Dhamma Wheel Buddhist Forum

Hello all,

Sad news. Bhante Sujato announced his resignation from the position of Abbot of Santi Forest Monastery (on 22nd May, 2012):
http://sujato.wordpress.com/2012/05/22/an-announcement/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

with metta
Chris

anicca.....
all the best to bhante....
who knows what the future holds...

Greetings,

Wow. Thanks for letting us know, Cooran.

I can't help but think it's interesting how things pan out. In a parallel universe, I could have just arrived at Santi...

("who knows what the future holds", indeed)



All the best to Ajahn Sujato and may he attain the goal he strives for.

Metta,
Retro.

Hmm...is he disrobing or just resigning as abbot? Interesting development.

May he be happy!

Any reasons? Where is he going?

There is a detailed explanation at the link Cooran gave...


Mike

This is indeed a shock. I can't see him not teaching, though-- he'll probably set up something smaller in the future. I certainly hope he keeps blogging.

I don’t want to run a community or to look after a large property. Now, my heart leaps forward at the thought of having nothing and making no plans.

Sadhu to that, and luck to him.

retrofuturist wrote:In a parallel universe, I could have just arrived at Santi...

In that universe, I'd have been a six-month-old anagarika at Santi 'round about this time.

The comment by Piya Tan was interesting.

I only met Bhante Sujato one night, and he spoke a little about his then-recent road trip in the States as well as the general bhikkhuni situation, among other things.

I wish him well and sure he will be fine.

I think many 'successful' people go through such a time. At one point you wonder if it was / is worth it. The stress, the headaches, etc. that come with success can be burdensome and you remember the easier times when there was less responsibility. I can empathize with Bhante. And by success, it doesn't have to be financial, it can be having some position of power or leadership, such as being an abbot, running a center, etc. You can easily fall into an indifference (sort of a WTF moment), but not saying he has done that. It can also be or progress to upekkhā where you can take on fewer responsibilities with renewed zeal / better focus / concentration.

There was an article in Tricycle or some other Buddhist publication where one of the directors of a retreat center said that he went there to find the bliss of working and meditating at a retreat center. He soon found himself in a similar 'rat-race' of lay life dealing with the responsibilities of running the place and had little time for his own practice.