KSHITIGARBHA APPEAL

In January 2009, Saddharaja, Karunasura and Adityabodhi led a week-long retreat for Maharashtran Buddhist agricultural workers at Bordharan retreat centre (please see the eight photos on this site). This was the second Kshitigarbha retreat at Bordharan. It was very successful with 700+ people attending: (approx. 400 +women and 300+ men). The age range was 14 years to 85 years. The theme of the retreat was ‘The 5 Spiritual Faculties', and we taught meditation, gave talks on the Faculties, had communication exercises, study groups and 7-fold puja. We had an excellent order team of 18 (13 Dharmacharis and 4 Dharmacharinis). All of these Order Members are Indians, except Saddharaja, who is from the UK.

On the last day of the retreat, we had the mitra ceremonies of 50 new men and women mitras, who were all present on the retreat. It was a joyous occasion. Indeed, the whole retreat was deemed a success by everyone who intended. More and more Dalit Indians would like to attend future dana-funded retreats like this.

The funds were raised by Saddharaja and Karunasura from within the UK and other parts of the FWBO world. Each retreatant cost £5. This £5 covered everything: food, travel and retreat fees. These are very poor people who cannot afford to come on retreat, but want to have a deeper experience of the Dharma.

In  January 2008, we ran a similar retreat, with 540 attending. In January 2010, we think we could have a larger retreat for 1000 people. We intend to use a property near to Bordharan whioch can accomodate these numbers. More Westerners are intending to join the reteat to help: Shakyajata from Manchester, Dharmasiddhi from Cambridge and Vipulakirti from Birmingham. We are also looking for some more Western Dharmacharinis to join us.

In 2010, we anticipate that our retreat costs will DECREASE rather than increase, because we are intending to use a more inexpensive venue near Wardha city. This should mean that each individual will cost £4 for the retreat rather than the £5 last year. This means more people on retreat for every £1 donated.

Aside from the annual retreat, we also plan an annual 5 day period of touring villages conducting day retreats for all-comers, whether newcomer or experienced Sayaks (Friends) or mitras. Karunasura began this work this year - very successfully. We can effectively introduce the Dharma to possibly thousands of people this way. It's only a day, but it is something. Our week's tour of villages this year (2009) went very well, with 400 people an average attendence for day retreats and evening programmes.

We're calling this evolving project The Kshitigarbha project. Kshitigarbha is the bodhisattva who reaches down into the hellish realms to teach beings the Dharma.

Can you give? Just giving £4 could completely change someone’s life. If you give more then more people can benefit: £4 is one person on a week's retreat, £8 = two people, £40 = ten people.

Karunasura and Saddharaja are paying their own expenses so all dana goes directly to helping Indian men and women to go more deeply into the Dharma.

Please donate using this website. It is completely safe and convenient, and we recieve Gift Aid from the Government on top of your donation.

Thankyou so much.

Saddharaja and Karunasura.