LUANG POR SUMEDHO

Luang Por Sumedho is the senior Western representative of the 
Thai forest tradition of Theravada Buddhism. He was abbot of 
Amaravati Buddhist Monastery, UK, from its consecration in 1984 
until his retirement in 2010. 
 
A bhikkhu since 1967, Luang Por is considered a seminal figure in 
the transmission of the Buddha's teachings to the West. He spent 
ten years at Wat Nong Pah Pong, studying under Ajahn Chah. 
In 1975 he helped to establish and became the first abbot of the 
International Monastery, Wat Pah Nanachat in northeast Thailand 
founded by Ajahn Chah for training non-Thai students. 

In 1977, Ajahn Sumedho accompanied Ajahn Chah on a visit to 
England. Encouraged by Ajahn Chah to remain in England for the 
purpose of establishing a branch monastery in the UK, he sub-
sequently established Cittaviveka Forest Monastery in southern 
England, and then Amaravati. He was thus the leader in establishing 
the Forest Sangha tradition in the UK. 

Luang Por Sumedho was made an upajjhāya (ordination preceptor) 
in 1981. Since then he has given upasampadā (bhikkhu ordination) 
to more than a hundred aspirants of many nationalities. He remained 
as senior incumbent at Amaravati until November 2010, when he 
handed over the duties of Abbot to Ajahn Amaro. Luang Por is now 
based in Thailand where his monastic life began in 1966.

We feel deeply grateful to Luang Por for including Dhammagiri in 
his travels in  April/May 2016