Amaravati Media – Dhamma Books and Articles

Kalyana – Dhamma talks from Ajahn Sucitto

Ajahn Sucitto (2002)

This book arose out of an interest that I had to celebrate my fiftieth birthday by expressing my gratitude to the many people who have made it possible for me to live the Holy Life, and in some way honour the many gifts of Dhamma that the Buddha and my own teachers have bestowed upon me. For me, the significance of the fiftieth year is that during this year (1999) I will have spent twenty-five Rains Retreats as a bhikkhu; approximately half my life will than have been spent in the training. As I was ruminating in this, it coincidentally happened that Richard Allen, a supporter and close associate of the monastery, was also entering his fiftieth year and due to celebrate his twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. So out of such a coincidence, and as a very fitting way to acknowledge both the mutuality of our interest in Dhamma and the symbiosis of lay and monastic commitment that upholds the Holy Life, this collection arose. As is often the way with work involv- ing Dhamma, once the project got started, other people came forward to offer further donations and also the acts of service that would put the talks into the form of a printed work. This catalytic spontaneous process is something that still after many years has the flavour of a miracle, or more accurately, the ‘lovely’ (kalyana) taste of the Dhamma that this book commemorates.

Ajahn Sucitto

Luang Por Sucitto was the abbot of Cittaviveka – Chithurst Buddhist Monastery from 1992 until 2014. He was born in London and went forth as a bhikkhu in Thailand in March 1976.... Leia mais

Luang Por Sucitto was the abbot of Cittaviveka – Chithurst Buddhist Monastery from 1992 until 2014. He was born in London and went forth as a bhikkhu in Thailand in March 1976. Luang Por Sucitto returned to Britain in 1978 and took up training under Luang Por Sumedho at the Hampstead Buddhist Vihara. In 1979 he was one of the small group of monks, led by Luang Por Sumedho, who established Cittaviveka – Chithurst Buddhist Monastery.

In 1981 he was sent up to Northumberland to set up a small monastery in Harnham, which subsequently became Aruna Ratanagiri Monastery. In 1984 he accompanied Luang Por Sumedho in establishing Amaravati Buddhist Monastery in Hertfordshire. In 1992 he was appointed abbot of Cittaviveka. On October 26, 2014, he resigned the post, but has continued teaching as before.

Luang Por Sucitto's main work has been in teaching, editing and writing, although he was also largely responsible for the creation of the protocols and standards that flesh out the Ten Precept training of the Sīladharā (nuns) Order.