Tag: Mahamati

Letter from the College of Public Preceptors- November

By college on Sat, 1 Nov, 2025 - 00:15

Letter from the College of Public Preceptors- November

By college on Sat, 1 Nov, 2025 - 00:15

Dear Order members and friends,

In 1976 I was a twenty-one year old student studying philosophy and sociology, engaged in left-wing campus politics and attending ‘encounter groups’ for personal growth. I was puzzled and troubled because changing the world and personal growth seemed to be in separate camps. A fortunate introduction led me to the Norwich Buddhist Centre soon after its opening, and after my first attempt at meditation and friendly conversation over tea, ‘The Meaning of Spiritual Community’...

College of Public Preceptors

Letter from the Chair of the College – February 2025

By Mahamati on Sat, 1 Feb, 2025 - 00:00

Letter from the Chair of the College – February 2025

By Mahamati on Sat, 1 Feb, 2025 - 00:00

Dear Order members and friends,

In 1949, when visiting Bodhgaya for the first time, Sangharakshita wrote a poem called ‘The Birthplace of Compassion’. Now, seventy-five years later, on the centenary of his birth, I send this letter from this very place, where around 800 members of the Order that Sangharakshita went on to found, are gathered for an International Order Convention.

Here, where the Goatherd’s banyan-tree
O’ershadowed, was, to world forlorn,
The first child of Enlightenment,
...

College of Public Preceptors

Accepting the Responsibility of Chair of the Preceptors’ College

By akasajoti on Tue, 3 Dec, 2024 - 09:39

Accepting the Responsibility of Chair of the Preceptors’ College

By akasajoti on Tue, 3 Dec, 2024 - 09:39

𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒍𝒐𝒚𝒂𝒍𝒕𝒚 𝒕𝒐 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒕𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒔…
𝒊𝒏 𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒎𝒐𝒏𝒚 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒇𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔…
𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒆𝒏𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕…
𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒇𝒊𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒃𝒆𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔…

As a part of the Chair’s handover ceremony, Mahamati recited a variation on the ‘four lines of acceptance’, which form a part of our Public Ordination, and then reflected on accepting the responsibility of College Chair in this spirit. You can hear his full talk here, which is excerpted in the video of the Chair’s Handover.

College of Public Preceptors

The College Chair's Handover

By akasajoti on Mon, 2 Dec, 2024 - 11:18

The College Chair's Handover

By akasajoti on Mon, 2 Dec, 2024 - 11:18

During the annual international meeting of the College of Public Preceptors at Adhisthana, Ratnadharini ritually concluded her term as College Chair and Mahamati took up the responsibility. Many people participated in the evening: current and retired members of the College (including all the previous Chairs), the Adhisthana communities, the seven Mitras from the current young men’s Dharma Life Course and local Order members.

In the context of a Threefold Puja, the previous Chair places the ‘initiation vase’ that Bhante himself used for...

College of Public Preceptors

Letter from the Chair – December 2024

By Mahamati on Sat, 30 Nov, 2024 - 09:34

Letter from the Chair – December 2024

By Mahamati on Sat, 30 Nov, 2024 - 09:34

Dear Order members and friends,

A year ago at the College’s annual international meeting I was surprised when my fellow College members asked me to take over from Ratnadharini, in a year’s time, as the next College Chair. However, I quite quickly adjusted and have spent much of the last year reflecting on what this responsibility requires of me, and preparing to take it on. I am grateful to Ratnadharini for her support in this handover - I admired her chairing...

Buddhist Centre Features

New Podcast: Happiness and Transformation

By Candradasa on Mon, 19 Aug, 2024 - 14:00

Prayer to Manjushri, Bodhisattva of Wisdom
May all beings experience happiness and its causes
Be free from suffering and its causes,
Never be parted from happiness
And dwell in the condition of equanimity

Ever since his introduction to Buddhism in 1976, Mahamati has been attracted to collective, collaborative contexts. He was, from the start, delighted to find a group of people with whom he could live his whole life, practising and working together with a vision for the...

Saddhamma Pradeep Retreat Center

Mahamati and Kalyanprabha visit to retreat center

By Saddhammapradip on Tue, 30 Jan, 2024 - 03:01

Mahamati and Kalyanprabha visit to retreat center

By Saddhammapradip on Tue, 30 Jan, 2024 - 03:01

Dh. Mahamati and Dhni. Kalyanprabha visited retreat center. It really a feeling of great gratitude.

Mahamati was one of Buddhaland community members of Mahavihar Dapodi. He has helped with establishment and development construction team as well as computer setup at Mahavihar in late 1990.

It was delightful to do twice Study of Eightfold Path as well as sharing many Tuesdays order ...

College of Public Preceptors

The Next Chair of the College of Public Preceptors

By ratnadharini on Wed, 15 Nov, 2023 - 08:49

The Next Chair of the College of Public Preceptors

By ratnadharini on Wed, 15 Nov, 2023 - 08:49

Dear Order Members and friends,

I’m writing from Adhisthana during the annual international meeting of the Preceptors’ College, where you may be aware we have been deciding who will take over from me as Chair of the Preceptors’ College when I step down in a year’s time.

I’m delighted to let you all know that there was a clear consensus to invite Mahamati to become the next College Chair. Happily, Mahamati was able to...

Tag: Mahamati

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