Ajahn Santutthi

Ajahn Santutthi was born in an Indonesian refugee camp in 1979. While still a baby he and his Vietnamese parents were resettled in Perth, Western Australia.

Ajahn Santutthi was in training to become a chef before discovering and developing an interest in Buddhism at the age of 21. At 23 years of age he decided to “give it all up” and walk the path of the Buddha. He was ordained at Bodhinyana monastery, Serpentine by Ajahn Brahm in 2005. After 7 years, he left to assist Ajahn Khemavaro at Wat Buddha Dhamma in NSW.

After returning to Perth in 2018 he stayed at Wat Dhammayanaram in Kelmscott where he started the Kusala Hermitage Project and provided teachings and support to the lay community. Later he moved into Homestead Vihara, in Gosnells, where he and Ajahn Jhanarato continued to develop Kusala Hermitage: a residence for Buddhist monks on a 10-hectare forested property in Roleystone, Perth Hills. Kusala Hermitage (a Theravada Forest Tradition Monastery) is part of the Buddhist Society of WA.

Ajahn Santutthi is currently the abbot of Kusala Hermitage. He also provides teachings and support at Dhammaloka, in Nollamara and offers meditation retreats at Jhana Grove, adjacent Bodhinyana Monastery in Serpentine.