Sujatha, Bhante
Sujatha was born in Kandy, Sri Lanka in 1967 and is the youngest of two children. Even as a child, he knew that he wanted to be a Buddhist monk. At age 11, his parents gave their permission for him to enter the monastery. Sujatha was trained under the school’s ordination teacher, the Venerable Dhamawasa Thero and Venerable Muditha Thero.
He is currently the abbot of The Blue Lotus Buddhist Temple, in Chicago, Illinois. He teaches Theravada Buddhist meditation in Illinois, Wisconsin, and in the Las Vegas, Nevada area.
Sujatha came to the United States in 1997, and lived in Michigan for four years before settling in he current residence in Crystal Lake, Illinois. Before he came to the US (and after he left Sri Lanka) he lived and taught in Australia for four years as well. He is currently studying Psychology in order to better understand American culture and broaden his understanding of the human mind. He hopes to help blend traditional Buddhist teachings with American culture. His approach to teaching is easy-going, ensuring that beginners can easily understand how to properly practice meditation and understand Buddhist teachings.
He frequently travels to Las Vegas, Nevada and other areas to lead retreats and introduction to meditation programs at various facilities, including the Vipassana Foundation.
External links
- http://www.bluelotustemple.org/ The temple in Chicago
- http://meditation.meetup.com/639/ Blue Lotus meditation group, Las Vegas