Sangharakshita, founder of the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order (FWBO) and the Western Buddhist Order (known as Trailokya Bauddha Mahasangha in India) was born Dennis Lingwood in London in 1925.

Illness as a child meant he was largely self-educated and was able to follow his own interests in reading and study. From his sick-bed he studied the Western arts and religions and developed a particular interest in the cultures and philosophies of the East. He says his first completed piece of writing, apart from school essays, was a short life history of the Buddha. At the age of sixteen after reading a profound Buddhist text ‘The Diamond Sutra’ he realised he was a Buddhist himself and always had been.

During the Second World War Sangharakshita was conscripted and sent to India with the Signals Unit. Three days after the end of the war before demobilising he simply left his army barracks and with a Bengali friend walked out into India to become a homeless wandering aesthetic. Their aim was to seek ordination into the Theravada Buddhist tradition. Dennis Lingwood became Sangharakshita in Kusinara – the site of the Buddhas Parinirvana – on Wesak morning of 1949.

At the request of one of his teachers he settled in the Himalayan town of Kalimpong where he studied under a number of teachers from different Buddhist traditions, particularly the Tibetan tradition; Lamas and Rimpoches were coming south to escape persecution from the Chinese after the invasion of Tibet. During this time he taught and wrote extensively, including the well received ‘Survey of Buddhism’.

Towards the end of his time in India he taught particularly within the Dalit caste members who had recently converted to Buddhism following the lead of Dr B R Ambedkar.

After twenty years in India he returned to England and within a short time had established the FWBO. The first ordinations of the WBO were held in 1968 in London. For over thirty years Sangharakshita taught the Dharma within the context of a rapidly growing worldwide Buddhist movement. He has led retreats, given study seminars and public talks besides being available to meet with disciples and friends. He has also taught through his writings and is now the author of over 40 books that range from Dharma writing to poetry and include several volumes of memoirs.

At present Sangharakshita is based in Birmingham, England where he is continuing his literary work.

Sangharakshita also has his own website:

http://www.sangharakshita.org/