BY KARUNIKA, Former Director FWBO Central
The project that eventually became Adhisthana has its roots in what was originally referred to as the ‘Library Project’. The library remained a central part of the project and important to Bhante. Throughout his life Bhante was a phenomenal reader, able to read and digest several books in a week. Books had played a crucial role in Bhante’s life; not least since it was through reading ‘two of the greatest Buddhist scriptures – the Sutra of Wei Lang (Hui Neng) and the Diamond Sutra – I knew I was a Buddhist and always had been’.
As we all know books can be a source of the most profound wisdom; they have the power to change lives and can act as locus for the meeting of minds across great periods of time.
When Coddington Court came into view, one of the first things we noticed was the fine, purpose-built library (built to house the records of Clyde Petroleum, one of the previous owners of the estate). Was this synchronicity, serendipity, both? Whatever it was, the ‘library project’ was resolved; a home for Bhante’s books, but perhaps more importantly somewhere to support the living word: the ideas, thoughts, communication of others that can trigger joy, growth and freedom. Ten years on the Sangharakshita Library is a beacon at the heart of a flourishing Adhisthana community.
This blog is an excerpt from the Tenth Anniversary book which can be viewed online or bought from Adhisthana.