Lumbini, July 14 -- Clad in saffron robes, Bhikkhu Sugandha is often found teaching in places as contrasting as high-security correctional facilities and prestigious academic institutions such as the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom and Santa Clara University in the United States.

Born Anilman Shakya, the 66-year-old monk holds a PhD in Social Anthropology from Brunel University of London. Educated on a Thai royal scholarship, he is among the few foreigners to have risen to the highest ranks of Thailand's monastic order, or Sangha.

A devoted follower of peace, compassion and loving-kindness, Bhikkhu Sugandha is widely respected for his deep understanding of the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha. To an ordinary observer, his sa...