pong community. He spent valuable periods of intensive practice at Wat Pah Nanachat (the International Forest Monastery) and was blessed with opportunities to receive direct, profound guidance from some of the lineage's most revered pillars, including Luang Por Liem and Tan Ajahn Anan. This extensive exposure allowed him to fully absorb the classic forest standards of endurance, simplicity, and community harmony.

Returning to Canada

In June 2020, carrying a wealth of wisdom from his time in Thailand, Ajahn Pavaro returned to his native country. He was warmly welcomed by Luang Por Viradhammo to Tisarana Buddhist Monastery in Perth, Ontario, where he now resides. Today, he serves as a valuable senior member of the Tisarana community, supporting the growth of the Dhamma in the West through his steady practice, guidance to younger monastics, and clear Dhamma talks for lay practitioners.

Luang Por Nyanadhammo

Introduction

Most Venerable Luang Por Nyanadhammo is a highly esteemed senior monk in the Thai Forest Tradition and a direct disciple of the legendary Ajahn Chah. With nearly 50 years in the robes, he is recognized for his profound mastery of the Dhamma, his skill in meditation, and his fluent command of the Thai language, which has allowed him to bridge the gap between Eastern forest wisdom and Western practitioners. He currently serves as the Abbot of Wat Ratanawan, a secluded forest monastery located at the edge of Khao Yai National Park.

From Biology to the Buddha's Path

Born in Adelaide, Australia, in 1955, Luang Por Nyanadhammo's spiritual journey began during his university years while studying biology. His scientific inquiry into the nature of life eventually led him to the Buddha’s teachings. Inspired by what he read, he traveled to Thailand in 1978 to seek a more authentic way of living.

He received his novice ordination at Wat Bowon Niwet Wiharn in Bangkok from Somdet Phra Nyanasamvara (the late Supreme Patriarch of Thailand). In 1979, at the age of 24, he received full Bhikkhu ordination from Ajahn Chah at Wat Nong Pah Pong, becoming part of the historic first generation of Westerners to train in the heart of the Northeast Thai jungles.

The Life of a Jungle Monk

Following his ordination, Luang Por spent many years as a wandering monk (Tudong). He traveled to the most remote corners of Thailand, staying in secluded caves and mountaintop monasteries to refine his meditation practice. During this period, he sought out and studied under many of the great living forest masters of the time, absorbing the "Standard" of the Forest Tradition—a lifestyle of relentless mindfulness, simplicity, and endurance.

Leadership and Service

Luang Por Nyanadhammo has held several significant leadership roles within the Ajahn Chah lineage:

• Australia (1994–2002): Served as the Deputy Abbot to Ajahn Brahm at Bodhinyana Monastery, where he was instrumental in supporting the growing Australian Sangha.

• Wat Pah Nanachat (2002–2007): He returned to Thailand to serve as the Abbot of the International Forest Monastery, guiding a diverse community of monks from all over the world.

• Wat Ratanawan (2007–Present): He was invited to lead Wat Ratanawan in Korat province. Under his guidance, the monastery has become a renowned sanctuary for serious practice, known for its strict adherence to the forest way and its deep natural silence.