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| Bhante Urgyen Sangharakshita |
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| Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar |
Triratna Bauddh Mahasangha is the Indian wing of the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order, whose members are gone for refuge to Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha and taken ten precepts of body, speech and mind from Ven.Sangharakshita or his senior disciples. The order is central to this new Buddhist movement and founded in 1979 by Sangharakshita, an English Buddhist who had lived in India for 20 years until 1964. During this time he became well known and appreciated by Dr. Ambedkar. After the latter's death he did what he could to help the new Buddhist movement in India to survive and grow.
A translator between East and West, between traditional world and modern, between
principle and practices, Sangharakshita's depth of experience and clear
thinking have been appreciated through the world. He has always
particularly emphasized the decisive significance of commitment in the
spiritual life, the paramount value of spiritual friendship and community,
the
link between religion and art, and the need for a 'new society' supportive
of spiritual aspirations and ideals.
In 1964 he returned to U.K. to help develop the Buddhist movement
there, founding the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order. The TBM/FWBO
is now an international Buddhist movement with over sixty centers on
five continents. Now Sangharakshita has handed on his
responsibilities to his senior disciples, and is focusing on
personnel contact with people and, of course, on his writing.
