Bhante Sujatha's Biography

“I believe in change rather than tradition, particularly when dealing with our fast-paced American culture”
- Bhante Sujatha

Sujatha was born in Kandy (Sri lanka) in 1967 and is the youngest of two children. Even as a child, he knew that he wanted to be a Buddhist monk. At age 11, his parents gave their permission for him to enter the monastery. Sujatha was trained under the school’s ordination teacher, the Venerable Dhamawasa Thero and Venerable Muditha Thero. The Blue Lotus Temple practices the Theravada tradition of Buddhism, which is regarded among its practitioners as the lineage closest to the original form of Buddhism. The Teravadan tradition was brought to Sri Lanka in or about 250 B.C.

Sujatha came to the United States in 1997, and lived in Michigan for four years before settling in he current residence in Crystal Lake, Illinois. Before he came to the US (and after he left Sri Lanka) he lived and thought in Australia for four years as well. He is currently studying Psychology in order to better understand American culture and broaden his understanding of the human mind. He hopes to help blend traditional Buddhist teachings with American culture. His approach to teaching is easy-going, ensuring that beginners can easily understand how to properly practice meditation and understand Buddhist teachings.

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