Leadership

Sarasota Forest Monastery [SFM], a Buddhist Monastery in the Thai Forest Tradition located in Englewood, Florida

Ajaan Keng Khemako (Religious Advisor)

Phra Ajaan Keng Khemako (Phra Vinayadhammavidesa), is a Singaporean Buddhist monk ordained in the Thai Forest Tradition. Being born in and growing up in a wealthy, highly-developed modern industrial society, he nevertheless, through his life, undertook strict ascetic practices, adhering faithfully to the tradition founded and preserved by contemporary forest-dwelling meditation masters in Thailand.

In recognization of his deep devotion to the practice of the Buddhist path, his leadership of both the Sangha members and the lay communities, and his tireless missionary works of propagating Buddhism to a wide circle of people around the world, Ajaan Keng was conferred on the ecclesiastical title of Chao Khun Vinayadhammavidesa by the King of Thailand on December 5, 2013.

He is currently the President of Palelai Buddhist Temple (in Singapore), the Abbot of Santi Forest Monastery (in Ulu Tiram, Johor, Malaysia), the President of the Dhammayuttika Order in Malaysia and Singapore, and the Religious Advisor of Wat Sampanthawong Australia (in Geelong, Australia). In addition to Santi Forest Monastery, he also founded Wat Paa Doi Charoentham in Omkoi, Thailand, and Wat Khemago Buddhist Association in Mankarbo, Sweden.

A detailed account of the life story of Ajaan Keng Khemako can be found in his autobiography.

Ajaan Chichung Dhammaṭṭho (The Abbot)

Ajaan Chichung Dhammaṭṭho was born in Taiwan in 1965. He graduated from National Taiwan University in 1987, and after finishing his two years of mandatory military service in Taiwan, he came to the US in 1989 to pursue a PhD in Atmospheric Sciences from UCLA. After finishing his degree in 1994, he worked as a researcher at UCLA until 2000, at the end of which he joined the community of Metta Forest Monastery near San Diego, California. He received full bhikkhu ordination on December 23, 2001, at Wat Bhuridattavanaram, Ontario, California, with Phra Ajaan GeoffreyṬhānissaro as his preceptor.

After completing five years of training at Metta Forest Monastery, he went to Thailand and continued practicing there from late 2006 until early 2023. During his 16 years in Thailand, most of the time he lived and practiced under the tutelage of Luang Pu Uthai Siritharo, at Wat Khaoyai Ñaṇasampanno, Nakhon Ratchasima Province. In addition to going off on his own to practice in the seclusion of mountains, caves, and forests in the northeast of Thailand, he also had the opportunity to train under the guidance of other prominent teachers in the lineage of the Thai Forest Tradition, including Luang Phor Inthawai at Wat Pa Naa Kham Noi, Luang Phor Baan at Wat Doi Dhammachedi, Luang Pu Tui at Wat Pa Dan Vivek, Phra Ajaan Dtun at Wat Boonyawad, and Luang Pu Sathian at Wat Tham Phra Phu Wua.

At the invitation of the Sarasota Forest Monastery community, he came to the US in February 2023 and was appointed by Ajaan Keng Khemako as the Abbot of Sarasota Forest Monastery in April 2023.