Friends of the Western Buddhist Order

The Friends of the Western Buddhist Order (FWBO) is an international fellowship of Buddhists, and others who aspire to its path of mindfulness, under the leadership of the Western Buddhist Order. It was founded in the UK in 1967, and describes itself as "an international network dedicated to communicating Buddhist truths in ways appropriate to the modern world". In keeping with Buddhist traditions, it also pays attention to contemporary ideas, particularly drawn from Western philosophy, psychotherapy, and art. In the UK, the FWBO is one of the largest Buddhist new religious movements, supported by a federation of some 30 urban centres and retreat centres. Worldwide, more than 100 groups and centres are part of the FWBO family, including in North America, Australasia and Europe. Its largest following is in India, where it is known as Trailokya Bauddha Mahasangha Sahayaka Gana (TBMSG). Historically, there has been controversy surrounding the FWBO. It has been accused of radicalism,and criticised for what some commentators have seen as unorthodox teachings.