Brother Phap Lai (Br. Ben)

Brother Chân Pháp Lai was ordained as a novice monk on May 26th, 2002, in the “Bead Tree” family. He received full ordination as a bhikshu in January 2006 and the Lamp Transmission as a Dharma Teacher in January 2010.

Passionate about nature, Brother Pháp Lai discovered while working as an ecologist in Scotland that living in community is one of the most sustainable ways of life. This insight led him to the Plum Village community, where he shares his love for the natural world through teachings, guided walks, storytelling, theatre, and music.

He has been actively involved in bringing Plum Village practices into education through the Wake Up Schools initiative. Every summer, many English-speaking children look forward to the lively Dharma stories told by “Brother Ben.” Brother Pháp Lai has also taught in Kenya, supported social workers in Liberia, and offered talks on peace-building in Northern Ireland and Colombia. Within the community, his humour, humility, sincerity, and wisdom have made him a much-loved elder brother. His favourite practices are Dharma sharing and walking in nature, and he enjoys spontaneous theatre and music.