Laurence Khantipalo Mills

Khantipalo was born Laurence Mills in North London in 1932. Following a diploma course in horticulture, he was called up for two years of National Service in the deserts of the Suez Canal zone. While in the army, he read his first book on Buddhism and immediately became a Buddhist.

Khantipalo returned to the UK for a few years, but during a Buddhist retreat he decided to take ordination as a Buddhist monk (bhikkhu). Following ordination, Khantipalo spent three years in India. He then lived in Thailand for eleven years, studying in Bangkok with Ven Phra Sasana Sobhana and meditating in forest monasteries with Phra Acharn Maha Boowa and others. In 1973 he accompanied a senior Thai monk - Phra Pariyattikavee - to Australia, where they established Wat Buddharangsee in Sydney.

Wat Buddha Dhamma was founded in 1978 at Wisemans Ferry, where Khantipalo stayed on as a teacher for fourteen years. Khantipalo disrobed and left Wat Buddha Dhamma in 1991. He is the author of many books such as Buddhism Explained, What is Buddhism? Calm and Insight, Buddha- My Refuge.

Khantipalo is the co-founder of Bodhi Citta Buddhist Centre, a non-sectarian place of practice in Cairns, north Queensland.