Barcelona sees first Triratna community

Rijumati writes from Barcelona with news of the first Triratna community there. He says - "Dear Friends, no bed, no tables, no pots, no spoons ... empty and rather zen. Sinhendra, Bernard and I just signed the contract for a lovely "piso" (apartment) in Barcelona. The first Triratna Buddhist community in the city. Wow, it's a new beginning for us.

“It’s a wonderful apartment on the Calle Tapioles in the Poble Sec district of Barcelona - between the Montjuic mount, the harbour and the old city. Check it out on Google Maps! As you can see the flat is unfurnished, in an elegant art nouveau style, built about 1902. We haven't yet got a landline there. I hope you will come and visit, please bring your own bed!

“Lots of love, Rijumati

The new community is part of a wider plan to develop Triratna Buddhist activities in the city, building on the classes established some years ago by Order Members commuting from Valencia. Rijumati explains - “First off we plan to establish a regulars group in addition to the beginners drop-in so that we can build more depth with the existing Sangha. We don't think of trying to get a Centre at first, but rather to build up a series of classes all around the different barrios many of which have quite different cultures. Perhaps we would also do an english language dharma class since there are many foreigners living and working in Barcelona. We also intend to set up frequent (perhaps monthly) weekend retreats to help build sangha and because apparently the Catalans love getting away on weekend workshops”.

They’ve already got a spanish-language website - budismo-barcelona.com - and a fundraising page, where they’re appealing for donations to support the new community and their activities as they get established. You’ll find it at www.justgiving.com/triratna-barcelona.