:: Buddhapadipa Thai Temple

Notes of a meeting of TBSUK

at the London Buddhist Vihara on October 31st 2007.

The meeting which had been called for 3 p.m. began at approximately 3.30 p.m.

Present were:
Ven. Chao Khun Bhavanaviteht (Ajahn Khemadhammo) OBE, The Forest Hermitage, Warwick;
Ven. B. Seelawimala, Head of the London Buddhist Vihara, Chiswick;
Ven. P. Hemaratana, Redbridge Buddhist Centre;
Ven. Phramaha Sangthong Dhammacaro, The Buddhapadipa Temple, Wimbledon;
Ven. Nagasena Bhikkhu, Birmingham Buddhist Vihara;
Ven. Phra Nicholas Thanissaro, Wat Phra Dhammakaya, Knaphill, Woking.

Apologies had been received from Ven.Kassapa, Ven. Phra Kru Panyasudhammawithet (Ajahn Laow), Ven. Ajahn
Vajiro, Ven. Bodhidhamma, and Ven. Phra Sujan.

Although it was a pity so few were able to attend, such a small gathering did enable us to have a more informal
and very useful discussion. I had said in my email about this meeting that I hoped we might be able to begin the
process of formulating a simple constitution and we did spend some time drafting the aims and objects of our
association. But before that we discussed what we might expect from TBSUK and the value and importance of
bringing the Sangha in the UK together, getting to know each other and beginning again to co-operate and together care
for and protect the Sasana, which of course has been one of the duties of the Sangha through the centuries.

As we discussed who else might have come this afternoon and who we had thought would be there we
considered how we might best communicate. Phramaha Sangthong suggested a website and offered to organise and set
one up. We discussed this and online forums and the fact that not all our members use the Internet. Although a website
obviously can't be the only way in which we communicate, we felt a it would be a good idea and for Phramaha
Sangthong to take this forward.

We have spoken before of how the Buddha Image is so often these days inappropriately used as a fashion or
decorative object and the recent display at a gallery in Norwich of a Buddha Rupa with a banana and two eggs in its lap,
supposedly as a work of art has as we all know received a lot of publicity and upset many for whom the Buddha is their
refuge and spiritual ideal. Everyone at the meeting had heard about this and we all agreed that it was time something
was done to counter this drift towards a popular association of the Image of the Buddha with what is unskilful and the
very antithesis of what it really means and stands for.

We also agreed that we really ought to issue a statement in support of the monks in Burma whose peaceful
protests have been to brutally suppressed. We couldn't understand why no Burmese monks had come to the meeting
that afternoon, especially when at the gathering at the Peace Pagoda in Battersea Park one of them had specifically
asked me when TBSUK would be meeting again and had encouraged me to call this meeting. We wondered if there
was a particular reason for their absence and whether they would think a statement at this time would be wise. Ven.
Nagasena who lives with Burmese monks at the Birmingham Vihara offered to speak to them and then get back to me.
We spent a little time talking over the need for the representatives of various temples to be able to agree certain
things at our meetings and the need to be able to speak with one voice on certain matters. I referred to the last meeting
when I felt that a letter on behalf of all of us expressing our concerns about the Buddhist Healthcare Chaplaincy Group
could have been very effective, whereas the individual letters that were preferred – and I don't know how many were
actually sent – appear to have been practically ignored. Departing for a moment from my notes of the meeting on the
31st I should like to report that since we met I have received some documents from the BHCG that perhaps some of you
have also received in which the Buddhist Healthcare Chaplaincy Group is soliciting support. One of the documents
uses 'Sangha' frequently but nowhere meaning the traditional Sangha or the third Refuge and in my view debases the
Sangha, especially when you remember my experience of a BHCG meeting when at least some members had no respect
for the Five Precepts and that attendees and members of Buddhist groups and societies which are referred to as
'Sanghas' are people who may not have even have heard of the Triple Refuge and the Five Precepts let alone received
them. My recommendation would be to not support or recognise the Buddhist Healthcare Chaplaincy Group.

Then we managed to come up with the following draft for the aims and objects of TBSUK:

i. To promote friendship and co-operation within the Sangha, particularly in the UK.
ii. To provide an authoritative representation for Buddhism and to act as a consultative body when required.
iii. To make known Buddhist cultural sensitivities where the need arises.

Finally we agreed that we must meet regularly and we agreed that we should not leave it too long before
meeting again. Also I said that in future I would send letters informing of meetings as well as emailing those who use it
and I will endeavour to offer some choice of date. I apologised for not having done all that for this meeting but of
course at the time there was a Postal strike with the prospect that it might go on for some weeks, and following the
Burmese crisis I thought I should waste no more time in bringing a meeting together.

We decided to meet again at the end of February or the beginning of March next year. We also agreed that a
meeting in the middle of the week was best. I would therefore like to suggest a Wednesday afternoon at 3 o'clock on
February 20th or 27th, or March 5th or 12th. I would be grateful if you could get back to me giving your first and second
preferences. The venue will be decided later but it's likely to be in London, and some suggestions have already been
made.

Before closing I would like to thank Ven. Seelawimala for once again hosting our meeting at the London
Buddhist Vihara.

I would also like to add that I was very grateful to those present for expressing their confidence in me in doing
what I am for TBSUK.

I look forward to hearing from you and to seeing you at the next meeting in the New Year.

Phra Bhavanaviteht (Ajahn Khemadhammo)