Bhikkhu Kapilavaddho

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kuanyin123
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Bhikkhu Kapilavaddho

Post by kuanyin123 »

Hello again folks. I hope you can help me. I am now looking at some of the major Englishmen who left the UK to become Buddhist monks in Thailand over the last hundred years. I am specifically interested in Bhikkhu Kapilavaddho, a.k.a William Purfurst. I am interested in exactly where he was born in England and where he died. I am sure he also passed away in England but where???

Any help on this subject would be warmly welcomed! Thanks!
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Ayu
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Re: Bhikkhu Kapilavaddho

Post by Ayu »

Have you tried to ask over at the Theravada site https://www.dhammawheel.com/ ?
udawa
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Re: Bhikkhu Kapilavaddho

Post by udawa »

William August Purfurst was born at Hanwell, Middlesex, on 2ndJune 1906. As the name indicates, his father was of German origin, and he was an only child. His father died when he was quite small, and he was brought up under the care of his mother, to whom he remained devotedly attached until her death in 1957. Young William soon showed himself to be a man of many and brilliant gifts. There is no doubt that he could have made a career for himself either in business or in the academic world. He had a remarkable gift for acquiring a wide variety of experiences and — what is more — profiting from them. At the age of 20 he was living in Bristol as manager of a branch of an internationally know typewriter firm, but the world of business could not satisfy him. He started studying such things as psychology and philosophy, eagerly seeking to find answers to life’s riddle. But his compulsively inquiring mind was not so easily satisfied with the “solutions” proffered by the books he read. Perhaps already at this time he began to suspect that the scholars and philosophers of the West had no monopoly of wisdom. In any case, he felt that the only place for him to pursue his studies further was London. After two years, he gave up his Bristol job and set out for the capital where he had been born, on foot: an action, which was symbolic of his future career. From then on, he stood on his own two feet, and if necessary walked on them to wherever he felt he had to go
This is taken from Terry Shine's booklet, 'Honour Thy Fathers'. You should be able to find a copy fairly easily.
Edwards: You are a philosopher. Dr Johnson: I have tried too in my time to be a philosopher; but, I don't know how, cheerfulness was always breaking in.
kuanyin123
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Re: Bhikkhu Kapilavaddho

Post by kuanyin123 »

That's right - 'Honour Thy Fathers' - I've seen that book online. Shall investigate. Many thanks :anjali:
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Dhammanando
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Re: Bhikkhu Kapilavaddho

Post by Dhammanando »

kuanyin123 wrote: Tue Mar 16, 2021 8:06 am Any help on this subject would be warmly welcomed!
If you contact my old preceptor, Ajahn Khemadhammo, he might be persuaded to share with you his memories of Kapi, who was his first teacher. I recall when I was a sāmaṇera with him he had quite a repertoire of anecdotes about the man.

Here's his Facebook page...

https://m.facebook.com/profile.php?id=767117864
Claudia dbl
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Re: Bhikkhu Kapilavaddho

Post by Claudia dbl »

Myself and my family are also trying to gather as much information as possible regarding Kapilavaddho Bhikkhu as he was my grandfather. Otherwise known as William Purfurst, my mother Julia Nina is his daughter and only child. As a family we are so very proud of his achievements and dedication to Buddhism yet my mother was only young when he left for Thailand and then only saw him a handful of times before his death. My sisters and I are hoping to visit Thailand and the Wat Paknam Temple. Any information anyone has for us and any recommendations of places to visit in the UK to gain a further insight, would be much appreciated.
HauntedHotel
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Re: Bhikkhu Kapilavaddho

Post by HauntedHotel »

Claudia dbl wrote: Tue Nov 08, 2022 10:35 am Myself and my family are also trying to gather as much information as possible regarding Kapilavaddho Bhikkhu as he was my grandfather. Otherwise known as William Purfurst, my mother Julia Nina is his daughter and only child. As a family we are so very proud of his achievements and dedication to Buddhism yet my mother was only young when he left for Thailand and then only saw him a handful of times before his death. My sisters and I are hoping to visit Thailand and the Wat Paknam Temple. Any information anyone has for us and any recommendations of places to visit in the UK to gain a further insight, would be much appreciated.
kuanyin123 wrote: Tue Mar 16, 2021 8:06 amAny help on this subject would be warmly welcomed! Thanks!
I'm sure you know about the book published under the name Richard Randall.

Also, look at this site. He lives in UK and his mother would have been there at about the same time.
http://fuengsin.org/lotus/
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