Ramesh Thorat, an artist friend from Mumbai, has donated his painting 'A First Sermon' as present for New Year.
Our really great gratitude to Ramesh who consistently supports us in various ways, helping us develop the aesthetic dimension of the retreat center through his friendship with Ratnasambhava and Guhyacitta.
Dear friends,
We are happy to be arranging our Third Transgender Retreat soon with the help of some fundraising!
In 2021 Shuan Bartone became a Mitra through the Boston Sangha and Triratna Gender Diverse Buddhists. A year later, He started working on a project to record a song about Dr. Ambedkar, called ‘Babasaheb’, which is released on BandCamp.
The whole purpose of this song, and this project, is to raise money for the People to People project in Maharashtra, India, specifically for the work with Transgender people.
We have already organized two retreats successfully for transgenders earlier and they benefited a lot by learning mindfulness practices & lovingkindness meditation system including five precepts. They requested us to keep continuity of such retreat to help more transgenders to their spiritual and moral development.
In social situation the Transgenders are neglected and treated badly. This project helps them to develop inner self-confidence and friendliness in day-to-day behaviours. While most continue to live by begging, we are helping them to learn new skills to improve their access to higher education and obtain paid work to improve their lives.
All proceeds from the sale of this song go directly to People to People project in Maharashtra, India. Donations are managed by Dhammaloka, a charity run by Lokabandhu on behalf of People to People.
Please donate, here is the link: https://shaunyata.bandcamp.com/album/babasaheb
Note: BandCamp normally takes 15% fee for each sale, but on BandCamp Fridays, they forgo the fee and 100% of the donation goes to the charity of our choice, Dhammaloka/People to People in Nagpur. I will notify people in advance of the next BandCamp Friday so 100% of your donation goes to Dhammaloka/People to People in Nagpur.
We would notify people in advance of the next BandCamp Friday so 100% of your donation goes to Dhammaloka/People to People in Nagpur.
The next Bandcamp Friday is August 4th. Bandcamp Fridays will continue on September 1st, October 6th, November 3rd, and December 1st. As always, isitbandcampfriday.com has the details.
On these dates, 100% of your donation goes to Dhammaloka/People to People in Nagpur.
We are happy to see the Sheffield Buddhist Sangha at People to People's Transgender Project. The welcome ceremony was led by Tejadhamma, who offered the Garland and Scarf of Panchasheel by the auspicious hands of a very senior Indian order member Chandrasheel.
There was good interaction and discussion between our transgender sangha and SBC pilgrims. In the welcome program, some of the transgender community shared their life story. They also presented their dance as a welcome to all pilgrims. Thank you to Tejadhamma, Manidhamma and Maitridasa for this evening.
For more details :
Whatsapp : +91 8459401059
Email : pple2pple@gmail.com , tejadhamma@gmail.com
Web : peopletopeople.org.in
We have successfully organised a second retreat for transgender community at the bottom of Chikhaldara Hill Station, Bihali, Amravati. The total 30 participants enjoyed this retreat held from 5 to 8 August 2022. The retreat was organized by the hard work of Tejadhamma, Suchikirti, Aryasiddhi, Anushri and Sarika. Dhammachari Amoghasiddhi led the retreat very effectively with the help of Ratnasiddhi and Anomsur.
Our transgender community members enjoyed the meditation, group discussions, group activities, creativity sessions, walking meditation, dances and life sharing activity. This retreat was with full of energy and inspiration!
Thank you to Khemadhamma. Khemavajira, Roland and the Sangha brothers and sisters, India's donors who supported and helped to this retreat.
We are happy to share the People to People Project report 2021-2022.
People to People is a social charity in Nagpur, Maharashtra. Started in 2008 by the initiative of Tejadhamma Khobragade and others, running projects for the upliftment of the underprivileged at Amravati, Bhandara, and Nagpur districts in India. People to People works in the areas of education, the empowerment of women, youths development, culture, and health. At present projects are being run in urban slums and villages of Maharashtra in the Vidarbha Region. The charity is guided by the values of Buddhism and Dr. B. R. Ambedkar.
The project reached 61,343 people by running programmes like these:
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To download and read the full report we've attached the PDF document below.
https://www.peopletopeople.org.in/">To find out more visit the People to People website
+follow People to People on The Buddhist Centre Online
We are happy to share the report 2021-2022. People to People contributed effectively to the beneficiaries. We helped 61,343 beneficiaries by running such programmes as below:
Above is a summary of the contents of the report.
A wonderful article by Maitriveer-Nagarjuna to mark an important day remembering Babasaheb Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and the millions he helped lead out of caste oppression. The struggle continues!
On the 14th of April every year, the followers of Babasaheb all over the world will celebrate the Jayanti with joy and festivity. It is well-known fact that Babasaheb Dr.B.R.Ambedkar was against hero worship and blind faith in any individual.
Nonetheless, history tells every great liberator becomes iconic after the demise to keep the values alive.
Dr. Ambedkar himself taught that one can learn from the Mahapurush in history. He celebrated the Buddha Jayanti and the birthdays of great saints who fought against social evils.
“I like the religion that teaches liberty, equality and fraternity.”
Jai Bhim!
Read 'Babasaheb Dr. B.R.Ambedkar and his guided movement for liberation'
We are delighted to announce that the ordinations of the following 19 women took place at Hsuan Tsang Retreat Centre, Bordharan, India. The Private Ordinations took place on the 18th January, and the Public Ordinations on the 19th January.
Amidst difficult conditions, with the support of Srimala, we, the four new Indian Public Preceptors, conducted our first Public Ordinations – the first ordinations of women in India to take place since December 2017.
Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu!
With metta,
Abhayadana, Abhayavati, Shubhajaya, and Vijaya.
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Public Preceptor Abhayadana:
Bahinabai Kamble becomes Śīlavajrī
A Sanskrit name meaning: Vajra of ethical conduct
Private preceptor: Danshri
Manju Goutam becomes Āryamaṇi
A Sanskrit name meaning: Noble jewel
Private preceptor: Vijaya
Shama Uke becomes Ojaḥśrī
A Sanskrit name meaning: Powerful glory
Private preceptor: Vijaya
Niranjana Adhav becomes Maitrītārā
A Sanskrit name meaning: Star of loving kindness
Private preceptor: Suprabha
Archana Borkar becomes Vidyāśuci.
A Sanskrit name meaning: She whose knowledge is pure
Private preceptor: Suprabha
Anjali Shambharkar becomes Śraddhāśrī.
A Sanskrit name meaning: Glory of faith.
Private preceptor: Ojogita
Public Preceptor Vijaya:
Koushalya Landge becomes Acalasirī
A Pali name meaning: She whose radiance is steady
Private preceptor: Abhayadana
Neha Gajbhiye becomes Śākyavajrī
A Sanskrit name meaning: Vajra of the Sakyas
Private preceptor: Abhayadana
Shobha Wahane becomes Dīparatnā
A Sanskrit name meaning: Jewel of light
Private preceptor: Jayamani
Padma Singh becomes Śubharatnā
A Sanskrit name meaning: Jewel of purity
Private preceptor: Suprabha
Sarita Meshram becomes Vidyādṛṣṭi
A Sanskrit name meaning: She who sees with knowledge
Private preceptor: Suprabha
Vaishali Sankpal becomes Śākyaśrī.
A Sanskrit name meaning: She who has the radiance of the Sakyas.
Private preceptor: Ojogita
Public Preceptor Abhayavati:
Yogini Shende becomes Maitreyanī
A Sanskrit name meaning: Kind leader
Private preceptor: Jayamani
Yogita Gaikwad becomes Karuṇācariyā
A Pali name meaning: She who acts with compassion
Private preceptor: Shubhajaya
Venubai Sable becomes Śraddhāprabhā
A Sanskrit name meaning: Light of faith
Private preceptor: Shubhajaya
Dipa Mane becomes Tejaḥprabhā
A Pali name meaning: Brilliant radiance
Private preceptor: Shubhajaya
Public Preceptor Shubhajaya:
Kanta Gangawane becomes Śīladhāriṇī
A Sanskrit name meaning: Bearer of ethical conduct
Private preceptor: Vijaya
Hemlata Gaikwad becomes Dhairyamati.
A Sanskrit name meaning: Firm mind
Private preceptor: Abhayavati
Rajani Shinde becomes Virajadhāriṇī
A Sanskrit name meaning: Bearer of purity
Private preceptor: Shraddhavajri
As you may have seen in the news, the past few weeks have seen major changes affecting the NGO sector in India. More than 150 large Indian charities, including at least one of our Triratna Trusts, have had their permission to receive foreign funding revoked by the Indian Government.
Most significantly, TBMSG Pune has had its foreign contributions permission removed. This is one of the main trusts supporting Triratna social projects in India. It employs 67 staff, mostly Mitras and Order Members, and also owns the land and buildings on which many of our projects are based.
This decision is being appealed against but, as it stands, we want to let you know how it will affect the Karuna Trust, Future Dharma Fundraising / India Dhamma Trust and The Abhayaratna Trust:
Karuna Trust
Sadly Karuna will no longer be able to fund the residential education hostels in Nagpur, Kolhapur, Ulhasnagar, Wardha, and Pune, and those projects will now have to rely on funds generated entirely from within India. These hostels currently receive funds from the Maharashtra State Social Welfare Department which means they should be able continue to function, albeit with a reduced number of students.
Furthermore, a number of other partners may no longer be able to receive funds from Karuna because they are managed by TBMSG Pune. These are Bhaja and Bor Dharan Retreat Centers, and Jeevak women's project Pune.
Where we are not able to continue funding individual projects we will reallocate funds to new projects that address caste-based poverty and inequality. We are looking for ways to continue to support these affected partners through the provision of training and professional consultancy services.
As a whole, these changes affect approximately 10% of our Indian programme and whilst we are sorry not to be able to fund TBMSG Pune, we want to reassure you that our current programme in India, Nepal and Bangladesh remains very robust. We are continuing work with strong Indian partners and, over the past year, we have launched a number of new projects in Nepal and Bangladesh; projects which willI help people from the most marginalised communities as they start to recover from the devastating impacts of the pandemic. Karuna will continue to fund Triratna projects, such as the Aryaloka Computer Institutes, Amravati Schools project, and Green Tara Adolescent Girls’ project.
Padmadaka, CEO and Suddhaka, Head of Programmes.
FutureDharma Fund & India Dhamma Trust
We are also sad to let you know that our work in India has also been affected. One of the movement Trusts we support, TBMSG Pune, have had their FCRA registration renewal request denied, which means that they are no longer permitted to receive foreign funds from 1st January 2022.
This doesn't affect all the projects we support - we are still able to send funds to the Indian Communications Project and our Indian Movement Coordinator. However, Bordharan Retreat Centre definitely is affected, and the Indian Ordination Teams and Youth Project probably will be.
In the medium term, we have reallocated funds we already held in India, including - with their kind permission - a gift of £60,000 from a UK Dharmachari and Dharmacharini. We are able to continue to support the Indian Ordination Teams for the next 18 months, and we are looking at how to make sure we can continue to support Bordharan Retreat Centre and our Youth Project. In the long term we are looking at a number of creative solutions, including stepping up our support and encouragement of Indian fundraising within India.
Nandavajra (FutureDharma Fund) and Vajratara (India Dhamma Trust)
Abhayaratna Trust
Because of the remit of the Abhayaratna Trust - i.e. providing help to individual Order Members in hardship, including in India - our work will be affected very little by the recent changes affecting the NGO sector in India. Many of you gave to the Trust’s Emergency India COVID Appeal last year, and we will continue to get donated money to Order Members and their families who are in desperate hardship as a result of the COVID situation, as well as taking a longer-term, sustainable view to help Order Members re-establish livelihoods lost as a result of the pandemic.
So, please be assured that your money will continue to bring relief to Order Members and their families badly affected by the pandemic.
Mahasaraddha, Director, The Abhayaratna Trust
We are delighted to announce the launch of Karuna USA!
Live launch: November 6th: 1-3pm EDT | 10am-12pm PDT | 11am-1pm México | 5-7pm IE & UK | 6-8pm Europe
Karuna USA has been established by Triratna sangha members based in the United States as a sister entity to Karuna UK and Karuna Germany. We are grateful to Karuna UK’s Trustees and Team for their invaluable support.
Sharing similar missions and values to our European sisters, our key aim is to mobilize resources in support of marginalized people in South Asia and the United States, helping them to live full lives and access greater opportunities to fulfil their potential.
That’s right, as well as supporting work in India, Nepal and Bangladesh, we also aim to support people within the United States itself. Here, as we all know, many communities face discrimination or exclusion that traps them in poverty, subjects them to injustice, and restricts them from living their lives with full agency. Our aim through 2021-22 is to identify where the Karuna approach can make the most difference.
Visit Karuna USA to find out more about our work
We have a launch event planned on November 6th. We will share some of the incredible work that Karuna does, and we invite you to explore with us the relevance and possible focus of our approach within the United States.
An invitation to celebrate the 65th Dhammachakra Pravartan Din Online
The pandemic has not only exposed social fault-lines and weaknesses in a way that can no longer be ignored but also exacerbated many of them, not only in India but throughout the world. Concurrently, and perhaps enabled by it, the international geopolitical situation seems to have made a considerable shift. India and the world are faced with old questions they can no longer ignore, and new questions they have to face up to.
For Dr. Ambedkar Buddhism was so much more than a matter of personal faith and practice, as is clear to anyone who has read just a little of his writings. It was connected inextricably with the all- encompassing values of “Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity”, and was clearly in his mind the foundation of his concern to “reconstruct the world”. The supreme importance he gave to this was reinforced in his conversion ceremony on the anniversary of King Asoka’s most momentous conversion to Buddhism.
How Dr. Ambedkar saw Buddhism “reconstructing the world” is such an essential question in terms of his vision, but one that has still hardly been explored or even appreciated as yet. However, the predicament created by the pandemic demands that we try and understand its implications as never before, and try to bring alive his essential principles of social transformation in today’s world.
https://youtube.com/c/nagaloka">Join us on YouTube | Connect on Zoom | Get the full program
The function of religion is to reconstruct the world.
- Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar
Learn more about Doctor Ambedkar | Listen to The Annihilation of Caste from Free Buddhist Audio
We were very pleased to organise a Meditation Introduction Retreat for Transgender People at Bordharan. Participants said the retreat had a very positive impact, and they want to join in with another retreat in future.
Shanaya, who is the leader of this group asked us to organise such a retreat again.
We are very much thankful to the donors for making this retreat possible to happen.
Thank you!
Contact : tejadhamma@gmail.com , Mobile : +91 84594 01059
Transgender Meditation Retreat held successfully
On this retreat our 15 participants learned:
People to People Society Nagpur organised Meditation Retreat at Hsuen Tsang Retreat Center Bordharan. This is First Retreat in India (historical event) organized for Transgender who are benefitted by this retreat and highly appreciated and requested to organize the same in future.
All the participants were happy and want to join a retreat again. The Shanaya (a leader, also called Guruma) requested that we organize a retreat or workshop again so that their group members can benefit more in future. They enjoyed the group discussion, some of them were very focused on meditation practice, and they presented their dances in cultural activity on last day.
People to People managed getting to the retreat and home again, and covered retreat fees for all participants. This retreat was free as an introduction to Meditation. Triratna's message is, "Triratna is open to all".
We would like to express our special thanks to Khemadhamma, Viryasiddhi, Jonathan, Mellisa, Chittaprabha , Rob and Roland and all the donors for their generosity, due to this, we could organize the retreat. Sadhu for all.
Please feel free to contact :
tejadhamma@gmail.com or pple2pple@gmail.com
Though the second wave of Covid-19 and lockdown have been abating, we are still working on relief work in slums of Kamptee, Nagpur, India.
Here, daily wagers are still finding it difficult to get jobs, and earnings to manage their everyday lives. It is difficult for them to cope with the expenses for children’s online classes/school, food, and other necessary things. People are in need of help.
Here is a film shot in a slum called Alamnagar, Kamptee. We are working in 24 slums to help at least 500 families with the help of The Karuna Trust.
Thank you so much to the Karuna team!
Get in touch: Whats App: (+91) 84594 01059 | Website | Videos | Latest News | Facebook
From The Abhayaratna Trust, FutureDharma Fund / India Dhamma Trust and The Karuna Trust.
The Abhayaratna Trust, Karuna Trust and FutureDharma / IDT are working together with our partners in India to coordinate relief to people and projects affected by the devastating second and third waves of COVID in India.
The remits of the three charities are different – the Abhayaratna Trust works with individual order members, Karuna Trust with the wider community and FutureDharma / with Triratna movement organisations and projects but we are working together to ensure that all communities in need in India are supported. Moreover, we are committed to transparency and keeping people informed of our work by providing regular updates on our fundraising activities – and the impact they are having.
Many of you have given to the Abhayaratna Trust, Karuna and other appeals. The solidarity that the Order and Movement have shown to the suffering in India has been overwhelming and deeply appreciated in India – thank you!
At the time of writing, 4 July 2021, recorded cases in India have fallen from a peak of 414,000 per day at the start of May to 48,000. The situation in many parts of India is becoming easier with lockdowns lifting in many areas. However the official death toll has now passed 400,000 and many experts are issuing dire warnings of a third wave later in the year.
1. The Abhayaratna Trust
In response to the suffering arising from the coronavirus pandemic in India, the Abhayaratna Trust set up an Appeal for a Coronavirus Emergency Fund. The Abhayaratna Trust is working very closely with the Indian Order Office and India Order Convenors to get financial support to those individual Order members across India most in need of help for food, housing bills, medicines, oxygen, hospital fees for them and their families.
Thanks to the incredible generosity of Order members, mitras and friends from around the world, the Appeal has raised over £190,000 which is helping to alleviate suffering and save lives in India. For example, a grant of £150 from the Abhayaratna Trust India COVID Appeal funds has been enough to help an Order member from Pune buy food for his family of four as well as medicine for his daughter. A grant of £100 is helping an Order member in Delhi buy food for their family of six. And a grant of £100 is helping an Order member in Pune buy food; her husband passed away a few years ago and her son has lost his job because of COVID so little money is coming into the household.
We believe it is the right time to scale back the Appeal as we have raised sufficient funding to support a short, medium and long term plan to support those pushed into need by the pandemic. We estimate that the need for individual Indian Order members and their families arising from the current pandemic in India will continue for at least another 2 years and we want to be able to continue to support them through the difficult process of rebuilding their lives and livelihoods.
There are other communities that have been devastated by the pandemic in India who you may wish to support, or are already supporting, by giving, for example, to Karuna (see below).
Visit www.abhayaratnatrust.org to learn more.
2. Karuna Trust | Karuna Germany
The Karuna Trust makes grants to organisations working with marginalised communities in India, Nepal and as of April 2021 – Bangladesh. Our programmes focus on Education, Livelihoods and Women’s Empowerment. We work through a network of 45 grassroots partner organisations, many of whom are Indian Triratna charities (such as TBMSG and Bahujan Hitay). This large network enables us to reach out to some of India, Nepal and Bangladesh’s poorest and most marginalised communities.
Since March 2020 Karuna has been responding to changing needs of those affected by the virus. So far we have been able to deliver emergency relief, including 29,820 food parcels and 22,580 medical kits, to 223,000 people from marginalised communities across 6 Indian States and 3 districts of Nepal. In the past 3 months alone we have made emergency relief grants in excess of £250,000 GBP.
Watch this video update about Aryaloka
We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to large numbers of Order members supporting our emergency relief work and our ongoing projects. Your generous support has made a huge and life changing impact.
However, we urgently need to provide additional emergency relief to unemployed migrant workers, children out of school, women at risk of violence, and people suffering directly with virus infection.
Our first priority is to support those directly impacted by the crisis. This includes:
● Distributing emergency supplies, food kits and sanitation equipment
● Communicating accurate information on preventative healthcare, (including physical distancing, use of PPE and sanitisers, and vaccinations) for vulnerable communities
● Working closely with local Governments to ensure emergency relief and welfare support reaches the most vulnerable
● Protecting women and girls vulnerable to increased risk of violence during lockdown
● Giving direct medical care to covid sufferers unable to access mainstream medical facilities and helping people without internet access to register for vaccination.
What can you do?
3. FutureDharma Fund / India Dhamma Trust
The FutureDharma Fund in partnership with the India Dhamma Trust (and in consultation with the Indian Public Preceptors Kula) funds a number of projects and teams in India, including the Ordination Teams, the Movement Coordinator, and the Indian Youth Teams. Many of these are actively involved in coordinating the distribution of food parcels and other emergency responses to the coronavirus.
The experience of courage, inspiration, guidance and solidarity provided by our Sangha and the Dharma has been crucial in these times of great uncertainty, challenge and fear and the Indian men’s and women's Ordination teams are playing a vital role in offering spiritual training, friendship, and counsel. In 2020 £72,000 in funding was provided and £62,000 in 2021, including an uplift to help with the financial hardship experienced by members of the team, and it is vital that they can continue their work through the pandemic and beyond.
We anticipate that we will receive requests for financial assistance from Centres and projects and we are in communication with key Indian Public Preceptors and members of the Area Council to identify and assess what may be needed. We are also keen to support projects which are developing new Dharma initiatives for the post-pandemic world, and we expect to launch an appeal in the coming months to help with this.
FutureDharma / India Dharma Trust (IDT) are grateful for their supporters’ continuing and vital generosity and will continue to explore ways of supporting our Dharma brothers and sisters in India.
www.futuredharma.org
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The Abhayaratna Trust, Karuna Trust and FutureDharma / IDT will continue to meet regularly to review the situation and Amrutsiddhi, Karmavajra and Aryaketu will continue coordinating in India.
Please contribute through our secure websites/giving platforms given above.
From all of us, thank you for supporting this vital work and for standing in solidarity with our movement and everyone in need in India during this crisis.
Mahasraddha, Director: Abhayaratna Trust.
Padmadaka, CEO: Karuna Trust.
Nandavajra, Director: FutureDharma / IDT.
See other posts about the coordinated Triratna response to the Covid-19 emergency in India
A conversation exploring the central role of strong personal friendships in creating a culture that encourages women and girls in India to take seriously their own aspirations - whether in Buddhist training or life in general.
Abhayanavita and Tarahridaya are wonderful leaders and exemplars in this work, speaking across generations, across gender, and across caste to help inspire the new Buddhists of India.
From extremely difficult conditions each has forged her own path towards safety, respect and acceptance. And in a time of terrible challenge from the ongoing ravages of Covid-19 amongst the poorest people in their communities, both are beacons of positivity to anyone striving for liberation from suffering. This is a welcome message of hope from two great friends to all who hold India in their hearts.
Help save lives in India and Nepal!
Find out more about Karuna's work in India and Nepal
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Subscribe to The Buddhist Centre podcast: On Apple Podcasts | On other podcast networks
News, event coverage, mantras and rituals, Dharma conversations among diverse voices from the Triratna Buddhist Community around the world, keeping you up-to-date with the latest in our sangha.
Subscribe to our Buddhist Voices Podcast: On Apple Podcasts | On others podcast networks
Our long form podcast, featuring great in-depth conversations with Buddhists from around the world. Inspiring stories that illuminate for modern times the Buddha's example of how to live and find true freedom.
Streaming Zoom Live Event, Thursday 3rd June, 7-8pm (BST)
Register here: https://appeals.karuna.org/get-involved
I hope we all remember how migrant labourers suffered during the sudden lockdown last year in India. The first thing that comes to my mind are images of 'tired feet' and 'hunger'. I can not believe millions of feet had to walk thousands of miles to get their homes, and many of them never made it.
One of my inspirations from India is Ashif Shaikh, the founder of 'Jan Sahas' ('People's Courage). Karuna is very fortunate to serve his vision to help migrant labourers in India.
With partners' support, Jan Sahas successfully supported over 1 million migrants last year.
Please come and hear directly from Ashif Shaikh, project partner from India, about his "Migrants Resilience Collaborative" initiative.
From The Abhayaratna Trust, FutureDharma Fund / India Dhamma Trust and The Karuna Trust
The Abhayaratna Trust, Karuna Trust and FutureDharma / India Dhamma Trust (IDT) are meeting every week during this crisis. They are collaborating with Triratna partners in India to coordinate relief to people and projects affected by this devastating wave of COVID. The situation is getting worse and worse and experts believe the official numbers of people dying in India, which has one of the world's poorest-funded healthcare systems, are hugely underestimated.
This latest update summarises the work each charity is doing. We’ve had some questions about which of these projects to support and what we are doing. Putting it very simply:
Karuna: provides large scale emergency response to 45 organisations across India, Nepal and Bangladesh | both Triratna and non-Triratna organisations with beneficiaries from Dalit/Tribal communities
Abhayaratna Trust: provides emergency funding to individual Order members in urgent need | Triratna only
FutureDharma/IDT: provides funding to Indian Ordination Team and senior leadership to support, counsel and guide the movement through the crisis and beyond | Triratna only
Watch A Coordinated Triratna Fundraising Response
Karuna: update from Padmadaka, CEO
Karuna has large networks to distribute emergency aid, support and advice and we are currently reaching tens of thousands of people from the poorest and most marginalised communities every day.
In Nagpur, Aryaketu is working with Triratna and Ambedkarite Buddhists. With Karuna emergency funding, they’re providing a free ambulance service to some of the poorest people in Nagpur's slums. The oxygen on board helps keep people alive while they wait in the long queues to get into hospital in 40C heat. They’re saving lives every day.
Karuna is making life saving emergency grants like these every week and we have just sent new relief funds to:
Nagpur: funding to coordinate a team of 200 medical doctors to work with hundreds of COVID-19 patients and their families in the slums of Nagpur
Orissa: Livelihoods support (cash for work) to 3,000 families
Bihar: Food supplies and hygiene kits for 4,000 families
West Bengal: Food supplies and hygiene kits for 1,470 families
Pune: Emergency food supplies and health awareness camps for 350 Tribal families
Mumbai: Food and hygiene kits, rent and utilities for 40 alumni girls (Girl rescue project)
We want to fund more projects like this and we need your active support. Please do these three things so that we can make sure the most vulnerable families survive this crisis:
Abhayaratna Trust: update from Mahasraddha, Director
In the past two months, we have lost 16 Order members in India to COVID-19; each death is felt in the Order as we unite in deep solidarity with our Indian brothers and sisters and the grief of their families.
We are hearing poignant and heart breaking stories from India about desperate need, as I am sure you have been witnessing too, either through news broadcasts or from direct contact with friends in India. Many Indian Order members have lost their jobs so have no income coming into their family which is extremely distressing on top of everything else.
Thanks to the incredible generosity of the Triratna Order and Movement, we have raised over £180,000 to give to individual Order members who are in desperate need in India. Money raised in the Appeal is being distributed to Indian Order members by Karmavajra and a Team of very energetic and committed Indian Order Convenors; they have a very well established and extensive network across India to identify Order members in need and to get money to where it is needed quickly, which in life or death situations is vital.
Karmavajra and the Team have managed to get tangible support to hundreds of Order members from the Abhayaratna Trust Appeal funds. Many of those we are helping are now recovering. Our Appeal funds are being put to very effective use by providing money for medical and hospital costs, food, rent and oxygen.
We are monitoring the situation in India very carefully via weekly Zoom meetings with Indian Order Convenors. They estimate that the impacts of the second wave will continue for at least a year, and we are working with them to put in place short, medium and long term plans so that we can continue to effectively support Indian Order members in need.
Our Appeal will remain live and active for as long as is necessary, and please click here if you are able to give. Thank you. I know that our Indian brothers and sisters are very grateful for our support and show of solidarity, and I think Bhante would have been very pleased to see the vision of care in the Order he expounded in A Case of Dysentery coming so vividly alive.
Future Dharma & India Dhamma Trust: Update from Nandavajra, Director
In these challenging, distressing and fearful times for many in India, the Buddha’s teachings, the experience of Sangha, and wise counsel and reassurance are vitally important. The Indian Ordination Teams, and Public Preceptors Kula, are supporting the Corona Relief Work, and providing inspiration, encouragement, and counsel to the Order and Dhamma mitras. Our dedicated Indian Youth Coordinators are providing online support and Dharma teaching for hundreds of young people. This crucial work is made possible by the generosity of FutureDharma and India Dhamma Trust supporters and these teams will be a vital resource in our Indian Sangha's recovery in months to come.
Amrutasiddhi, the India Movement Coordinator, is a key member of the tireless Coronavirus Relief Work Team and he is also instrumental in helping Centres provide Dharma activities online – a source of much needed inspiration and support for hundreds, if not thousands, of sangha members. Again, your gifts make this possible.
Our sangha in India will need ways of coming together and rebuilding their communities when the devastation of the coronavirus eventually subsides. Our emergency funding of the Bhaja and Bordharan retreat centres means they are safe from the threat of closure due to loss of income. We are in communication with the Indian Area Council and Public Preceptors kula and will provide emergency funding for other projects facing financial difficulty.
FutureDharma works in partnership with the India Dhamma Trust. We are extremely grateful for the continuing generosity of our supporters and are committed to ensuring funding for India. We encourage you to please give to FutureDharma as you will be giving the precious gift of the Dharma to people who are suffering right now. By giving today you will help them build a future in which our Sangha in India prospers and reaches out to more people in need.
Act now
Please do give generously, and if you are confused about who to give to, please give to all three Charities.
From all of us, thank you for supporting all of these appeals and for standing in solidarity with our movement and everyone in need in India during this crisis.
Padmadaka, CEO: Karuna Trust. Mahasraddha, Director: The Abhayaratna Trust. Nandavajra, Director: FutureDharma / India Dhamma Trust.
Read more about India Covid-19 Emergency: A Co-ordinated Triratna Fundraising Response
Updates :
People to People is helping in Kamptee and Nagpur to poor, daily wagers, beggars, and people who are in need. In this second wave of Covid, Lockdown broken the back of daily wagers who are struggeling for food.
We are helping them to get food by our food distribution.
Recently one tutor was in the queue of beggars to take food who said us that his teaching class have been stopped and he doesn't have earning, no food and due to that he has to eat and wanted to take parcel for family members.
After taking this food and parcel of food for family, he expressed deepest thanks ! Please accept his thanks who donated to People to People. Please extend your hand of generosity to reach as much as possible. Please click here to donate : https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/people-to-people
for updates; email us: tejadhamma@gmail.com , pple2pple@gmail.com
WhatsApp : +91 84594 01059.
We are sharing updates from Kamptee , Nagpur , India.
Please don't loose opportunity to help others. Donate here sothat your donation will directly reach to India for beneficiary : https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/people-to-people
