:: Buddhapadipa Thai Temple

Thursday Meditation Master - P. Amarathera (Phra Rachabhavanavimol)

Venerable P. Amarathera is well known and is highly respected by a great many people internationally. He has dedicated the past twenty six years of his life perfecting his meditation skills and knowledge to gain his “Meditation Master” status. He has been active in helping many practitioners in their self development and guided them in their quest through the path of true Buddhism.

He conducts regular seminars and classes as well as run periodical intensive meditation retreats at the temple.

He has carried out his role of Abbot and as a Meditation Master, with finesse and has demonstrated great wisdom, patience and kindness to all. For years, he has introduced and encouraged people to develop knowledge and discover insight into the teachings and practices of Buddhism as well as guided them on their spiritual journey upon the Noble Eightfold Path.

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Sunday Meditation Master - Phramaha Sangthong Dhammacaro

Phramaha Sangthong Dhammacaro was born and grew up in Thailand. He became a Buddhist monk at the age of 20. Since becoming ordained as a monk, he has studied the Buddha’s teachings and has accumulated a wealth of knowledge in both its theories as well as practical practices of calmness and insight meditation. His Dhamma lectures and seminars, together with teachings of meditation started from when he was in Thailand.

In 2003, he came to the UK to join the Dhammaduta monks with a mission to convey the teachings of the Buddha to the western world. His main role within the Temple is to give Dhamma talks in both English and Thai. He has carried out this role since his arrival and continues to do so on Sundays from 13:00 -14:00 hrs, together with conducting meditation classes on Tuesday and Sunday evenings. Every Sunday he conducts sessions teaching Vipassana Meditation exclusively to beginners.

He has spent the last 20 years dutifully and compassionately carrying out such role.

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Meditation Master - Phramaha Savaddi Nanatharo

Phramaha Savaddi Nanatharo was born in Ubonrachathani, North East of Thailand.

He was ordained as a monk at the age of 20 from which he began his studies and practises of Samatha and Vipassana Meditation at various monasteries within Thailand.

He went onto reading Pali, Sanskrit and Buddhist Studies at The Mahachulalongkorn Buddhist University in Bangkok. For many years after graduation, his time and efforts has been dedicated to teaching both Pali and Buddhism to novice monks as well as teaching Vipassana Meditation to lay people.

In 2003 he came to the UK and took residence at The Buddhapadipa Temple as a Dhammaduta monk where he gives Dhamma talks in Thai, leads Sunday evening chanting and scheduled meditation classes at the temple. He continues to teach as well as lead both Novice Monks and Salacarinies during their annual retreats.

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Edna Lake - Senior Meditation teacher of the Lay Buddhist Association

Thirty years ago, when The Buddhapadipa Temple first opened, in Wimbledon, Edna Lake was one of the early visitors, drawn there by an interest in Asian Art.

This visit was to prove a turning point in her life. The beautiful Buddha Statue in the shrine room – formerly the salon of the old house – seemed to fill the room with his peaceful presence; and, kneeling before him, Edna decided that this was the place to be, and here she would come and learn as much as possible about Buddhism.

So began a lifelong interest in meditation and Buddhist teaching. She joined the Lay Buddhist Association (as its seventh member) later becoming, first secretary, then chairman and finally Hon. President. The visitors to the temple increased in number. And, for several years Edna taught meditation, to beginners, and Abhidhamma – Buddhist philosophy and psychology – to more advanced students. At the request of Ven. Amarathera – now the Abbot – she wrote “Towards Enlightenment” a book for meditators, and “Becoming and ceasing” which deals with the law of cause and effort, which is so important in the teaching. At present she is working on a study of Buddhist philosophy.

For the first few years she helped organize, and attended, all the residential retreats at The Buddhapadipa Temple, but now that old age has taken its toll she only practises at home and at the monthly day retreats.

She still reads Abhidhamma with pleasure and profit, and is greatly helped and encouraged by those excellent monks at the temple as well as by the Abbot who has always been a strong support and a “good friend in the dhamma.”

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Andy Brown - Saturday Meditation teacher, Secretary and Acting Chairman of the Laybuddhist Association

First encounter with Buddhist Meditation was during a stay at The Burmese Vihar in Bodhgaya, India in 1978.

On moving to London in the late 1980's studied Abhidhamma and Vipassana Meditation with Mrs Edna Lake and Mr Roy Brabant-Smith. Subsequently invited to study the Vipassana Bhumi and join the training course for Vipassana Meditation Teachers with Venerable P. Amara Thera at the Buddhapadipa Temple

Began teaching and organising the thrice yearly residential meditation retreats at The Buddhapadipa Temple in 1994.

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Tuesday Meditation teacher - Chulan Sampath

Chalun has practised Vipassana meditation at The Buddhapadipa Temple for more than twelve years under the guidance of Venerable Dr. Amara Thera, the meditation master of the Temple. He has done about seventeen residential meditation retreats. Before coming to London he has learnt Samatha and Vipassana meditation from the late Venerable Ayya Khema. He has also practiced at the Gautama Thapo Vanaya meditation centre; both centers were in Sri Lanka.