Dharmachari Subhuti

Subhuti
Born	Alex Kennedy 1947 United Kingdom
Nationality	British
Known for	Buddhist teacher, author
Religion	Buddhism (Triratna Buddhist Community)

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Dharmachari Subhuti, originally Alex Kennedy, is a senior associate of Sangharakshita,^[1] founder of the Triratna Buddhist Community (formerly the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order (FWBO)). He has held various positions of leadership and has been instrumental in many developments in the community.^[2][3]

Subhuti was influential in the building of the London Buddhist Centre, which opened in 1978, and he helped to raise funds from the Greater London Council for its completion. He developed training for men preparing to be ordained into the Triratna Buddhist Order at the Padmaloka retreat centre, near Norwich in England. He also helped to found Guhyaloka, a retreat centre in Spain, where men make final preparations to become members of the order.^[2]

As well as being involved in the spread of the Dharma in the West, particularly in Britain, Subhuti is said to spend several months each year working with the community's Indian wing, the Triratna Bauddha Mahāsaṅgha (TBM).^[2][4]

Most of TBM's members are drawn from the poorest people in India, sometimes referred to as Dalits, or so-called 'untouchables'. The late Dalit leader, Dr. Ambedkar, converted to Buddhism, saying it was necessary to escape the oppression and discrimination which this group experienced. Hundreds of thousands of Dr Ambedkar's followers subsequently converted to Buddhism.

In recent years Subhuti has expressed differences of opinion with Sangharakshita over some aspects of their interpretations of the Dharma. He has also voiced concerns over the potentially exploitative circumstances of some of Sangharakshita's past sexual relationships.^[5]

Published works

Subhuti's books include Sangharakshita: A New Voice in the Buddhist Tradition,^[6][7] which explores what Sangharakshita has contributed to the practice of Buddhism and the spread of Buddhism in the West. He has also published three other books, "The Buddhist Vision"^[8] (an introductory book on Buddhism), "Bringing Buddhism to the West" (a short biography on Sangharakshita), "Buddhism for Today",^[7][9] "Women, men, and angels", and "Buddhism and Friendship".

In his book Buddhism and Friendship,^[10] Subhuti explores what he believes friendship can offer. He argues that, in the past, friendships were considered to be important relationships, whereas now, romantic relationships have taken the preeminent place which friendship once occupied.^{[citation needed]}

He argues that friendship is an element in the Buddhist path to enlightenment, and continues afterwards. He gives as examples the Anirhuddins, three young men who had a close friendship which endured even after they had all attained enlightenment. Another example he gives is of the Buddha himself, whose relationship with Ananda lasted for the last 20 years.^{[citation needed]}

References

1. ^ "The social face of Buddhism" - Google Books
2. ^ ^{a b c} "The Buddhist vision: a path to fulfilment" - Google Books
3. ^ "The Buddhist handbook" - Google Books
4. ^ TBMSG Website
5. ^ Vajragupta (2010), The Triratna Story: Behind the Scenes of a New Buddhist Movement, Windhorse, ISBN 9781899579921 
6. ^ "Sangharakshita: A New Voice in the Buddhist Tradition" - FWBO
7. ^ ^{a b} "A reader in new religious movements" - Google Books
8. ^ "A guide to the Buddhist path" - Google Books
9. ^ "Engaged Buddhism in the west" - Google Books
10. ^ Buddhism and Friendship on Amazon

External links

• "The awakening of the west" - Google Books
• "The Middle way, Volumes 61-62" - Google Books
• "Revival of Buddhism is not hostile to Hinduism: Kalon Tripa" - Phayul
• "Buddhism for today : a portrait of a new Buddhist movement" - National Library of Australia
• "An old net for new monsters" - National Library of Australia

Persondata
Name	Subhuti, Dharmachari
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1947
Place of birth	United Kingdom
Date of death
Place of death