Our Spiritual Advisors

Venerable Dhammasami

Venerable Dr. Khammai Dhammasami was born in Laikha, in 1964, and was ordained at a young age in Sri Mangala Monastery. He started teaching meditation in 1993 in Sri Lanka. In 1996 he settled in Great Britain to continue his training. Currently he is Rector of the Shan State Buddhist University, in Taunggyi, Myanmar, a university that he himself founded in 2014. He is also the founding abbot of the Oxford Buddha Vihara, in Great Britain, of which there are branches in Singapore and Malaysia. He is also Executive Secretary of the International Association of Buddhist Universities and the Association of Theravāda Buddhist Universities.

Ven. Dhammadinna (Cheong One Sunim)

Venerable Dhammadinna was initially ordained in the Jo Gye order in Korea and given the name Cheong One Sunim. She graduated from her monastic training at Donghak-Sa Traditional Institute for Buddhism in Korea and then traveled to Myanmar to further her understanding of the Dhamma. She trained in meditation at Pa Auk Mawlamyine, under the guidance of Pa Auk Sayadaw, who gave her the name Dhammadinna. After completing her training at Pa Auk, she went on to study the Pali texts in detail, graduating from the International Theravada Buddhist Missionary University in Yangon. Venerable Dhammadinna is now the resident teacher at Sum Dhamma Community in South Korea. 

Venerable Nanavamsa

Venerable Nanavamsa Sayadaw was ordained at Pa Auk, Mawlamyine, where he trained in samatha and vipassana meditation under the guidance of Pa Auk Sayadaw. Having completed his training, he was authorized to teach and went on to become the founder and abbot of Mahabhoga Monastery in Thaton. As abbot, he has led a thriving international meditation community at Mahabhoga for the past fifteen years. Sayadaw is renowned not only for the depth and precision of his teachings but also for his warm, welcoming, relaxed nature, and good humor. 

Our Teaching Team

Beth Upton

Beth was ordained as a Buddhist nun in 2008 at Pa Auk Meditation Centre in Myanmar. She spent five years training diligently in meditation in the Theravada tradition under the guidance of Pa Auk Sayadaw, then a further five years training in other meditation methods and doing long solo retreats. In 2014 Beth founded Sanditthika Meditation Community in the caves of Almeria, Spain. In 2018, after ten years of monastic life, Beth decided to disrobe in order to integrate some of the challenges of western life into her Dhamma practice. Beth has been teaching meditation since 2014 both in Almeria and leading meditation retreats around the world.

Win Thu Wun

Win is originally from Myanmar, and honed his skills in samatha and vipassanā meditation under the expert guidance of Bhante U Revata at Pa Auk. Win now offers a comprehensive approach to meditation based on the Buddha’s teachings as found in the Pali Canon, Abhidhamma, and Visuddhimagga, including developing concentration and insight into ultimate materiality and mentality for vipassanā meditation. He is committed to spreading his teachings far and wide and is happy to be working with the Sanditthika team.

Our Community Managers

Gwen Tiernan

Gwen discovered Buddhist meditation in 2010, and has had the great fortune to practice with many wonderful teachers. When not on retreat she is interested in figuring out ways to untangle emotional and mental knots, and support lightness of mind. Gwen is deeply grateful for the conditions that have led to her being able to work with the Sanditthika community, and hopes that many are able to realize an end of all suffering, herself included.

Gyöngyi Thamó- Bolbás

Gyöngyi discovered meditation through her psychological studies in 2014. Meeting Beth and getting to know the idea of the Sanditthika community in 2018 had a big impact on her life. Meditation became an everyday practice and with creating the Sanditthika community she felt she found her mission. After becoming a parent, Gyöngyi is rejoining the team and wishes to inspire and motivate fellow parents by sharing her personal experience in balancing a deepening meditation practice with family life.