AMA Samy, Little Flower Zendo, India

Zen Master (Gen-Un Ken), founder of Bodhi Sangha

Ama Samy


Arul Maria Arokiasamy was born in Burma in 1936 to poor Indian parents. As a boy, he came into contact with Burmese Buddhism and Buddhist monks. Back in India after the war, he was brought up for several years by his maternal grandfather, who was a disciple of a Muslim saint and looked after his burial shrine. The grandfather died in a road accident, leaving the boy without support and guidance. But the boy finished school and joined the Jesuits.

Even after he had become a priest, his heart still remained restless. Christian spirituality could not fulfill him. He began to visit Hindu ashrams and Buddhist meditation centers. Through Swami Abhishiktananda, he came across the teachings of Ramana Maharshi, which moved him greatly. His search eventually led him to spend some time wandering the countryside as a mendicant monk and then to settle down as a hermit next to a holy shrine. The inhabitants of a nearby village provided him with food.

In the end, it was the path of Zen that attracted him the most. With the help of Father Enomiya Lassalle, he went to Japan. With Yamada Ko-Un Roshi of the Sanbo-Kyodan Zen Association, he was able to complete his Zen training. Yamada Ko-Un gave him transmission and permission to teach Zen in 1982.

Fr. AMA Samy is the founder of Bodhi Zendo. He established the centre in 1996. He was running the centre for 25 years until 2021, residing at Bodhizendo, teaching Zen and giving training to his students and other spiritual seekers, and periodically visiting his students in Europe, US and Australia.

In 2022 he appointed Fr. Cyril Mathew as his successor at Bodhi Zendo and moved to Little Flower Zendo close by which he has set up for the further training of his students.

We are very grateful for his commendable contribution to Zen and to Bodhi Zendo and Bodhi Sangha.

Fr. AMA Samy has written more than 40 books on Zen. Most of them are available at Bodhi Zendo or at his new Little Flower Zendo.

» List of Fr. Amas books

Fr. Ama's successors are the following Bodhisangha masters and teachers:

 

 

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