Karmavajra: “It’s very difficult to practice without Sangha. Because you can understand things, but you need to transform emotionally. So if you want to transform emotionally, you need to share with your friends and colleagues.”

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].