I’ve visited Taraloka and Tiratanaloka now and Padmaloka is next. It’s going to be important to work out how our national retreat centres might be affected by this project. More positively, I’m keen to see how they might get involved and help us realise Bhante’s wishes. We don’t want to replicate what’s already being well done but we need to create vibrant retreat environments for both men and women that can make full use of the project’s resources. Another concern is the revenue consequences for existing retreat centres if we manage to create a place ideally suited to holding national events such as Order weekends and conventions.

It’s easier to imagine how local Buddhist Centres might use this land for their own retreats. To help create ideal retreat environments for regional sanghas to make full use of would be very satisfying too.

How much land this project needs is open to debate. It’s easy to create a wish list of the sorts of projects (going beyond the essentials) that could be imagined on the land such as: short & long term solitary retreat facilities; women’s retreat centre; men’s retreat centre; buddhafield land/retreat centre; independent communities/homes; arts centre; TBRL projects; visitors centre / shop; cafe; respite centre / hospice; care home for elderly order members; eco centre; plant nursery; giant buddha statue; meditation vihara; labyrinth – I could go on. To create a space that is welcoming to all Order members and has a diverse range of independent projects in some sort of giant mandala would be incredible. As long as all these projects were an expression of our spiritual practice and aligned to Bhante’s teachings then why not? What we’ll need is Order members to come forward with their projects and get on with it!

We need land that is elemental and sublime. Such land would aid reflection and contemplation, offer quiet walking territory, allow different projects and buildings to be isolated where appropriate and present enough space to welcome more and more projects in the future.

If we only find enough land to accommodate our obvious immediate requirements then what will happen in future years and decades?

Perhaps we’ll find a smaller area that might be extended in years to come and perhaps other projects might establish themselves nearby. Personally, I’d like the land to be the ‘home‘ of the Order and Movement and to have as many projects as can be dreamed of within it’s boundaries – a place which Order members from far and wide can connect with, can use to replenish their spiritual inspiration, deepen their insights, find support and encouragement. In other words this project is an expression and embodiment of kalyana mitrata!

I joined the Order in the mid eighties and there were around 200 Order members. When I attended national Order weekends or the International Order Conventions (all held at Padmaloka) I got a strong sense of being at the heart of the Order (at least the men’s wing). As the Order grew, particularly the women’s wing, India and other overseas chapters, the ‘heart’ of the mandala or the ‘focus’ was simply Bhante. I guess we haven’t had a place of our own where we can gather as an Order for a long time. Ten or so years ago Bhante moved to Madhyamaloka with a number of others and perhaps that was seen as something of a focus but …..

A time will come when Bhante is no longer with us. Where will the heart of the Order and Movement be then?

This project aims to create a fitting final home for Bhante and it must be a place that, in times to come, his disciples, followers, friends can travel to on pilgrimage. His home, his treasures, his books, his shrine, his stupa will all help keep Bhante with us. Rather than a ‘museum’ this could be a place of pilgrimage where we express our Going for Refuge to the Three Jewels through quiet reflection, circumnambulation, collective puja. A place where we can practice pilgrimage alone or with others.

And near it could be an Order Burial Ground providing a final resting place for the mortal remains of those Order members who so wished. A place where those still active might come to pay their respects to those who came before and where those now gone might lie in honour amongst their brothers and sisters.

We will also need a Great Shrine Hall perhaps placed near the stupa at the heart of the complex. This would be a place for collective practice accommodating up to 1000 people (at a guess!)

Ok, we know there’ll be an appropriate new home for Bhante and his support community. There’ll also be his ‘library’ which I put in inverted commas because it’s not the right word. Actually I don’t have a single word because apart from his books we have his archives, letters, documents relating to his personal history and the Movement’s history, and his treasures. This ‘library’, which he wants to personally supervise, is a veritable treasury embodying our Order’s spiritual history.

Next to that goes a Dharma Training Centre which focuses, naturally, on Bhante’s teachings with study, exploration and practice. This will be primarily aimed at the Order.

We will also need to house the administrative work: FWBO Uddiyana, Order Office, Tiratna Trust, Liaison Office, FWBO Development Office etc,etc – sounds like a lot but it’s just a few people really.

There will also be space for single sex communities. Perhaps just two initially but I guess that all depends on who wants to live there. Bhante has suggested communities for senior Order members both active and ‘retired’ (that’s probably my word). Perhaps I should say senior Order members no longer involved in direction but who are clearly ‘points of reference’ and Kalyana Mitras and widely respected – i.e. a source of spiritual support who other Order members naturally go to for guidance.

Then there’ll need to be guest facilities to ensure people from around the world can visit comfortably.

We also need land. I’m really happy that Bhante has specified elemental and sublime landscape (rather than pastoral). We need a place that uplifts, inspires and supports meditation. A mythic environment which is, in itself, a place people will want to be and can make their own. Land brings other opportunities too – apart from beautiful gardens we can grow fruit and vegetables which could even lead to market gardening if there were interested folk. I guess what happens will depend on Order members coming forward with their own energy and enthusiasm.

In many ways the most important element of all in this project hasn’t yet been mentioned and it’s so crucial I’ll start a new entry called ‘pilgrimage’.

It’s already a few months since I joined others working to get this new project off the ground. How time flies! I hope a blog will help keep anyone interested tuned in to what’s happening. In fact I hope this blog will help as many Order Members as possible understand what we are trying to accomplish and then feel inspired to get in touch with ideas, thoughts, suggestions, support and help.

We hope that, as well as realising Bhante’s wishes, we can channel and support the dreams and ambitions of Order Members around the world by helping to create a place that will support our practice, help build our Movement and become a focus for our mandala. But the starting point for all this was a meeting held on October 7th 2009 with Bhante. Here’s Karunika’s report on that meeting: Initial Brief

In late January 2010 I attended a meeting of the project’s ‘steering group’ to discuss the project’s vision, Bhante’s further wishes and the positive responses from the recent FWBO Chairs Assembly. The potential of this project became clearer as we explored a working ‘vision’ document that it had been my job to prepare.

I left that meeting daunted and inspired with what might be. Bhante wants us to act as quickly as possible but the challenges are so great that we’ll need all the help we can muster……