Sunday, July 31, 2011
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Triratna Training Course ends; another one planned for 2012
"The occasion was marked with a certificate ceremony for the students, as depicted in the photograph. There was also time, in the last few days of the course, for plenty of reporting-out, during which it became very apparent how much the students felt they had benefitted from the course. Here is what some of them said about it:
“One of the happiest and most rewarding experiences of my life” (Richard Millington)
“Studying the Dhamma in depth within such a supportive context has positively changed how I view myself and the world” (David Basak)
"The course offered a unique opportunity for students to saturate themselves in the Dharma. The contents were too rich and varied to summarize, but they included an in-depth look at Sangharakshita’s elucidation of the Dharma, and quite a bit on the Pali Canon - as well as three retreats with Subhuti, and a meditation intensive with Kamalashila. All this in the context of living together very closely in a way that fostered strong connections among the students.
"Since the course was so successful there are plans to run another one.
"So, if you are:
- male (the hope is that similar initiatives will be developed for women in the future)
- young(ish) (preferably)
- able to scrape together around £2000
"but most of all
- seriously interested in a Dharma training within the Triratna Community
- free from January to June 2012
"then contact me (Vidyaruchi) on matt.notmatt@yahoo.co.uk, or +44 7982 219505. Please note that the venue of the course will again be Madhyamaloka, Birmingham, although there is an outside chance that the course will be disrupted by the Sangharakshita Land Project’s plans to sell up and relocate to the countryside".
There's a video interview with the students available on Videosangha here or click the embedded player below -
Student interviews from the Triratna Dharma training course at Madhyamaloka from Triratna Buddhist Community on Vimeo.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Akasabhadra arrives in Wolverhampton
Ashvajit writes from Birmingham, UK with news of the recent arrival of Dharmachari Anagarika Akashabhadra, an Order Member from India and here to become one of the ordained residents at the Wolverhampton Buddhist Vihara. He says -
“I was approached by six members of the Committee of the Vihara a year or so ago, when they were without a Bhikkhu (their resident Thai Bhikkhu was about to leave) and they asked me if I knew of any Hindi-speaking Dhammachari, preferably robe-wearing, who would be interested in coming over to the UK for six months to be their resident monk. So it was that Akashabhadra came over a month or so ago.
“He’s a very friendly and quite lively 60-year old who I’m sure will benefit very much from more contact with the Order over here - and the Order from his presence too!”
Akashabhadra was ordained in 1993 and has until recently been part of the small Triratna sangha in Agra, north India. The photographs show the Vihara and its shrine room.
Labels: India, Interbuddhist
Monday, July 25, 2011
60 new Mitras at the Mexico City Buddhist Center
new Mitras in Mexico |
“This June at the Mexico City Buddhist Center we held mitra ceremonies for 18 people; we were fortunate to have the presence of Dh. Anagarika Parami from Spain joining us for this ceremony. This, along with three other ceremonies this year, means we have been joined by 60 new mitras already in 2011.
“These people have been involved here for many years, mostly in the formal study groups we hold, based on the Dharma Training Course for mitras, that have been taking place since a year ago. In conjunction with Triratna’s Buddhist center in Valencia (Spain), we have able to translate much of the Mitra course. And we have already offered about 12 modules of the course to people here, via four different study groups.
“These formal study groups have been very well accepted - we have found that with them people have been able to have continuity in practice and study, and therefore they have helped people to become involved in Buddhism and as well knowing the Triratna Buddhist Order and the thought of Urgyen Sangharakshita and other members of the Order. The modules touch on fundamental issues that help to clarify several Buddhist concepts, practices, teachings and books, finding a systematic and gradual way to learn Buddhism, and understand in this way the Order.
“During her visit Parami gave a talk to 70 people on "What is the Triratna Buddhist Order/Community?" about the history of the Order. It was very helpful to listen the history by a woman who was present in the first years of the Order.
“We hope that all Triratna centers have the same good results. Yours in Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, Mario”.
Their extensive library of Spanish Dharma materials is available on-line at www.budismo.org.mx/materiales
Labels: Mexico
Sunday, July 24, 2011
A death in the Order
Bodhilocana was diagnosed with ovarian cancer two years ago and ordained a year ago. She lived in Newmarket, New Hampshire.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Visible Mantra book now available: Visualising & Writing Buddhist Mantras
“Visible Mantra: Visualising and Writing Buddhist Mantras is a celebration of the visual forms of mantra and other varieties of sacred speech, drawing on Buddhist traditions from India, China, Japan, and Tibet. This was originally envisaged as a reference for Order Members for visualising their mantras and seed-syllables, but grew well beyond the initial idea.
“The book includes all the mantras from my Visible Mantra website (www.visiblemantra.org), plus a few more. Each is presented in four scripts: Siddhaṃ (Bonji 梵字), Lantsa (aka Rañjana), Devanāgarī, and Tibetan (dbu can), plus seed-syllables, dhāraṇī and Pāli chants. All are accompanied by meticulously researched notes and comments, and background reading drawn from my blog. It’s an invaluable resource for Buddhist artists, calligraphers and practitioners”.
The book is available on-line via Jayarava's page on Lulu - www.lulu.com/spotlight/VisibleMantraPress
Jayarava’s previous book, of equal interest to members of the Triratna Buddhist Community, is Nāmapada. Also available from Lulu, this is a guide to Sanskrit and Pali names used in the Triratna Buddhist Order and contains definitions and etymologies for almost 500 words and affixes, background on the Sanskrit and Pali languages, and relevant points of grammar and morphology.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Sangharakshita's Diary, July 2011
Labels: Sangharakshita
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
16th Buddhafield Festival closes to rave reviews
“what a mind-blowing experience it was to be present at my first and definitely never last Buddhafield. I thank you from the bottom of my being, big love to everyone who worked so hard to create this oasis of real and passionate living....bless you all xxxxxxx”
“Best and most inspiring week of my life”.
“Just back from 5 days of bliss, fun, freedom, beautiful deep connections in the best festival I've ever been to! My heart is overflowing with LOVE and Gratitude. That was my first time at Buddhafield and certainly not my last one!
“Thank you for a truly amazing festival, it was my first time at Buddhafield and I will certainly come back next year. It was full of amazing people and I have returned overwhelmed with inspiration and abundance xxx”
At almost 3,000 people, the Buddhafield Festival is Triratna’s largest annual event and distinctive in the UK’s vibrant festival scene for its clear ‘no drink no drugs’ emphasis. The theme this year was ‘Finding Abundance’; this was reflected throughout the festival and indeed Buddhafield’s whole 2011 program. They write “How important it is in these times to evoke a brimming energy of fulfilment, inner wealth and joy that supports us and overflows outwards towards others. In the light of credit crunches, cuts, peak oil and a general air of belt-tightening and lack, we thought we’d go right the other way... We will be working hard to create a richly adorned beautiful space for you to come to. Bring your jewel hearts!”
This was the 16th Buddhafield Festival with the team celebrating an unbroken run from 1996 - itself a notable achievement in the fluid world of alternative culture.
Sadhu Buddhafield!
Labels: Buddhafield
Monday, July 18, 2011
Ordination in Missoula, Montana
Labels: Ordination
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Building work starts with celebrations and rituals at Metta Vihara
“From all over the Netherlands and Belgium about 75 friends of the Triratna Buddhist Community came on Sunday June 19th to celebrate the ‘Laying of the First Brick’ of our brand new Retreat Centre. Three friends from the Paris Triratna Centre joined us, as well as several locals from the tiny Hengstdijk village just along the road. Coffee, tea and cake were served in the village hall. Then we walked the ten minutes to the building site which was covered with a sea of camomile and poppy flowers, swept by the vivid south-western wind which is ever-present in the area.
With metta,
Parina"
Thursday, July 14, 2011
German tour raises 1,000€ for Bodh Gaya centre development
Sraddhabandhu writes from Dusseldorf with news of the very successful collaboration between Triratna centres in Germany and our small outpost in Bodh Gaya, in far north-eastern India but the place of the Buddha’s Enlightenment and as such a central place in the Buddhist world.
He says - "When I was a the 2009 International Order Convention in Bodh Gaya, I learned (among many things) about our plans to have a centre there. This struck me as amazingly sensible, because so many schools of Buddhism have a temple, a centre or a school in Bodh Gaya, the most holy place for pilgrims. So why not us?
“We didn’t know then that the very next day Bhante was to going to give the Centre the name The Three Jewels Centre through a video message broadcast from the UK.
“I translated the leaflet, began organizing her trip to Germany (we had a few phone calls and more communication on Facebook), and suddenly there she was: giving talks in Berlin, Düsseldorf and Essen between 17th and 24th May, all of which were very well received.
“And as a result, Buddha e.V., the charity which hosts the activities of Triratna Düsseldorf, was able to give her no less than 1,000€ (£870 pounds sterling or 63,000 Rupees) for the development of the Centre in Bodh Gaya.”
You can read more about the vision for the land and new Centre on its website www.threejewelscentre.org. There is also a page for online donations at www.justgiving.com/
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Buddhist yoga teacher-training course developed in Spain
"Along with writing the course, we need to affiliate ourselves with a recognised body. We have chosen one known as the IYN (Independent Yoga Network www.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Ordination in San Francisco
Labels: Ordination, USA
Saturday, July 09, 2011
Report on Young Buddhists' weekend: The New Society in Principle and Practice
Beforehand we were promised a very comfortable place on the floor of the Birmingham Buddhist Centre, but on arrival were very disappointed to be told there was enough room for us all to have a proper bed with a mattress and everything - so much for developing my ascetic qualities!
(:-))
We arrived to a wonderful supper cooked by the one and only Sanghadeva who selflessly cooked the most delectable cuisine for us all weekend. We then had an introduction to the weekend and each other and a dedication ceremony in the shrine room. Then back to the annexe for us girls, throwing out the boys who were staying there as part of Vidyaruchi's six-month Dharma course (thanks boys!).
Saturday saw a great talk by Vajragupta on the meaning of the New Society and set it in the context of what the Buddha taught on the importance of Sangha to the spiritual life as told through stories from two suttas in the Majjhima Nikaya. This set the tone for us to explore in groups people’s experiences of living together harmoniously or unharmoniously, and the lessons learned.
In the afternoon we had a series of talks (expertly compered byJnanarakshita). Claudine from Lamas Pyjamas in London gave a great talk about setting up a team-based Right Livelihood (TBRL) business, and about the charity shop as a model. I found this really inspiring and it was also very helpful to make contact with Claudine as we have been exploring setting up a TBRL charity shop in Leeds and listening to how easy Claudine found the process made our ideas seem all the more possible.
Arthabandu gave a talk about working for Windhorse : evolution, which I think is the movement's largest and most successful team-based Right Livelihood business, and sounds like the most amazing employer to work for. Then Sanghanatha gave a heart-felt talk about working for the Karuna Trust, and doing Karuna Appeals (and he managed to sign-up at least one person from the weekend to do an appeal, sadhu!)
The evening puja led by Lokabhandu was amazing - it had me quaking in my boots at first but in the end I was really pleased to have done it. At the offerings stage of the puja we each had to go up and select from a number of objects on the shrine: a vajra, a sword, a bell and a flower. We had to take hold of the object that spoke to us most and raise it in the air, turning to the group and declaring "my name is _, and I practice in the world with _". So, for example, I chose the vajra and declared "My name is Debbie and I practice in the world with courage". This seemed to have a really strong effect both for me and everyone else in the room. Each time someone else got up and made their declaration it was celebrated by everyone in the room with claps and cheers. It was really powerful and there was something about being 'seen' that was really effective.
After breakfast on Sunday Lokabhandu gave a talk that launched the guide he and others have recently produced called 'a guide to starting a community'. This looks at many of the practical and spiritual considerations one might make when starting up a Buddhist community.
Talks then followed by Ben Niblock who talked about teaching the Dharma as a younger sangha member, and used a fabulous metaphor about how new ideas and concepts could be seen as magic beans that you are trying to plant in established soil that may upset the turnips around them initially but which could eventually transform everything into something really magical (apologies if I haven't got this quite right - it was slightly surreal and completely enjoyable!). And Sue Susnik then gave an inspirational talk about dana and why she feels so passionately about working in the development team and looking at fundraising strategies in the movement.
The energy from these inspiring talks made us buzz with ideas so the exercise after the tea break was just what was needed. Lokabhandu set up an open space where people who felt moved-to offered ideas they wanted to explore deeper and these ideas became themes for discussion groups for people to drop in and out of. This worked really well in practice and lots of actions have already taken place following the retreat as a result of these discussion groups, including an (already very active) Triratna Arts group on Facebook and an Empowering Dharma Outreach group that is looking at making the Dharma as inclusive and accessible as possible to some of the more vulnerable groups in society, and many more.
As part of the closing ritual we all had to come up with three words that summed up our experience. Mine were INSPIRED, MOVED, EXCITED. That still sums things up really, it was an invaluable experience and I will definitely be going along to the next young Buddhist's event. Many thanks to the organisers and everyone who took part!
Contact the Development Team if you would like to be sent a copy of any of the following three documents: why a charity shop?; guide to starting a young sangha group; guide to starting a community triratnadevelopment.org/contact-us
Friday, July 08, 2011
Sangharakshita Land Project: the search goes on...
Thursday, July 07, 2011
The Significance of the Buddhist Gate
Wednesday, July 06, 2011
Day with Dhammarati for designers in the Triratna Buddhist Community
Tuesday, July 05, 2011
Vishvapani and Dorothy Rowe Discuss Buddhism, Science and Reality at the North London Buddhist Centre
On April 11 I took part in a special event at the North London Buddhist Centre: a dialogue between myself and Dorothy Rowe, a well known psychologist and author. She writes accessible but intelligent books on emotions and psychology with a somewhat subversive slant, the best known being Beyond Fear and Depression: the Way out of your Prison. Now in her 80s, Dorothy Rowe is a respected broadcaster and commentator with an impressive ability to write about common experiences with depth and honesty and express profound ideas with great lucidity.
Our connection started when Dorothy wrote appreciatively on her blog about one of my Thought for the Day broadcasts. I proudly put a quote on my website and eventually we got into dialogue. When I came to plan events to launch my book, Gautama Buddha: the Life and Teachings of the Awakened One, wanted to do more than just giving straight talks or Q&A, so I proposed a joint event. As Dorothy lives near the North London Buddhist Centre, where I am the President, I proposed an event there.
Interest was so strong that we did relatively little publicity, relying on local interest and personal invitations. Around 80 people came on the night, many of them friends and contacts from the worlds of British Buddhism, Interfaith, the media and psychotherapy as well as members of the NLBC Sangha and others from Triratna in London. The theme of the evening was focused by Dorothy's most recent book, Why We Lie? She argues that we lie to protect ourselves and that the ultimate reason we need this protection is that our sense of ourselves as fixed, enduring subjects who know for sure what is real is an illusion.
Paramabandhu, a London-based psychiatrist and Order member, chaired the evening. I spoke first, describing the Buddha’s journey to enlightenment and discussing his teachings in terms of truth and lies. I connected Dorothy’s discussion of lies with the Buddhist notion of delusion and suggested that the Buddha spoke of the ‘three great lies’ we tell ourselves: that the elements of our experience are permanent when they are actually impermanent; that they are solid and knowable when they are insubstantial; and that they we can rely on them to make us happy when they are bound up with suffering and unsatisfactoriness.
Dorothy started her talk by saying that "Buddhism is the only set of beliefs that have been proved right by science and have a scientific support." She was thinking of the Buddhist account of the self and approached her understanding of this by discussing the view of human identity that is being revealed by neuroscience She said:
"Our brain constructs things and creates fiction: a picture of the world. That picture is inside my head, but the brain persuades me that it is outside. We see the world as we have learned to see it, not as it is, and we are incapable of seeing reality directly. Some of the ideas the brain creates out of our experience become our sense of being a person. But these ideas are constantly being invalidated, and so we feel anxious and insecure."
Our discussion and the questions we were asked ranged over many topics, and I found the evening stimulating and enjoyable. I was struck that Dorothy’s main topic was, in effect, anatta – the Buddhist teaching that we lack a fixed self and I reflected that the Buddhists I know tend to shy away from this subject, or the connected topic of sunyata, perhaps thinking that it is beyond the level of beginners and perhaps prone to misunderstanding. It was bracing to hear it expressed as a vital truth and one that is confirmed by scientific observation.
I also reflected on how fresh and stimulating it felt to engage in dialogue with a thoughtful and sympathetic non-Buddhist. At times it seemed that the insights of psychotherapy and neuroscience into the human condition were interacting with the Dharma and each was casting fresh light on the another.
You can listen to the dialogue here: http://www.freebuddhistaudio.
Labels: Vishvapani
Monday, July 04, 2011
First day retreat in Kerala fully led by Dhammamitras
It's more than a six hour journey from my village to the retreat place. Me and Dhammamitra Rejimon arrived there on Saturday morning.
On Sunday morning at 9.30 am, Rejimon inaugurated the retreat by lighting candles and we started with Refuges and Precepts and Buddha puja. From 10.00 to 11.00am Rejimon taught anapanasati meditation practice. At 11.15am we had tea and group discussion. From 12.00 to 1.00pm Rejimon gave an introduction to the metta bhavana practice. From 1.00 to 2.00pm we had very delicious food which people had brought from their families, each neighbour bringing an extra lunchbox for those of us who were attending from outside Kodungaloor.
After lunch I gave a speech about Dr Ambedkar entitled "Why did Ambedkar embrace Buddhism?". After this we had discussion, lots of questions had arisen. In the evening time we had an energetic cultural program and at 5 o' clock we concluded with the Dhammapalam Gatha ['verses that protect the Truth'].
For this one day meditation retreat we made 60 cushions. We are very happy about these assets. We would like to conduct a retreat at Kodungaloor once a month. Likewise throughout Kerala, we are going to conduct one day retreats!
With metta Arun.
[See also previous posts from Kerala]
Sunday, July 03, 2011
"Colecta Karuna, Mexico" changes name to "Movimiento Karuna"
Knowing now
that the life at which I aim
is a circumference
continually expanding
through sympathy and
understanding
rather than an exclusive centre
of pure self – feeling
the whole I seek
is centre plus circumference
and now the struggle at the centre is over
the circumference
beckons from everywhere.
In the last years we have done seven collections of different foods, toys, candy, and money to buy things that are needed. We also held two collections in the case of natural disasters that occurred in towns.
We are very happy with the results, but we see that in the time between collections we need others things that help us to keep up the practice and of course to help us clarify these emotions.
It is for this reason that we changed the name because we needed a name that means not only collections, but something more... We hope to show the results of these activities very soon.
Yours in the Buda, Dharma and Sangha
Mario
Labels: Mexico, Social projects