On Monday night 5 November we celebrated Sangharakshita’s life and work. Prasadacarin welcomed people, 30 plus of us, and shared some of his meetings and feelings for Bhante, then Viryabodhi filled in what had happened and what has been shared on social media etc. as well as share some of his own meetings with Bhante. Then Vidyaketu (visiting stockholm with his wife Jude) read out part of Suvajra’s beautiful Shabda report, on Bhante’s last few days. After this many people shared their own...
Continuing our series of messages of condolence from Buddhists beyond Triratna, here is a post from the Facebook page of the European Buddhist Union, of which Triratna has been an active member for many years.
“The EBU would like to express heartfelt condolences to the Triratna community, for the death of the founder of the Triratna Buddhist Order and the Triratna Buddhist Community.
Sangharakshita, who has passed away at the age of 93, was one of...
The Portsmouth Sangha saying farewell to Sangharakshita: some joyous mantra chanting after a morning looking at how a lifelong commitment to the Dharma changes lives.
On Sunday 4th November, BBC national radio marked Sangharakshita’s passing with an interview with Vishvapani on Radio Four’s weekly religious news programme, ‘Sunday’.
As news of Bhante’s death has spread, we’ve been receiving messages of condolence from Buddhist leaders in other traditions. I’ll be posting a few, day by day, starting with this message from Italy.
“To The Triratna Buddhist Order and Community,
The Kunpen Lama Gangchen Association and its members would like to express heartfelt condolences to the Triratna community, for the death of the founder of the Triratna Buddhist Order and the Triratna Buddhist Community. Ven. Sangharakshita was one of the major figures for the...
on Thursday 1st of November, Sangharakshita’s body was welcomed back at Adhisthana by the community and guests. Saddhanandi addressed those present before processing behind the body towards the Amitabha shrine room where was being prepared for viewing while a ritual took place at the main shrine room.
I’ve been working on the index for Volume 13 of Bhante’s Complete Works for the last few weeks and finished it on Friday morning, having worked late into the night before. It has felt like its own kind of vigil for Bhante to be doing this. A great privilege to tend his ‘Dharma body’, or one physical manifestation of it, at least. I’m not a professional indexer but a (supported) amateur - tho’ as Vidyadevi kindly reminded me, the etymology of...
Here in Thames, Aotearoa NZ, our sangha awoke to the sad news of Urgyen Sangharakshita’s death on Wednesday morning. Since then we have been gathering both formally and spontaneously to honour Bhante and support each other in this significant and special time.
On the Wednesday we had a cherry blossom viewing meditation and picnic lunch planned in front of the public library. Which we went ahead with, with Bhante and the beauty of impermanence very much in our hearts and...
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.
