Monasteries Worldwide
in the Lineage of
Ajahn Chah / Wat Nong Pah Pong
Founded by Ven. Ajahn Chah Subhaddo (Phra Bodhinyana Thera, 17/06/1918 - 16/01/1992), the abbot of Wat Nong Pah Pong, this lineage is part of the wider Thai Theravada Forest Tradition.
One outstanding feature is its international presence: In addition to several hundred monasteries in Thailand, it comprises more than 30 monasteries located in Western countries, including the EU, UK & USA. The oldest of these overseas branches have ordained and trained monks and nuns for more than 40 years.
Though operating in modern, non-Buddhist Western environment, the tradition aims to faithfully maintain the original teachings and discipline laid down by the Buddha himself, as preserved in the Theravada Pali canon, and in the lifestyle of the Forest Meditation Masters.
Dhamma talks in the Thai Forest Tradition are typically given 'straight from the heart', without prior preperation or notes.
AUSTRALIA
Buddha Bodhivana Monastery
A large monastery located in East Warburton, about one and a half hours from Melbourne.
Abbot: Ajahn Kalyano
www.buddhabodhivana.org
Wat Buddha Dhamma
A remote monastery located in Dharug National Park, New South Wales, outside of Sydney.
Abbot: Ajahn Khemavaro
www.wbd.org.au
Dhammagiri Forest Hermitage
A quiet monastery located adjacent to a National Park in the hills on the outskirts of Brisbane.
Abbot: Ajahn Dhammasiha
www.dhammagiri.net
Vimokkharam Forest Hermitage
A small hermitage in the Dandenong Ranges of Melbourne.
Abbot: Ajahn Hasapañño
www.vimokkharam.org
Bodhisaddha Forest Monastery
A branch of Wat Marp Jan, Ajahn Anan, about
an hour outside of Sydney.
Abbot: Ajahn Varadhammo
www.bodhisaddha.org
Bodhipāla Monastery
Located one hour east of Adelaide.
Direct branch of Buddha Bodhivana Nonastery, Warburton (see above)
Abbot: Ajahn Nyanadipo
www.bodhipalamonastery.org
Nigrodharama Forest Monastery
An emerging monastery in rural Victoria, 100 km north of Melbourne near Seymour.
Direct branch of Wat Boonyawad, Ajahn Dtun.
Abbot: Ajahn Sudhammo
https://www.nigrodharamaforestmonastery.org/
BRAZIL
Suddhavari Buddhist Monastery
Another emerging monastery, located near the small hill city of São Lourenço, Minas Gerais State, Brazil.
Abbot: Ajahn Mudito
www.suddhavari.org
CANADA
Tisarana Buddhist Monastery
Located near Perth, Ontario
Abbot: Ajahn Viradhammo.
www.tisarana.ca
Arrow River Forest Hermitage
A small hermitage in Thunder Bay, Ontario.
Abbot: Ajahn Punnadhammo.
https://www.arrowriver.ca
Sitavana (Birken Forest Monastery)
A monastery and retreat center in remote British Columbia. Focussed more on lay retreats than monks' training. Well attended regular live streams on youtube..
Abbot: Ajahn Sona.
www.birken.ca
GERMANY
Muttodaya Waldkloster
A forest monastery not far from Nuremberg in Germany, with websites in German, English and Thai.
Abbot: Ajahn Cattamalo.
www.muttodaya.org
INDIA
Sangharama
Near Rampur Gaindavillage, district Yamunanagar, Haryana.
Supported by the Aranya Vihara Trust, which has a meditation center in New Delhi, Dwarka, near Sector 11 Metro Station.
https://aranyavihara.in/
https://aranyavihara.in/blog/
ITALY
Santacittarama Monastero
Located near Rome in Italy.
Three main languages:
Italian, Thai, and English.
Abbot: Ajahn Chandapalo.
www.santacittarama.org
NEW ZEALAND
Bodhinyanarama
Established by Ajahn Sumedho already in the mid-eighties, near Wellington.
Abbot: Ajahn Nandiyo
www.bodhinyanarama.net.nz
Vimutti Buddhist Monastery
Located outside of Auckland.
https://atba.nz/
NORWAY
Lokuttara Vihara (Skiptvet
Buddhist Monastery)
A recently established forest monastery in Norway, not far from Oslo.
Abbot: Ajahn Kongrit.
www.lokuttara.net
Vingrom Buddhistkloster
A newly emerging monastery near Lillehammer, closely associated with Ajahn Anan of Wat Marp Jan.
Abbot Ajahn Ajito.
https://www.buddhistkloster.no
PORTUGAL
Sumedharama
Located near Lisbon, Portugal.
Abbot: Ajahn Vajiro
www.sumedharama.pt
SPAIN
Panyagiri
A newly emerging monastery at Aiguafreda, near Barcelona.
https://panyagiri.org/
SWITZERLAND
Dhammapala Kloster
Located in Kandersteg, Switzerland, surrounded by towering mountains.
Abbot: Ajahn Abhinando.
www.dhammapala.ch
UNITED KINGDOM
Amaravati Buddhist Monastery
The largest Western monastery in our tradition, near London, with communities of monks and nuns, and a retreat center.
Founded by Ajahn Sumedho.
Abbot: Ajahn Amaro.
www.amaravati.org
Cittaviveka
(Chithurst Buddhist Monastery)
The first Ajahn Chah forest monastery outside of Thailand.
Founded by Ajahn Chah and Ajahn Sumedho, with communities of monks and nuns.
Abbot: Ajahn Ahimsako.
www.cittaviveka.org
Aruna Ratanagiri
(Harnham Buddhist Monastery)
A monastery established already in the 1980s, in Northumberland, near
the Scottish border.
Abbot: Ajahn Munindo.
www.ratanagiri.org.uk
Hartridge Buddhist Monastery
A small monastery in the Devon countryside.
Abbot: Ajahn Jutindharo.
www.hartridgemonastery.org
The Forest Hermitage
(Wat Pah Santidhamma)
A hermitage already established in
the 1980s, in Warwickshire, England.
Abbot: Ajahn Khemadhammo.
www.foresthermitage.org.uk
Milntuim Hermitage
In Perthshire, Scotland, is a place where nuns can live in a female community or on solitary retreat.
Abbess: Ajahn Candasiri.
USA
Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery
A large training monastery in
California near San Francisco, the
first to be established in North
America.
Abbot: Ajahn Nyaniko
Founding Abbot: Ajahn Pasanno.
www.abhayagiri.org
Pacific Hermitage
A branch of Abhayagiri in the Pacific
Northwest.
Abbot: Ajahn Sudanto.
www.pacifichermitage.org
Three Jewels
Another small branch of Abhayagiri, only some 40 km away, on the Pacific coast near Fort Bragg.
https://www.abhayagiri.org/community/Three-Jewels
Temple Forest Monastery (Jetavana)
Near Temple, New Hampshire, not far from Boston.
Co-Abbots: Ajahn Jayanto, Ajahn Anando.
www.forestmonastery.org
NB: The above are links to Western Buddhist monasteries that consider themselves as part of the tradition of Ajahn Chah, as far as we are aware of.
The list has no claim to completeness, there may be other monasteries that are simply unknown to us.
THAILAND
There are hundreds of branch monasteries of the Ajahn Chah Tradition/Wat Nong Pah Pong in Thailand. The following is only a selection of those with long established practice of Western monks staying and training there.
Wat Nong Pah Pong
This is the main monastery for the Ajahn Chah community, the original monastery established by Ajahn Chah himself, near Ubon Rajathani.
The website is in Thai only..
Abbot: Ajahn Liem
www.watnongpahpong.org
Wat Pah Nanachat
Wat Pah Nanachat ("The International Forest Monastery") was established on Ajahn Chah's personal initiative. He asked Ajahn Sumedho to be the first abbot.
Located a few miles from Wat Pah Pong, it is the
main monastery in Thailand for Western monks
in the Ajahn Chah community.
The abbot, Ajahn Kevali, was born and raised in Germany; native German and excellent English & Thai.
www.watpahnanachat.org
Wat Marp Jan
A large monastery in Rayong Province, which also accepts Westerners who wish to ordain as monks.
Abbot: Ajahn Anan
https://watmarpjan.org/en
Wat Boonyawad
A large monastery in Chonburi Province,
whichalso accepts Westerners who wish
to become monks.
Abbot: Ajahn Dtun
www.watboonyawad.com
Wat Ratanawan
Large Forest Monastery located in Korat Province, bordering Khao Yai National Park,. Few foreign monks. However, several of the Thai monks living there speak English.
The abbot, Ajahn Nyanadhammo, was born and raised in Australia; native English speaker with excellent Thai language skills.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/CaTsLba7yuVbt7f2A
Anandagiri Forest Monastery
Located in Petchabun Province, with English dpeaking monks living and training alongside
Thai monks.
The abbot, Ajahn Achalo, was born and raised in Australia; native English speaker with excellent Thai language skills.
www.peacebeyondsuffering.org/anandagiri.html
Mettagiri Forest Monastery
Located in Chaiyaphum Province. Due to quiter setting and English speaking Thai abbot becoming better known among Western monks in the mid 2020ies.
Abbot: Ajahn Jaras
We're not aware of any website or other internet presence. Here's the google maps link:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/QBevY3QeN2QR7q1LA
Life and Teachings of Luang Por Chah
Biography of Ajahn Chah for free reading and download
Audio Version of Biography
Collected Teachings of Ajahn Chah for free reading and download
Audio Version of Collected Teachings
Youtube Videos about Ajahn Chah and his Tradition
.
