Santikaro

Santikaro
Born	1957
🏳️ Nationality	United States
💼 Occupation	Buddhism and Buddhist meditation teacher Translator Author

Santikaro (legally Robert Larson, born 1957), also known as 'Santikaro Upāsaka' and previously known by the monastic name 'Santikaro Bhikkhu', is a student and teacher of Buddhism and Buddhist meditation, renowned for his engagement with the teachings of Ajahn Buddhadasa Bhikkhu. Santikaro's teachings emphasize the Buddha's original path of awakening as described in early Pali sources.

Ordained as a Theravada Buddhist monk (Bhikkhu) from 1985 through 2004, Santikaro spent fourteen of those years as a monk at Suan Mokh in southern Thailand, where he not only studied under Ajahn Buddhadasa but also served as his primary English translator and co-led monthly meditation retreats for many years. He also provided spiritual support to social activists through the International Network of Engaged Buddhists (INEB), the Asian Cultural Forum on Development (ACFOD), and the Buddhist Peace Fellowship (BPF).

Following his return to the United States in 2000, Santikaro co-founded Kevala Retreat (formerly Liberation Park) in 2004 with his wife Jo Marie Thompson, a Dhamma refuge for contemplative practice nestled in rural Wisconsin. Santikaro has led meditation retreats for almost four decades, with a particular emphasis on mindfulness with breathing (Ānāpānasati) and releasing clinging to "me", "mine", "individualism", and self-centerdness. Santikaro continues to translate the yet untranslated books and works of Ajahn Buddhadasa Bhikkhu. Beyond his role as a teacher and translator, Santikaro fosters connections between Buddhist principles and contemporary issues such as social justice, environmental sustainability, consumerism, and systemic trauma. His commitment to the dissemination of Buddha-Dhamma both nationally and internationally reflects his concern for the well-being of Buddhist communities and all humanity.

Chronology

• Born: 1957.
• Up to / prior to 1980: Graduated from University of Illinois.
• 1980: Moved from the United States to Thailand with the Peace Corps.
• Up to / prior to 1985: Named 'Robert Larson'.
• 1985: Ordained as a Theravada monk named 'Santikaro Bhikkhu'. Started training at Suan Mokh in southern Thailand.
• 2000: Returned to the United States.
• 2004: Retired from monastic life, named 'Santikaro' or 'Santikaro Upāsaka'. Co-founded Kevala Retreat with his wife Jo Marie Thompson.

Publications (partial list)

Translated books

• Seeing with the eye of Dhamma: the comprehensive teaching of Buddhadasa Bhikkhu by Buddhadasa Bhikkhu (Author). Santikaro Upasaka (Editor, Translator). Dhammavidu Bhikkhu (Translator)
• Under the Bodhi Tree: Buddha's Original Vision of Dependent Co-arising by Ajahn Buddhadasa Bhikkhu (Author). Santikaro (Translator)
• Mindfulness with Breathing: A Manual for Serious Beginners by Buddhadasa Bhikkhu (Author), Santikaro Bhikkhu (Translator)

Edited books

• Heartwood of the Bodhi Tree: The Buddha's Teaching on Voidness by Ajahn Buddhadasa Bhikkhu (Author). Santikaro (Editor). Dhammavicayo (Translator)
• O Cerne da Arvore da Iluminacao. O Ensinamento do Buddha sobre o Vazio (Portuguese Edition) by Buddhadasa Bhikkhu (Author), Santikaro (Editor), Dhammavicayo Bhikkhu (Translator), Donald Swearer (Translator), Jack Kornfield (Introduction), Ricardo Sasaki (Introduction)

Authored (and co-authored) books (or book chapters)

• Sons of the Buddha. The Early Lives of Three Extraordinary Thai Masters by Kamala Tiyavanich, Stanley O'connor, Brian Karafin, Santikaro Bhikkhu
• Entering the Realm of Reality: Towards Dhammic Societies by Jonathan Watts, Alan Senauke, Santikaro Bhikkhu
• Modern Monasticism and the Crisis of Faith [Monastic Studies No. 18, Christmas 1988] by Laurence Freeman (ed.); A.W. Godfrey; John Main; Santikaro Bhikkhu; Jean Leclerq; Aloysius Pieris; Christina Fox; Gregory J. Ryan; Patrick Mahony; Franz Posset; Illtyd Trethowan; Herwi Rikhof; Maggie Ross; Bede Griffiths; John Farrelly; Kieran Hynes
• The Prison of Life by Buddhadāsa Bhikkhu, Santikaro Bhikkhu

Articles

• Selfaholics Anonymous by Santikaro.
• Buddhadasa Bhikkhu: The Middle Way Life in a World of Polarity by Santikaro.
• Still Water, Flowing Banks by Santikaro.
• Buddhadasa Bhikkhu and His Practice of Dhammic Socialism by Santikaro.
• Ajahn Buddhadasa and Inter-Religious Understanding by Santikaro.
• Atammayata: The Rebirth of a Lost Word by Santikaro.
• Buddhadasa Bhikkhu on Non-Violence by Santikaro.
• The Life That Doesn’t Bite: Freedom In Buddhism by Ajahn Buddhadasa, Santikaro.
• The Investigation of What Is Important: The Second Factor of Awakening by Santikaro Bhikkhu.

Talks (audio)

• Santikaro's simultaneous translations of Ajahn Buddhadasa Bhikkhu's Dhamma talks on soundcloud.com
  • Please Don't Study Buddhism
  • International Retreat Lectures (1986-1991)
  • Paticcasamuppada (Dependent Co-arising)
  • The Prison of Life
  • Ending Selfishness
  • Puget Sound University Talks, Set I, Set II
  • 'Wat Pah Nanachat' Talks

• Dhamma talks on audiodharma.ai
  • Seeing with Eye of Dhamma
  • Why We Practice
  • On Leaving Monastic Life
  • The Life and Teachings of Buddhadasa Bhikkhu, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

• Dhamma talks and guided meditations on cgmc.dharmaseed.org

External links

• Santikaro's simultaneous translations of Ajahn Buddhadasa Bhikkhu's Dhamma talks (Audio) on soundcloud.com
• Santikaro's Dhamma talks (Audio) on audiodharma.ai
• Santikaro's Dhamma talks (Audio) on cgmc.dharmaseed.org
• Santikaro's biography on kevalaretreat.org

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