In the Sign of the Golden Wheel: Indian Memoirs of an English Buddhist (Paperback)
The miracle of the talking calf, rumors of black magic and lamas with 'supernormal' powers: Sangharakshita's third volume of memories is full of curious episodes that could only happen in India. In the Sign of the Golden Wheel recounts the unique experiences of an English Buddhist monk working in the mid-1950s to revive Buddhism in the land of its birth. From his hermitage in the foothills of the Himalayas, Sangharakshita travels across India to the movie world of Bombay and on to a moving and dramatic climax--addressing hundreds of thousands of ex-Untouchables in thirty mass meetings in just four days, to console and encourage them following the sudden death of their hero, the remarkable Dr Ambedkar, only weeks after their mass conversion to Buddhism. Brimming with life and color, this book is a notable addition to the world of travel literature as we follow the spiritual adventures of an unorthodox and extraordinary Englishman. Marvellously full of detail...-- Times Higher Educational Supplement.
A respected translator and author of over fifty books, Sangharakshita began studying BUddhism at the age of 16. After 20 years studying in India he returned to England and set up the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order which has over 65 centres worldwide, including the USA.