How Did It All Begin?

On a cold winter's evening towards the end of 1969, at number 14 Monmouth Street, a small shop named Sakura, accessed via a side entrance through an alleyway, then down a narrow set of stairs into a basement, a meditation class was being held. Seated at the back of the room was Sangharakshita, dressed in robes, with a western pullover underneath, wearing an abundance of rings and long hair. Buddhadasa recalls this first encounter with a clarity as if it had happened only last year. “May I join you?” He asks. As it turns out, for him, these were prophetic words.

It often seems hard to believe that the Triratna Buddhist Community we encounter today had such humble origins. It wasn’t long after this potent encounter that Buddhadasa decided to dedicate all his time to supporting Sangharakshita’s efforts to establish a new Buddhist movement, leaving behind a career in architecture and becoming the Chair/Secretary/Treasurer of the then Friends of The Western Buddhist Order, all at same time. Over 50 Years later, Buddhadasa has done just that–dedicating his whole life to the development and spread of the Dharma.

In this full interview recorded for the Fifty Years Fifty Voices project, we hear reflections on his 50+ years of involvement with the Triratna Buddhist Order: from the very earliest days in London to further adventures helping establish the Dharma in New Zealand and Australia.