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sanghadhara

The Funeral and Burial of Urgyen Sangharakshita, 1925-2018

Fri, 25 Oct, 2019 - 17:24

The Funeral and Burial of Urgyen Sangharakshita, 1925-2018

Fri, 25 Oct, 2019 - 17:24

The beautiful film of one extraordinary day in October 2018 when tens of thousands of people watching online around the world joined the many assembled mourners at Adhisthana to say goodbye to their friend and teacher, Urgyen Sangharakshita - “Bhante”. 

It’s rare enough for one person to found an entire international spiritual Movement and community. Sangharakshita was one such person, and his death was a major staging point for everyone involved with the Triratna Buddhist Community as it begins its second 50...
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sanghadhara

The Death and Funeral of Urgyen Sangharakshita

Tue, 18 Dec, 2018 - 23:41

The Death and Funeral of Urgyen Sangharakshita

Tue, 18 Dec, 2018 - 23:41

Immediately after Bhante’s death we at Clear Vision began to document the preparations for his vigil and funeral, and working with our colleagues at The Buddhist Centre Online  to do all we could to help ensure that thousands of people in our worldwide community were able to witness the event through a live-stream. We have produced this short film of highlights from the funeral and time surrounding the event for you all, and for future generations, to revisit...
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Centre Team

Funeral of Urgyen Sangharakshita by Guilhem Monin

Thu, 13 Dec, 2018 - 17:40

Funeral of Urgyen Sangharakshita by Guilhem Monin

Thu, 13 Dec, 2018 - 17:40

Urgyen Sangharakshita. 26 Aug 1925 - 30 Oct 2018.

Funeral and burial at his home, Adhisthana, on November 10th 2018. 

A short tribute put together by Guilhem Monin.
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Free Buddhist Audio

Sangharakshita's Funeral - Eulogies

Tue, 4 Dec, 2018 - 23:47

Urgyen Sangharakshita, 1925-2018, was laid to rest at his home in Adhisthana on November 10th 2018.

Here are the main welcoming speeches and eulogies from Sangharakshita’s close friends and colleagues as they say their own goodbyes to our teacher.

Recorded at Adhisthana, November 2018.
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Candradasa

Extracts from a Puja for Urgyen Sangharakshita on the Evening of His Funeral and Burial

Sun, 25 Nov, 2018 - 21:28

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...
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Sadayasihi

A Selection of Photos from Sangharakshita's Funeral

From Triratna News on Fri, 16 Nov, 2018 - 10:26
  • A mourner pays their respects at Sangharakshita's coffin
  • People arriving in Adhisthana for the funeral of Urgyen Sangharakshita
  • The Amitabha Shrine room - where there had been a vigil for visitors to come and sit with Sangharakshita's body - just before the beginning of the funeral
  • The Amitabha Shrine room
  • Sanghadarshini (in foreground, wearing a maroon sash) was just one of the many volunteers who came to help out on the day.
  • 1,000 chairs were set up in the barn in Adhisthana. All were full during the ceremony and many were standing outside the barn. A number of Buddhists from other traditions also attended to pay their respects to Urgyen Sangharakshita.
  • Before the funeral ceremony began attendees took the opportunity to circumambulate Sangharakshita's coffin
  • The shrine
  • At the centre of the shrine were photos of Dr Ambedkar and Sangharakshita
  • Saddhanandi, chair of Adhisthana, welcomes all the guests and introduces (from left to right) Mahamati, Parami and Paramartha who were the key people overviewing the funeral arrangements
  • Saddhaloka, chair of the College of Public Preceptors, lights the shrine
  • Saluting the three jewels
  • The traditional offering were made by representatives from the 6 areas of the Triratna community and Sangharakshita's family.
  • The traditional offerings
  • Paramartha, one of Bhante's long-standing carers, introduces and reads Milarepa's 'Song of Transience with Eight Similes'.
  • Subhuti makes the first of the three funeral addresses
  • Subhuti
  • Dhammadinna, ordained by Sangharakshita in 1973, reflects on her connection with her teacher.
  • Amoghasiddhi, an Indian Public Preceptor, makes an address
  • Candradasa, director of Dharmachakra, working hard to make the live stream happen
  • The sound desk
  • Munisha live streaming from her phone, while the team at Clear Vision look after the filming.
  • The funeral ceremony ends and the pall bearers - Paramartha, Sthanashraddha, Sanghadasa, Nityabandhu, Sanghadeva and Yashodeva - bring Sangharakshita's coffin to its final resting place.
  • Processing through a very autumnal Adhisthana
  • The burial site had only been recently completed
  • Laying the body to rest
  • Sthanashraddha sounds a conch in the four directions
  • Padmavajra reads Sangharakshita's poem 'The Six Elements Speak'
  • Beautiful sunset at Adhisthana as the ritual comes to a close
  • The crowds at Adhisthana
  • Flowers strewn at the graveside
  • Some of the visitors from other Buddhist traditions who were hosted by Adhisthana

A Selection of Photos from Sangharakshita's Funeral

From Triratna News on Fri, 16 Nov, 2018 - 10:26

On Saturday 10th November the funeral of Urgyen Sangharakshita took place with an estimated 1,200 to 1,400 people attending the ceremony and burial in Adhisthana.  Here are some of the photographs taken by Dhammarati during this significant day in the life of our community.

See the full album of...
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Candradasa

The Funeral and Burial of Urgyen Sangharakshita - Complete Live Stream

Tue, 13 Nov, 2018 - 08:00

The Funeral and Burial of Urgyen Sangharakshita - Complete Live Stream

Tue, 13 Nov, 2018 - 08:00

Thanks to everyone - the many thousands - who tuned into our live stream on the day of Urgyen Sangharakshita’s funeral and burial. And to those who have been watching and re-watching since. It’s been moving to read the continuing flood of messages and appreciation from around the world. 

On the day we were faced with a number of unexpected (and some expected!) technical difficulties, and the live stream was effectively broken up across different channels, posts and platforms. Here then is...
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dhammarati

Sangharakshita's Funeral and Burial - Order of Service

Fri, 9 Nov, 2018 - 16:14

Sangharakshita's Funeral and Burial - Order of Service

Fri, 9 Nov, 2018 - 16:14

 

The funeral of the Venerable Urgyen Sangharakshita, August 26, 1925 - October 30, 2018
November 10th 2018, 12.30 pm UK time, at Adhisthana

Download the Order of Service for Sangharakshita’s Funeral and Burial

Details of how to watch or follow online