Ordination in San Francisco

On Monday, July 19, at sunrise, Sarah Brown was privately ordained by Viveka and given the name Pasadini, meaning "She possessed of crystalline brightness". Her ordination took place during the North American Sangha's first month-long meditation retreat, at Jikoji retreat center near San Francisco.

Pasadini was welcomed into the Order in the public ordination ceremony conducted by Parami at Triratna's San Francisco Buddhist Center on Sunday afternoon, July 25, surrounded by sangha, friends and family.

SADHU!

Karuna Trust celebrate 30 years of compassion in action

Karuna's 30th anniversary shrine

The Karuna Trust was formed in 1980 as Aid for India, the movement's response to the suffering of India's Dalit community. For 30 years, Karuna has worked with some of South Asia's most disadvantaged people, sending over £1 million every year to support low-caste and tribal communities, street children and refugees fulfill their potential through our social and Dharma projects.

On Saturday 10th July, at the North London Buddhist Centre, the Karuna team celebrated our 30-year anniversary by bringing together as many people as possible, past and present, from the Triratna Buddhist Community who have or had a connection with Karuna – including team members, fundraisers, trustees, and those who have lived and worked in India.

Bodhananda, one of the early fund-raisers, commented, “It was such a joy to meet up with people I've not seen from the early 1980's who I did appeals with and others from the Karuna teams over the years. It put me in touch with the inspiration I felt while engaged with Karuna".

Here are some amazing facts about Karuna. Since 1980:

• 400 – is number of Triratna/FWBO volunteers who’ve learnt to ‘get real’ on Karuna Appeals
• 720,000 – is the number of doors knocked by fundraisers since 1980
• 1,000,000 – is the estimated number of beneficiaries’ lives touched in South Asia
• £16,000,000 – is the total Karuna-funded expenditure on projects in South Asia
• £21,400,000 – is the number of total funds raised by Aid for India / Karuna

But there’s still much work to do!
Here’s how YOU can help - Give your time in one of three ways:

1. Help out on a telephone fundraising campaign

We’re recruiting now for our next phone campaign which runs from 25 October to 3 December 2010 based out of the Karuna office in North London.

2. Join a door-to-door Karuna Appeal in 2011

3. Live in a fundraising community for a year

Feeling inspired? Curious to find out more?
Contact: Jo, Andrea or Amalavajra.
Phone: 0207 700 3434
Email: appeals@karuna.org

Maitreyabandhu wins Ledbury Festival Poetry Competition

Maitreyabandhu - by now well known to readers of Trirantna News as a successful poet - writes with news of ANOTHER poetry prize! He says -

“Dear all, I wanted to let you know that I've won the Ledbury Festival Poetry Competition with my poem The Cutting. It's my first poem in Iambic pentameter to win something, so I'm chuffed about that. The prize is a week's residential writing course and I'm invited to speak at The Ledbury Poetry Festival next year - except I can't as I'm on the four-month Guhyaloka retreat!

“Here's the poem.
“Love, Maitreyabandhu”

The Cutting

The cutting at the end of Crockets Lane
had a meadow on either side, a brow
fringed with blackthorn and a few sheep grazing
in sodden fields below. It carried steam trains
up to Lapworth, before the Beeching Axe
closed the branch lines down; now it was
a brambled ‘v’ overrun with elderflowers
and buddleia. We’d go there blackberrying,
filling colanders and plastic tubs –
the cutting was a good walk from the house,
almost far enough to tire the dogs.
I remember children on the embankment
carrying Union Jacks – silhouetted
against the sky like rows of little soldiers.
They came from all the local infant schools
because we’d heard the Queen would visit Henley
in the royal train. But that can’t be right:
the line came up before I was even born,
only dad remembered steam trains huffing on it.
I took Stephen there one summer; we kicked up
dandelions and it was hot; we got those
sticky burrs stuck to our shorts and socks.
We were looking for somewhere we’d be safe
and out of sight, a cleft beside a pond,
and as we walked two pigeons clattered out.
We waded nettles that reached up to our chest.
I managed to lift his shirt and touch his side,
but he was scared and so was I. And anyway
the train didn’t stop; we just stood there
on the platform while she thundered past.

Billy Collins, this year’s Ledbury poet in residence and competition judge in the Adult Category, commented: “Any reader will appreciate how this poem deftly moves from a precise natural setting to a false remembering then to another memory both real and sexually vivid. The thundering train at the end leaves us pleasantly stunned.”

Sadhu Maitreyabandhu!

Buddhafield Festival photos now on-line

The 15th Buddhafield Festival ended a week ago, with some 2,500+ people gathering in Somerset’s Blackdown Hills for a long weekend of ceremony, meditation, Dharma talks, debates, healing, permaculture, music, social change, sauna, children’s stories, films, good food - and much much more...

We’re hoping to bring you the Dharma talks as soon as they’ve been uploaded to Buddhafield’s page on FreeBuddhistAudio , but in the meantime can’t resist sharing with Triratna News’ readers some of the photos and comments from the event. Click on the dragon for photos from Royston Naylor’s Facebook album.

The video below is from the 2009 Festival, happily this one wasn’t quite so muddy!  Thanks to Brian VizionDance for putting it together.

Thanks also to the Buddhafield Festival’s many Facebook fans for their comments, copied below. No festival is perfect, and this one featured unexpected gale force winds on the Thursday night, just after almost 1,500 new people had arrived on site for the weekend!  More at www.facebook.com/buddhafield.festival.
  Dear wonderful festival lovelies, Thank you so much for making this year's festival so wonderful. I witnessed such joy, warmth and support. There seemed to be a collective shift after the storm, where we seemed to come together in a richer and more real way, which really embodied the sense of community I believe that's what we're all striving for.

  This Buddhafield was so beautiful. People at their best. Stunning and inspiring. Love to all there. X

  It was beautiful ! My first buddahfield and I loved it! Love and thx to all. Xxx

  My first Buddhafield was amazing! Lots of love to all the people I met xx

  Wonderful wonderful place

  I agree! The festival was truly magical, incredible and beautiful. I learnt so much and hope to bring that learning out into the world. Thank you!

  loved it x

  This was the best festival I have been to for years- many thanks to all involved- see you next year!

  My 7th time at Buddhafield - already looking forward to my 8th! Rain or no rain!

  Wonderful as ever, but what ever happened to the farewell fairies that used to wave people off with love and heartfelt smiles.. all shattered I guess.. should some freshfaced ones be hired for the occasion I wonder?

  My first too! And absolutely beautiful! Thanks so much to all you warm and sweet people. Here's to the next!

  First time for me too - and it was amazing!! Thanks and gratitude to all those that made it happen xx

Another fantastic festival yet again, thank you : ) Was Satyajit's talk recorded, if so will it be going on Free Buddhist Audio? I hope so, it was deeply stirring and very inspiring.x

ClearVision appeal for Triratna videos

Upekshapriya writes from ClearVision, the education and video wing of the Triratna Buddhist Community, with an appeal for all readers of Triratna News.  He says -

"We at Clear Vision are looking for people from all around the world to send us short video clips of themselves saying (in English) what they appreciate about being a part of the Triratna Buddhist Community. We would like a wide variety of age, experience, ethnic backgrounds etc - women and men. We hope to use the clips on the forthcoming Triratna website thebuddhistcentre.com and/or in a fundraising video we're making.

"We’d like clips no longer than 15 seconds, and to be videoed like an interview on TV (that is showing just head and shoulders) preferably talking to a friend who is either holding the camera or standing next to the person with the camera - we've discovered that people are generally much more comfortable talking to a person than to a lens, so it comes across much better.

"The video quality doesn't need to be great - it can be on a from a mobile phone, a digital stills camera (most of them have a video option), of course a video camera, and even a webcam, but it'd be best if you are fairly close to the camera so the sound is picked up well (and if you have a separate mic that's even better).

You could start the clip using phrases like:
"I really appreciate Triratna because..."
"I enjoy..."
"What I really like about Triratna...."
"I feel grateful that...."

"Send us these videos via sendspace.com (free) to us at clearvision@clear-vision.org, upload them to YouTube.com (particularly easy if you are using a webcam) and send us the link (you can make it private if you want and share it with clearvisiontrust) or copy it onto a cd and post it to us (the same with a digital video tape) to Triratna Appeal, c/o the Clear Vision Trust, 16-20 Turner Street, Manchester M4 1DZ, UK.

"Thanks, Upekshapriya"

British Buddhism Today - new talk by Munisha

Available now on Videosangha is 'British Buddhism Today', the keynote speech given by Munisha to the UK’s 2010 Manchester Buddhist Conference. The conference is held in venues across Manchester and her talk was given at the Manchester Fo Guang Shan Temple.

Please note that the census statistics quoted are from 2001 and will be superseded by the UK's 2011 census. The breakdown of UK Buddhist groups by size are estimates made by Robert Bluck, used by him in his book ‘British Buddhism’.

Essential viewing for anyone interested in the contours of the wider British Buddhist landscape!

Watch it in the embedded player below or direct at www.videosangha.net/video/British-Buddhism-Today-Munisha

New review of 'The Triratna Story'

Priyananda writes from Windhorse Publications, Triratna's publishing house, with news of a new review of their latest book, 'The Triratna Story', by Vajragupta. Written by Vajrapushpa, chair of the Karuna Trust and an Order Member for over 30 years, it's a thoughtful review of his account of our first 40 years.

Vajrapushpa makes it clear there are no easy answers - whether that's when you're setting up a new Buddhist movement, or writing a book about it, or even when reviewing the book!  Entitling it 'OF INNOCENCE AND EXPERIENCE', she opens her review by saying -

"The Triratna Story is an account of the first 43 years of the FWBO’s - now the Triratna Buddhist Community’s - history. In his book Vajragupta combines thorough research – his listening ear – with wise reflection and, using his storyteller’s touch, conjures up vivid scenes from the early history, from meetings, ordinations, public lectures, personal experiences. Above all he tells the story with a strong desire for balance and fairness; not avoiding the more painful, troublesome and confusing episodes and issues in the history of the Triratna Community".

And ends with the words -

"As the story continues, the Triratna Order and Community, too, will encounter new issues and situations for which there are no ‘explicit models’ in traditional Buddhism, or perhaps not even our own history. 


"If the lineage that Sangharakshita has established is going to mature and flourish spiritually, we – his disciples - will need to think for ourselves and work together, be well versed in the Dharma and attentive to our own experience. The story of the first four decades, as told by Vajragupta, offers us a pause for reflection, as well as encouragement and inspiration for the next chapter".

You can read her review in full on Triratna Features, or buy the book from your local Buddhist Centre or direct from Windhorse.  Highly recommended.

new video from the Windhorse warehouse

The folk at Uddiyana, Windhorse:Evolution's massive warehouse in Cambridge UK, have sent Triratna News a link to the latest in their series of work-as-practice videos, you'll find it at www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-L6dipsaTE or in the embedded player below.

Enjoy...!

Triratna’s new name celebrated during Buddha Day in Brighton - and Dublin

Brighton Buddhist Centre shrine

Sebastian Beaumont writes from Brighton with news of their recent ‘name change celebrations’, saying -

“This year’s Buddha day in Brighton was a double celebration – of the Buddha’s Enlightenment, and of the name change of our movement from the FWBO to the Triratna Buddhist Community. The word celebration is used deliberately, not because a name change is, of itself, a reason for celebration, but because it has instigated a period of fruitful recollection of the history of the FWBO, both worldwide and locally, and it seems there is much that is worth celebrating.

“Our weekend started with Sophia March stalwartly climbing a ladder in the rain, hanging prayer flags across the front of the centre. The Friday evening full moon puja was titled ‘Turning Arrows into Flowers’, exemplified by Siddhartha's defeat of Mara; an apt title as it was also the title of the FWBO International Retreat, held the same weekend, and thus made reference to our sense of interconnectedness and deep commitment to Sangha.

““On Saturday, the centre started out buzzing with excitement, children and cakes for the children’s event. Touching quotes from Sangharakshita and others , in the form of large yellow paper Buddha Jewels, were spread through the building reminding us, in our busyness, that ‘No doer of the deed can be found.’

“The talk: ‘The Buddha in the 21st Century’ made it clear that the Triratna Buddhist Community is forward-looking by nature. Perhaps the name change embodies this, with its emphasis on the Three Jewels of the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. In our hyper-stimulated culture, where craving, hatred and delusion are still so active, perhaps this re-emphasis on the Three Jewels as our only effective refuge is timely. As Tejamitra said, you can’t rely on things; you can rely on the Three Jewels.

“It was moving to see so many faces from all eras of the Movement. We had someone present who had attended Sangharakshita’s early talks, as well as newcomers who were dipping their toes for the first time into the spiritual waters of our community.

“In some ways, it feels as if the word Triratna completes a timely loop of an upward spiral. Sangharakshita, in that very first gathering in the basement at Monmouth Street, forty-three years ago, dedicated ‘the Triratna Meditation Shrine Room’; and now, here we are, the Triratna Buddhist Community.

“The dedication ceremony for the Order’s new name at the centre in Brighton certainly felt laden with meaning and significance. The chosen version of the Sakyamuni mantra was last chanted in the shrine room when Sangharakshita came to open Aloka’s beautiful triptych painting of the Buddha Sakyamuni meditating peacefully.

Dublin Buddhist Centre shrine

“With a day retreat on Sunday, there was a full program of events over the weekend. There was some sadness, with the saying of farewell to the familiar name of the FWBO, but there was also a looking-forward to embracing our global movement, now unified by a common title.

“As Padmavajri, Brighton’s women’s Mitra Convenor, commented: ‘When something has been marked by ritual, who knows what will come out of it? It touches on something mysterious. This is its very nature.’ We await the unfolding of the Triratna Buddhist Community with curiosity and anticipation”.

Meanwhile, over in Dublin, they too were celebrating, and Vajrasura, their Chairman, writes to say “Our Buddha Day was celebrated last Sunday, and there was a ritual in the afternoon to mark the name change. Jnanadhara asked me to send this photo on to you”.

Musituality - Music in the Spirit of Harmony - coming up in Birmingham

Rich Batsford, a Mitra at Triratna’s Birmingham Buddhist Centre writes to say -

“On July 16th there’s a great concert at the Birmingham Buddhist Centre in case you'd be interested in featuring it in your blog. The three organisers - of which I’m one - see ourselves as three musketeers, of Christian, Muslim and Buddhist persuasions. We’ve created ‘Musituality - Music in the Spirit of Harmony’ - it aims to build on the success of last year's sell-out concert in Birmingham Cathedral. This year we’re part of this year’s Moseley Festival.

* Aa'shiq al-Rasul fuse classical Indian beats with contemporary Afro-Caribbean and Middle Eastern sounds, becoming the UK's most versatile band in the Muslim music scene. They have performed on stages as diverse as the Glastonbury Festival and Symphony Hall and have toured many countries throughout the world. Their album's have been widely praised and well received - the latest, Majesty, is in shops now.
"a spiritually uplifting experience" Radio Dawah

* St Marys Schola present an ethereal blend of vocal harmony ranging from the transcendent, pristine polyphony of master Renaissance Composer Thomas Tallis, right through centuries of rich choral tradition to the tonal warmth of the modern day John Rutter.
“an instant rapport with their audience” B13 Magazine

* Solo pianist Rich Batsford performs his own meditative and beguiling compositions that feature gorgeous melody, harmony and insistent rhythm drawing comparisons with Eric Satie and Keith Jarrett.
"Utterly spell-binding” Birmingham Post

"Through creating contemporary, positive and reflective music Aa'shiq al-Rasul intend to increase people's understanding of one another to help build social bridges globally whilst working with all faiths and cultures towards sharing a message of peace, love and hope."
Amran Ellahi - Aa'shiq al-Rasul Founder and Musituality co-organiser

Also, myself and Olivia Moore - a very talented Indian-influenced violinist and member of the Manchester Triratna Sangha - are planning a series of concerts together at other Buddhist centres around the country in the future. We’d love to hear from anyone in any Sangha who is interested in hosting or helping organise a concert. Please contact me on batsfordpromotions@gmail.com .

Please also note you can listen to my album of meditative piano music on my website at www.richbatsford.com

best wishes and much metta

Rich

Street meditation in Cambridge, UK

Ivan Trujillo writes from Triratna's Cambridge Buddhsit Centre with news of a new project - street meditation.  He asks - and answers - the question "Why meditate on the street?", saying -

"In Buddhism some meditations emphasize the cultivation of awareness of our senses, feelings and thoughts. The aim of the meditation is to transform positively the way in which we relate with the world and ourselves. And simultaneously to have a positive influence in our environment.

"Meditation practices are commonly related with being peaceful and relaxed, usually in very quiet and aesthetically appealing places.

"However, meditation cannot or should not be limited to perfect arranged places and situations. If we want to include the effect of meditation in our world and society, we need to bring the meditation into our world and society".

He goes on to give news of their next venture - today!

"This Saturday 10th of July, we will go to the Cambridge city centre to meditate.  You're invited to join us and share this experience with us. We are meeting at the Buddhist centre at 9:30 to tune in and we plan to start to meditate at 10 somewhere.

"For more information check the Event on Facebook: www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=128201607215201

News from Wildmind

It’s been a while since we brought you news from Wildmind, Triratna’s US-based on-line meditation teaching website. They’ve been busy, and alongside their regular courses and newsletters, have no less than three books in the pipeline.

The first, already out, is their first audio book, entitled ‘Sacred Sound: Mantra Meditations for Centeredness and Inspiration’.

By Bodhipaksa and Sunada, Wildmind’s principle teachers, it’s a complete guide to mantra meditation, including:

• The "magical" background and history of mantras
• How mantras can help us develop centeredness and inspiration
• Preparatory exercises to open the body and free the breath
• Seven mantras chanted for listening and learning
• The meaning and symbolism of each of the seven mantras
• A print-friendly companion guide with images, pronunciation key, and musical notations

You can listen to a free five-minute sampler of the content (which runs to over two hours) by clicking here - Five minute sample of Sacred Sound - and there’s even a Companion Guide to the audiobook, available as a free PDF download.

Next up is the second edition of Bodhipaksa’s much-loved book, Wildmind: A Step-by-Step Guide to Meditation, due out in July (August in the US). He says “Meditation helps us to cut through the agonizing clutter of superficial mental turmoil and allows us to experience more spacious and joyful states of mind. It is this pure and luminous state that I call your Wildmind.”

Last but not least is ‘Living as a River: Finding Fearlessness in the Face of Change’, a major new work from Bodhipaksa and probably Triratna’s first to explore the implications of the Buddhist Six Element Practice. He writes -
“I wrote Living as a River because I’m fascinated by the Buddhist Six Element Practice, and I wanted to communicate my explorations. But my book isn’t really about the Six Element Practice, which is really just the framework for the explorations it contains.

“The Six Element Practice is a way of exploring the nature of the self, and how we cling onto notions of what we are. It’s a way of letting go of our clinging so that we can, eventually, lose our clinging and find freedom. But that’s not an very adequate description of the book either.

“But those are the kind of descriptions I keep giving people. I just couldn’t think of a pithy way of expressing what the book was about that wasn’t too narrow or long-winded. I needed to find a “pitch.”

“A couple of days my last flailing attempt to describe my book, it finally came to be how I could describe the book in just two words: “Embracing change.” So that’s what the book’s about. It uses the structure of the Six Element meditation in order to face up to the reality of change, and to help us let go of clinging so that we can embrace change”.

‘Living as a River is due out on October 1st this year. You can follow its progress on Facebook www.facebook.com/livingriver, where it’s already clocked up nearly 1,000 fans!

There’s too much new on the site to do it justice in a single post - tomorrow we’ll feature a few more of its highlights...

New German Triratna website launched

Jnanacandra, chairwoman of Triratna’s centre in Essen, Germany, writes to say -

“I'd like to draw your attention to our new German Triratna web presence: www.triratna-buddhismus.de

“We were very pleased to launch the new website on the eve of the full moon of Wesak thereby presenting us to the world under our new name.

“The German Triratna-Website offers the interested reader loads of information about who we are, our founder, our approach to the Dharma and our many and multi-facetted projects around the world. It also tells something about the multiplicity of lifestyles of practitioners in our community and the socially engaged dimension of our work.

“May many beings encounter and embrace the Dharma by meeting us in the web!”

love
Jnanacandra

Sangharakshita in Ipswich

Amoghavajra, Chairman of Triratna’s Ipswich Buddhist Centre, in the East of England, writes to say -

“We were delighted to welcome Bhante recently, as he visited the Ipswich Buddhist Centre nearly one year on from the opening of our new centre.

“On Thursday 17th June he inaugurated our chapter room - a room at the heart of our centre used for study and discussion sessions. The chapter room has a small shrine dedicated to the 1,000 armed Avalokitesvara who is often thought of as a symbol for Triratna activities.

“During a question-and-answer session, Bhante also answered questions on diverse issues such as the difference between thinking of a Buddha image as sensual or sensuous, and how Renunciation was something that the Buddhist tradition offered us living in the 21st century: with the current recession many countries and individuals are needing to live on less, and there was an inequitable imbalance in the consumption of the earth’s resources between developed and developing countries.

“He also took some time to trace some of his family roots in the village of Battisford, near Stowmarket. During a visit to the village with Paramartha, he happened across a woman who possessed hundreds of years of his family history, quite by chance. He also had time to meet with friends in Ipswich.

“For more photos of the occasion check our on-line photo album.

love, Amoghavajra

Buddhafield Festival coming up soon - last chance to get tickets!

The 15th Buddhafield Festival is coming up soon, and following a successful presence at the Glastonbury Festival, their publicity machine is in full swing! They’ve written inviting all members of the Triratna Buddhist Community to “5 days of uplifting, life transforming workshops and talks, along with a whole array of live music, dance, meditation teaching & radical discussion”.

They go on to say -
“As always, we hope to infuse it with our heartfelt wish to bring joy, connection and nourishment to all that comes to the field.

“This year we’ll be using the theme ‘A Force for Good in the World’ to explore the origin of our name ‘Buddhafield’.

More specifically, this year, we have our well known favourites:
* The Dharma Parlour * Opening and Closing ceremonies * Mahasukha’s 'Soulful Singing' * Jayaraja’s Adult Games * Jewl’s Ecstatic Dance * Heart-to-Heart Tantric workshops * introductions to Joanna Macy’s 'Work that Reconnects' * Non-Violent Communication * and a great deal more...

“But this year we’ve got plenty of new stuff too! There’s the much loved Adam, veteran of the legendary Lost Horizon Sauna Cabaret, leading ‘The Art of Taking Yourself Less Seriously’ workshops (now why would he think Buddhists need them...?) ; Vajralila and Sudakini exploring ʻFeeding Your Demonsʼ (workshops pioneered by American Tibetan nun Tsultrim Allione); the all-day Wild Woodland Interactive Gamelan coming to the festival (where creators Annie and Simon use natural materials to create a unique variety of percussive instruments allowing both children and adults to play alongside each other); and finally the wonderful Swamp Circus and their very big tent - where they’ll teach all manner of circus skills such as Acrobatics, Acro Yoga, Trapeze, Rope, Balancing, Stilts, Unicycle, and Tight Wire.

“Please accept our invitation and come and join us for a really special Buddhafield festival 2010! If you haven't been before - check a review from last year below...

Tickets available on-line via the Buddhafield website www.buddhafield.com/?festival=booking.  But don’t forget - when they’re gone they’re gone!

"Buddhafield is as close... so far... as you are likely to come to a perfect community of beings living and celebrating the way we all know we should be. We all know how and at Buddhafield we are reminded of that. No drugs and drink leave the air and the smiles as clear as crystal. .... Its small, its pretty, its clean..... Thank you Buddhafield, from the bottom of my heart for giving me this gem again. I could carry on with more descriptions of how the magic in this field left me gleaming and in awe but it's not needed, just go." John Chas-Wright

Poetry prize won by Aryamati

Aryamati, a Dharmacharini from Manchester UK, and a published author, writes to say -

“If you will allow me to imitate Maitreyabandhu, I attach a poem which won the UK's 'North West Libraries' poetry prize. lts a sonnet, inspired by a most intriguing geological formation in Cheshire.

With metta Aryamati”

TO THE EDGE (Alderley Edge, Cheshire)

We take the train, one sandwich, one poem each
and stomp, the silent physicist and me,
past footballers’ mansions, gnarled roots, car-park,
with a few walkers gazing at emptiness,
and trudge to the vertiginous edge.
We clamber over prehistoric boulders
to the solitary carved wizard stone above
a real world of corn, brown - and green.
Our minds open out over the sheer drop,
track a bird soaring up into blue wind
and watch laws at work:
stages of flight, breaking free.
Trees, corn, earth appear a kind of falling.
Suddenly I’m no weight, just a point
of view…

Animation of 'The Small Boy and the Mouse’

Maitreyabandhu, by now well-known to readers of Triratna News for his poetry, writes with news that his award-winning poem ‘The Small Boy and the Mouse’ has been animated. He says -

“I thought you would be interested in my on-line anthology. I won a place on the Jerwood/Arvon 2009 mentoring scheme and they have now published the on-line anthology for the scheme and a print-on-demand book.

“Clicking here (or in the embedded player below) takes you to a page that has an animation of part of my poem The Small Boy and the Mouse (click on the white picture above my name) plus a short interview with me about my poems (click on my name). Modesty should forbid, but I'm very pleased with both! Hope you like them. Do send it on to anyone who you think might be interested.

"Love, Maitreyabandhu"

Maitreyabandhu’s animation is part of ‘All of These Things Are True and Not True’, an anthology of new fiction, poetry and playwriting produced by nine writers who have completed a unique year of mentoring as part of the Jerwood/Arvon Mentoring Scheme.

Sangharakshita's Diary

Vidyaruci, Sangharakshita's secretary, reports on some of the highlights of the last three months of Sangharakshita’s activities -

"As I was away on retreat for a week in the last week of May, and Paramartha was visiting the holy places of Greece, Bhante enjoyed the company of his old friend Ashvajit, who sojourned at Madhyamaloka for that period. Ashvajit stayed overnight with Bhante, helped in practical ways, and read to him some evenings. He also accompanied Bhante on his only recent trip to the Botanical Gardens.

Madhyamaloka garden, with
Sangharakshita's flat visible on far right

"Though Bhante has not been out to the parks much, he walks round the Madhyamaloka garden every day, which is a good substitute, particularly now, when the recent combination of rain and sun has brought forth much lush foliage, with scores of flowers of different varieties and colours in bloom. Bhante enjoys the garden very much, and greatly appreciates the work Sanghadeva puts into it.

"Talking of memoirs, Bhante and I are now well into The Thousand Petalled Lotus. I have also read him The Story of my Soul by Richard Jeffries; an eloquently written classic of Nature Mysticism. Bhante enjoyed listening to The Girl in Rose: Haydn's Last Love, which, Bhante says, despite its rather Mills and Boon title, was mainly a well researched account of the rich and varied musical life of London in the latter half of the eighteenth century. In connection with hearing about the life of Haydn, Bhante decided to listen to Haydn's ten London symphonies, which were in any case old favourites. On the CD to which he listened the symphonies were performed by the Berlin symphony Orchestra conducted by Herbert von Karajan. Bhante strongly recommends this performance.

"Other highlights from the world of audio books include Making Connections, by Patrick Kavanagh - the Irish poet and novelist's account of his search for traces of the Grandfather who emigrated from Ireland to Tasmania and from Tasmania to New Zealand; The Masked Fisherman and Other Stories by George Mackay Brown - a writer recommended by me - which Bhante enjoyed, though he thought the stories of uneven quality; and Philby, by Bruce Page, the strange story of the notorious double agent, written before the exposure of Anthony Blunt. No health news to report, except a couple of trips to the hospital - one for an eye injection, and another for a vision test - and the usual session of acupuncture with Rosi.

"In May Bhante continued to enjoy his excursions to the local parks, and especially to the botanical gardens, which is he very fond of. My birthday treat, yesterday as I write, was to accompany him there, and to enjoy tea and cake in the cafe. The gardens date from 1830s, and are a like a miniature Kew, containing quite a variety of trees and flowers, as well as cactuses and bonsais, and various species of fish and tropical birds. Some of the plants are under glass, in rooms imitating various different kinds of climate, and the rest are distributed around the fifteen acres of land.

"The other part of my birthday treat was to read Bhante one of my attempts to write philosophy, which he said he found interesting. Other reading has included continuing with Learning to Walk, and Plotinus, Bhante's wishing to refresh his memories of the ideas of that philosopher. Audio books that he has listened to include In My Way, the political memoirs of George Brown, who in the 1960s was foreign minister in the Wilson government; The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle, by Tobias Smollett, which tells one quite a lot about life in Hogarthian England; Mrs Oscar Wilde by Anne Clark Amor, the story of a woman who shared in the rise - and spectacular fall - of her celebrated husband; and On the Other Side (abridged) by Mathilde Wolff-Monckeberg, an elderly German woman's account of her life in Hamburg during World War II, written for the benefit of her children in different parts of the world. He has also recently been listening to Radio 4, and he says he is beginning to appreciate Gustav Mahler. In fact he quite enjoyed Mahler's Sixth Symphony, though he was not a little surprised to hear it described by the presenter of the programme as 'bleak'.

"Particularly memorable among his steady flow of visitors from all over the Movement, are Nityabandhu, who came for a weekend, and a few groups of people, including some mainly Indian friends, Order members and mitras from Cambridge and London, and some Birmingham men who study together in a group led by Alokavira. Bhante's health has been stable. He had a lucentis injection a few weeks ago, and is due another around the end of the month..

"Paramartha has also continued archiving, and has catalogued 74 ring binders containing mainly lecture notes and copies of letters written by Bhante. Also 27 photo albums containing mainly photos taken by Bhante from 69 onwards.

"I have continued reading Shabda to Bhante, as well as wading through Guenther's book on Padmasambhava. The latter may as well be Arabic as far as I am concerned, but Bhante seems to get something out of it. Paramartha has started reading him The Gospel of Philip, from the Nag Hammadi Library. Bhante has also enjoyed listening to two classic novels: Washington Square by Henry James, and The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy. He appreciated the artistry of the first but felt that the second went deeper".

Vidyaruci.