As well as having an online memorial space to mark the passing of Urgyen Sangharakshita, the founder of the Triratna Buddhist Community and one of the foremost western Buddhists of the 20th Century , we invited people from all around the world to contribute to a Book of Gratitude.
These have now been collated and bound into book form to be kept in the Sangharakshita library at Adhisthana. And now you can read the moving rememberances of Sangharakshita online too.
On the evening of Urgyen Sangharakshita’s funeral and burial, after the departure of most of the 1,200 guests, those who remained gathered together to perform a special, final sevenfold puja and close an extraordinary day.
Padmavajra led the devotional ritual, specifically dedicated to Padmasambhava. In this extract we hear Surata reading verses to Vajrasattva known as ‘The Confounder of Hell’, followed by a rousing version of the Great Guru of Tibet’s mantra.
Voices were uplifted and many offerings made: to say a last farewell...
I thought I’d like to share a compilation of some photos I took on the day of Bhante’s funeral. They are in the form of a short slide show with some music.
A conversation with Candradasa, Munisha, Parami and Sthanashraddha towards the end of a strong week at Adhisthana, home of Urgyen Sangharakshita, who died last week at the age of 93.
We talk about our personal relationships to the founder of the Triratna Buddhist sangha over decades, and the great change his passing represents for our community.
Join us online to begin saying farewell to a man whose long work for the Dharma transformed so many lives around the world for the good.
Last night again a night in celebration and remembrance of Bhante with anecdotes of people whom have met him, mantra chanting and some readings from his work. Bhante has touched many many hearts in different ways.
I was invited to write the following little memoir as a contribution to a possible booklet to be published for Bhante’s funeral. Plans then changed, so it now seems fitting to post it on the Remembrance page for the Book of Gratitude.
Tonight, in our Buddhist centre in Ghent, we did Maitreyabandhu’s puja for Bhante in Flemish and sang mantras for him. Next to that we sat in silence and remembered our beloved teacher, did metta for him and some memories and rejoicings were shared. Also we listened to Bhante himself singing the Tiratana Vandana. May our Teacher live on through our friendships in the sangha.
i am coming to the end of a month living in christian monasteries as i wanted to write on sacredness and wanted some time on my own and i thought the conditions in monasteries very supportive. And indeed they were. In this period i read large parts of From Genesis to the Diamond Sutra and O Bhante you were so close. I am so glad to be a Buddhist, i am so glad to have come across a...
I thought I’d send you this on this so sad day. Mahamati asked me to write it for when Bhante died. I’ve sent it to Mahamati and Parami in case they want to use it on some occasion. I have re-wrtten it just now. Do use it or pass it on if you think that’s appropriate.
