| Ajahn Munindo | |
|---|---|
Seated (right) with Ajahn Liem, current abbot of Wat Nong Pah Pong |
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| School | Theravada |
| Personal | |
| Nationality | British/NZ |
| Born | 16 September 1951 Te Awamutu, New Zealand |
| Senior posting | |
| Title | Ajahn |
| Religious career | |
| Website | Aruna Ratanagiri Buddhist Monastery, where Ajahn Munindo is currently abbot |
Ajahn Munindo (born Keith Morgan, 1951, Te Awamutu, New Zealand) is a Theravada Buddhist monk and teacher in the Thai Forest Tradition of Ajahn Chah. He is the abbot of Aruna Ratanagiri. Ajahn Munindo has been a monk since 1974.
Contents |
Ajahn Munindo first encountered Buddhism at the age of 19 years. It made a significant impact on him and while visiting Australia in 1972, he attended a meditation retreat in Nimbin led by Ajahn Khantipalo.
After a period living in an alternative community (Narada) at Mullumbimby he left Australia in 1973 with the intention of traveling to Japan. He taught English for a while in Bangkok and there met some Western monks from Wat Bovoronives, where he eventually requested initial ordination as a samanera in 1974. He later received upasampada there from Phra Somdet Ñānasamvara in May 1975, and spent his first Vassa with Ajahn Tate at Wat Hin Mark Peng, on the Laotian border.
After a period in a Bangkok hospital with serious health problems, he met Ajahn Sumedho, and went to Wat Pah Nanachat, which had begun a few months earlier. He was re-ordained at Wat Nong Pah Pong by Ajahn Chah in 1975, with the name Uppanno Bhikkhu.
Partly because of ill-health he returned to New Zealand for six months in 1979. During his time there, interest grew in having monks living locally on a more permanent basis.
In 1980 with Ajahn Chah’s blessing he traveled to England to join the fledgling community at Chithurst; three years later, he was given the responsibility of establishing a vihara in Devon, in the southwest of England. In 1987 he returned for another two years at Chithurst Monastery before moving in 1991 to Harnham - Aruna Ratanagiri Monastery in Northumberland where he is presently abbot. During those two years, Ajahn Sumedho gave him the new name Munindo Bhikkhu.
There is a book of collected talks by Ajahn Munindo: "Unexpected Freedom", as well as a new rendering of the Dhammapada, titled "A Dhammapada for Contemplation" along with "Dhammapada Reflections" which is Dhammapada verses plus comment. These books are available for free distribution from Aruna Publications.
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