Ajahn Punnadhammo

Ajahn Punnadhammo (born Michael Dominskyj; 1955) is a Canadian-born Theravāda Buddhist monk in the Thai Forest Tradition of Ajahn Chah. He has been the abbot of the Arrow River Forest Hermitage in northern Ontario, Canada, since 1995.

Early life

Ajahn Punnadhammo was born Michael Dominskyj in 1955 in Toronto, Ontario, to working-class immigrant parents from a Catholic background. He began studying Buddhism in 1979 under Kema Ananda, the founder of what would become the Arrow River centre. He completed a one-year solitary retreat there in 1988–1989.

Monastic life

In 1990, he travelled to Thailand seeking ordination. He received novice (sāmaṇera) ordination in February 1991 and full bhikkhu ordination in February 1992, training in the Thai Forest Tradition of Ajahn Chah, primarily at Wat Pah Nanachat, the international forest monastery near Ubon Ratchathani.

In 1995, upon learning that his former teacher Kema Ananda was dying of cancer, he received permission from his seniors to return to Canada. He arrived in November 1995 to care for Kema Ananda in his final days and subsequently assumed leadership of the centre, which was renamed Arrow River Forest Hermitage.

Teaching and works

Ajahn Punnadhammo is known for his teachings on early Buddhist texts, meditation practice, and traditional Buddhist cosmology. He maintains an active YouTube channel with Dhamma talks and hosts weekly online sessions. He has led retreats in Canada and the United States.

His published works include:

• The Buddhist Cosmos: A Comprehensive Survey of the Early Buddhist Worldview according to Theravāda and Sarvāstivāda sources (2018)
• Letter from Māra (2021)

He previously maintained a blog called "Bhikkhu's Blog."