Bhikkhu Sugandha’s extraordinary journey to Thailand’s highest monastic circles
Summary
Bhikkhu Sugandha, born Anilman Shakya from Nepal, is a distinguished monk in Thailand's highest monastic order, renowned for his scholarly work and pioneering prison rehabilitation efforts.
Key Points
- Bhikkhu Sugandha is the first foreign national to reach the third highest rank in Thailand's monastic hierarchy after the Supreme Patriarch and Deputy Supreme Patriarch.
- He has played a significant role in prison reform and inmate rehabilitation in Thailand through his Cognitive Transformation Therapy.
- Educated in Thailand on a royal scholarship and holding a PhD from Brunel University London, he teaches at prestigious universities worldwide.
- He serves as assistant abbot of the royal Wat Bowonniwet Vihara monastery in Bangkok and advises major Buddhist educational institutions.
