We are delighted to invite you to a hybrid event featuring Bhikkhus Sujato and Brahmali. They will discuss the transformative power of Buddhist education and its profound impact on personal and community growth. Join us for this enlightening session, either in person or online, and discover how Buddhist teachings can enrich and elevate our lives.

Teacher profile

Bhante Sujato is an Australian Theravada Buddhist monk ordained in Thailand in 1994. He played in a rock band called Martha’s Vineyard for many years before joining an intensive Buddhist retreat in Thailand, which introduced him to the Buddha’s teachings. Besides spending 3 years in the Bodhinyana monastery with Ajahn Brahm, he lived for several years in remote hermitages and caves in Thailand and Malaysia.

Bhante Sujato has taught the Dhamma and meditation to audiences in Australia and internationally, including in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, the USA, Germany, Norway, India, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Sri Lanka, and has spoken at several major international Buddhist conferences and events.

Bhante Sujato is well known for his articulate support for the fully ordained Bhikkhuni lineage. A special field of interest is the role of women in Buddhism, particularly the revival of the Bhikkhuni order within the Theravada tradition. As well as being a meditator and teacher, Bhante Sujato is a scholar of early Buddhism, with several books and essays of original and groundbreaking research.

Bhante helped to establish the Santi Forest Monastery in Bundanoon, where he was abbot for many years. He contributes to Buddhism in Australia through a variety of forums, including the Australian Sangha Association, Federation of Australian Buddhist Councils, Australia Partnership of Religious Organisations, Australian Association of Buddhist Councillors and Psychotherapists, Australian Association of Buddhist Studies, and Australian Religious Response to Climate Change.

Bhante Sujato is also the founder of SuttaCentral.net.

Teacher profile

Ajahn Brahmali was born in Norway in 1964. He first became interested in Buddhism and meditation in his early 20s after a visit to Japan. Having completed degrees in engineering and finance, he began his monastic training as an anagarika (keeping the eight precepts) in England at Amaravati and Chithurst Buddhist Monastery.

After hearing teachings from Ajahn Brahm he decided to travel to Australia to train at Bodhinyana Monastery. Ajahn Brahmali has lived at Bodhinyana Monastery since 1994, and was ordained as a Bhikkhu, with Ajahn Brahm as his preceptor, in 1996. In 2015 he entered his 20th Rains Retreat as a fully ordained monastic and received the title Maha Thera (Great Elder).

Ajahn Brahmali’s knowledge of the Pali language and of the Suttas is excellent. Bhikkhu Bodhi who translated most of the Pali Canon into English for Wisdom Publications called him one of his major helpers for the recent translation of the “Numerical Discourse of the Buddha”. He has also published two essays on Dependent Origination and a book called “The Authenticity of the Early Buddhist Texts” with the Buddhist Publication Society in collaboration with Bhante Sujato.

The monastics of the Buddhist Society of WA (BSWA) often turn to him to clarify Vinaya (monastic discipline) or Sutta questions. They also greatly appreciate his Sutta and Pali classes. Furthermore he has been instrumental in most of the building and maintenance projects at Bodhinyana Monastery and at the emerging Hermit Hill property in Serpentine.

Apart from the regular talks at Dhammaloka Centre in Perth Ajahn Brahmali and Ajahn Sujato have also led two ongoing courses on Early Buddhism and Kamma and Rebirth in 2014 and 2015.

Ajahn Brahmali’s clear and thoughtful talks make the teachings of the Buddha easily accessible to all. As his teachings and Sutta Retreats in Australia were getting more and more popular over the years and as the word about him spread, he started to travel to Singapore, Indonesia and Sri Lanka recently to share his knowledge and experience.

All Sessions are by Donation (Dana) to the Buddhist Library. All donations to the Buddhist Library of $2 and over are tax deductible.

Dana is the traditional practice of generosity, the extending of one’s goodwill, which is fundamental to Buddhism and other spiritual traditions. The dana you give is shared equally with the teacher and the Buddhist Library. This helps to maintain the Library and supports the teacher so that they may offer more teachings on the Dhamma in the future. It is up to each person to determine the amount of dana they’d like to offer. We understand that this is a difficult time financially for many, and people will give what they can. An appropriate dana can’t be prescribed but requires sensitivity to its intent and to the individual’s own situation, as well as awareness of the cost of organising events and supporting teachers who spread the Dhamma.