Kalama Meditation Center 2840 Kalama River Road, Kalama, Washington 98625, United States
Monastics
Phra Ajahn Yantra, Spiritual Advisor and Supporter
Phra Ajahn Withoon Putamee, aka. Big Baba, Spiritual Counselor
Phra Ajahn Yantra, Spiritual Advisor and Supporter
Born on October 14th 1951 in the Paakpanang district in the southern province of Nakorn Sithammaraj—where Buddhism from Sri Lanka was first established in Thailand—he was the youngest of 7 children. His name is Winai Laongsuwan.
After completing his secondary education in his home town, he moved to Bangkok for further studies and worked in the city. While living there, he observed the confusion caused by constant striving for material things in order to maintain life. Owing to his innate wisdom, he realized the impermanence of life—seeing the appearance and disappearance of all worldly phenomena. With his virtues and perfections highly developed, he made a strong determination to abandon the confusion of worldly life and took to the life of an ascetic or Yogi, in search of Truth.
As a Yogi, clad in white robes, he took to the Eight Precepts and lived a life of solitude. He frequented forests, mountains and caves, and cultivated mindfulness of breathing (Anapanasati). Dwelling in these natural settings, his mind was strengthened. He saw the benefits of being in unspoiled nature, and how it aided him in the purification of his mind.
In 1974 he returned to his birthplace, where he was ordained on the full moon day of Vesak, as Phra Winai Amaro Bhikkhu. He was later revered as Phra Ajahn Yantra Amaro Bhikkhu. After a brief stay in his home town, which enabled him to teach the Dhamma to his relatives and friends, he continued to travel on foot, moving from place to place and even crossing the Thai border to Burma.
In 1985—having walked and taught throughout the length and breadth of Thailand—Phra Ajahn Yantra spent his Rains Retreat in the forest of Kanchanaburi-where the Sunnataram Forest Monastery was later established.
In April 1986, Phra Ajahn Yantra was invited on a Dhamma Tour to the western world. Since then, he has travelled and taught in various parts of Europe, England, the United States of America and Australia. He travels out of compassion to spread the pure Dhamma.
Master Lim, Spiritual Counselor, Abbot, President
Phra Ajahn Withoon Putamee, aka. Big Baba, Spiritual Counselor
Phra Ajahn Yantra, Spiritual Advisor and Supporter
Born on March 17th 1950 in the Paakpanang district in the southern province of Nakorn Sithammaraj, he is the second oldest of 5 children. His name is Pornthep Limvivat.
After completing his education in accounting at Cyma College in Penang, Malaysia in 1972, he returned to his hometown to help with his family’s rice mill business. During that time he met Phra Ajahn Yantra, and realized the impermanence of life. He began his practice of the Eight Precepts. On foot, he followed his master, Phra Ajahn Yantra.They moved through the forests, mountains and caves while cultivating mindfulness.
On the day of the Vesak full moon in 1988, he was ordained in Thailand’s eastern province, Wat Jantanaram, as Phra Sudhevo Bhikkhu. Since then he has traveled and shared teachings in Australia, Belgium, Denmark, India, Poland, Sweden, Vietnam and the United States of America. He has been an abbot at many monasteries, including Sunnataram Forest Monastery in Thailand, Sunnataram Forest Monastery in Escondido, California, Guandi Temple in Houston, Texas, and Khema Meditation Center in Pearland, Texas.
As he made his journey to the west coast of the United States in 2014, he found the forest in Kalama, Washington State, to be suitable for insight meditation practice and to spread the teachings of pure Dhamma. He is now the abbot and president of Kalama Meditation Center, Kalama, Washington State.
Phra Ajahn Withoon Putamee, aka. Big Baba, Spiritual Counselor
Phra Ajahn Withoon Putamee, aka. Big Baba, Spiritual Counselor
Phra Ajahn Withoon Putamee, aka. Big Baba, Spiritual Counselor
Big Baba is widely known and sought after in Thailand, India, Malysia, and the US for his Dhamma teaching and subconscious transformative abilities. He also is recognized for his administrative, project management, and project development skills. He has vast experience in planning and executing projects including international Buddhist Dhamma teaching tours and major construction projects, wherein he is capable of marshaling human and financial resources to accomplish these goals.