After the Buddha's time his teaching was carried throughout Asia, and even further. As it spread, it was affected by its encounters with local cultures, and many `schools' of Buddhism emerged. Broadly speaking, there are three main branches: Theravada - The teaching of the elders - which still thrives in Sri Lanka, Burma and Thailand; Mahayana - The Great Vehicle - which embraces the various traditions within China, Korea and Japan; and Vajrayana - The Diamond Vehicle - which is now primarily associated with Tibet.

The Sangha and Society    
Buddha structured the monastic Sangha with a code of discipline called the Vinaya. The many regulations of the Vinaya map out a life of complete celibacy, frugality, and harmonious conduct. Rarther than inclining towards asceticism, the training is a means of living reflectively and a guide to keeping one's needs to a minimum: a set of robes, an alms bowl, one meal a day, medicine when ill, and a sheltered place for meditation and rest.

The Bhikkhu Sangha, in its original form has survived centuries of change, and the birth and decay of many empires.
[A Bhikkhu is a (male) Buddhist monk. The ordination lineage of the Therevada Bhikhuni (female) Sangha has been lost]
From India and throughout Asia, it has spread and prospered. In whatever society spritual qualities were to be found, there the Sangha found nourishment and support, and in return gave meaning to that society.

For example Thailand has been blessed with many very fine and widely respected Buddhist Masters, one of whom was the Venerable Ajahn Chah. Ajahn Chah was part of a movement to restore the original one-pointedness and austerity of Bhikkhu life by establishing simple monastic communities in the remote forests. Such a direct communion with the elements helps to clear the mind and strengthen the heart. At this date over 100 forest monateries have been established which look to his teaching as their inspiration; many Westerners as well as Thais, have trained in these monasteries.

Buddhism in Britain    
Teachers from all Buddhist schools have made their way to the West. Some preserve their lineages as found in the country of origin, while others have adopted less traditional approaches.

The origins of Buddhism in Britain can be traced back to the mid-19th Century, when the British Empire was at its peak. Archeologists and scholars were fascinated with the pre-Christian civilisations of India. They unearthed artifacts of a previously undiscovered yet advanced civilisations, which was subsequently recognised as Buddhist.

Later in Sri Lanka (then British Ceylon), ancient scriptures that came from these civilistations were discovered to be in active use in monasteries. They were remnants of the orthodox school of Theravada Buddhism.

The long process of translating these works from Pali, the Scriptual language of Theravada Buddhism, into English was begun in earnest. These works were to become known to the wider public in Sir Edwin Arnold's romanticised version of the life of Buddha, The Light of Asia.

This popularisation spawned the London Buddhist Society, which was founded during the 1920's by the High Court judge, Christmas Humphries. In 1956, Buddhism received further impetus through the establishment of the English Sangha Trust, a group of lay people dedicated to beginning a monastic Sangha of the Theravada lineage in England.

The Forest Sangha in England    
t was 20 years before their efforts bore fruit. In the spring of 1977 Ajahn Chah came to Britain at the invitation of the English Sangha Trust. He brought with him his senior Western disciple, Ajahn Sumedho, a bhikkhu who had trained under his guidance for over 10 years. Ajahn Chah returned to Thailand that summer, but - having seen that there was much interest in the Dhamma in the West - he allowed Ajahn Sumedho and three other Bhikkhus - two North Americans and an Englishman - to take up residence in The Hampstead Vihara, the English Sangha Trust's terraced house in London, and make the teaching available for those who were interested.

Ajahn Sumedho subsequently led meditation every morning and evening at the Hampstead Vihara. Interest in the monastic order grew, although it soon became apparent that a crowded residence in London was not suitable for training forest monks. By 1979 the time had come to search for a place to establish a proper monastery.

The Foundation of Chittaviveka
From the beginning, the community had been maintaining the practice of pindapata - the morning alms round - though it was little understood in Hampstead! A chance converstion on one morning pindapata resulted in the generous donation of 108 acres of woodland known as Hammerwood, located in a beautiful and unspoilt region of West Sussex, Southern England.

However it was still necessary for the Trust to find a suitable residence for the Sangha. When Chithurst House - built in 1862, less than half a mile away from the forest - came up for sale in 1979 with its outbuildings and land, the Trust sold the Hampstead Vihara and purchased it immediately. The house and grounds were derelict but for a mendicant order training to adapt to a rudimentary standard of living it was adequate. In fact many new people were attracted by the spirit of the endeavour - including women. Soon another benefactor had purchased a small cottage adjacent to Hammerwood as a residence for women and the Sangha was able to introduce the training of nuns there.

Over the course of a few years the house was renovated and the forest, which had been used for commercial coppicing, is being restored to its original beauty. A sima [ordination precinct] has been laid down in the grounds and the way of training in the Buddhist contemplative life is being developed to suit conditions in the West. Thus the first monastery, of the Forest Sangha, Chittaviveka - The Serene Heart - was established.

The Foundation of Amaravati
By the 1980's the facilities of Chittaviveka were being strained by the the calls that supporters were makeing of it and it was becoming clear that larger premises were also needed. In 1984 an opportunity arose for the acquisition of a property that could provide more facilities for lay people and a proper training centre for contemporary Buddhist nuns. In August of that year some of the Chithurst Sangha took up residence in the former St Magaret's School. It was renamed Amaravati - The Deathles Realm - a verbal reminder of the highest sprititual aspiration. The restoration of the buildings is an on-going project. Gardens have been created and hedges planted, also hundreds of trees, in an attempt to re-introduce the native woodland environment and encourage the return of wildlife. The latest project is the construction of an Uposatha Hall [temple] and reports of it's progress appear regularly in the newsletter.

Branch monasteries have also been started in Northumberland(UK), and in Devon(UK), in Kanderstag (Switzerland), Sezza-Romano (Italy), Wellington (New Zealand), Serpentine(Perth-Australia), and hopefully soon in Northern California (USA) too.

This text was edited from introductory pamphlets written by several hands.