I first met Ajarn Sulak walking around Dartington Estate in Devon in 1994. 'This all belongs to me,' he said waving his stick around at the magnificent vista of this old English manor house. 'When I am here this is all mine.' I was intrigued by this idea of ‘present moment' ownership. A few months later I went to Thailand where I worked closely with Ajarn for several years. This was a fruitful and challenging experience and a huge learning curve both in terms of the work and my own spiritual development, although it took many years and indeed still is resonating.

We often spent time at Sulak's house in Bangkok and I thought of it as the centre of an informal network of all manner of people working for the betterment of society. Life was never boring: in one day you might share breakfast with an important lama from Tibet, lunch with an artist, and in the evening drink fine French wine with political leaders and local activists. Sulak has networking in his blood and is an accomplished social animal: his warmth and genuine hospitality, razor sharp mind and huge knowledge on so many topics make him an inspiring and unforgettable host.  What makes it work so well is that he enjoys it all so much and truly welcomes anyone with an interest in his work and many become personal friends.  The spirit of kalyanametta - a Buddhist term for spiritual friendship - truly is integral to his lifework.  You had to watch out at these social occasions or before you know it you could be besieged with work. Sulak was never one to miss an opportunity, and his illustrious guests usually walk away with tasks to help various projects. But it is a mark of tribute to Sulak that most return for more, many with completed tasks.  He has a great talent for drawing skills and favours from his huge range of contacts and pulling together all manner of fine things - never more so than when he has a large gathering to arrange. Food and meeting places materialise free of charge, entertainment of the highest order appear, and his influential friends are called in as exciting keynote speakers. 

It is exciting work that really does pave the way to make a constructive positive difference to many unjust aspects of society - whether grass roots leadership training for marginalized peoples, direct action protests like at the Yadana pipeline, training monks and nuns for social change, inter-faith dialogue and engaged Buddhist networks - the initiatives are endless. Ajarn Sulak is a great man for organising meetings to oversee the work. Initially I was stunned to see him reclining on a mattress, half naked, being massaged, yet totally dominating the discussion, following up on delegated work, and issuing snappy orders to all the minions from his various organisations. This was followed by a lavish dinner and a few bottles of wine where everyone relaxed and chatted in several languages around the table. Interesting business strategy I thought. It was not long before I got used to the magnificent idea of mixing massage and work, although I never achieved the ability to be able to fully concentrate on a meeting whilst being painfully manipulated!

I gradually learned that in Thailand delegating work was a different art than I was used to. It is of paramount importance for the senior to dominate and to double check things as workers would be unlikely to say if they could not manage something, rather they wait to be asked. Input from people is limited and often sought just prior to the event, so the meeting becomes a force for informing everybody what will be. Sulak always seemed to have the last word and could be quite obstinate on occasion. As some of the people involved were rather idealistic western volunteers aspiring to a participatory, proactive and arguably more efficient approach, I witnessed many clashes both externally and internally in myself and others. I gradually learned it was my responsibility to say no when things got too hectic - being overly efficient was not sustainable. Whilst totally committed I perceived Sulak's way of working is a bit domineering. Later I occasionally took the role of counsellor for others who felt sore or unheard by the great man!

During the first few years I gradually pieced things together. Sulak is not at the head of a large NGO with various departments, rather he is at the helm of many organic and diverse organisations and projects with a commonality of working for the betterment of society. His boundless energy and determination to push things through is legendry. Where appropriate the initiatives are linked up, but each has its own agenda and he tries to make them as autonomous as possible - a tall order for a man who likes to have the last word! He seems to be expert at setting up new organisations and sometimes their mandates seem to duplicate existing ones. I never quite understood the separate agendas and boundaries of INEB, SEM, ATC, TICD, Ariyavinaya, and SPDI, etc., etc. - it all seemed a bit too inter-connected and inter-dependent! However, I began to appreciate that this form of organic management was effective, although the various organisations had periods of extreme activity and quiet times. What was crucial was that the core ideas and ethos had great exponential longevity, although the names of the organising bodies and some of the key people may change. Over the years many from the west, especially funders, found this unique approach difficult to comprehend. They would take me aside and quietly ask how does it all work? What is this new acronym? Why can't he be more formal and fulfil our criteria? I tried to allay their fears and point out the successes, although I was often as confused as they were! However, whilst there are hiccups and some casualties, including myself with burn out after a few years, there is no doubt that the results speak for themselves. What Sulak has achieved is to spearhead a movement for social justice and social change based on engaged Buddhist principles resulting in numerous projects, initiatives, and networks both formal and informal whose influence reverberates around the world.

Once you are admitted into Sulak's circle you never really bow out although you may lie dormant for long periods.  He inspires such a loyalty that when needs of the moment require it, then, like his view of Dartington, your labour belongs to him, or rather to the whole of society channelled through him! These days I am still at his beck and call, although several thousands of miles separate us. Every so often an email comes with a request for a draft of a paper or outline for a proposal. I happily comply, but remember to be organic rather than over efficient.

Despite or perhaps because of years of hard work, reflection, admiration and angst I wholeheartedly believe that the advent of Sulak Sivaraksa with his organic and interconnected approach has been an enormous and productive influence on my life, the lives of many who come in contact with him, and a huge and dynamic force for social justice in the world at large.

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1. Jane assisted Ajarn Sulak with many projects notably the Grassroots Leadership Training programme for Spirit in Education Movement and the Alternatives to Consumerism initiative from 1994 to 2000 when she left South East Asia due to poor health. She is now living quietly in Scotland.