Annual Report 2022/2023
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Much has changed at the Urgyen Sangharakshita Trust over the last year or so. Not least, and most obvious to me, is that I’ve started working for the Trust as its director! I’ve particularly enjoyed developing such creative friendships with Suryanaga and Mokshapriya. Between us we’ve launched the new Sangharakshita.org including the first multimedia telling of Bhante’s life story in English, launched the Triratna Video Library making our video archives available far and wide, surveyed 646 people on their experiences of Bhante, produced video blogs and social media on Bhante’s life, and helped to finance the Complete Works. We’ve now fully pivoted from our previous role in caring for Bhante while he was alive, to being the custodians of his life and legacy into the future. We've also strategically drawn on our reserves to bring these new projects into life, as you'll see reflected in our finances.
None of this would have been possible without the generosity of our donors – you. Speaking with many of you in November last year on our phone appeal, I was struck by how rich and diverse your experiences of Bhante are, and your continued inspiration in making his life and work available to as many people as possible. Thank you so much for all of your support.
We’ve also benefited from such generosity, wisdom, and encouragement from our institutional partners: Windhorse Publications, Dharmachakra, Adhisthana, FutureDharma and many Buddhist centres. 2023 brings further opportunities for these collaborations – especially developing a new Urgyen House exhibition and our exciting new project of a searchable catalogue of Bhante’s entire legacy of teachings, among much else.
Lastly, we say farewell with gratitude to Subhuti, who retired as a trustee, having served the Trust since its founding in 1995. He continues to work with us as a Literary Executor.
With warm wishes for the rest of 2023,
Prajnaketu
Director, Urgyen Sangharakshita Trust
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Our vision is a world inspired by Bhante Urgyen Sangharakshita’s presentation of the Dharma, as expressed through his teachings, friendships, and the Order he founded.
We believe Bhante provided the indefinable spirit that gives the Triratna Community its life and energy.
Our objectives are to increase the public profile of, understanding of, and confidence in, Urgyen Sangharakshita’s life and teachings.
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Last year, we surveyed 646 people on their relation to Sangharakshita. Our aim was to ascertain how our work of helping people deepen their relationship with Sangharakshita is going, and how we might build on it.
Many of the data collected are self-reported subjective measures which become much more useful when compared over time. In this way, this initial survey was a ‘baseline’ of how people felt in 2022, and in a few years we hope to do a similar survey and compare the results. That being said, there are some interesting insights already.
72% of respondents were Order Members. 13% were GFR mitras. 10% were mitras. The remaining 5% were a spread of newcomers and long-term regulars.
We asked people questions such as “How do you feel about him as a person on a scale of 1 to 7?” then similar for his teachings, and also various places to find information about him.
The overall average score of feelings about him and his teachings was 5.7 out of 7. His teachings was slightly higher at (6) and as a person slightly lower (5.4).
Mitras and newcomers average feelings about him as a person were 4.2 and 4 respectively. For teachings, it was a higher disparity: 5.5 and 3.6. So mitras feel positively about his teachings, but on average neutral about him as a person. GFR Mitras feel much more positively, which suggests that feelings about him as a person could be a block for some people asking for ordination (and/or after they ask for ordination they start feeling more positively about him). This gap is reflected in how well people feel they know him; i.e. the better people feel they know him, the more positively they feel about him – and the more comfortable they feel talking about him to newcomers.
We have more interesting insights to share on this survey – but this report isn't the place. If you'd like to see our full survey report, please do get in touch.
These days, if someone wants to find out more about a Buddhist teacher, they’re likely to search their name on Google. It’s important that what they find reflects Sangharakshita’s character and achievements.
So we’re very happy that 2022 saw the launch of the new Sangharakshita.org, a website to showcase Bhante’s life and work.
After the site's initial release, we updated the site with an exciting new multimedia telling of his life story, which reached thousands around the world as released each chapter periodically.
We’ve also started the process of cataloguing all of Bhante’s work on the site, linking to the audio and books available on our partner’s sites – FreeBuddhistAudio and Windhorse Publications – and providing more access to works previously unreleased, so that Bhante’s huge oeuvre is more accessible than ever to those looking for the Dharma online.
The start of 2023 saw us launch another new web project: we've built a new home for Triratna’s video archive. Hundreds of videos are now available and there’s many more coming, all categorised with metadata so you can now easily search through all the old Newsreels, Clear Vision education videos, and most importantly – videos of Bhante teaching the Dharma.
It’s a bit like Netflix for Triratna!
The Trust inherited Clear Vision's video archive when the latter closed in 2019, and we've been fortunate to be able to draw on Mokshapriya’s expertise, who has intimate knowledge of this aspect of Bhante's legacy. Thanks also go to FutureDharma Fund for supporting this venture.
Visit TriratnaVideoLibrary.org
“Visiting Urgyen House whilst [at Adhisthana] was a cherry on the cake so to speak. As soon as I walked in, I felt my energy just drop and settle and then expand out as if I had entered a portal into another bardo. My immediate comment was to say that it felt as if I had entered an ancient, sacred church such was the quality of the atmosphere. The house has been so beautifully and lovingly curated that this in itself is inspiring as an expression of reverence and homage to Bhante. I was so utterly thrilled to see handwritten notes on sadhana transmissions from Bhante’s teachers which evoked in me a real breathtaking sense of the sacredness of these treasures. As I walked into Bhante’s bedroom, his presence was so strong that I found myself bowing immediately at the foot of his bed (still with his shoes carefully placed beneath it). A real pilgrim’s spot and I encourage anyone who is vaguely curious or otherwise, to visit. Thank you to all those who have dedicated such love and energy towards this project.”
– Nirajadhi
“While attending the Manjughosha Sadhana retreat in September 2021, I visited Urgyen House almost every day. After a few days, I began to get a sense of why I kept wanting to go back. Being there was something of a guru yoga experience. After spending my initial visits enjoying reading about and taking in many of the fascinating objects and artefacts from Bhante’s life, I found myself just wanting to be there, to sit in his living room or stand in his bedroom feeling his presence and trying to open myself up to his influence and blessings.
I then had the impulse to want to read some of Bhante’s writings from within Urgyen House, sitting in the ready-made space with his complete works on the shelf above that is available for visitors. It felt closer to an actual experience of a direct communication from him as if something of his consciousness was floating in from his chair in the living room to blend with the words he wrote. My mind felt clearer, more receptive, and more emotionally ready to receive the teachings.”
– Prajnahridaya
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In his will, Bhante left his collection of thousands of photographs to our Trust, some of which were given to him by friends such as Dhardo Rimpoche and Terry Delamare.
In 2021, with support from FutureDharma Fund, we launched the Triratna Picture Library – a rich resource of high quality photographs from Triratna’s history. Mokshapriya continues to upload more and more beautiful images, and there are now over 4,500 available.
This is a resource for Triratna – high quality images are vital for creating good marketing material for our Dharma activities. Fifteen centres and groups are currently supporting this project through licenses to use the images, including Padmaloka, London Buddhist Centre, York, and even Tokyo.
All the images in this report are from the Triratna Picture Library.
Visit TriratnaPictureLibrary.org
“The Complete Works give us something we’ve never had before: a full and coordinated collection of Sangharakshita’s writings and teachings, organised in an accessible way. It will come into its own when it’s finished, with the final volume being a kind of index that will tie the whole collection together.”
– Vidyadevi
Progress on the Complete Works continues – we’re now two thirds complete with 24 of 27 now released. The newest volumes to be released are:
Volume 8: Beating the Dharma Drum: India Writings II
A collection of writings about Anagarika Dharmapala, articles written for the Maha Bodhi Journal, and book reviews written for various magazines.
Volume 15: Pali Canon Teachings and Translations
Sangharakshita's translation of the Dhammapada, plus his commentaries on Pali texts, including Living With Awareness and Living With Kindness.
Volume 17: Wisdom Teachings of the Mahayana
Based on seminars conducted in 1976 and 1978, each offers a lesson in how to think critically about Mahayana Buddhist teachings, and how to apply them to day-to-day life.
Translations! The world needs the Dharma and it is reading or hearing it in your mother-tongue that most surely reaches the heart. I sit on the International Triratna Translations Board (ITTB), advocating for the translation of Bhante Sangharakshita’s works. We want to see that they are translated to as high a standard as possible into as many languages as possible.
In 2022 we allocated funding – granted by the European Chairs Assembly and FutureDharma Fund– for translation projects, including a translation of Sangharakshita’s memoir Facing Mount Kanchenjunga into Polish, his translation of the Dhammapada into Swedish, Living Wisely into Spanish, and a Sangharakshita trilogy into Estonian. Recognising how much more needs to be done for translation work in Triratna, I strongly advocated for the ITTB to have its own part-time supported Coordinator and we were fortunate in obtaining grant money from FutureDharma Fund.
In June 2022 the inspired and experienced Swedish translator Viryabodhi took up the post as ITTB Coordinator, with whom I have the pleasure of working closely.
“I never met Bhante in this life, so this work is a way of coming into close contact with my teacher and activating my ordination. In a certain way it feels like practising the Guru Yoga is my day job!”
“Helping create the conditions that support a personal engagement with Bhante is a privilege. Working within the Trust helps me honour my commitment to Bhante and has been a delight.”
“After working closely with Bhante for many years on his literary output, I am very pleased to help support and promote his legacy in whatever way I can and appreciate the opportunity to liaise with the many generous supporters of this project.”
In 2022, we said goodbye and thank you to Sarvapala for many years of service looking after our Trust’s accounts.
In 2023 we welcome Visarada to fulfil the accounting role.
Set up in 1974 to publish Sangharakshita’s writing, Windhorse is one of our key partners as the publisher of the Complete Works. We’ve also been collaborating this year to promote Nagabodhi’s fantastic new book Sangharakshita: The Boy, The Monk, The Man.
FreeBuddhistAudio and TheBuddhistCentre.com are fantastic jewels in the Triratna world. We’ve been delighted to see the new FBA, with Bhante having more prominence, and continue to work strategically together with regular conversations about our future plans. Dharmachakra also built the Triratna Picture Library with us.
Triratna’s main fundraising body has part-funded the Triratna Picture and Video Libraries, and the Complete Works, and has also provided us with invaluable support on our own fundraising.
Bhante’s final home and resting place holds an indispensable role in Triratna’s future. In addition to Urgyen House and the burial mound, Adhisthana have begun their Teaching Community project to help people more deeply understand Bhante's teaching. This project has our involvement and full support.
In August, Prajnaketu made an appeal as part of the event “Going Beyond: The Future of the Dharma”, a special part of the UK & Ireland Order Convention, along with four other Triratna charities. We asked for people to support us ongoingly with £25 per month and received an extra £3,072 per year.
In November, Suryanaga and Prajnaketu got on the phone to our donors to talk to them about our work and in some cases ask if they’d like to increase their donation. We thoroughly enjoyed more direct contact with our donors, who helped us to raise an extra £3,640 per year.
Urgyen House, Sangharakshita.org, and the media library websites are all routes for people to give one-off donations if they are so moved. In 2022 we received £3,615 in one-off donations.
We’re working to create a complete and searchable archive of Sangharakshita's work across all media – an invaluable tool for scholars, students, and practitioners alike. It will provide easy access to his teachings, enabling them to be studied, analyzed, and applied in various contexts. This archive will preserve his legacy, making it available to future generations seeking spiritual guidance and inspiration.
After the success of 'Precious Teachers' in our beautiful exhibition space, we invite you to explore our brand new exhibition 'Foundations', which explores the crucial six-year period including Sangharakshita's return to the UK and the founding of 'a new Buddhist movement'. Visit in person at Adhisthana, and online.
As mentioned in the finance section, we’ve worked hard to bring more funds into our Trust over the last year, but there are still some areas of work which we haven’t had the resources to address yet.
We hope to turn our efforts towards these projects, among others, in due course, when we have the available resources:
Prajnaketu (Director)
Mokshapriya
Suryanaga
Shantavira
Visarada
Kalyanaprabha (Co-ordinator)
Nagabodhi
Prajnaketu
Subhuti
Vajratara
Vidyadevi
Vidyaruchi
Mahamati (Chair)
Amalavajra
Mokshapriya
Paramartha
We’d love to hear your thoughts on our work.
Get in touch: mail@sangharakshita.org
Adhisthana, Coddington
Ledbury
HR8 1JL, UK
UK Registered Charity no: 1046398
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Social Media
Social media remains a useful tool for reaching a wide audience, and especially so for reaching younger people, which is so vital for the survival of our movement.
This past year, we’ve begun to make use of the fantastic media made available through our work with the Video and Picture Libraries and ensured Bhante has a much stronger presence in this realm.
We’ve focused on the platforms of Instagram and Facebook, but we’re particularly interested in reaching even more people in the future, via other platforms.