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28 EASTERN HORIZON | FACE TO FACE
Aerial view of Nagaloka campus.
Bodhisattvas in Action
By Dhammachari Lokamitra
Born in the UK, Lokamitra was Zhi Yi of Eastern Horizon interviewed the chairman of The North London
ordained by Sangharakshita Lokamitra on 23 October 2024, Buddhist Centre from 1975 to
(founder of Triratna Buddhist where he shared about his life 1977, working full-time for the
Order) as Dhammachari in dedication to Buddhism and social Dharma. Later, the building housing
January 1974. He has spent work in India, the story behind the centre was demolished as well
most of his adult life working establishment of Nagarjuna Training as our community houses, and I
in India to promote Buddhism Institute, challenges the Buddhist needed to think about my future.
revival movement in India faces, and
and social transformation, some significant transformations he I had been to India during 1969-
particularly support the Dalit has observed over the years. 1970 rather aimlessly as a traveller.
I wanted to go back, to experience
Buddhist community in their
the freedom that comes from
struggle against caste prejudice. Zhi Yi: What inspired you to getting out of one’s culture, and to
Continuing the legacy of Dr dedicate your life to Buddhism learn more intensive yoga and visit
B.R. Ambedkar, he founded the and social work in India? Buddhist pilgrimage sites.
Nagarjuna Training Institute,
Nagaloka in Nagpur, which aims I became a Buddhist between Sangharakshita had given a series
to educate and empower young 1971-1974, and during that of talks on the Golden Light Sutra
people, especially those from period the world was in a state of (Suvarnaprabhasa Sutra) in 1976
marginalised communities. turmoil, and both optimism and and they had deeply inspired me.
disillusionment. I was a high school The essence of the teaching is
teacher in Britain for two years and that you can’t transform yourself
I did enjoy it, but I wanted more in without working on the world,
life, and I found Buddhism. I was and vice versa. It was the vision
in my early 20s then. After years that I had been looking for in my
of dissatisfaction, I finally found life. A year later, I came to India
something that meant something as a temporary monk to visit the
to me in Buddhism, and I threw Buddhist holy places and practice
myself into Dharma practice. I was yoga. I was traveling from Kolkata
