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A
Felicitation Ceremony for Luang Por
Sumedho the Head of Amaravati Buddhist
Monastery in Hemelhempstead was held at
the London Buddhist Vihara. After 40
consecutive years being in charge at the
most popular and busy Buddhist Monastery
close to London, Ven. Sumedho is
stepping down this summer as Abbot of
Amravati. He is being replaced by Ajahn
Amaro from Abhayagiri Vihara in
California.
Felicitation Ceremony was organized by
the London Buddhist Vihara coordinating
committee at the request of Ven. Bogoda
Seelavimala Nayaka thera. Many Buddhist
priests and nuns from different temples
in London and a large number of lay
devotees attended the evening ceremony
to pay respect and offer good wishes to
the popular Head monk at Amaravati.
Luang Por
Sumedho was born in Seattle, Washington
in 1934. After serving four years in the
US Navy as a medic, he completed a BA in
Far Eastern Studies and a MA in South
Asian Studies. In 1966, he went to
Thailand to practice meditation at Wat
Mahathat in Bangkok. Not long
afterwards, he went forth as a novice
monk in a remote part of the country,
Nong Khai, before receiving full
ordination in 1967. A year of solitary
practice followed. Although fruitful, it
showed him the need for a teacher who
could more actively guide him. A
fortuitous encounter with a visiting
monk led him to Ubon province to
practice
with Luang Por Chah. He took dependence
from Luang Por Chah and remained under
his close guidance for ten years.
In 1975,
Luang Por Sumedho, established Wat Pah
Nanachat, International Forest Monastery
where Westerners could be trained in
English.
In 1977, he accompanied Luang Por Chah
to England and took up residence at the
Hampstead Vihara, with three other
monks.
Luang Por
Sumedho was made an Upachaya, in 1981.
Since then he has given upasampada (Bhikkhu
precepts) to more than a hundred
aspirants of many nationalities. Luang
Por Sumedho was integral in establishing
the Forest Sangha tradition in the
United Kingdom. He was central in
establishing Amaravati Buddhist
Monastery and Chithurst Buddhist
Monastery. |
