About Ven. Dhammadipa Thero

Venerable Dhammadipa is a rare gem in contemporary Buddhism.

Now 64 years old, Venerable Dhammadipa was born in Prague, Czechoslovakia in 1949. In 1967, he studied Chinese Literature and Philosophy at Charles University, Prague till the Soviet invasion in 1968. In 1974, he obtained degree cum laude in Russian literature from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He later graduated with both M.A. and M.Phil. degree in Chinese Literature and Philosophy at the University of Paris in 1977.

Venerable began his Buddhist studies and practice in Berlin in the late seventies. In 1979, he enrolled at Nava Nalanda Mahavihara in India to study Sanskrit and Buddhist Studies and teach French and German, and was awarded the M.A. degree in 1984.

In 1986, Venerable Dhammadipa went to Japan and studied under Zen Master Harada Sekkei Roshi of the Sōtō (Caodong in Chinese) school practice. In 1987, he ordained as a monk in Meetirigala Nissarana Vanaya, Sri Lanka and was given a Dharma name as Dhammadipa (island or light of Buddhism/Dhamma). He received the full Theravada Bhiksu ordination in Sri Lanka where he practiced meditation under the guidance of his preceptor, Venerable Nanarama Mahathera. In 1989, he received the Three Fold ordination as a Mahayana Monk in Hsi Lai Temple, Los Angeles and began Dharma teaching in US, Germany and Taiwan.

In 1995, Venerable finished a course of meditation in the Pau-Auk Forest Monastery, Myanmar and assisted the contemporary master Venerable Pa-Auk Sayadaw to teach foreign students. He has since been invited to teach Samatha (tranquil mental states) and Vipassana (direct seeing of the Dharma) meditation at monasteries and universities worldwide.

Venerable Dhammadipa speaks fluent Czech, French, German, English, Russian, Mandarin Chinese, Hindi, Sinhalese and Japanese as he was a student of these languages in his early years. He reads and translates Buddhist texts from Pali and Sanskrit. His translated works in Czech include Treatise on the Awakening of Faith in the Mahayana (Mahayanasraddhotpada-sastra), Entry into the Bodhisattva Path (Bodhicaryavatara) and a Collection of Han-San’s poems. His teachings in Taiwan have been compiled and printed in Chinese.

Over the years Venerable has presented Dharma teachings and led meditation retreats around Europe, North and South America, Taiwan, mainland China, Hong Kong, India and Southeast Asia. Personally he has a gentle and easy going manner. Venerable teaches that knowledge of the Buddhist way should be applied in practice and verified first hand through direct experience. He emphasizes that one starts training in virtue, which lays the foundation for training in tranquil mental states (Samatha) and then developing wisdom by direct seeing of the nature of reality (Vipassanā). One should make a great vow to tread the way and realize the Dharma for the benefit of all sentient beings.

Date: October 28, 2013

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