Initial brief for the Country Centre to house the SLSC
(Karunika, Director, FWBO Central)

On Wednesday afternoon (7th October) Subhuti, Dhammarati, Vajragupta and Karunika met with Bhante to discuss where best to house the Sangharakshita Library & Study Centre (SLSC) in the future. We presented four options to Bhante, three of which would have involved the development of Madhyamaloka (i.e. 30 Chantry Rd) in some for way or other. However, Bhante opted for option four, which requires  us to relocate the SLSC in a country centre, eventually selling 30 Chantry Road. What has changed Bhante’s mind about this is the suggestion that the move could be done in stages: first of all relocating him, then establishing other facilities and selling 30 Chantry Rd, so there is minimal disruption to him. Here, in outline only, is what Bhante has requested:

• That we look to acquire land in the countryside that offers us as much land as possible – if we could afford it, perhaps 300 acres – like Taraloka (in the sense of a group of buildings amid land) but with much more land.
• The land needs to be as beautiful and attractive as possible.
• We should be flexible about the location of the land. Bhante initially thought the land should be somewhere in central England, but then agreed it could be elsewhere, such as the southwest of the country.
• The land needs to be accessible to visitors, therefore not remote.
• It needs to be possible to get planning permission for the land that allows us to house the SLSC in its midst, but also permits us to hold large events, some under canvass (such as the Order Convention) in the future, that could involve several thousand people.
• Ideally, the land will already have buildings on it such as a farm house and out buildings, so that Bhante could move into it soon with a support community and whatever archives and books he needs.
• It is crucial that the land is served by good medical facilities, that are easily accessible, such as a hospital that could receive Bhante at very short notice in the event of ill-health and a good ambulance service.
• Bhante would like to move to the new property together with his secretary, carers and one or two other men (a support team for Bhante) as soon as the new place could receive him, but before any further development of the site has taken place.
• The new property needs to respect and provide for Bhante’s need for privacy, a need that is likely to be grow more and more over the next few years.
• Bhante’s archives and books will follow so that Bhante can supervise their induction into suitable spaces, whether on a temporary or permanent basis.
• Development of the land will be gradual and may take several years to achieve. In time Bhante envisages that in addition to the SLSC the land will also house the Order Office, Men’s and Women’s communities and play host to sizeable Sangha events such as the Order Convention, National  Order Weekends, possibly F/WBO days and the like.
• Bhante would like to see the country centre as a focal point for Dharma study organised by the SLSC.