Abhayaratna Trust launches, makes first awards to Order Members in need

Jnanamitra writes with news of the launch of a new Trust, the first dedicated to helping Order Members in the face of sickness, old age or disability.  It’s called the Abhayaratna Trust, and she says -

“What would your life be like if the Buddhist Centre where you first learned to meditate wasn’t there, or the retreat centre had not been started?

“The Buddhist Centres of the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order, (likely soon to be renamed the Triratna Buddhist Community), only exist because of the dedicated hard work of pioneering Order Members.  Many of these people lived on low levels of support while they gave themselves to pioneering the places that we now use and enjoy.

“It is important to us that the members of the Western Buddhist Order (likely soon to be renamed the Triratna Buddhist Order), are cared for in their older years, especially as many of them will not have any pension.  We can play a role in supporting their spiritual lives into active old age.

“A new Trust has been established, the Abhayaratna Trust.  It’s the first Western Buddhist Order/Triratna Buddhist Order benevolent fund.  We’re inviting members of the Sangha to include it in their Wills - any legacies received will go toward the needs of older members of the Order.  This is a way of leaving money to the Western Buddhist Order, leaving money to the Triratna Buddhist Order, and knowing that it will be well used.

The new Trust, which has been specifically created for this purpose, will ensure that your money goes quickly to help older Order members lead active spiritual lives, so that they are looked after.

“The new Trust is named after the first Buddhist Order Member to leave a legacy for the benefit of the Order, Dharmachari Abhayaratna.  His name means Fearless Jewel – Abhaya means fearless, and Ratna means Jewel – now part of the new name for the Order, Triratna, Three Jewels.

“Facing death involves fearlessness; he was a jewel in the Order, and left his legacy to the Order he loved.

“Here’s a way to express your gratitude at being able to use the Buddhist Centres and Retreat Centres that older members of the Order have created. 

To make a contribution now, or to find out how to include the Trust in your Will, click on the website link below.

www.westernbuddhistorder.org/abhayaratnatrust

“In December the Trust gave away the first grants, 11 Order members benefitted, most from the UK but two from further afield, and a grant was given to the Order in India.

“The Trust is now set up to give away grants to individual order members in need, and with more money from regular donations and from legacies more people will be helped.

“Dharmacharini Jnanamitra

Secretary, the Abhayaratna Trust

March 2010  

Free Buddhist Audio News - Viriyalila on tour!

Welcome to the latest news from the team here at
Free Buddhist Audio.

It's been quite a while since we brought you any news ourselves of what's going on at fba. "And why is that?" we hear you ask. "Because we have been working like mad to bring you all sort of new goodies in the very near future", we reply mysteriously. But you'll just have to be patient about all that (they winked)...

In the meantime, there may just be a way for you to find out a wee bit about some of the big changes coming your way by following the noble Viriyalila as she blogs her way round the UK raising awareness about our work – and hopefully lots of money to help us keep going and growing through 2010... Catch some of her very inspiring little video encounters with folk the length and breadth of the British Isles! And she's also coming to a Buddhist Center near you in America very soon... Follow us and her here:

fba on Facebook

And, you know, watch this space...

with best wishes,

The Free Buddhist Audio Team

ps. Our site been developed to enable a free service to be kept in place for all users. To help us keep it free, please think about making a donation. Many thanks!

Two poetry prizes for Maitreyabandhu

Readers of FWBO News will be familiar with Maitreyabandhu’s recent successes as a poet. In the past year he has won both the Keats-Shelley prize and the Manchester Cathedral poetry competition, and now he writes with news of two more prizes, and an award ceremony at the British Library early next month!  He says -

“Dear friends,

“Just to let you know that my collection of 10 poems 'Birds Thoughts', has just won 1st Prize in The New Writer Prose and Poetry Competition. The judge Adi Curtis says: ‘A beautifully-crafted collection, demonstrating a wonderful and inventive use of form, striking imagery and control of language. The collection has a lovely thematic unity, delicacy and poise. The poems create compelling miniature narratives’. The collection will be published in the July/August edition of The New Writer. See: www.thenewwriter.com/prizes.htm.

“Here is the title poem.

Bird Thoughts

Alighting now on shin,
           on scapula, flickering through the ribcage
in a series of quickly repeated wing beats,
           they belong to particular territory,
a certain boundary consisting of a house,
           a potato patch and the brambled side
of a railway cutting. We guard them
           with habitual throaty callings,
inhabit the body like warm tea left in a cup
           or something that has insinuated itself
into a shell – a chough’s black paddling
           through the air, a wren’s argumentation
from a rock. They fly back and forth
           into unguarded gardens, build each year
with the same grey leaves, migrate
           when the trees have been cut down
and the brushwood burnt. Chasing through holy oak –
           shaking a few sunlit leaves,
agitating a shadow – they travel without grazing
           their breasts or dark caps.
We cannot track them. They flock like starlings
           above winter fields
and their music is the racket of crows
           or the muffled castanet-sound of linnets.

“Also, I am very pleased to have won the Geoffrey Dearmer Prize for the best poem published in Poetry Review in 2009 by a poet who has not yet published a volume.

“I'm writing to invite you to the award ceremony at the British Library at 6.45pm on April 7th, 2010 - I will be reading a short selection of my poems including the winning poem 'Visitation' , described by the judge as “a brief encounter with the ineffable”. The main event will be a reading given by this year's judge, Glyn Maxwell, a well-known poet and author. The evening will be the launch of the spring edition of Poetry Review called 'Our Disappearing World', which also contains a new poem by me! It would be lovely to see you there.

“You can read more about the evening (and book) on: www.poetrysociety.org.uk

“Love, Maitreyabandhu

New German Dharma publication

Amogharatna writes from the FWBO’s Berlin Centre with news of their latest publication - a guide to all the most commonly used Dharma terms. He says -

“On 16th March 2010 in the context of a Sangha evening at the Buddhistisches Tor Berlin, Ashvajit launched the publication of the German translation of his and Cittapala's popular booklet 'A Garland of Terms'. Beginning as a purely personal project to improve his German, Amogharatna spent several years systematically collecting translations for the terms in the booklet and later realised that a German edition of the title would be much appreciated.

“With the assistance of Elisabeth Bendlin and Aryadeva who checked and improved the translations, Harald Eckhoff who translated the Prefaces, and Andreas Eikelkamp who provided the index and worked on the layout, the booklet is published as 'Buddhistische Begriffe und Listen, die man kennen sollte', which translates into English as 'Buddhist Terms and Lists, that one should know'.

“Proceeds from the sale of the booklet will go towards helping to finance the new FWBO centre in Berlin, which is planned to open in 2011.

“Copies of the booklet (ISBN 978-3-00-030568-9) can be purchased from Buddhistisches Tor for 5 Euros plus postage. Contact the centre on info@buddhistisches-tor-berlin.de. More information about the new centre project can be found at www.buddha-berlin.de.

20th anniversary of the death of Dhardo Rimpoche

Thanks goes to Suvajra for letting us know (via Facebook) that yesterday was the 20th anniversary of the death of Dhardo Rimpoche, one of Sangharakshita's eight main Buddhist Teachers.

Thanks also to Silajala for sending us the verses Sangharashita composed for the occasion of his funeral, which we're pleased to reproduce below.

Readers interested to learn more about Dhardo Rimpoche (and Sangharashita's other Buddhist teachers) may like to listen to his talk on the subject, available on here on FreeBuddhistAudio, or Padmavajra's, entitled Dhardo Rimpoche and the Bodhisattva Tradition.

Rejoicing in the Merits of Dhardo Rimpoche

I rejoice in the merits
Of the Guru of Dhartsendo;
I rejoice in his life
Of mindfulness and compassion.
I rejoice in his confident turning
Of the Wheel of the Immaculate Dharma,
And in his faultless wielding
Of the Diamond Sceptre of Wisdom.
I rejoice in his proclamation
To his disciples both young and old,
To his disciples both near and far,
Of the threefold inspiring message
To cherish the Doctrine, live united, and radiate love.
I rejoice in his practice
Of the six perfections:
In his practice of unfailing Generosity;
In his practice of flawless Ethics and Manners;
In his practice of infinite Forbearance;
In his practice of inexhaustible Vigour;
In his practice of unshakeable Concentration;
In his practice of profound and far-reaching Wisdom.
Humbly and heartily,
Gratefully and reverentially,
With body, speech, and mind,
I rejoice in the merits
Of the Guru of Dhartsendo,
I rejoice in the merits
Of Dhardo Rimpoche.
               Sangharakshita

new home for Brixton FWBO

Ratnachuda writes on behalf of the four Order Members who together run the FWBO’s small but much-loved group in South London, with news of their new and permanent home - they had met for years in a room attached to the open-air Lido in Brockwell Park, but had had to leave that, and had to move several times since. He says -

“Brixton FWBO finally found a 'permanent' home in December when the Thursday evening Regulars' class re-located from its third temporary venue in eighteen months, as did the beginner's class led by Vimalaraja

“Vaccasin has kindly rented us the mezzanine floor of his new yoga studio, Yoga Point. The Brixton FWBO contributed funds to enable a roof truss to be taken out - this has given us a clear space that can hold 20 people meditating.

“We have a kitchen in the room that allows us to have the traditional FWBO tea break and an increasing number of regulars.

“One of the features of the new space is its shrine, recently created for us by Vaccasin - it’s made of old roof slates, so the photograph of the shrine reflects its simplicity

“Hopefully we will continue to develop the Brixton FWBO and our new home will give us a much needed impetus.

“metta, Ratnachuda, Amarapuspa, Satyanathin and Vimalaraja

2PS - full details of all our classes are on-line at http://brixtonbuddhistmeditation.org"

Reports are reaching us of new premises also for the FWBO groups in Exeter and Glastonbury - watch this space!

Compassion in the Kitchen team get busy for 2010

Jane Easton from the ‘Compassion in the Kitchen’ team reports -

“The Compassion in the Kitchen team comprises of three practising Buddhists, Achintya, Birgit and Jane, all of whom who are linked to the FWBO.

"Having run two successful retreats at Paddington Farm in 2008 and 2009, we decided to take it further and run several this year, starting in May 14-16, at Anybody’s Barn nr Malvern, midway between Bristol and Birmingham. It took us a while to find the right venue but we’ve got it now and we’re good to go!

"CITK events aren’t traditional FWBO retreats as such but include meditation, study and ethics to extend/anchor the hands-on cooking. The May event will feature hands on, planet-friendly cooking with myself; seasoned with mindfulness meditation, workshops, and study led by Achintya and Birgit Muller. You get to cook and eat tasty, animal-free recipes to support your care for our world, whatever your current dietary persuasion!

"It’s open to everyone - from experienced Buddhists or other spiritual practitioners to those who’ve only done a little meditation or quiet sitting. It’s for all those interested in exploring the many issues around what we eat – we hope to get meat-eaters, meat-reducers and all shades of dietary choice!

"FFI click on www.compassion-in-the-kitchen.org.uk and go to Events/CITK Events/Bookings. Or check our online poster".

Enjoy...

Sangharakshita's Diary

Vidyaruci, Sangharakshita's secretary, reports -

"You will be glad to know that Bhante has recovered well from his recent angina attack, and after a week or two of taking things relatively easy, is now back to his usual routine of walks, interviews and correspondence. Other than this dramatic and worrying episode the most noteworthy feature of the last month has been a series of visits by Subhuti, who interviewed Bhante on some of his more recent 'philosophical' thinking. He has also had a visit from a Manchester GFR group.

"With Bhante's assistance, Paramartha has started cataloguing Bhante's personal archive. So far 37 box files have been catalogued. The material includes lecture notes, press cuttings, correspondence, articles and book reviews.

"I have read to Bhante the whole of Suzuki's translation of The Awakening of Faith in the Mahayana, as well as reading Shabda to him. Paramartha has read him some of the Gnostic texts from The Nag Hammadi Library. The audio book service has provided information and entertainment by way of Congo Journey by
Redmond O'Hanlon in which the author meets Bantus, pygmies, and sorcerers, adopts a baby gorilla, and encounters an amazing variety of flora and fauna. Bhante also enjoyed In Search of the Dark Ages, which he thought was history writing at its best. It emphasises dominant personalities such as Boudicca, Alfred the Great, Athelstan, and Eric Bloodaxe, rather than emphasising economics and social trends. The last audio book to which Bhante listened this month was My Invented Country by Isabelle Allende, in which the author gives a vivid picture of pre-Pinochet Chile as she remembers it".

Vidyaruci
Madhyamaloka 15/03/10 .

Sarvananda on Radio 4 Afternoon Play - this Weds

Sarvananda, a member of the Western Buddhist Order and successful playwright, writes with news of his next radio play - coming up soon! He says -

“My next new play is on Wed March 24th at 2.15 on Radio 4 in their slot The Afternoon Play.

“It’s called "The Sensitive: A Nobody".

“Very best wishes
“Sarvananda”

Enjoy...

Vimaladhatu Stupa - the story continues...

On Wednesday we carried a story about the new Stupa Rupadarshin is carving for Vimaladhatu, the FWBO’s German Retreat Centre. We were reporting from the Buddhafield perspective - Rupadarshin is working in a bender in their garden! Now Sanghadarsini from Essen writes with their side of the story - and some background to the project. She says -

“Here is some information about our planned Stupa for our Retreat Center Vimaladhatu. Could you please post the information on the FWBO news website?

A stupa for Vimaladhatu
Some years ago the idea was born to build a Stupa in the Grounds of the German Retreat Center, Vimaladhatu. Bodhimitra took up the idea again in March 2009, and planned to build the Stupa himself with the help of friends from the Sangha. The site was chosen and quite quickly Bodhimitra had constructed the foundation for the Stupa. Around this time Sangharakshita visited Essen for FWBO day and Bodhimitra told Bhante about his plans to build a Stupa at Vimaladhatu.

“Bhante was very pleased and spontaneously offered some of Dhardo Rimpoche's ashes for the Stupa. He also suggested that we could put Dhardo's Motto ("cherish the doctrine, live united, radiate love") on the Stupa and that we could use a stone from the local area. The Essen Sangha was delighted by Bhante's offer, but we also realized that we needed a stone mason to do the work. All of us thought of Rupadarshin, who had built the Stupas in Padmaloka, Tiratanaloka and at Windhorse Trading. When we asked Rupadarshin, he felt really inspired by the project, but said that he wouldn't be able to start right away because of his responsibilities to Buddhafield in the Summer.

In October 2009 Rupadarshin visited Vimaladhatu and he and Bodhimitra visited a stone quarry, which is very close to Vimaladhatu. There they chose a local stone called Anröchter Kalkstein, a stone much liked by many stone masons.

A few weeks later the Center Team chose the form for the Stupa. It was clear, that we wanted a Tibetan style Chörten Form, and out of 8 different forms, we all chose the Enlightenment Form (funnily each one of us for different reasons.) We were very pleased that there was such consensus in this decision.

By the end of the year Rupadarshin had built a workshop tent in his garden. The stone was shipped over to Devon with the help of Windhorse Trading and on the 2nd of February Rupadarshin started to work on the foundation stone. To date: several stones are already finished.

Chintamani is working on the finial for the stupa (the top bit) which will be in bronze.

We hope to have the inauguration of the stupa in October this year and Bhante has offered to come and to place the ashes of Dhardo in the stupa - if his health will permit it.

If you want to find out more about the project and see more pictures you can have a look at our bilingual (German/English) Facebook site called "Stupa Vimaladhatu"

We will post more information soon ...

Liebe Grüße,

Sanghadarsini

Stupa being carved for Vimaladhatu Retreat Centre

FWBO News is delighted to have uncovered an unusual project currently taking shape in the garden of one of the Buddhafield communities in Devon, UK - a stupa for Vimaladhatu, the FWBO’s German Retreat Centre.

The stone mason is Rupadarshin, a lifelong craftsman and worker in stone - though better known to many as the creator of showers and hot tubs at Buddhafield retreats and festivals. He trained at Wells Cathedral in Somerset, and has carved a number of stone stupas around the FWBO - and the giant warehouse stupa at Windhorse Evolution in Cambridge.

Carving stupas by hand is never easy, but this one posed unusual logistical challenges. Buddhafield’s a busy place even in the winter season, and in order to create a working space for himself he had to set up a canvas-covered dome in the garden - in the snow! The stone was shipped over from Germany, and arrived in late January - at which point Rupadarshin disappeared into the structure and has only been heard since: tap-tap-tap-tap-tap...!

He has however found time to document his work and post it to Facebook, and FWBO News readers are invited to check his photo album there, one of several in a series ‘The Working World of Rupadarshin’.

In the meantime we post a sketch of the plans, and an image of its eventual home in Germany, in the gardens of Vimaladhatu - where it seems they’ve temporarily made themselves a snow stupa while they wait!

Sadhu!

Worcester buys their Buddhist Centre

The FWBO's Worcester Buddhist Centre have had a remarkable fundraising success - putting together the money needed to buy their Centre in just over four weeks!

Vajragupta reports - 

"Around 2002, FWBO classes began in Worcester run by Order members from the Birmingham Buddhist Centre. Over the years a small, budding sangha slowly emerged. The classes were held in hired rooms, which weren’t always that quiet or atmospheric.

"Then in early 2009 a couple of us started a small community in a rented house and for the first time the Worcester Sangha had its own home, a place where people could meet and meditate together in a dedicated shrine room.

"But in mid-January this year the landlords said their situation had changed and they needed to sell the house. It was very unlikely we’d find such a good house again, and, even if we did, the same thing could happen all over again. It looked like we had to take a rather disheartening step backwards.

"It seemed like a very long shot, but we just thought we’d see if we could raise enough money for a deposit to buy the house. First one person offered a large loan on generous terms. Then another person made a very generous gift. Maybe we could do it after all? We started asking more people outside Worcester for help. Many people in Birmingham responded with gifts. Word spread. One Order member in another city wrote and said her daughter had once attended the group and she’d like to help. A few other Buddhist Centres chipped in. It got more and more inspiring!

"The upshot is that - amazingly - we raised £55,000 in four weeks and are now in the process of buying the house. The Worcester Sangha will have a more secure home for years to come. We’re very grateful for the generosity that has made this possible".

Sadhu Worcester!

More details of their program on their website at www.worcesterbuddhistcentre.org.uk

Preceptors College reports on plans for 2010

Moksananda from the Preceptors' College writes with news of their plans for 2010 - including an appeal to support a part-time Secretary to the College.

The Preceptors' College are the body of senior men and women responsible for all ordinations into the Western Buddhist Order - collectively looking after the ordination requests of over 1500 men and women - not including as many again in India! So they need and deserve a bit of our support!

He says -

“ Most preceptors, public and private, just donate their time; they’re not supported to be preceptors. To be able to connect to thousands of men and women around the world, we do however need to support the chair and a part-time administrator of the college. This year we would also like to begin to provide the chair of the college with part-time secretarial support.

“We also help to bring public preceptors from India and Australasia to our meetings in the UK. It is an important link that keeps our Order and movement spiritually unified.

“To do all this we need to find £20,000 per annum. It’s not a lot, but we need to raise it. We have no ongoing funding apart from what we can raise from men and women who have asked for ordination and a few Order members who generously support us.

“If you have asked for ordination and live in Europe you should be receiving a letter from me soon, asking for your support in 2010. However, I thought I'd post something here too. Just in case there is anyone else out there who would like to contribute!

“Your financial support will make a real difference to how well we can do this work.

“In 2009 we set out to raise £15,000, and finally raised a total of £12,257. That's fantastic! I have written to nearly all our supporters thanking them for supporting us in 2009. There are a few, however, who I have not been able to track down. If that's you, then please be assured that all of us in the College really want to thank everyone who donated, whether by standing order or one-off donations. People contributed from the UK, Europe, and from Australia and New Zealand too. We have the beginnings of a worldwide community to support the work of the college.

“This year we hope we can build on that growing support and reach our new target of £20,000 - this is so that we can support a part-time secretary for Dhammarati, the College’s Chair. Please, help us to help those who wish to commit themselves to the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha and be Ordained into the Western Buddhist Order.

“You can find more about our work, including details of who is supported, and information on how to contribute, on our website www.preceptorscollege.org. Alternatively, skip straight to our JustGiving page at www.justgiving.com/publicpreceptorscollege2010!

“Many thanks.

Moksananda

Opportunities coming up at Karuna

Andrea writes from the FWBO’s Karuna Trust with news of their hostel in Central India - and an invitation for 2 people to contribute to Karuna's work in London, starting next month. She says -

“The education of a child can pull a whole family out of the cycle of deprivation.  To illustrate this I'd like to tell you a little of Vidyha Salgare's story.

At an educational hostel in Latur, a small town in the heart of India, 65 girls from low-caste backgrounds have found love, support and the opportunity to build a future.

The Latur Girls Hostel is a special place. A delightful family atmosphere is created by 65 girls and three wardens with a mix of exuberance, intelligence and care. The walls resound with creativity and potential. The Karuna supported hostel was purpose built after a devastating earthquake in 1993 in a drought-prone area of Maharashtra.

Vidhya Salgare is from a Dalit family. “I was 10 when my father was murdered. There was discrimination against Dalits in the office where he worked. They found acid in his ears. My mother sells vegetables now, a very hard life. My father loved me, and wanted me to get an education. In the village, the teacher made me sit at the back of the class. It’s not like that here in Latur. I am very happy here.”

Admission to the hostel is based on need – the girls, such as Vidyha, come from the very bottom of the caste system. They live at the hostel free of charge, attend the local schools, and are coached by the hostel wardens.

The hostel, run by members of TBMSG (the Indian equivalent of the FWBO), is a wonderful example of how the rigid hostility of caste can be transformed by care and friendship, and girls who were once imprisoned by poverty and discrimination can realize their potential, and in turn, gain dignity, strength, and hope for the future.

Calling YOU!
Could you tell a story like Vidyha’s to a Karuna supporter? Join a Karuna Phone Campaign from 19 April to 28 May 2010 and find out!

Karuna supporters are often pleased to hear more about our work in Asia, especially when they hear what a difference their donation is making to lives like Vidyha’s. As such, a supporter is often inspired and moved to increase their existing donation.

We need to find 2 more phone fundraisers to join a team of fundraisers for a Karuna phone campaign. It will be 6-weeks long, non-residential, working with a team of Buddhist men and women out of the Karuna office in North London. Financial support is offered.

During the campaign we'll be phoning existing Karuna supporters to communicate the benefits of Karuna’s work in South Asia with a view to them increasing their existing donation.

A fundraiser on a 6-week Karuna phone campaign could raise an extra £17,000 for Karuna. That’s the equivalent of keeping Vidhya and at least 10 of her friends at the hostel for 5 years – enough for them to receive a decent education.

If you would like to tell a story like Vidhya’s, please contact Jo Goldsmid on 0207 697 3006 or jo@karuna.org

East Kent Buddhist Group are all smiles

Vincent Stokes writes from the FWBO’s East Kent Buddhist Group with news of their recent day retreat. He says -

“On Saturday 20 February the East Kent Buddhist Group were fortunate to have the company of Maitreyabandhu who led us through a day of mindfulness. His through exposition of the Four Spheres of Mindfulness was inspiring and often funny. Many of the 25 Sangha members present expressed their appreciation.

"Maitreyabandhu left a deep impression on us. Much of our following Sangha night was taken up with expressions of appreciation of Maitreyabandhu and the day he so kindly gave us.

“We also deeply appreciate Danapriya’s efforts in inviting order members to the group. For me the day was an expression of a growing Sangha, I felt supported, seen and deeply inspired, it was very moving. Like a dance we looked out for each other with smiles, attention and lots of delicious home made food.

“With Love Vincent Stokes”

The photo the took at the end of the day seems to speak for itself! You can find details of their classes and retreats at http://danapriya.org

‘Turning Arrows into Flowers’

Friday 28th May to Tuesday 1st June 2010

www.internationalretreat.fwbo.org

FWBO News is delighted to bring you news of the second FWBO International Retreat, a big family-friendly event run by the FWBO Chairs Assembly in conjunction with Buddhafield and Taraloka.

The event commences on the Friday evening and goes through to Tuesday lunchtime. There will be a full programme of talks, meditations, storytelling, and rituals, plus free time for meeting up with friends or going for a walk. Some of the FWBO’s most experienced teachers will be there, including Jnanavaca, Maitreyabandhu, Padmavajra, Saddhanandi, Sona, Tejananda, Vajradarshini, Vidyamala, with more to be confirmed…

There will be two sessions each day when those with children can bring their kids along to be looked after, allowing them to go to the talks, meditations and so on. Also, in the evening we'll have storytelling that kids can come to, sometimes join in, and sometimes stay for part of the ritual/puja that follows on from it... Children aged 3 or under can come for free, and 4 to 16 year olds half price.

It promises to be another huge opportunity for a very imaginative collective celebration of Buddha Day (Wesak) - the festival of the Buddha's Enlightenment. It's also a great way to experience the depth and breadth of the movement, and to get a taste of just how satisfying it can be not just to practice but to live for a short time immersed in a Buddhist context, to work together in teams, and so on.

Places are limited so book soon!  

For more details check the dedicated retreat website at www.internationalretreat.fwbo.org

Story-telling, chanting and ritual: to create an atmosphere of magic and beauty, re-enacting the story of the Buddha’s Enlightenment.

Meditation: teaching and time to practice how can we see-through negativity and free our own hearts and minds.

Talks and discussion: looking at the society we live in and what helps and what hinders our attempts to move towards Enlightenment. How can we help turn “arrows into flowers”?

Sangha: an experience of the breadth and depth of the FWBO with hundreds of us from all over Europe living, practising, and creating sangha together over a long weekend.

Family Friendly: facilities and activities for children and teenagers.

Aryamati and 800 Years of Women’s Letters

Aryamati, an Order Member from Manchester, is pleased to share the reprinting of one of her eight books on women’s writing.  The book is titled '800 Years of Women’s Letters', and was first published 19 years ago, which - she says - means it can be classed a classic!

 She was among the first to research the rich source of information contained in women’s private letters, commenting "When not suspected of innovative ideas by their menfolk, they discussed a bold range of themes, from improving education and diplomacy to dealing with illness - and poverty".

She goes on to say -

"I was particularly interested in women's spirituality, which is why l begin 800 years ago, with Hildegard of Bingen. Mystic, composer, herbalist, renowned preacher, she also wrote prescient advice to men in power. And Santa Teresa de Avila shows her ability as administrator, reformer and poet - spiritual women seldom mentioned by male hierarchy till recently. Though l include letters from Queens, l was also keen to find letters from working class women; easier once primary education was introduced. But l was pleased to find a petition from some women weavers at the time of the French revolution. l end with a letter l translated from La Pasionaria, the communist firebrand who made famous speeches to support the Republic against the uprising of Franco".

Aryamati has been invited to speak for an hour on her book as part of International Women’s Week at Manchester Central Library.  She'll be speaking on Wednesday 10 Mar from 6-7pm.  The event is  FREE and refreshments will be  provided. Friends will read a range of lively extracts.

You'll find more about the book, including some reviews, on Amazon.

Bahujan Hitay Amaravati celebrates with annual festival

Amitayus, an Indian Order Member from TBMSG’s vibrant Amaravati centre in central Maharastra, writes with news of their recent annual festival, organised to celebrate a very successful 2009. He says -

“Jaibhim and many good wishes from Bahujan Hitay project Amravati.

“It is our pleasure to let you know that Bahujan Hitay project Amravati has organized the Bahujan Hitay annual festival. Participants included beneficiaries, indirect beneficiaries, stakeholder’s staff, donors, well-wishers and management. It is a reflection of our year long success, and for the first time we made it for four days in length, from 9-12 February.

Events included sports events for the Staff and the cultural activities for our direct and indirect beneficiaries and stake holders. The concluding ceremony on 12 February was presided over by Dhammachari Nagabhadra, Chairman of our Bahujan Hitay project management committee.

Some sense of the breadth of Amaravati’s activities can be found from their annual report - available on the Resources page of FWBO News at www.fwbo-news.org/features/Amaravati_annual_report_2007-8.pdf

India week continues - introducing the Bodhisattva Foundation

We continue this week of stories from India with a report from the Bodhisattva Foundation, a new FWBO/TBMSG charity created to work with women from nomadic tribes near Mumbai in Maharastra. Alokasri, its founder, writes-

First Republic Day Celebration by most disadvantaged community:

“India`s 60th Republic day was celebrated on 26th January 2010 all over India but there was something special about the festivities in Aundhe - a small village near Lonavala 100km from Mumbai. Unbelievably, it was first time Republic day had ever been celebrated in that community.

“Aundhe is home to a community of Adivasi and Katakari people, known as nomadic tribes in India. They are every bit as marginalized, if not more so, than the Dalits, or Scheduled Castes, who TBMSG have been working with for over thirty years now. When we met them we were really surprised to discover that in last 60 years they were not knowing what is meant by republic day, nobody involve them in such occasions or make any efforts to aware them about their citizenship. So an early result of our work is that they celebrated 60th Republic Day for those people in their own community.

“On the day, the head of the local Sarpanch, or village Council, hosted the national flag in the early morning at 8.30 AM, saying that though Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar had through his hard work given a constitution to the country, yet there is need to create an awareness amongst people about their rights and educate them how to receive basic amenities from the local authorities.

“Alokashri then explained the purpose of the Bodhisattva Foundation and its first project, the Comprehensive Education Center was inaugurated. It will emphasise a balance of formal and non formal education, plus social awareness programs that will help raise the confidence of the community so that local people will take responsibility of their own development and become self reliant.

“The Bodhisattva Foundation is an Indian Charitable Trust (NGO) run by Indian women who are actively involved in Buddhist practice and as expression of their practice working for underprivileged, marginalized and disadvantage section of the society. It works in partnership with Bodhisattva Activity, a similar trust registered in the UK”.

As a way of fundraising for their activities, Alokasri is leading a series of pilgrimages in India, the next ones being to Nepal in March and north-eastern India in April-May. For further details of these, or their charitable work, please email Alokasri on bodhisattvaactivity@gmail.com