Karmavajra: How the Sangha Breeds Confidence

Interview recorded in 2018.

KARMAVAJRA’S ANNALS:

In 1968 when Bhante Urgyen Sangharakshita started our movement, I was not aware of it.
In 1978 I was three years old. I was born in 1975 to a Buddhist family near Nagpur, where the mass conversion took place in 1956 by Dr. Ambedkar. I was living in a combined family with my three older brothers and sisters. I was the youngest in my family.
In 1988 was the first time I saw Bhante in Wardha where he came to inaugurate the hostel building there. At that time I was not very aware of Sangharakshita and our movement. I came to know about our movement through social work. My two middle school teachers became order members.
In 1998 I was preparing to shift to Nagpur (in 1999) for my post-graduation and computer study. There I got to interact with people in the community and I decided to live the community lifestyle and gradually I committed myself to Buddhist life and became a Mitra and started work for a team-based right livelihood project called Triratna Pustakalaya.
In 2008 I was an order member and living in the Bhaja retreat centre community. In early 2008 I decided to get married. A few months later I came to Mahavihar Pune and after a few years started working for the Order Office.
In 2018 I will have been ordained for 12 years, still working for the Order Office. It was a great experience for me to organise a big order gathering at Bodhgaya [the 2018 International Order Convention].

Interview recorded in 2018.

KARMAVAJRA’S ANNALS:

In 1968 when Bhante Urgyen Sangharakshita started our movement, I was not aware of it.
In 1978 I was three years old. I was born in 1975 to a Buddhist family near Nagpur, where the mass conversion took place in 1956 by Dr. Ambedkar. I was living in a combined family with my three older brothers and sisters. I was the youngest in my family.
In 1988 was the first time I saw Bhante in Wardha where he came to inaugurate the hostel building there. At that time I was not very aware of Sangharakshita and our movement. I came to know about our movement through social work. My two middle school teachers became order members.
In 1998 I was preparing to shift to Nagpur (in 1999) for my post-graduation and computer study. There I got to interact with people in the community and I decided to live the community lifestyle and gradually I committed myself to Buddhist life and became a Mitra and started work for a team-based right livelihood project called Triratna Pustakalaya.
In 2008 I was an order member and living in the Bhaja retreat centre community. In early 2008 I decided to get married. A few months later I came to Mahavihar Pune and after a few years started working for the Order Office.
In 2018 I will have been ordained for 12 years, still working for the Order Office. It was a great experience for me to organise a big order gathering at Bodhgaya [the 2018 International Order Convention].