launch of 'Life with Full Attention'

Maitreyabandhu writes from the London Buddhist Centre, the FWBO's largest centre outside India -

"I'm delighted to announce the launch of my new book, Life with Full Attention - a practical course in mindfulness.

"My book is about paying attention.

"Mindfulness is something you can practise on a plane, waiting in a queue at the post office, or eating a takeaway. It's not religious. It's about paying attention.

"I explore the different levels and dimensions of mindfulness. I address the issues a reader might face when they try to put mindfulness into practice. But don't worry: I'm not assuming you have plenty of free time. I assume you have work to do, people to see, things to accomplish, children to get to school. The art of mindfulness will be learning to bring more attention to the sort of things you already do. I'm not trying to add another task to your jobs list".

Launch dates
London Buddhist Centre, 7.15pm, 2nd September
Manchester Buddhist Centre, 7.15pm, 7th September
Birmingham Buddhist Centre, 7.15pm, 29th September

For more information, and to order, check Windhorse Publications on  www.windhorsepublications.com/CartV2/Details.asp?ProductID=733.

Mitraloka celebrate their second birthday

Nagaketu, Director of Mitraloka, TBMSG’s School of Foreign Languages in Nagpur, Central India, writes to say -

“Mitraloka School of Foreign Languages celebrated its second anniversary on 15th June. A special get-together of all present and ex-students was organized on this occasion. As part of the celebrations there was an address from Mitraloka’s founder, Dhammachari Nagaketu, plus special guests Nitin Kamble (a French language teacher) and Rohan Chahande (a Japanese and English language teacher).

“Over the past two years Mitraloka has become one of the major language training centers in central India, providing courses in multiforeign languages. For last two years at Mitraloka; various foreign languages have been taught including English, French, German, Japanese & Chinese.

“Through this teaching we are cultivating awareness about foreign languages and different cultures in the world. Hundreds of students have been benefited by learning foreign languages and thereby they have shaped their careers in different fields. Mitraloka is also help them with job placement in the global market.

“Soon we are going to start Portuguese, Arabic and Pali language classes.

“With metta, Nagaketu.

Situated in central Nagpur, Mitraloka is a fairly new - but very successful - addition to the portfolio of social and Dhamma projects run by TBMSG in India.  More and more, it's clear that command of English and other foreign languages are a key to social mobility and economic advancement - crucial in the rigid caste structure of Hindu India.

Aryaloka Computer Education: profiling a Community and Right Livelihood Project in Nagpur, India

Dhammamitra Nagaratna from Kerala in South India writes with a great profile of a very successful grass-roots initiative in Nagpur, Central India. This is the ‘Aryaloka Computer Education and Community Center’, one of many TBMSG projects in the city.

He says -
“Our Aryaloka community and computer center is located in the middle of a thickly populated area called Laghuvetan Colony, nearly 5 kilometers from central Nagpur. Nagpur is a large city right in the centre of India, in Maharastra state.

“We are four members right now here in our small community, trying to adjust and live together with small available amenities. Each of us has some responsibilities in the computer institution which is in same building: we are working as computer teacher, instructor, receptionist. Also we are students learning some advanced computer courses (which are much expensive to afford by us in other places) as well as continuing our Academic Education. We get support as pocket money from the institution to meet our basic needs.

“It’s true that we are enjoying our life here, living in spiritual community, practicing meditation, trying to develop our friendship based on spiritual values - “to create a positive atmosphere in the society on the basis of humanitarian principles”. This is hard in the midst of India’s caste-ridden society. In order to achieve our vision we took our great opportunity to incorporate with this mission the ‘Aryaloka Computer Education and Community Center’.

“Thanks to Dhammachari Aryaketu (photo, right) for establishing the Institute and creating a situation like this. He has still so many innovative ideas to help flourish Buddhism all over the world. At present he is in UK visiting Buddhafield.

“Really speaking, this is also our individual mission, keeping what we have created as a role model and working in the future to create institutions in our own native places which are generally located in remote areas and towns. For that purpose we are here from different parts of the country, living together, trying to know each other’s culture, mental attitudes, etc. We are sharing and by responding sensitively we try to practice spiritually to be robust as well by doing some advanced computer courses like 2D, 3D Animation, Photoshop….and so on we could develop our creative and imaginative mind to make it more refined and focused.

“And pioneering like this we can help assure our Right Livelihood at present and in future to make success of our own life mission, to help and show the way for others too.  Please check our website at www.aryalokaeducation.org”.

Back at FWBO News we’re reminded of the three Aniruddhas in the Pali Canon, who live together in perfect harmony. The Buddha asks them “Aniruddha, how do you live thus?”, and they reply -

“Venerable sir, as to that, I think thus: ‘It is a gain for me, it is a great gain for me that I am living with such companions in the holy life.’ I maintain bodily acts of loving-kindness towards these venerable ones both openly and privately; I maintain verbal acts of loving-kindness towards them both openly and privately; I maintain mental acts of loving-kindness towards them both openly and privately. I consider: ‘Why should I not set aside what I wish to do and do what these venerable ones wish to do?’ Then I set aside what I wish to do and do what these venerable ones wish to do. We are different in body, venerable sir, but one in mind".

More reports from Buddhafield Festival

More reports from the Buddhafield Festival are coming in, thanks to the 'Google Alerts' facility.

Geckoface says "I've spent the last week at Buddhafield. To sum up, it was amazing."  She goes on to explore the Mystery of the Chai Lady, saying -

"There is a myth that the Chai Lady roams Buddhafield. She has been sighted in the morning between 8 and 9am with large thermos flasks filled with chai made with rice milk. She sings with a haunting tune that no one can quite remember, with the words "chai, buy my chai, lots of chai, buy my chai, vegan chai". No one can remember her face or quite what she looks like. Those who have seen her are not sure if it was real. There is no hard core evidence for her existence.

"We believe we had a sighting of the Chai Lady on the morning of July the 20th. Also, on the morning of July 16th, I heard her voice in my dreams though it turns out others heard the voice too, so perhaps it was real. We bought her chai and I snapped a picture but I only managed to get her from behind so we have no proof that it is the real Chai Lady".

More from her at http://geckoface-eater.livejournal.com/179926.html

Realfoodlover reports "I went to Buddhafield festival and became a kitchen fairy."  She says -

"I was sitting in a Bedouin tent, as one does, listening to Martha Tilston on stage at Lost Horizons, the legendary travelling café and wood-burning (mostly naked) sauna.

I heard a cry above the music:
“Can someone stir the milk? In exchange for a chai.  Can someone stir the milk?”
“I can stir the milk,” I said.

In the field kitchen, backstage at Lost Horizons, a wooden spoon in hand, I stirred a cauldron of milk coming to the boil.  A dramatic creature with blonde curls, tight trousers and a rocker’s face appeared..."

More from her at http://realfoodlover.wordpress.com/2009/07/21/kitchen-fairy-at-lost-horizons/

And PedalPowerAdventures ("A journey across the length of Britain, stirred with thoughts on how we can use the power of personal choice to make the world cleaner, greener and generally just a better place to live") reports -

"An interesting time at Buddhafield, hard work with heavy rain every day and lots of mud. Found an almost new pair of thermal wellys in a hedge the day before arriving, true confirmation that the universe provides. Gave them away when I left to a guy who was planning to spend the winter on the top of Exmoor, felt good to pass on the good fortune..."

Buddhafield Festival sells out; largest-ever

Last weekend saw the 14th Buddhafield Festival, the largest-ever at around 3,000 people. The Festival is by far the biggest event in the FWBO calendar outside India, and involves over 700 people in all the many teams, workshops, cafes etc that combine to put it on.

This year the weather was not kind – but spirits were high and the theme of “Skilful Living in a Changing World” unfolded in a thousand places across the field.

Rather than write a review we’re happy to present excerpts of a report posted on the ‘Explorations of Truth’ blog (http://explorationsoftruth.blogspot.com/) by an unknown author. He or she says –

Buddhafield - Life As It Should Be
“I’m at the Buddhafield Festival gathering at the moment near Glastonbury, England and am definitely loving it. It’s a large gathering of people who share a love of community, a capacity for celebration, are trying to live more consciously, and many of whom are working actively towards making the world a better place. There are probably around 3,000 people here all camping in a very beautiful forested countryside. I came here with my friend Marcus and a sweet woman sharing the ride there named Natalie.

“I’m writing here because I want to acknowledge how happy I am to be here. There is so much love being spread around. Everywhere you look there is a positive interaction happening between people. There are so many things happening here, music constantly at different venues, lots of cafes, teepees serving chai around a fire, nudie saunas, dances, consciousness raising talks, healing services (massage, etc.). playgrounds for kids, interactive games for adults, cinema, drum circles, ceremonies, classes, etc.. For those of you who’ve made a life of attending these events, it may seem like an everyday thing, but to someone like me who has only been to some music festivals, it’s quite amazing.

“While here, I’ve also been to a dance which was another amazing experience. I won’t get into the details of it, but I will report that the levels of Love and contact and celebration that can happen within a group of open hearted people is soooo much more than most people reading this (and the person writing it) have ever experienced. What a blessing it was to be a part of that.

“Other workshops, drum circles, film, live music, completely hysterical improvisational cabaret. It’s rained every day here, sometimes gusting torrents of rain, but that seems to have passed over finally, although the mud seems to be here to stay.

“Needless to say again, I am loving it. What it most feels like to me is Freedom. It feels like how life is supposed to be. Life is worth celebrating. Life is wonderful in community. Life is wonderful when spent with people who just naturally square their face to you and take the time to smile meaningfully at you and share a greeting.

“It’s also about as hippie a festival as I’ve ever been to as well and I am sure glad I lived long enough to see another side to life, another way that things can be.

“Noticed self-consciously today that the rain jacket I’m wearing has an Adidas logo on the sleeve. Here, no-one that I’ve seen, not one of the thousands here, is wearing any form of corporate logo or even sports team emblem. None. Other niceties here include composting toilets, lots of raw and organic veggie vegan food, and a big board constantly added to of singing, dancing, dharma, healing workshops and other events. It’s wonderful. Nothing less. My cheeks are a little cramped from smiling so much. I love it when that happens”.

Thanks to our unknown reviewer! The mud did stay, sad to say - but who cares?!

 There’s some photos of the Festival on FWBO Photos (www.flickr.com/photos/fwbo/sets ) and also on the Buddhafield page on Facebook.

SADHU Buddhafield!

New students arrive at Nagaloka for 8th year of training program

The Nagarjuna Training Institute in Nagpur, India, has just accepted their 2009 batch of new trainees – and continues to expand.

Based on the Nagaloka campus on the outskirts of India, NTI is the FWBO/TBMSG’s largest training centre in India, every year training around 80 young men and women in the basics of both Buddhism and social work. The graduates then return home, often in small groups, ready to do what they can to promote both Dhamma and social work in their area. Over 300 graduates have emerged during the 8 years the course has been running.  This year they welcomed 87 new trainees.

Students come from all over India, and this year for the first time NTI was able to accept trainees from West Bengal: they join others from Maharastra, Orissa, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and many other states in an exhilarating mix of students from many Indian cultures and even languages – in fact, often, the students find their only common language is English!

Continuing the trend of the past few years, a sizeable proportion of the students are women – no less than 24 this year.

Back in the UK, Shakyajata has launched an appeal to support Nagaloka’s graduates in their Dhamma and social projects post-graduation. She writes –

“Now, with much increased self-confidence, fluency, and determination, they are setting out on the next phase of self-sufficiency for themselves, their families, and communities. At this crucial stage, they still need help to launch the projects that will make a huge difference to the future of India; giving dignity and unlocking human potential among thousands of poor people”.

On her fundraising webpage at www.justgiving.com/nagalokafutures you can read more about some of the projects they will be initiating after graduation.  If you'd like to support the course itself they have a second page at www.justgiving.com/nagaloka. 

new FWBO Centre in Mexico

Akasavajri writes from Mexico with news of Buda Mandala, the new FWBO Centre in Mexico:

Introducing Buda Mandala Buddhist Centre

The greatest thing that the Buddha has done is to tell the world that it cannot be reformed

except by the reformation of the mind of man... and the mind of the world. Dr. B. R.

Ambedkar

If you were sufficiently alert, active, inspired, and dedicated, and if there were a number of

you working together, perhaps you could exert a substantial influence on whole societies in

different parts of the world... Urgyen Sangharakshita

Beyond ourselves, on the frontiers of being and becoming, a more living life claims us.

Octavio Paz

A few months ago, a number of us, members of the Western Buddhist Order based in Mexico City, started meeting on a weekly basis in order to explore the possibility of opening a new FWBO centre in Mexico City, an idea put forward first by Dharmacari Mokshananda and by other friends in the Order. Later, in August 2008, Urgyen Sangharakshita suggested to Jnanadakini that a new FWBO Centre in the south side of the City would be ideal given the context and developments in Mexico. For that purpose we formed the collective Buda Mandala, which at present includes Dharmacari Kavindu and Dharmacarinis Jnanadakini, Saddhajoti and Akasavajri.


Why opening a new FWBO centre in Mexico City? 
Some facts. Mexico City is the capital city of Mexico It is the most important economic, industrial, and cultural center in the country; the most populous city with over 8,836,045 inhabitants in 2008. Greater Mexico City (Zona Metropolitana del Valle de Mexico) has a population exceeding 22 million people, making it the second largest metropolitan area in the western hemisphere and the third largest in the world by population according to the United Nations.

The majority (90.5%) of the residents in Mexico City are Roman Catholic, a higher figure than the national percentage, even though it has decreased over the last decades. However, many other religions and philosophies are also practiced in the city: there are many different types of Protestant groups, different types of Jewish communities, Buddhist and other philosophical groups, as well as atheism. Buddhism in Mexico possesses a minuscule demographic presence. Approximately, only 108,701 Buddhists are counted in the whole of Mexico.

Up until now, Mexico City (and the whole country) has counted with one FWBO Centre, which is located in the Colonia Roma. La Roma (as it is also known) is a neighborhood in the central borough of Cuauhtemoc in Mexico City. Undoubtedly, the Mexico City Buddhist Centre under the chairmanship of Dharmacari Upekshamati has made a significant contribution to spreading not only the Dharma but also Bhante's vision in Mexico for the last fourteen years. The Centre's beautiful venue is visited by hundreds of people every week attracted by the varied program of Buddhism and Meditation that it offers.

However, the interest in the Buddhadharma and the FWBO approach is growing and the city is big enough to house not one or two but even more centres! Buda Mandala, the new FWBO centre will be located right in the heart of Coyoacn. Coyoacn is one of the 16 boroughs into which Mexico's Federal District is divided. The name Coyoacn also is commonly used to refer to the neighborhood at the heart of the borough, and it comes from the Nahutl Coyohuacan meaning, "place where there are coyotes". Although geographically located in the center of the city, Coyoacn has long been considered to be at the southern end of Mexico City.

For a few decades now, Coyoacn has been visited by alternative groups of people like bohemians, street musicians, writers, philosophers, etc. who were in search of relaxed and non-mainstream social places to gather, so they began having an important presence in Coyoacn. These social groups eventually gave the place its distinctive cultural and artistic atmosphere. Needless to say, Coyoacn is nowadays one of the preferred and most visited places in the city.

The Buda Mandala collective believes that, it is precisely its non-mainstream, relaxed, cultural and artistic atmosphere what makes Coyoacn a suitable place for spreading the Buddhadharma through an FWBO Buddhist Centre. Indeed, the first FWBO centre in Mexico City, the one that is now in La Roma, had its first venue in Coyoacn where it proved to be a success.

At present, Yoga Espacio, the yoga, meditation and healing centre opened in 2007 by a collective led by Jnanadakini and Kavindu is also located in Coyoacn. Yoga Espacio offers a modest program on Buddhism and Meditation led by Kavindu and supported by Chandramsu and Vimuktin. Buda Mandala may be a natural place to channel people from Yoga Espacio that wish to get more involved with the movement in a Buddhist venue that offers the whole range of activities of a FWBO centre. The Mexico City Buddhist Centre has also some presence in Coyoacn on Sundays introducing Buddhism and Meditation.


Buda Mandala's Vision, Mission and Values


Vision
Our vision is of a World in which every human being can fulfill their full potential, in order to contribute in a positive manner to the building of a peaceful society, which protects other sentient beings and the Earth.


Mission
Our mission is to communicate the teachings of the Buddha, as taught by Urgyen Sangharakshita, the founder of the Western Buddhist Order, in a way that is relevant to different social groups in Mexico and Latin America. We recognise that aiming to do this requires a balance between honouring our understanding of the Order and Movement's central practices and teachings, and an inspired and imaginative way of presenting them.


Values

Buda Mandala is a Buddhist Organisation, part of the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order and led by a collective formed by members of the Western Buddhist Order. Through our work we aim to express the following:

• Our commitment to honour the Four Vows taken during our Ordination.

• The Buddha's fundamental insight that all human beings are born with the potential for

• spiritual growth and development.

• The importance of broad-based effort, which translates as the importance of Sangha.

• The need to make spiritual change happen on a daily basis through small acts of clear

• awareness, loving kindness, compassion, mutual rejoicing and equanimity.

• Openness, receptivity, respect and tolerance for the global community.

• Communication that is truthful, kind and harmonious.

• Clear thinking.

• Social engagement, and committed to improve the welfare of other sentient beings and to

• contribute to the preservation and renewal of the natural environment.

• Deep commitment to learning and teaching.

• Exemplification.

• Professionalism.

• Aesthetic appreciation.

We offer the fruits of our work to the benefit of all sentient beings.

Today my life has (borne) fruit;
(Having) well obtained this human existence,
I've been born in the family of [the] Buddha
And now am one of [the] Buddha's Sons (and Daughters).
Thus whatever actions I do from now on
Must be in accord with the family.
Never shall I disgrace or pollute
This noble and unsullied race.

Dharmacarini Akasavajri

On Behalf of the Buda Mandala Collective

The Buda Mandala website is at www.budamandala.com

Neo Natal Ambulance is donated by Rotary Club, Pune to TBMSG Pune’s Jeevak Medical Project

Milind Shakya, an Order Member from the Mahavihara, TBMSG’s large centre in Pune, India, writes with news of a generous donation to Jeevak, the long-running women’s social project. 

He writes -

"The Gandhi Bhavan Rotary Club of Pune recently donated a Neo-Natal Ambulance with Ventilator and Portable incubator to TBMSG Pune’s Jeevak Medical Project in Mahavihar.

"In this program the Rotary Club’s President Mr. Shrikant Mahajan, Vilas Jagtapji , Dr. Sudhir Rashingkar, Dr. Govind Datar, and Atul Joshi were present. They met with Yashosagar, TBMSG Chairman, and Karunadeepa, Director of Jeevak.

"Dr. Rashingkar said they approached Jeevak for this donation because of the credibility of the TBMSG and Jeevak’s medical projects in India and particularly in the Pune area. He expressed confidence that the new facility will allow the Trust to save many newborn lives. Dr. Datar expressed in his speech the importance of childcare and reducing the child mortality rate.

"Many Rotarians were present for this Program and they all appreciated the work Trust is doing. And extended their wish for further help".
Readers of FWBO News may remember the fire that gutted the building in March; we are delighted to report this improvement in their fortunes.
  

FWBO Berlin purchases property for new Centre

Amogharatna, Chairman of the FWBO’s centre in Berlin, writes –

"This afternoon Satyasthira and I signed a contract on behalf of FWBO Berlin to purchase part of a building! This will become our new centre when we leave our current rented premises around the end of 2010.

"The premises are part of a larger development, involving the conversion of a former hospital into a mixed residential, commercial and social development. Our plans for the building include a large shrine room of 100m² with a high glass roof. There will be a second shrine room and a study room of 40m² each. Additionally there will be an office, a library, a bookshop and a kitchen. The premises are on the ground floor and accessible for the disabled. We will also have a very large basement for storage and toilets. It is well serviced by public transport, and is centrally located, close to the canal, where one can walk and enjoy a break from the bustle of the city.

"The hospital will continue to use the buildings until the end of the year, when it will start to leave in stages. Our building will be handed over in the middle of 2010. Currently it houses the X-Ray archive but formally it was the hospital kitchen. The renovation work will be completed by the end of 2010, if everything goes according to plan.

"It has taken us a long time to get this far with the project. In addition to the team of those involved directly, looking at and investigating countless buildings over several years, we would never have got this far had it not been for a generous donation of money many years ago, raised by the workers at Windhorse Trading (as it was then). So a very special "Thank you" to them! More recently Karunada has played a major role in engaging thoroughly with numerous legal complexities which the project has created. Without him, it is unlikely that we would have signed the contract today. SADHU KARUNADA!

"There will be much to do in the coming months, a lot of planning and organisational work as well as the inevitable fundraising to help pay back our considerable loans. I have no doubt that the efforts involved in pursuing our vision will be rewarded, when we finally have premises that do justice to our work of helping to make the Dharma more accessible to ever more people.

"With Metta from Berlin,

"Amogharatna

P.S. Attached are photos of
1. the building
2. Amogharatna and Satyasthira signing the contract
3. Some of those present at the signing of the contract: left to right: Michael Linsner, Satyasthira, Mokshasiddha, Herr Paterock (Solicitor for FWBO Berlin), Amogharatna, Frau Dr. Herwig (Solicitor for the Development Project), Frau Graetz (leader of the Development Project), and Karunada".

Karuna on tour!

"If you think and believe that you are an ‘Untouchable’ then you are…it’s all in your mind, what you think you become." This is how Dhammachari Aniruddha describes his personal experience of the caste system in India.

The FWBO’s Karuna Trust (www.karuna.org) raises and sends well over £1,000,000/year to India for a wide range of social and dhamma projects. Andrea from Karuna writes –

“We are delighted that Aniruddha will be arriving from India in the next few days to undertake a series of Sangha night talks at centres across the UK during July.

"Aniruddha says 'For 35 years I lived a life of humiliation and disgrace because I was born into the caste system in India which gave me the label ‘Untouchable’. A major breakthrough came in my life when I was ordained into the Western Buddhist Order in 1985. It gave a new meaning to my life.'

"Aniruddha will share his moving journey of transformation; from his life as an ‘Untouchable’ in India to his current work helping others to leave their caste-based thinking behind.

"You’ll be able to meet Aniruddha on:

14 July Brighton Buddhist Centre
20 July Bristol Buddhist Centre
22 July North London Buddhist Centre
27 July London Buddhist Centre
28 July West London Buddhist Centre
30 July Birmingham Buddhist Centre

He will also be at the Buddhafield festival from 16-18 July.

"Karuna invite you to meet Aniruddha. You'll be able to find out more about Karuna's work in India and how you can support the marginalized communities in Asia, helping people such as Aniruddha to develop the skills, dignity and confidence to transform their lives.

"We look forward to meeting you!"

If you’re interested in helping Karuna raise much-needed funds then please check their Appeals website at www.appeals.karuna.org - or find them on Facebook.

Two tragic deaths in the Order

Amritadipa from India writes -

"Dear Sangha members,

With great sadness I am informing you of the death of Dharmachari Sudarshan and Dharmacharini Bodhisakhi, husband and wife, in a road accident in the early hours of the morning Indian time on Monday 6th July. They were coming by taxi from Mumbai airport after visiting their son Vikram and daughter Nagashila in USA. The driver is in hospital in a critical condition.

Sudarshan was one of the earliest Order members in India, he was ordained in 1979, and was aged 63. He is Public and Private Preceptor to many Order members. His Yidam is Manjughosha.

Bodhisakhi was closely involved in the Sangha since these very early days, she was ordained in January this year, and was aged 55. Her yidam is Green Tara.

They were both on the International Convention at Bodhgaya and had both visited several Centres around the world, especially Sudarshan who was often on International Conventions in the U.K, so they will be known to many Order members outside of India. Order members, mitras and friends all around India are today doing puja and meditation for Sudarshan and Bodhisakhi.

Your in the Sangha,
Amritadipa
Indian Order convening team"

The funeral took place on July 8th afternoon at TBMSG's Mahavihara Buddhist Centre in Dapodi, Pune and the nearby burning ghat.

Just after the news was received many had gathered for the annual Dharma Day celebrations, during which Lokamitra and Subhuti gave talks which are available on FreeBuddhistAudio at

www.freebuddhistaudio.com/community/local?c=Dhammachakra-Pravartan-Mahavihar

Both are both about 30 minutes long. There is also an interview with Sudarshan given in 2004, where he recounts his early life as a Dalit, or ex-untouchable, under the Hindu caste system.  This was published in Madhyamavani.

Ipswich Buddhist Centre plans Grand Opening

The FWBO’s Ipswich Buddhist Centre is gearing up for a GRAND OPENING of their new Centre, scheduled for the Saturday 11th July. They say -

“Every Sangha member is welcome at what we hope will be a very special day, the Opening Ceremony and Dedication of the new Centre performed by the Order's founder, Urgyen Sangharakshita. The provisional programme is as follows:

10.00 Arrive - 10.30 Welcome, Introduction to the Day - 11.30 Short Meditation and Dedication ceremony - 1.00 Lunch - 1.45 Musical interlude - 2.30 Talk - 3.30 Tea and cake - 4.30 Finish

Advayamati gives a bit more detail of what’s going on behind the scenes on their Facebook group. He says–

“Of course, the main activity at the moment (well, the one most on my mind, anyway!), is the transformation of the new Centre. I'm pleased to say that things are really progressing now. After ages of delay getting Council approval, estimates, and those sorts of things, the work is really underway now. The builders have ripped out the lower flight of stairs and installed a new one, the shell of the disabled toilet is in place under them, the servery units have been assembled and are awaiting the plumbing before being fitted, the upgraded fire system has been wired in, and the lift space is in the process of being opened out. And around all this, of course, a small but valiant band of Sangha volunteers have been ploughing on with the decorating, with the result that the ground floor is virtually complete, and great strides are being made on the first floor. We had a great session upstairs over the weekend, including a very hardworking couple who had only come to the Centre for the first time the previous Tuesday. Still plenty to do, but I do now start to feel that it could be finished in time, just about!”

The address of the new Centre is 4 Friars Bridge Road, Ipswich, and their website is at www.ipswichbuddhistcentre.com.  

Buddhafield prepares for 14th Festival

Coming up soon is the 14th Buddhafield Festival – the FWBO’s largest annual event outside India, and much-loved by many people.

The theme this year is ‘TRUTH AND BEAUTY: skilful living in a changing world’, and you’ll find more details including how to book on their website http://buddhafield.com/budffest.html

To quote a little of the review from last year’s ‘Festival Eye’ (Britain’s annual festival ‘bible’) –

“Buddhafields began on the M5 with my guitar and big bag, my hat adorned with all the gifts of special people over the past years and my thumb stuck out into the road.

“I was in Birmingham and Buddhafields was in Devon and it was 4 in the afternoon. Many distractions, many faces. Only three cars later and three very happy smiling faces ending with a beautiful¬ly simple country couple who only knew how to help people I arrived at 8 o'clock, almost quicker than if I'd driven myself, I was dropped off at the gate. "I'm a journal¬ist"...I never tire of saying that. My ticket in was a handmade clay pendant... the first simple touch of magic that Buddhafield's gives as standard. I pitch my tent next to Sam's Sauna, my second home.

“I see and greet the ever-present festival faces that appear in each field that I live in each year and I never tire of them either. The Small World chatters folk into the night behind the hedge that grows between my home and my play ground for the next days. It lives next to Moon Beams and Beth, three of my favourite festival things.

“Buddhafield's is as close... so far... as you are likely to come to a perfect community of beings living and celebrat¬ing the way we all know we should be. We all know how and at Buddhafields we are reminded of that. No drugs and drink leave the air and the smiles as clear as crys¬tal. Add countless children, the Chai Chapel, a lost horizon with a sauna in it, a tribal Tent called Triban, some mud, but also a lot of green grass (very rare in 2007 as I'm sure you are all aware), a community notice board, some pirates, some fairies, some horses, many medita¬tions, many dances and dancers and many naked people including myself and I think you understand. I love it, totally”.

Tickets are selling fast but there are some left.

To further whet your appetite here’s a video ‘The Definition of Love’ created by Jess Brand of Bristol, out of footage from last year’s festival... She says -

“Hi, please find link to Buddhafield video uploaded this morning: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vcq1m9Ojap0

“Cheers the noo"

And see you there...

Sangharakshita en français

Yes, Sangharakshita in French!

Three years after Vision et Transformation, the FWBO Paris Buddhist Centre, locally known as Centre bouddhiste de l’Ile-de-France, has just released his second book: Poèmes. This is a bilingual edition of 64 poems by Sangharakshita, translated into French by two mitras, Barbaralaure and Christian, and two order members, Varadakini and Vassika. In addition, another mitra and artist, Marc, drew a picture of Sangharakshita for the cover, and a friend, Gérard, did the typesetting of the book and designed the cover.

The Centre has decided to publish these books - and more will be coming in the future - as it has not yet been possible to find a mainstream publisher for Sangharakshita’s works in France. This is because he is not very well known there yet, the FWBO having only been present there for a few years and through a single Centre so far. For the time being, the books are only sold at the Centre, as selling them elsewhere would require resources and an organisation that the Centre does not have at the moment.

Christian comments: "We started to translate poems to inspire people during pujas or festivals. Then Vassika came up with the idea of translating more poems and gathering them in a book: this will now give people a fuller sense of Sangharakshita as a person. Though he came to visit our Centre a couple of years ago many people attending classes these days have not met him and may never have an opportunity to do so. They therefore only rely on the written word to get to know him, and having the chance of reading some his poetry will give them access to a different facet of him than the one they encounter through his books about Buddhism.

For us translators, it has been as great a pleasure as a challenge to translate these poems. In all cases translation is a difficult but rewarding practice of truthful speech; in the case of poetry the challenge is even greater if one wants to convey images, rhythms, rhymes and beauty as well as meaning. It was also a great pleasure – and a challenge too sometimes – to receive advice and feedback from the author (he does not speak French, of, course, but in a few places we’ve needed his clarification or explanation to make sure we got things right). It has also been an enriching process of deepening our relationship with each other, as in the end all the poems were the result of the work of two, three or even all four of us."

The poems were chosen to provide readers with as "comprehensive" an image of Sangharakshita as possible in a few pages, so there are poems old and new (from 1948 to 2006), short and long (from haikus to The Veil of Stars), with and without rhymes or metre, and showing different aspects of this remarkable man – the thinker, the contemplator, the friend, the teacher – as well as different moments of his life: his life in India and in Kalimpong, his return to the West, and his life as founder of the FWBO.

Next Sunday, July 12th, Padmaloka will host a festival day for Dhardo Rimpoche, Sangharakshita’s teacher and friend in India.

It is open to anyone (men and women) who feels a connection with Dhardo Rimpoche and would like to come and celebrate his life and teaching with the Padmaloka community.

Three resignations from the Order

Mahamati, the WBO’s International Order Convenor, writes with the news of three resignations from the Western Buddhist Order. He says –

“The following have recently resigned from the Order: Amaradeva from Massachusetts, USA, Manjudaaka from Helsinki, Finland, and Vasumitra from London, U.K.

“These resignations have been accepted by their respective preceptors. We wish all three of them well”.

Report from ‘Buddha Mind - Creative Mind?’ conference

Amitajyoti from the FWBO’s London Buddhist Arts Centre writes with this review of the recent ‘Buddha Mind - Creative Mind?’ event, held over the weekend of 12-14th June. She says -

"‘Buddha Mind - Creative Mind?’ was an intra-Buddhist Arts and Creativity event, held at Taplow Court, a beautiful venue just outside London belonging to Soka Gakkai International (SGI), and organised by the Institute of Oriental Philosophy, supported by the UK’s Network of Buddhist Organisations (NBO).

"The focus of this event was an exploration of the relationship between Buddhist thought/practice and Creativity with specific reference to the arts. Does Buddhist thought and practice help or hinder the creative process? The theme was explored through a series of academic lectures, discussion, exhibition of artworks and workshops. The event brought together around 80 people from a broad spectrum of backgrounds Buddhist and non-Buddhist, artist and non-artists all who share an interest in the theme. The exhibition of visual arts included sculpture, painting and film and represented 40 artists who each share some association with Buddhism.

"The spirit of creativity was evoked during the weekend through the spirit of participation and play that was encouraged by the organisers throughout the event. Contributors included academics, artists, singer-songwriters, curators, and art critics from a range of backgrounds and traditions including singer-songwriter Howard Jones; Robert Beer, artist and author of ‘The Encyclopaedia of Tibetan Symbols and Motifs’; Sister Zangmo, Buddhist nun, artist and tutor; Samanera Amaranatho from Amaravati; and members of ‘The Bodhisattvas’, an Engaged Buddhist acoustic duo! For a fuller review of the programme see Chris Wards report on TripleGem.

"Dr John Peacock gave the introductory talk on the theme of ‘Life as a Work of Art’, offering us the opportunity of being creative moment by moment through the activity of ‘giving attention’ to one’s experience, which, he stated, is the ‘opening of the creative life’ - a willingness to experience things beyond the familiar. The range of talks given covered historical developments in art from ‘The Rise of Buddhist art in India, Third century BCE to second century CE’ to the influence of Buddhism upon the visual arts in the USA since 1950’s, and poetry in USA and UK, as well as some talks given by contemporary Buddhist artists, writers, singers and musicians in the UK.

"Of the FWBO practitioners who participated in the weekend, Akasaka led a drawing workshop entitled ‘Drawing as meditation’, Ratnagarbha gave a talk on Buddhism in modern poetry, and Lilavati and myself each gave a presentation and facilitated a discussion group on the theme of how Buddhist thought and practice influence the creative process.

"On the Saturday evening we had a vegetarian dinner prepared by volunteers from SGI UK which was held in the main house. The food was delicious and was served with great care and consideration which can only be an influence of Japanese etiquette – reflective of the general care and attentiveness of the organising teams throughout the weekend. The Saturday eve soiree was an opportunity for participants to offer poetry, performance and music. The richness and diversity of this event was a real highlight, with Richard Gombrich singing Wagnerian arias, John Peacock sublimely playing the sitar, followed by poetry readings and songs concluding with ‘The Bodhisattvas’ who offered guitar, drum, singalong vocals - and the odd Sex Pistols song!

"With a healthy combination of analytical enquiry, discussion and play the event offered us an opportunity to really explore the theme and gain deeper understandings of the relationship between the creative processes of the mind and Buddhist thought and practice. Thanks to Jamie Cresswell (Director of the IOP) and Val Stephenson for their broad vision of the arts and creativity and for putting so much energy, enthusiasm and skill into the organisation of this event.

"If you would like to make contact with other people interested in this field, go to www.dharmaarts.ning.com/ - the site of the Dharma Arts Network (DAN) which was launched at the conference, or the London Buddhist Arts Centre’s website where you can sign up to their database.

For further references to the influence of Buddhism upon Western Art I recommend two American publications entitled ‘Buddha Mind in Contemporary Art’ and ‘Smile of the Buddha’.

Buddhists engage with climate change: part I

Starting today we've a few posts on environmental issues and how some Buddhists are engaging with them. Susie, a mitra with the FWBO's Buddhafield sangha, writes to say -

"Hi all, I made this vid to advertise our upcoming Energy Union show in Slovakia: it features Petra (comic actress) and Vec (rapper); it's at www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_50GYtNksg

"If you happen to have contacts in Slovakia, or the Czech Republic, maybe you could forward this on to them! thanks, x Sooz"

The video is a glimpse of a much bigger project that Susie has been working with, in fact working so hard that she turned down the chance to get ordained this year in order to see the project brought to completion!

This is the Europe-wide ENERGY UNION tour: of themselves they say -

"Environmental damage, climate change, renewable energy, intelligent energy … buzzwords from media and TV. Often heard and easily forgotten about. Our mission: to illuminate, inform and animate; to think and act. Energy Union is a campaign, music tour, party, art and discussion all in one, and it comes together with information, tips & tricks on how to save the planet!

"The Energy Union show is about transmitting the topic of ‘Intelligent Energy’ in an unconventional way, a ground-breaking piece of live cinema. The music is a 'Journeys by DJ' style approach: a montage of contemporary music both familiar and obscure, drawn from many genres, woven together by the acknowledged Grandmasters of the eclectic electric mash-up. The music is also planned to feature an orchestral element, a score performed by a live string section, adding a human dimension to the digital.

"The visuals - a mix of borrowed, contributed footage and custom animation - use the music mix as a foundation to build a narrative in 4 sections:

Celebration

Caution

Solutions

Action

"The aim is to directly change the consciousness of the audience by an overwhelmingly positive and inspirational new approach to eco-politics using dance music and visual innovation as a way to connect with the youth audience.

More on their website - http://energyunion.eu/

The tour starts on July 18th in Munich, Germany, heading from there all over Eastern Europe.