Bhante Sujato left a career as a musician to become a Buddhist monk in 1994. He took higher ordination in Thailand and lived there in forest monasteries and remote hermitages. He spent several years at Bodhinyana Monastery in Western Australia before founding Santi Forest Monastery in New South Wales in 2003. Following Bhante Sujato’s wishes, Santi became a nun’s monastery in 2012, and he returned to live in Bodhinyana. 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.
Meditation on letting go guided by Bhante Akāliko. Dhamma talk by Bhante Sujato about sisters: Mahāpajāpati and Māyā – the Buddha's mother and aunt/stepmother. Bhaddā as the first nun.
Mettā meditation led by Bhante Sujato. The difference between therapy and the spiritual path. Dhamma talk by Bhante Sujato on creativity versus papañca. Question on the experience of movement and stillness in meditation.
Breath meditation led by Bhante Sujato: developing qualities of softness, gentleness. Q+A: how to stay focused. About sadness. Talking about deep experiences. Nibbānadhātu. History of decline of Buddhism in India. Love and impermanence. Upanishads and suttas. Deductive and inductive logic.
Meditation on generosity, guided by Bhante Akāliko. Dhamma talk by Bhante Sujato on his translation of the Sutta Nipata. Story of Bāvari from the Pārāyanavagga (Snp 5): The Way to the Beyond.
Bhante Sujato on meditation – "citta bhāvanā" – leading towards independence, responsibility, wisdom – "khema", safety, a sanctuary. Breath meditation guided by Bhante Sujato. Bhante Akāliko on how to deal with those parts of us we don't like. Q+A: two different meanings of 'paṭigha'. Vipassana. Pain in meditation. Awareness conditioned by hindrances, or their absence. Puthujjana.
Breath meditation guided by Bhante Akāliko. Upakkilesa Sutta: how to hold a bird. Dhamma talk by Bhante Sujato on the meaning of the Pali chanting at the beginning of each Friday session.
