Ajahn was ordained as a Buddhist monk in 1990 in the lineage of Venerable Ajahn Chah of the Thai Forest Tradition. Born in 1962 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.A., his interest in the teachings of the Buddha grew as he studied towards a BA degree in Religious Studies from Carleton College (1984). Following graduation, he began applying himself to training in meditation and subsequently went to Asia to find a monastery suitable for fully devoting himself to the Dhamma.
After practicing intensive meditation in various monasteries in Thailand and traveling extensively in Tibet, Nepal and India, he eventually settled at Wat Pah Nanachat, The International Forest Monastery, in the North-east of Thailand. Ajahn Chah established this branch monastery specifically for his English-speaking disciples. For the first five years after his full ordination as a bhikkhu, Ajahn Chandako was based at Wat Pah Nanachat.
Ajahn Chandako is the abbot of Vimutti Buddhist Monastery near Auckland, New Zealand and the Redwood Hermitage in Boulder Creek, CA. His interest in the teachings of the Buddha grew as he studied towards a B.A. degree in religious studies at Carleton College in the US. Wishing to devote his life fully to the teachings of the Buddha, in 1990 he ordained as a monk in the Thai Forest Tradition, in the lineage of Venerable Ajahn Chah. Ajahn Chandako then spent 15 years training with forest meditation masters throughout Thailand before establishing Vimutti Monastery in 2004. Ajahn is the author of numerous books and articles and regularly teaches in the United States and Asia.
Ajahn Chandako, an Amaravati monastic who is the abbot of Vimutti Buddhist Monastery in New Zealand. Ajahn, who is US born, has been a monk for 25 years and brings a deep, clear, playful attitude toward practice. Join us for a rich evening of dharma.
Introduced by James Baraz. The Ven. Ajahn Chandako, an American born monk ordained in 1990 in the Ajahn Chah Thai Forest tradition joined us for the evening. He is the abbot of Vimutti Monastery in New Zealand. The website is: http://vimutti.org.nz/vimutti/
