Death of Kamalashila
Yashobodhi posted this on Facebook and the Triratna Order Information Service today, 5 October 2024.
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This is to let you know that Kamalashila died peacefully at 4am this morning, Saturday 5th October, in the Royal Trinity hospice in Clapham, London. His youngest sister Zoë and I were both nearby, but not with him when he died. He was 75 years old and lived with Yashobodhi in Kennington, London.
Kamalashila (Anthony Matthews) was publicly ordained on 11th November 1974 at Mill Farm Cottage in Norfolk.
He grew up in Kent in south-east England, became involved with Triratna in 1972, and was ordained by Sangharakshita in November 1974.
During nearly 50 years as an Order member, he was a pioneer in many ways. He was part of the first men’s community, in Archway, London. He started the West London Centre in 1976 (an association that continued over many decades) and three years later was a founder member of Vajraloka, our first ever meditation centre, where he lived until 1994.
He was one of the earliest public preceptors, one of three Order members whom Sangharakshita asked to carry out ordinations on his behalf in India in 1985. In all, he became a preceptor to 38 Order members. In the 1990s he lived at Madhyamaloka as part of the Preceptors’ College Council, and subsequently was active in the Preceptors’ College.
Aside from institutions, he was a trailblazer in meditation and retreats. He turned Vajraloka, originally just a meditative community, into a retreat centre whose teaching was highly influential throughout Triratna. He also co-led the first ever Total Immersion retreat, at Dhanakosa in 2006. Over the years, he travelled widely, teaching meditation and leading study in most parts of the Triratna world.
His book Buddhist Meditation: Tranquillity, Imagination and Insight, first published in 1991, has gone through three editions, selling well within Triratna and beyond. He has also written many articles on meditation and Dharma, as well as pujas and poetry. (See his website: kamalashila.co.uk)
All this came from his own deep practice of the Dharma, including an 18-month solitary meditation retreat under canvas in Wales.
Kamalashila had wide-ranging Dharma interests and connections with meditators in the wider Buddhist world. With Sangharakshita’s agreement he explored other meditative developments, which led to him introducing new strands into Triratna practice.
In later years he lived with Yashobodhi in Spain, London and Suffolk. He was diagnosed with MS in 2017. Starting during the pandemic, and right up to a few weeks ago, he has led many online retreats and classes, including much-appreciated winter retreats for Order members.
He made a tremendous contribution to the life, thought and practice of the Order and Triratna, which will continue to have effects into the future.
You can find a fuller biography, in his own words, at https://kamalashila.co.uk/about.
Kamalashila wrote: “Vajrasattva was the practice I was given at ordination in 1974. It was Sangharakshita’s choice for me and is the sadhana I have practised most. The figure expresses our unrealised Buddha nature, and the sadhana focuses on purification. These elements in the practice draw attention to inner obstacles that need to be faced and purified.”
Kamalashila opted for a direct cremation. He left extensive instructions about his ashes and a memorial service which will happen in a few months time. Details to follow.
For more information please contact Yashobodhi yb [at] yashobodhi [dot] org.
With many thanks to Vessantara for writing this brief summary about Kamalashila’s contribution to the Triratna order.
Yashobodhi
