Sulak Sivaraksa (Thai สุลักษณ์ ศิวรักษ์, born March 27 1933 in Thailand) is founder and director of the Thai NGO "Sathirakoses-Nagapradeepa Foundation “. Besides being the initator of a number of social, humanitarian, ecological and spiritual movemnts and organizations in Thailand, like the College SEM (Spirit in Education Movement) Sulak Sivaraksa is know in the West as one of the fathers of INEB (International Network of Engaged Buddhists), which, in 1987 was established by leading Buddhists like the 14th Dalai Lama, the Vietnamese monk and peace-activist Thich Nhat Hanh und the Theravada Bhikkhu Maha Ghosananda. When Sulak Sivaraksa was awarded the Alternative Nobel Prize (Right Livelihood Award) in 1995 he became known to a wider public in Europe and the USA.
Sulak Sivaraksa was educated in Bangkok and at the University of Wales, Lampeter and became the editor of an intellectual magazine ("Social Science Review“) upon his return home. Soon he directed his energies towards the development of sustainable models for a rapidly changing economic and social environment. The military coup of 1976 forced him into exile for two years. At this time he toured Canada, the US and Europe to lecture to academic audiences. These contacts were to prove beneficial when international protests freed him from jail in 1984. Exiled again in 1991 Ajahn Sulak Sivaraksa eventually convinced the courts of his innocence in 1995. In the same year he was awared the Alternative Nobel Prize.
As a practicing Buddhist Sulak Sivaraksa is considered an example for a secular and engaged Buddhism.
Quotes
- "I am breathing, so I am!“
Works
- Sulak Sivaraksa: Seeds of Peace: A Buddhist Vision for Renewing Society.
Foreword by H.H.The Dalai Lama. Parallax Press/International Network of Engaged Buddhist/ Sathirakoses-Nagapradipa Foundation 1992.186 Pages
- Sulak Sivaraksa: Global Healing. Essays and interviews on structural violence, Social development and spiritual transformation.
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