Sangharakshita's Diary

Vidyaruci, Sangharakshita’s secretary, writes with some news of his past month. He says -

“Autumn is upon us, and its rich scent and changing colours are enhancing Bhante's daily walks round the Madhyamaloka garden. Impermanence is on my mind in other ways, having heard this morning that my grandmother died last night. I am thus writing this piece in rather more of a rush than I would prefer, as I will soon be heading off to Norfolk to see my family.

“The last month has in any case been uneventful, as Bhante has been concentrating on writing about his search for traces of his Lingwood ancestors, and the discoveries he made thereby. The second instalment can be found in this month's Shabda. Among Bhante's many visitors a few are of particular interest. Firstly, Olivia Moore, a postulant mitra from Manchester, who is a violinist, came to Madhyamaloka, and, with a local tabla player named Mohinder Singh, gave a performance of Indian classical music for Bhante and others in the Madhyamaloka community, which Bhante enjoyed and appreciated very much. Then came four members of Byoma Kusuma Buddhadharma Sangha, a Buddhist movement whose principal teacher Mahayogi Shridhar Rana Rinpoche, or Ratnashri, lives in long term retreat in Nepal, which is the native country of three of the four visitors. Bhante found their discussion interesting, and photographs were taken. They are very appreciative of Bhante's writing, and sympathetic to Triratna; and Bhante, in his turn was favourably impressed with what I read him of Ratnashri's writings, which I obtained from the organization's website.

“Audio book highlights include The Condition of the English Working Class, by Friedrich Engels, which Bhante described as 'a vivid account of the terrible human cost of the Industrial Revolution'; Measuring the World by Daniel Kehlmann, 'a fascinating double biography of the great explorer Mumbolt and the great mathematician Gaus'; and finally Yet Being Someone Other, by Laurens Van der Post. Bhante commented that the book was very interesting in parts, but rather prolix.

“Vidyaruci.