FWBO History

It's a slow news week, but a busy month in the history of the FWBO. Today marks the anniversary of the first FWBO residential community which was founded in 1968 in Sarum house in London. Sarum house was subsequently renamed Aryatara, and continues to be an FWBO Community.

Tomorrow, the 18th, marks the anniversary of Sangharakshita's "going forth" into the Indian countryside with his young Brahmin friend Banerjee in 1947, almost 60 years ago. In The Thousand Petalled Lotus, Sangharakshita recalls the event:

With the help of a handful of gerua-mati, the reddish-brown earth used since time immemorial by Indian ascetics, we dyed our shirts and sarongs the traditional saffron of the world-renunciant. Suitcases and watches were sold. Trousers, jackets, and shoes given away. Identification papers destroyed. Apart from the robes which we were to wear we kept only a blanket each and our books and notebooks. As for the last three months hair and beard had been allowed to grow we did not need shaving tackle - p.97