Kalyanaprabha, the book’s editor, will also be present, and she gives us some more details, saying “Dear Dinoo: Letters to a Friend brings together some twenty-nine letters written by Sangharakshita to a friend in Bombay over a period of nearly twenty years.
In the course of the correspondence, Sangharakshita writes of his stay with the fascintating Dr Mehta (who believed he had a direct link to God - and had been naturopathic physician to Gandhi). He writes in 1956 of the death of Dr Ambedkar and the many talks he gave to the bereaved followers. He mentions the publication of this highly acclaimed Survey of Buddhism: 'I am really astonished at the warm reception it has received...', and his teacher, Jagdish Kashyap, as well as a visit from the Dalai Lama. He discusses meditation and travel and, of course, books. And in his final letter, reports on the progress of a new spiritual movement in the West.
Those familiar with his memoirs, written many years later, will be interested to hear the voice of Sangharakshita from those times. Those who know little of the founder of the Triratna Buddhist Community will find the letters give them a way in, a first glimpse of a rather extraordinary life.
As the title indicates, above all, the letters reveal a friendship. One is, as it were, listening in to one side of a private conversation and getting a glimpse of that which lies at the very heart of our understanding of 'sangha'."
The book comes with an Introduction, Notes and Appendix by Kalyanaprabha based on interviews conducted recently with Sangharakshita, expanding and elucidating the material in the letters. If you're not in Birmingham on the 10th, it's available by mail for just UK £5.39 (+ delivery) if ordered directly from the publishers lulu.com. Simply click here.