Madhyamavani online

The FWBO — a Community in Transition

Nagabodhi

This survey of the FWBO is divided into two parts and six sections:

• Part I

  1. The Size and Identity of the FWBO

     . Looking at issues of unity and diversity as the FWBO grows numerically bigger and more spread out in different cultures across the world.

  2. The Economic Climate

  3. Ideological Shifts

• Part II

  1. The Biological Clock

     How there has been a transition from an FWBO comprised mainly of youthful, naïve, idealistic 1960’s hippies, to a movement where the average age is greater and there is increased collective experience and maturity.

  2. The Changing Buddhist World

     Examining the FWBO’s relationship with the rest of the Buddhist world in the West, and how different Buddhist schools and movements can learn from each other.

  3. Sangharakshita’s ‘Withdrawal’

     How the FWBO has fared as Sangharakshita (its founder) has grown older and withdrawn from directing the movement, and how it will fare after he dies.

Introduction

Fourteen years ago, on an Order Convention at Stonyhurst College, I gave a talk in which I outlined some of the challenges I believed the F/WBO would face in the coming decades. I offered some predictions and observations, focusing on six areas: the size and composition of the Order and movement, the economic environment, ideological shifts, the biological clock, the changing Buddhist world, and the inevitable prospect of Sangharakshita's eventual withdrawal from his leadership role in the F/WBO – and ultimately, indeed, of his death.

I called my talk Living in Interesting Times (though it is catalogued by Dharmachakra Tapes under the title Signs of the Times). My title was an allusion to the ancient Chinese curse: ‘May you live in interesting times.'

Last November, at a weekend event for those men who were personally ordained by Sangharakshita, I revisited that talk and commented again on the challenges and opportunities facing us, taking the same six areas of concern as reference points. Although my talk was really just a chat, a series of starting points for further reflection, I�’ve been asked to rehearse some of its content in the pages of Madhyamavani in the hope that it will stimulate thought and discussion. I have quite a bit to say, so in the current issue, I�’ll deal with the first three areas, and treat the remaining three in Part II;.

• Introduction
• Part I
  1. Next: The Size and Identity of the FWBO
  2. The Economic Climate
  3. Ideological Shifts
• Part II
  1. The Biological Clock
  2. The Changing Buddhist World
  3. Sangharakshita’s ‘Withdrawal’

This article orignally saw print as Living in Interesting Times Part I

Nagabodhi reflects on his relationship with Sangharakshita as a teacher in issue 26 of Dharma Life magazine

• Homepage
• Issue 9: Contents
• The Future of the Order and Movement
• Interesting Times, Part I
• Spiritual Rebirth

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