Bhante Sujato

Bhante Sujato, known as Ajahn Sujato or Bhikkhu Sujato (born Anthony Best[1]), is an Australian Theravada Buddhist monk who was ordained into in the Thai forest lineage of Ajahn Chah.[2]

Bhante Sujato
Personal
Born
Anthony Best

November 4, 1966
Perth, Western Australia
ReligionBuddhism
NationalityAustralian
SchoolTheravada
OccupationBhikkhu (monk)
Senior posting
TeacherAjahn Brahm[1]
Based inSydney
Websitelokanta.github.io
Thai Forest Tradition
Bhikkhus

Dhammayuttika Nikāya

Ajahn Sao Kantasīlo (1861–1941)
Ajahn Mun Bhūridatta (1870–1949)
Ajahn Waen Suciṇṇo (1887–1985)
Ajahn Thate Desaransi (1902–1994)
Ajahn Lee Dhammadaro (1907–1961)
Ajahn Maha Bua (1913–2011)
Ajahn Fuang Jotiko (1915–1986)
Ajahn Suwat Suvaco (1919–2002)
Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu (1949–)

Mahā Nikāya

Ajahn Chah (1918–1992)
Ajahn Sumedho (1934–)
Ajahn Khemadhammo (1944–)
Ajahn Viradhammo (1947–)
Ajahn Pasanno (1949–)
Ajahn Sucitto (1949–)
Ajahn Brahm (1951–)
Ajahn Amaro (1956–)
Ajahn Jayasaro (1958–)
Ajahn Sujato (1966–)
Sīladhārās
Ajahn Sundara (1946–)
Ajahn Candasiri (1947–)
Complete List
Related Articles

A former musician[3] with the Australian band Martha's Vineyard,[4] Sujato became a monk in 1994.[3] He took higher ordination in Thailand and lived there for years before returning to Australia.[3] He spent several years at Bodhinyana Monastery in Western Australia before going on to found Santi Forest Monastery in 2003 where he served as the abbot. Following Bhante Sujato's wishes, Santi became a nun's monastery in 2012, and he returned to live in Bodhinyana.[5]

In 2005, Bhante Sujato co-founded the Buddhist website SuttaCentral[2] along with Rod Bucknell and John Kelly, to provide access to early Buddhist texts in their original language and make translations available in modern languages.[6] After being unable to secure copyright-free digital translations of the Pali Canon for SuttaCentral, Bhante Sujato moved to the island of Chimei, off the coast of Taiwan,[1][5] to undertake the task of creating English translations of the four Nikāyas, living there from 2015 to 2018. These translations have since been published on SuttaCentral, and as free edition books.[7]

In 2019, Bhante Sujato moved to Sydney to establish Lokanta Vihara (the Monastery at the End of the World) with his long term student, Bhante Akaliko, to explore what it means to follow the Buddha’s teachings in an era of climate change, globalised consumerism, and political turmoil.[8] He is also involved with Engaged Buddhism.[1]

Bhante Sujato along with his teacher Ajahn Brahm were involved with Re-establishing Bhikkhuni Ordination in the Forest sangha of Ajahn Chah.[9] Sujato along with other scholars such as Brahm and Bhikkhu Analayo[10] had come to the conclusion that there was no valid reason the extinct bhikkhuni order couldn't be re-established.[1][11] The ordination ceremony led to Brahm's expulsion from the Thai Forest Lineage of Ajahn Chah.[9]

Bibliography
  • Sujato, Bhante (2012), A History of Mindfulness (PDF), Santipada, ISBN 9781921842108
  • Sujato, Bhante (2012), A Swift Pair of Messengers: Calm with Insight in the Buddha’s Words, Santipada, ISBN 9781921842023
  • Sujato, Bhante (2012), Sects & Sectarianism: The Origins of Buddhist Schools, Santipada, ISBN 9781921842085
  • Sujato, Bhante (2012), Bhikkhuni Vinaya Studies: Research and Reflections on Monastic Discipline for Buddhist Nuns, Santipada, ISBN 9781921842146
  • Sujato, Bhante (2012), White Bones Red Rot Black Snakes (PDF), Santipada, ISBN 9781921842030
  • Sujato, Bhante; Brahmali, Bhikkhu (2015), The Authenticity of the Early Buddhist Texts (PDF), Chroniker Press, ISBN 9781312911505

References
  1. Lam, Raymond (December 9, 2016). "An Afternoon with Ajahn Sujato: Personal Courage and Restoring the Sangha's Moral Purpose". Buddhistdoor Global. Retrieved September 7, 2019.
  2. "'Buddha's words a gift to humanity'". Daily News. March 20, 2019. Retrieved September 7, 2019.
  3. "A Meeting with Bhante Ajahn Sujato from Australia". University of Sri Jayewardenepura. May 30, 2018. Retrieved September 7, 2019.
  4. "Bhante Sujato". Buddhachannel. November 9, 2009. Retrieved September 8, 2019.
  5. "Bhante Sujato". Buddhist Society of Western Australia. Retrieved September 7, 2019.
  6. "About SuttaCentral". SuttaCentral. Retrieved September 7, 2019.
  7. "Bhante Sujato: "Translating a 2500 year-old Sacred Text for a Modern Audience"". Ho Center for Buddhist Studies. October 29, 2019. Retrieved September 7, 2019.
  8. "'About Us'". Lokanta Vihara. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
  9. Thanissara; Cintamani; Jitindriya (August 25, 2010). "The Time Has Come". Lion's Roar. Retrieved September 8, 2019.
  10. Analayo, Bhikkhu (2013). "The Revival of the Bhikkhunī Order and the Decline of the Sāsana" (PDF). The Journal of Buddhist Ethics. 20. ISSN 1076-9005.
  11. Sujato, Ajahn. "Bhikkhuni Ordination". Buddhist Society of Western Australia. Retrieved September 8, 2019.
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