Ven. Sumati (Kabir Saxena) – As Long as Space Endures…The Path of the Warrior
As Long as Space Endures…
The Path of the Sad and Gentle Warrior in a Compromised World.
We live in the most challenging of times, when the very survival and health of many beings, including humans, is at stake. As a result many of us are apt to get disheartened and feel hopeless when we see what is happening in our world, and both its source and echo within ourselves. In addition, to make the analysis even more critical, one great contemporary Buddhist teacher has gone as far as to say the following:
“What is madness? Madness is the inability to discriminate between what is harmful and what is not. And I think that, in this regard, modern people have gone insane.”
In these few days of talks, discussions, meditations and writing exercises, drawing on the wisdom of the Buddhist tradition as well as on insightful and inspirational literature and music from past and present, East and West, we’ll begin to address how we might live sanely and in a dignified manner in our world. We will explore and perhaps begin to experience a little the sadness, compassion and clear seeing that we need to survive and flourish in these days of imbalance, fear, greed and violence.
Throughout this process we will begin to investigate whether the triad of listening, reflecting and meditating so encouraged in the Buddhist parampara can really help us awaken the sleeping Buddha within us all.
In this way we can come closer to going beyond the suffering and weariness reverberating through Bob Dylan’s song:
“There must be some way outta here, said the joker to the thief, there’s too much confusion, I caint get no relief.”
Join us as we get together to liberate our inner warriors and healers, and say firm but gentle goodbyes to the low-grade jokers and thieves laying waste to our sanity.
About Kabir Carlyle Saxena,(Losang Tenpa/Sumati Sasana):
Born in Delhi in 1956. Indian Father, English Mother.
Educated in London and Oxford University.
BA Hons Degree in Modern History, 1978
Met Tibetan Buddhism in 1977 while at university, took refuge-became a Buddhist.
Became a student of Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche in 1979.
1981-83: Studied Buddhist Philosophy and Lam Rim at Manjushri Institute, Cumbria, UK.
In 1983 was instructed by Lama Yeshe to buy land and start Root Institute in Bodh Gaya.
Returned to India in 1983.
1987:Started Root Institute in Bodh Gaya. Was the first Director.
2002:Ordination as a Buddhist Monk.
Teaching Experience:
Has helped with classes in Basic Buddhism since the early 1980’s. Tushita Mahayana Meditation Centre Delhi 1983-85.
Gave Basic courses at Root Institute and at Tushita Centre in Delhi through the 80’s and from 1994-95 in Delhi.
Taught Introduction to Buddhism courses at Tushita Dharamsala 1998 and 2001.
2002-2009: Teacher Trainer at Maitreya Project Universal Education School, Bodh Gaya.
2010 and 2012 to date: Spiritual Programme Coordinator and Teacher at Tushita Delhi.
On the Board of Several of FPMT’s centres in India.
Currently based in New Delhi.