Venerable Dhammadipa Thero is a buddhist monk originally from the Czech Republic. As he currently teaches all over the world, this site maintains information about his upcoming retreats and talks.
BIOGRAPHY
Now 60 years old, Venerable Dhammadipa (lay name Thomas Peter Gutman)
was born in Czechoslovakia in 1949. He studied Chinese Literature and Philosophy
at Prague University, graduating in 1969, and then studied Russian literature at
the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, where he received a degree in
1973.
In the late seventies Venerable began his Buddhist studies in
Berlin, where he had immigrated as a refugee after the Soviet invasion of
Czechoslovakia. In 1977 he received a master's degree in Chinese literature and
philosophy at the University of Paris. In 1979, he enrolled at Nalanda
University in India (where he also taught French and German) to study Sanskrit
and Buddhist Philosophy. After receiving a degree at Nalanda in 1984, he
returned to serve as the Associate Librarian at Berlin University.
In
1986, Venerable Dhammadipa went to Japan and studied under Zen Master Harada
Serrei Roshi of the S t school (Caodong in Chinese) practice. He was given a
Dharma name as Xing-Kong (meaning Nature of Emptiness).
In 1987, with the
encouragement of Venerable Athurugiriye Nyanavimala Mahathera, Venerable
Wijayasoma Mahathera, and Venerable Dikwelle Mahinda, he ordained as a monk in
Meetirigala and was given a Dharma name as Dhammadipa (island of Buddhism or
Dharma). He received the full Theravada Bhiksu ordination in Sri Lanka where he
practiced meditation under the guidance of his preceptor, Venerable Nanarama
Mahathera. In 1989, he received the Three Fold ordination as a Mahayana Monk in
Hsi Lai Temple, Los Angeles and began Dharma teaching in US, Germany and
Taiwan.
In 1996, Venerable went to Myanmar to practice meditation with
the contemporary master Venerable Pa Auk Sayadaw, and was recognized by the
Sayadaw to be first of the Sayadaw's Western disciples qualified to teach
meditation. He has since been teaching Samatha (tranquil mental states) and
Vipassana (direct seeing of the Dharma) meditation at monasteries and
universities worldwide.
Venerable Dhammadipa speaks Czech, French,
German, English, Russian, and fluent Chinese. He reads and translates Buddhist
texts from Pali and Sanskrit. His translated works in French and Czeck include
Treatise on the Awakening of Faith in the Mahayana
(Mahayanasraddhotpada-sastra), Entry into the Bodhisattva Path
(Bodhicaryavatara) and a Collection of Han-San's Poems. His teachings in Taiwan
have been compiled and printed in Chinese.
Over the years Venerable has
presented dharma teachings and led meditation retreats around Europe, North
America, Taiwan and mainland China, India and Southeast Asia. Personally he has
a gentle and easy going manner. His teaching follows the framework of the
classic Theravada Buddhist commentary The Path of Purity (Pali: Visuddhimagga):
one starts with training in the precepts (virtue) which lays the foundation for
training in concentration and then the development of wisdom. Venerable teaches
that knowledge of the Buddhist way should be applied in practice and verified
first hand through direct experience. One should make a great vow to tread the
way and realize the dharma for the benefit of all sentient
beings.
Venerable Dhammadipa is a rare gem in contemporary
Buddhism.
(Text published under courtesy of Lansing Buddhist
Association, Michigan, USA;
originally written by Hanlin Wang,
translated by George Yeh,
edited by Bill
Rittenberg)