Aloka Bhikkhu (Petrus Willemse) was born and received his school education in Zimbabwe. Thereafter he studied music at the Zimbabwe College of Music and later at the University of Cape Town, graduating in 1985. He then taught at the Zimbabwe College of Music.
In 1990 became the subject librarian for Musicology at the University of South Africa, and achieved a degree in library and information science (BBibl).
It was then that he attended a talk on vipassana given by a Buddhist monk from Australia and he realised “that he had found a way to understanding how things really are”. He did several vipassana retreats and then decided to ordain.
In February 2000, he ordained as a novice monk at the Dhammodaya Myanmar Vihara in Pietermartizburg, South Africa. He went to Burma where he took bhikkhu ordination on 15 August 2000. He joined the Amaravati Sangha at Hemel Hempstead in December 2004.
He has on several occasions been invited by ourselves and by Ringu Tulku to give meditation workshops (along with Dirk) for Bodhicharya London, and we have greatly benefited from this continuing, warm relationship.
He has been accepted by Ringu Tulku as one of his monks, and will leave his Theravada monastery in order to pursue his monastic career within the Tibetan Buddhist tradition under Ringu Tulku’s guidance.
Any large or small regular contributions would facilitate his continued monastic training, and would be received with great gratitude. He needs the support of sponsorship for monastic requisites (like robes and living costs). Would you able to help?
If you can help, or if you would like to meet or make contact with Aloka, please
email meditation@bodhicharya-
