Bhante Sujato
Australia·Early Buddhist movement·Male·21st century
Bhante Sujato, born Anthony Best, is an Australian Buddhist monk and scholar associated with the Early Buddhist movement and Engaged Buddhism. Formerly a musician, he transitioned to monastic life, founding Santi Forest Monastery and co-founding the Suttacentral website. He is known for his extensive translations of early Buddhist texts and his advocacy for the re-establishment of the bhikkhuni (nun's) order.
Key Facts
- ›Bhante Sujato was formerly a musician in the Australian band Martha's Vineyard.
- ›He co-founded the Buddhist website Suttacentral, dedicated to providing access to Early Buddhist texts.
- ›He undertook the task of creating English translations of the four Nikāyas, published on Suttacentral.
- ›He founded Santi Forest Monastery, which became a bhikkhuni (nun's) vihara in 2012.
- ›He advocates for Engaged Buddhism and identifies with an anarchist-pacifist ideology, believing it compatible with Buddhist teachings.
- ›He was involved in the re-establishment of Bhikkhuni ordination within the Forest Sangha of Ajahn Chah.
Important Relationships
- Ajahn Brahm
- Rod Bucknell
- John Kelly
- Bhante Akaliko
- A History of Mindfulness
- A Swift Pair of Messengers: Calm With Insight In the Buddha's Words
- Sects & Sectarianism: the Origins of Buddhist Schools
- Bhikkhuni Vinaya Studies: Research and Reflections On Monastic Discipline For Buddhist Nuns
- White Bones Red Rot Black Snakes
- the Authenticity of the Early Buddhist Texts
Bodhinyana Monastery, Santi Forest Monastery, Chimei, Lokanta Vihara
Ajahn Chah, the Buddha
English
Bhikkhu, Bhikkhuni
About Bhante Sujato
Bhante Sujato, born Anthony Best, is an Australian Buddhist monk and scholar currently associated with the Early Buddhist movement. Prior to his ordination, he was a musician in the Australian band Martha's Vineyard, which toured internationally before disbanding in 1990.
Life and Monastic Work
Bhante Sujato spent time at Bodhinyana Monastery in Western Australia before founding Santi Forest Monastery in 2003, serving as its abbot. Following his wishes, Santi transitioned into a bhikkhuni (Buddhist nun) vihara in 2012, after which he returned to Bodhinyana Monastery.
In 2005, Sujato co-founded SuttaCentral, a website dedicated to providing access to Early Buddhist texts in their original languages and making translations available in modern tongues. Driven by the need for copyright-free English translations of the Pali Canon, he lived on the island of Chimei, Taiwan, from 2015 to 2018, translating the four Nikāyas. These translations are now available on SuttaCentral and as free books.
More recently, in 2019, Sujato moved to Sydney to establish Lokanta Vihara (the Monastery at the End of the World) with his student Bhante Akaliko. This initiative explores the application of Buddhist teachings in the face of contemporary issues such as climate change, global consumerism, and political instability. He is also an advocate for Engaged Buddhism.
Bhikkhuni Ordination and Engaged Buddhism
Bhante Sujato, alongside his teacher Ajahn Brahm, played a role in the re-establishment of bhikkhuni ordination within the Forest Sangha tradition of Ajahn Chah. They concluded that there were no valid grounds to prevent the revival of the bhikkhuni order. While this led to Brahm's expulsion from the Thai Forest Lineage, Sujato remained steadfast in his convictions. He successfully founded Santi Forest Monastery, which has since thrived as a bhikkhuni monastery. Sujato has also expressed his anarchist ideology, aligning himself with anarcho-pacifism and asserting its compatibility with Buddhist principles and monastic life, even suggesting that the Buddha himself embodied anarchist ideals.
Notable Works
Bhante Sujato has authored several notable works, including "A History of Mindfulness," "Sects & Sectarianism: The Origins of Buddhist Schools," and "Bhikkhuni Vinaya Studies: Research and Reflections on Monastic Discipline for Buddhist Nuns." He also co-authored "The Authenticity of the Early Buddhist Texts" with Bhikkhu Brahmali.
Source: Wikipedia ↗
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Bhante Sujato?
Bhante Sujato, born Anthony Best, is an Australian Buddhist monk and scholar. He is known for his work with the Early Buddhist movement, his translations of Buddhist texts, and his advocacy for Engaged Buddhism.
What was Bhante Sujato known for before becoming a monk?
Before his monastic life, Bhante Sujato was a musician in the Australian post-punk alternative rock band Martha's Vineyard. The band toured with notable artists before disbanding in 1990.
What is SuttaCentral?
SuttaCentral is a Buddhist website co-founded by Bhante Sujato, Rod Bucknell, and John Kelly. Its purpose is to provide access to Early Buddhist texts in their original languages and offer translations in modern languages.
What is Bhante Sujato's stance on bhikkhuni ordination?
Bhante Sujato, along with his teacher Ajahn Brahm, was involved in re-establishing bhikkhuni ordination. He concluded there was no valid reason for the extinct bhikkhuni order not to be revived and founded Santi Forest Monastery, which has since flourished as a bhikkhuni monastery.
What is Bhante Sujato's philosophical alignment?
Bhante Sujato identifies with an anarchist-pacifist ideology, which he explains as being compatible with the Buddha's teachings and monastic discipline. He has expressed the belief that the Buddha himself was also an anarchist.
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