FBA on UK Tour in Search of 500 Supporting Friends

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Viriyalila's UK Centre Tour in Search of 500 Supporting Friends

Viriyalila’s been on a promotional tour to the UK this month, raising funds and awareness for our beloved Free Buddhist Audio. With visits to Liverpool, Nottingham, Sheffield, Manchester, Bristol, Glastonbury, Leeds, Birmingham and West London, she's been enjoying sharing stories about the history of the project, and the amazing transformation from Dharmachakra Tapes to the web space we have now. From distributing a few thousand tapes and cds a year to sending out over 400,000 talks annually via the internet we are awed by our collective success. Each practitioner who gives a talk, each person who listens, all our donors, all our volunteers working to make the site even better – we would not be here without all of your contributions! Together we bring this inspiring Dharma resource into being and share it with people all over the world.

And all of this is offered for free – for two important reasons:

Simplicity – we want to offer a simple and aesthetic experience when people visit fba. You will not find any advertisements or pop-ups windows when you visit our site. Just a clean, simple, beautiful web experience, one that we hope is conducive to supporting your practice as you deepen your understanding and seek inspiration in the many talks and texts we have available.

Accessibility – we want everyone who longs for meaning and looks to the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha, to find the Triratna Buddhist Community ready and willing to share ourselves, our practices, and our understandings of the Buddha's teachings. We want to be there for anyone with access to a computer and an internet connection. And we reach far more people by giving access to our archives for free then if we were to charge for the service. Urgyen Sangharakshita, our Community's founder, is very happy knowing that talks he gave many years ago to relatively small audiences are now being listened to by people around the globe. Indeed, since we launched four short years ago, more than one million talks by many members of the Triratna Buddhist Order have been downloaded from 118 countries!

We offer fba freely to all, but we are dependent on our donors to keep it all going. If you use the site and appreciate it, please support it. We've worked out that if we can find just 500 Friends to give £10/€12/$15 each month, then together we will secure the future of free buddhist audio. This is an average – some people will give less, some more – but any amount is most welcomed. As of the start of this year, we have 125 'Supporting Friends' out of the 500 we need to continue our work effectively.

We love what we do, and we know many of you do too! We urgently need more financial support. If you have been considering taking out a standing order, or making a large one-off donation, please do so today. Our team needs your backing, the world needs your gift of the Dharma...

Show your support for Free Buddhist Audio!

A gift of Dharma conquers all gifts…

(The Dhammapada)

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News from the Sangharakshita Land Project

Following Wednesday’s post on Buddhafield’s new Forest Garden project, Moksapriya writes with an update on Triratna’s major Sangharakshita Land Project, where the search for land in the UK continues - a 300-acre centre for Triratna for decades to come, including a new home for Sangharakshita and a complex of retreat centres, communities, solitary retreat facilities and more. Pointing people to the Sangharakshita Land Project blog, he says -

“I thought it might be helpful to attempt to answer some suggested questions in a list. No doubt some of my answers are inadequate. There are certainly elements of this project that are clearly ‘work in progress’ and only as more and more people get involved to help develop the vision and help work through the countless challenges will more answers be found.

"Personally I do not believe we should try to have this project all neatly sewn up before we even have a site. It is a new venture with new obstacles to be overcome as it unfolds. Having said that we need to be confident that it is achievable and exploring searching questions are essential. Other questions, other answers and fresh ideas are always very welcome. I hope this helps you engage more deeply with the project.

Another entry on the SLP blog, entitled ‘We_were_getting_close_but...’, recounts their recently-abandoned pursuit of a property in Staffordshire, where after a couple of months excitement, lack of cooperation from local planners led them to conclude it was best to move on and look elsewhere.

Finally he recounts some conversations with Sangharakshita exploring their vision for the accommodation and gardens they seek to create. He says - “I had the great pleasure of meeting with Bhante today. I wanted to clarify what he himself wanted in terms of accommodation and explained that we were determined that his move would be a stress free and seamless as was humanly possible. In fact I thought we might recreate his exact current floor plan in the new location to make life easier for him. However he made it clear that this was not necessary. He asked for his rooms to be all on the ground floor and wondered whether he might have a kitchen space big enough to eat in rather than have to eat in his sitting room as at present.

“But most interestingly he said that he did not want to take many of the things in the flat with him as he wants a simpler life. He wants to be free of the clutter and a move to a new abode will enable him to have a space free of clutter and a simpler environment. As he's not writing now he doesn't want most of his books around him and many of his Buddhist images can be rehoused in the 'library'.

“There are many reasons why we need the Sangharakshita Land Project but perhaps creating an abode for Bhante that really suits him for this phase of his life would be reason enough.

Creating A Garden for Bhante

Sangharakshita in the Madhyamaloka gardens

“One of the finest aspects of Madhyamaloka is the beautiful garden masterfully created by Sanghadeva over many years. It is enjoyed by all who visit but particularly by Bhante as he takes his daily walks amongst the delightful flower gardens.

“Now it occurs to me that if we do find land this year and if we hope to create a new abode for Bhante and his support community next year we will also need to create his garden. We will want to create a garden at least as big as the current Madhyamaloka garden so that Bhante will have a beautiful space to explore as he takes his exercise.

“Plants cost money, especially well developed specimens, so here's an idea. I want as many folk as possible to contribute plants for Bhante's garden. Perhaps you could start growing plants now especially for him - as many as you like. Then when the time comes we'll collect all the plants and have a grand time laying out the gardens and planting them up. We'll need a lot of plants so no need to be cautious and we'll be looking for big bushes and trees as well as small plants. We'll hope for some plants that are particularly good for partially sighted folk given Bhante's eyesight difficulties.

“Perhaps you could let me know if you plan to contribute in some way so that when the time approaches I can let Sanghadeva have some idea of what plants he might be working with.

Would you like to work on the project?
“Finding the land might take years or we might find it next week. Once we have it we will want to get moving. Over the last few months a number of people have made contact with me expressing an interest or offering their skills. That has been a fantastic boost and has helped the vision take shape.

“Now I want to start creating a number of lists of interested people with particular skills and experience as well as people who might be unskilled but keen to work on the project. So, bearing in mind that this is just in case we do find land in the next few months, if you might be interested in helping and fit into one of the categories below please email me with some details (facts and figures about yourself as well as contact details). I will then keep you in touch with developments by e-mail and you'll at least have the option of getting practically involved if you so wish when the time comes. Please pass this request on to others in the Triratna Buddhist Order and Community that you think might be interested.

“We’re looking for - Architects, Landscape Architects, Designers, Structural Engineers, Land Managers, Building Trades, Alternative Energy Engineers, Sustainability Project, Designers, Artists, Gardeners, Outdoor Event Managers, Self-funded able-bodied Workers, Able-bodied Workers - and more!”

Moksapriya

Young Women's Weekend at Taraloka

Singhamati writes with news of the recent Young Women's Weekend at Taraloka, saying -

“Last weekend 30 young women from centres all around the Triratna community gathered at Taraloka for our annual Young Women's retreat. The weekend was an exciting opportunity for young women to meet, practice together and have fun!

"We were studying Sangharakshita's teachings on the Path of the True Individual and doing devotional practice to Shakyamuni Buddha and his early female disciples. It was an inspiring weekend, enhanced by the deepening freindship building amongst the young women who came.

“The retreat is part of a series of retreats being run in the UK to support and inspire young people practicing the Dharma in our community. If you are in your late teens, 20s or 30s and would like to go on retreat with other young people, then do join us on the 4th Annual Mixed Young Triratna Buddhists retreat 21-23rd October.

“For further details please see our Young Persons in the Triratna Community group or click here for details of the October retreat.

Singhamati

Sangharakshita's Diary, January 2010

Vidyaruci, Sangharakshita’s secretary, writes with his latest news, saying - “A quiet month for Bhante, especially as the snow kept him housebound at Madhyamaloka in Birmingham for a couple of weeks or so.

Madhyamaloka's garden in the snow

"He did not mind this, however, as the beautiful view from his window of the snow covered garden was a sufficient compensation for the loss of his daily walk. Christmas was particularly quiet, as for a few days running he received no visitors, and was also without a secretary, who was away with family. Bhante's own celebrations extended no further than a meal with a few members of the Madhyamaloka community, and one or two guests.

“Bhante has continued writing the sketches on themes from his early childhood. The first four are now available to read on Sangharakshita's website. He has nearly finished the fifth, and there may be another one on the way.

"The audio book service has provided interest and entertainment in the form of the following: Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen, which Bhante described as brilliantly witty, but with a serious moral concern; Journey to the Middle Kingdom by Christopher West, which he thought a fascinating account of China old and new; Asquith, by Roy Jenkins, was an austere political biography of an important British Prime Minister; and John Lennon - The Life by Philip Norman, about which Bhante commented that on the whole Lennon seemed not a very attractive character, and that Yoko comes out rather better. I have continued reading to Bhante from the Gandavyuha Sutra, as well as, for the second time, Subhuti's new paper 'Re-imagining the Buddha'. He has also enjoyed listening to 'The Genius of Mozart', a celebration of Mozart's music on Radio 3.

"Bhante has been to the hospital for an eye test, and is now not due to go again until March - a longer interval than previously, which one hopes is a good sign.

Vidyaruci.

Big Lottery grant for Buddhafield for Forest Garden project

Hannah Phillips, part of the core team at Triratna’s Buddhafield project, writes with news of their latest project - creating a Forest Garden on their land at Broadhembury in Devon UK. She says -

“I'm very happy to announce that Buddhafield has been awarded £10,000 by the Big Lottery Fund Awards For All and I'm not ashamed to admit to shedding a tear (or two!) when I opened the offer letter.

approaching Buddhafield's land at Broiadhembury

“The grant is specifically to create and develop a woodland walkway and a forest garden project at Broadhembury, one of the two pieces of land that Buddhafield owns in Devon. More details on the land are on the Buddhafield website.

"A Forest Garden is a way of planting that mimics young natural woodland. It is developing as an alternative means for producing food and as a method to restore bio diversity. The plants in a forest garden are all of use, directly for food, medicine, basketry, dye and indirectly for bees and nitrogen fixing. A forest garden requires very little upkeep, with the plants and shrubs working together to create the need for minimal human intervention. The woodland walkway will provide access through mature woodland that is best left unmanaged for nature conservation. It will create a nature trail through otherwise impenetrable, marshy land. Rupadarshin, Buddhafield's craftsman extraordinaire will design and build a simple, low impact pathway, using alder and oak, relying on a method used on the Somerset levels 3,000 years ago.

“The grant is based on us holding an event on the land next winter, for a week, with anyone who would like to come and help us very welcome. We are approaching the event from the angle of the 'Green Gym' movement where good mental health has been proven to be supported and encouraged by exercising and working outside. It will be free for volunteers and we're currently researching warm and snuggly places to stay nearby for those who don't fancy sleeping in tents. The funding covers things such as buying two hundred trees, erecting a deer fence, hiring a tractor driver for a few days and buying materials and tools. There is also funding for a few weeks work before the event starts to prepare the land so that volunteers get to do as many of the 'nice' activities such as tree planting , as possible!

deep in the woods - the shrine tent...

“Buddhafield functions on a shoe string, with our retreats run on a dana system to ensure that as many people who want to are able to participate. It means that we don't have any reserves for positive projects outside of our retreats/festival/cafe programme. This grant gives us the opportunity to put creative energy into a really meaningful project and to encourage all those who want to join in to come and be a part of it. Particularly during this time of economic hardship, it feels great to get funding for such a forward thinking and sustainable project. I hope the forest garden project will encourage lots of people to get involved and will be an inspiration for many years to come”.

Hannah Phillips (Buddhafield retreats/fundraising)

Click here for more details of Buddhafield's retreats.

Latest news from the Preceptors' College

 Moksananda writes with news of the recent meeting of Triratna’s College of Public Preceptors, saying “A little later than normal, here is a brief report on our last meeting. We met in November 2010 at Madhyamaloka. Subhuti was with us for the first few days and shared his thoughts coming out of recent conversations he has had with Bhante on the Imagination. We covered similar material to his talks in Cambridge and at the LBC, and which he has written up in his paper ‘Re-Imagining the Buddha’. Amongst other things we spent some time exploring the implications for Sadhana practice, which is something that Subhuti particularly draws out.

“We also discussed meditation, especially with regard to the ordination process. In the Order we now seem to be arriving at a renewed understanding of meditation and we would like to build on that in our communication with others. We began by simply identifying areas of meditation we think need more discussion or clarification and how we could proceed. We want to make sure that meditation continues to go hand-in-hand with the teaching of the Dharma at Centres, and not become divorced from ethics and wisdom. We’re suggesting that a working group on meditation come out of the planned International Assembly meeting. We would like Order members representing the three strands of the Order, the Movement and the College to come together to look at coordination in meditation and to talk through the issues.

“We are also keen to continue to work with private preceptors, not only in the area of clarifying meditation but also with regards ordination and post-ordination training generally. Private preceptors are in important kalyanamitrata relationships with Order members and their role is essential to the spiritual dynamism of our community. We have a number of training retreats planned for private preceptors next year, and would like to have a large retreat with public and private preceptors in 2012.

“We also talked about the ordination process in India. The men and women’s process there are seriously under-resourced in terms of preceptors and it seems essential that consultation processes for new preceptors, especially public, are started. We agreed to do so, at the same time aware that there are different points of view in India about what is needed for the ordination process to develop. We see consultation regarding new preceptors as a means of also discussing and clarifying such issues.

“Another area to which we gave some time was the area of sexual ethics within kalyanamitra relationships in our community, including the whole range of such relationships: preceptor/preceptee, retreat leaders, class leaders. We recognised that this is a complex and sensitive issue and one that needs further thought and discussion.

“A number of further points were on our agenda, which we gave more or less time to. These included changes to FWBO Central - now renamed the Triratna Preceptors College Trust - which holds central assets of the movement such as Madhyamaloka. There is a plan for a change in the structure of FWBO Central ensuring that the College is legally responsible for the assets it is morally responsible for.

“College funding was also on the agenda, and we decided to partially support a professional fund-raiser, who will also be working for the European Chairs’ Assembly. We also had an update on the Sangharakshita Land Project, discussed 7-year reviews (with a number of us coming up for review in 2011/12), and looked at our policy on Order names and concerns that the scholars have raised about ensuring their grammatical correctness.

“We also, of course, had time together in our kulas, or small groups. These are the working units for deciding on ordinations, on private preceptor consultation and reviews, and gives a smaller context for each of us to share our work and concerns. There are 5 kulas at present. Men and women in the ordination process, and Order members themselves, may not be aware of which public preceptors are working together in this way, so I thought it might be useful to list the kulas:

- India: Chandrasil, Suvajra, Karunamaya, Srimala and Subhuti
- two men’s Kulas: Manjuvajra, Padmavajra, Satyaraja, Saddhaloka, Surata and Moksananda in one, and Dhammarati, Sona, Nagabodhi, Buddhadasa, Mahamati, Kamalashila in the other.
- a women’s kula: Dhammadinna, Dayanandi, Parami, Maitreyi, Ratnadharini, Sanghadevi, Padmasuri, Mallika, Vajragita
- a South pacific women’s kula: Varadevi, Dharmanandi, Megha, Ratnadharini, Parami and Sanghadevi.
Some public preceptors may be in more than one Kula if they have overlapping responsibilities.

“Our next meeting will be in March 2011 at Padmaloka. You can also follow us via our blog, available at http://preceptorscollege.blogspot.com.

Windhorse:Evolution release Padmasambhava and 'Community at Work' videos

Windhorse:Evolution, Triratna’s largest team-based Right Livelihood business, write letting us know of two new videos they’ve produced, titled ‘Padmasambhava Festival’ and ‘Community at Work, part I’. Sugarbha writes from their base in Cambridge, UK, to say -

“In the first video you see us bringing our Padmasambhava period to end in late December. The video communicates why Padmasambhava is an important figure, and presence, to us during this particularly busy time.  The direct link is www.vimeo.com/16427718, or click the embedded player below.


Padmasambhava Festival @ Windhorse Evolution from Dharmachari Sugarbha on Vimeo.

“The second video, 'Community at Work part I', is the first in a series of three videos where members of our sangha here at Windhorse:Evolution share their thoughts on how working in the Giftware Industry has helped to transform their lives! Some of these people have moved here from overseas, it is a down-to-earth but at the same time inspiring account of real-life Buddhist practice”.  This is at www.vimeo.com/18838726 or below.


Community at Work I from Dharmachari Sugarbha on Vimeo.

Click on either of the embedded players, or the direct links, to watch them.

Enjoy... and look out for Parts II and III!

A death in the Order

Manjupriya writes from Brazil, saying “Dear Bhante, brothers and sisters in the Order, early this morning (Saturday January 15th) Dharmachari Sanghadarshin died at the hospital he had been admitted to over a month ago. His daughter called with the news. He was 90, and ordained by Moksananda in 2006. I will go to Rio today.

“Yours in the order, Manjupriya"

This is a painting of him Moksananda did about 3 years ago. He says “It's not great, but I think he liked it”

15 women ordained in India, women's Order in India now over 100

Today's story on Triratna News comes also from India , this time from Satyajyoti and Manjusiha. They are two fundraisers for the India Dhamma Trust which is a new UK charity dedicated to raising awareness of - and funds for - Triratna’s ordination process for men and women in India. They are on their first visit to India at the moment, and write from Nagpur to say:

"On Sunday we were privileged to go to the Public Ordination of 15 new Dhammacharinis at Triratna’s Bor Dharan Retreat Centre near Nagpur. Many hundreds of people attended (maybe over 700?) and witnessed the new Dhammacharinis making their commitments publicly. It was a particularly historic event as it took the number of women order members in India to over 100!

“Karunamaya (shown left) was the Public Preceptor conducting the ceremony and talked about how the Triratna Buddhist Community is a truly international sangha. She was delighted that there was also a Public Ordination in Finland on the same day and she asked us all to shout our Sadhus so loudly that they could be heard in Finland and also by Sangharakshita. We did!

“ The atmosphere was joyful with many family members, friends and sangha packed into the stupa to celebrate the ordinations, followed by multiple shared picnic lunches outside.

“Many of the women have faced many struggles on their way to ordination, so it was a great pleasure to see them looking so radiant and delighted, and also to see the pride and respect of their friends and families. Many people had travelled long distances on over-night trains to be at the Public Ordinations and we had a very tangible feeling of the strength and commitment of the Indian Sangha."

We’ll bring you the names of the new Dhammacharinis as soon as we have them.

Some 1,500 men and women in India have asked for Ordination. Helping so many towards ordination is a massive task, as each person prepares individually, the process typically taking several years. The Indian men’s and women’s ordination teams therefore include over a dozen people - hence the need for the India Dhamma Trust. For more information see their website - http://indiadhammatrust.org


SADHU!

Kerala Triratna purchases land for Buddhist Centre

Triratna's new land and hut at Mynagapally in Kerala 

Vivekaratna, Director of the Nagarjuna Training Institute, Triratna’s training centre at Nagaloka in central India, writes with a report on his recent visit to South India - historic because as part of it he was able to complete the purchase of a small piece of land at Mynagapally in Kerala where the local Sangha will be able to use as a Triratna Buddhist Centre.

After beginning his tour in Chennai, he writes -

“I made a further journey to Mynagapally in Kerala to get the sale deed of piece of land together with a hut constructed on it, registered in favour of the Nagarjuna Training Institute, Nagpur. I stayed in Subhasa’s house. His house is being used as a temporary Dhamma-centre. We were performing daily evening Puja and the ex-trainees were participating.

Accompanying this report is the photo of Land (25.2m x 11.3m) and the hut (6.15m x 6.5m) that we purchased at Mynagapally. Dhamma and Social activities will be run by ex-trainees from this place henceforth. Now we have a small asset in the name of NTI for spreading the Dhamma in Kerala with the help of our ex-trainees. I am attaching my visit report, please publish same on Triratna News”.

“At NTI we had our third Alumni Conference from 1st Jan to 9th Jan 2011. This was for graduates of NTI’s training programme. It was possible because Ven Quang -Shin from Taiwan supported us financially. I will send the report of the alumni conference soon.

With Metta.
Vivekaratna

Ordination in Helsinki

Ratnadharini writes from Finland to say - "Marita Salminen's public ordination took place on Sunday 9th January at 6pm at the Helsinki Buddhist Centre. She becomes Jnanagita, a sanskrit name meaning 'She who sings the song of transcendental knowledge'. Her private preceptor was Bodhishri, and her public preceptor myself".

With metta, Ratnadharini

SADHU!

On Retreat in Rural India - and back to the City

Here's a report from two intrepid women Dharma-farers in India. Shakyajata, the writer, will be familiar to readers of Triratna News from her work with students at Nagaloka and Aryaloka in Nagpur - not to mention Kerala, Bodh Gaya, and beyond! She says -

"Helen Sullivan and I (Shakyajata) have just returned to Nagpur, from one of the most beautiful places we have seen since arriving in India, 8 weeks ago. This is the Urgyen Sangharakshita Meditation Centre, in Warakwadi, near the large city of Nanded, in Maharashtra, central India.

"We were looked after by Chandrabodhi, one of the founder members of the Triratna Buddhist Order in India, who has worked for about 10 years to establish a simple but extensive retreat centre in a remote and quiet spot, a place of refuge from the din and chaos of Indian city life. Nanded itself has a very vibrant sangha, and a lot of money was raised by Chandrabodhi and others, to provide this facility for them and the whole Triratna Movement in India, especially for meditation.

"Helen recently became a Dhammamitra at Bodh Gaya (see last report), and she and I were both keen to spend some quiet time on retreat. Somehow this was converted (through the persuasive means at Chandrabodhi's disposal - they are irresistible!) into a weekend retreat for about 40 women from Nanded, plus a couple of days for just the two of us - it was wonderful.

"We travelled to Nanded by sleeper coach, as the only train from Nagpur is the kind of train where the driver stops and goes off for a sleep - it takes 24 hours. So we booked on to this big luxurious-looking vehicle, equipped with (slightly grubby) beds. The ride was far from smooth! Only a hovercraft could give a smooth ride on India's winding, potholed roads. We were also told firmly that there would be no toilet stop (on an 8-hour journey) which gave rise to just the kind of anxiety you don't need in such a situation. In fact there WAS a 'comfort stop' in the middle of nowhere, necessitating hiding behind a lorry. (On the return journey, the driver was moving off while Helen was still out of sight - useful Hindi word: RUKH! RUKH! Stop! Stop!)

"But as soon as we arrived, it was non-stop Nanded hospitality, surely the best in the world. People were so kind, nothing was too much trouble for them (provided that impromptu talks/pujas and hundreds of photos, were taken for granted). Not just lovely food and accommodation, but presents as well, quite overwhelming.

"The weekend for women went well, I think, they expressed very genuine-seeming satisfaction. Our youngest retreatant was Sujata, about 8 and wonderfully familiar with the 5 Precepts, and our oldest a redoubtable lady probably in her 80s, who was also a powerful singer. Between there were a number of young girls, good to see, who seemed to have been sent there by their families, but who really got into it and were inspired.

"Most impressive of all were a group of about 6 Dhammamitras, a feisty bunch of ladies with a formidable array of talents and energy. We had a cultural celebration at the end, and one of them did an amazing singing act where she acted the part of a beautiful young woman combing out her long hair, and looking for her lover....who turns out to be a louse!! Much beautiful singing and poetry, and talks - in fact after seeing them in action, I wished we had handed over a big chunk of the retreat to them.....will know better next time, because yes, we have made promises....Helen was very much appreciated, especially by the younger women who find us oldies a bit daunting. We had a fantastic translator, Maya, who had come hundreds of kilometres to make our retreat possible, she felt a great affinity with Helen too.

"Eventually, they all left, except Helen and I, and Chandrabodhi, and Chandrakant the caretaker (who has maintained the Centre virtually single-handed for 9 years). Peace and silence descended, with melodious birdcalls, shrilling cicadas, a sky full of stars and bright moonlight, warmth by day and coolness by night. We meditated and performed puja in the beautiful shrine hall, ate Chandrakant's lovely food, walked up the hill opposite the Centre to view the shaggy, verdant countryside all around, and absorbed many other delights. The natural beauty of the place, the ringing silence, the sweet air...hard to describe how lovely it is. We stayed in small, simple and beautiful rooms, with a peaceful monastic feel.

"This Centre is a fantastic resource, under-used because only half finished - the initial funding raised by Chandrabodhi has now run out. Initially it was for men only, but it’s now open to both men and women. We were very inspired to continue raising funds to finish the buildings, and to communicate to Western friends in search of solitary retreat places, or retreat venues, how little it will take to make this a thriving, well-equipped meditation centre. Do come, and see for yourself!

This can be organised through Chandrabodhi. The foundations of the buildings have been laid, and the Centre can be extended stage by stage; for example, it would take only about 3,000GBP to finish another toilet block, and en-suite solitary accommodation. Then more bedrooms, a dining hall, a kitchen.....if you would like to help, go to www.justgiving.com/urgyensangharakshitameditationcentre

"So now, we are back in noisy, dusty, vibrant Nagpur, working on the projects we have set up to give employment opportunities to young people from poor backgrounds; (see www.justgiving.com/youngindianfutures) The Animation students are working hard at their drawing, getting over the hard slog and starting to enjoy this most essential skill. Three of last year's graduates are now in Delhi, either working or on the verge of employment; and one of this year's Hardware and Networking students has already had a good job offer. Tonight we shall all be celebrating the New Year together, up on the community rooftop, with much singing and dancing and general alcohol-free joy! A Happy New Year to you all".

Dhammacharini Shakyajata
Helen Sullivan

Sangharakshita's Diary

Vidyaruci, Sangharakshita's secretary, writes with his monthly update of Sangharakshita's news.  He says -

"The recent cold weather disrupted Bhante's routine only to the extent of precluding his usual walk round the garden, the paths in which became perilously icy, for a week or so. During that period he was without his usual secretarial support, as I was on solitary retreat, but the visitors continued nonetheless, including Nityabandhu and Santaka from Poland, who came for a weekend.

"The most unusual event of the last month was a fundraiser at the Birmingham Buddhist Centre, at which Bhante was guest of honour. The event was called 'Tea with Bhante', and consisted firstly of a performance which included recitations and musical settings of some of Bhante's poems, then songs that were popular in his youth; and secondly the serving of tea and a vast selection of cakes and biscuits, during which Bhante chatted with various members of the local sangha.

"Other than this, Bhante's many visitors have included various groups from around the Movement, including Dharmavajri and three friends who had been celebrating a Kalyana Mitra ceremony together here in Birmingham; a group of ladies from Sweden; and men from Shrewsbury, accompanied by Akasharaja. He also had dinner with the public preceptors while they were at Madhyamaloka for their meeting, as well as seeing a number of them individually.

Sangharakshita as a boy

"Bhante's literary work has continued, and he has completed three of the short sketches in which he recalls incidents of various kinds from his early childhood, to which he has given the collective title of My First Eight Years: A Mosaic of Memories. They will go up on his website (www.sangharakshita.org) at some point, so look out for them. He has listened to audio books of, among other things, The Simple Soul and Other Short Stories by Catherine Cookson, which Bhante thought good but not great, though he appreciated the fact that the stories exemplified strong ethical values; and Ted Hughes by Elaine Feinstein which he found interesting and informative. I have continued to read to him from the Gandhavhuya, and we have read some of the contributions to Buddhist Warfare, a selection of essays edited by Michael K. Jerryson and Mark Juergensmeyer, which Bhante thought did not sufficiently distinguish between 'Buddhism' and the Dharma. I also read him Subhuti's new paper Re-imagining the Buddha, which is based on conversations the two of them had around the subject of the Imagination.

"Bhante has been for his usual acupuncture session, and will have had another by the time you read this. Other than this there is no health news, and Bhante seems quite well, despite the cold weather.

"Vidyaruci".

Gautama Buddha — a new book by Vishvapani

News is just in of a much awaited new book by Vishvapani. Gautama Buddha: The Life and Teachings of the Awakened One is published on January 6th in the UK and Commonwealth by Quercus Books in a handsome and substantial hardback volume. Vishvapani is well known in Triratna as the former editor of Dharma Life magazine and the Buddhist voice on BBC Radio 4’s religious comment slot, Thought for the Day. He writes:

“When I was approached by Quercus four years ago to write a biography of the Buddha I assumed that there were already other books that did the job. The first surprise was realising that there really aren’t. There are short works, books that simply present the early biographical sources and many works that retell the legends around the Buddha as well as novels, poems etc. But there was really nothing that treated the Buddha biographically, basing itself on the early sources in the light of what history and scholarship tell us about them.

"Writing Gautama Buddha has been quite a journey. I had to become much more familiar with the Pali sources and the scholarship around them, and also to use my imagination to conjure up the Buddha’s world, which was so different from ours. I needed to cut through the legends that are such familiar parts of the Buddha’s biography but can make him into a figure from a fairy tale world, not a real person with genuine struggles. Returning the Buddha to history showed up his amazing originality and penetration. For example, the ancient Indians were terrified of the world of the forest and the dangerous spirits who, they believed, lived there. I think that by confronting his own fears the Buddha discovered a new way of experiencing the natural world and, in turn, that transformed the perspective of his disciples.

“I tried hard to avoid what most books on the Buddha offer: a biographical account up to the Enlightenment, then a chapter on ‘the Teachings’ and finally a canter through the last year of his life. I wanted to show that the teachings were integrated with Gautama’s life and experience. The problem is that chronology largely disappears from the sources in the period between the Enlightenment and the final few years of the Buddha’s life, but we can trace how he developed his ideas through dialogue and debate with other religious practitioners. We can also trace how the Buddha created practices that enabled his disciples to see life as he saw it; how he established a new kind of renunciate community, navigating all sorts of problems as he went; and how that community found a place in the wider society and even tried to change it. We have the a detailed account of the Buddha’s last year, and the tremendous dignity of his Parinirvana, but his final years also seem to have been a time of crisis for the community and the region he lived in. The wider story is about how an Awakened individual with an utterly unfamiliar and deeply challenging message became a force in the world. His influence eventually produced a vast spiritual tradition and a Buddhist civilisation.

“It’s quite a story, and I don’t think it has been fully told before in this way. I hope that Buddhist readers will learn something on every page about the world the Buddha inhabited and why he expressed himself as he did. My experience in writing the book was that this brought me much closer to him. Bhante has recently stressed that the Buddha’s core teachings are the basis of the Triratna approach to the Dharma and emphasised the importance of imagining the Buddha. I hope my book will help people to see those teachings more clearly and imagine the Buddha more vividly by seeing him in his historical setting.”

Dorothy Rowe, psychologist and author of Beyond Fear, comments ‘Master of clarity and simplicity, Vishvapani presents through the life of Buddha an understanding of Buddhism of immense relevance to the way we live now.’

Gautama Buddha: The Life and Teachings of the Awakened One
By Vishvapani Blomfield
Quercus Books, 2011, £25 h/b.  you can buy a copy here, or read more about the book at www.gautamabuddha.info

Book Launches and Events:

23 Jan - Study Day (Manchester Buddhist Centre)
24 Jan - Manchester (Manchester Buddhist Centre)
28 Jan - Cardiff (Cardiff Buddhist Centre)
21 Feb - London (London Buddhist Centre, Bethnal Green)
24 February - Birmingham (Birmingham Buddhist Centre)
28 Feb - Bristol (Bristol Buddhist Centre)
10 April - Study Day (North London Buddhist Centre)
11 April - London: in discussion with psychologist Dorothy Rowe (North London Buddhist Centre)

'Poetry East' at the London Buddhist Centre

Maitreyabandhu writes from the London Buddhist Centre with news of the 2011 line-up for Poetry East, their new venture showcasing the work of well-known contemporary poets, exploring the relationship between poetry and spiritual life. He says -  "Hi there all, I'm particularly proud of my line-up for Poetry East next year, so I thought I'd let you know! Here's the details... Love Maitreyabandhu

January 22nd
Penelope Shuttle  has published nine collections of poetry including Redgrove’s Wife, which was short-listed for both the Forward and the TS Eliot Prize. Her new collection, Sandgrain and Hourglass, was a PBS recommendation. 'Her poems of mourning...are among the best she has written.' Elaine Feinstein, The Times.

March 26th
Jo Shapcott won the Commonwealth Poetry Prize for Best First Collection, the Forward Poetry Prize, and the National Poetry Competition (twice). She is Professor of Poetry at the University of London and President of the Poetry Society. Her most recent collection Of Mutability, was shortlisted for the Forward Prize.

October 1st
Jackie Kay won the Cholmondeley Award in 2003. Her Maw Broon Monologues, performed at the Tron Theatre in Glasgow were shortlisted for the Ted Hughes Award for New Work in Poetry. Her latest book Red Dust Road, a memoir about meeting her Nigerian birth father, was sterilized on BBC Radio 4. In 2006, she was awarded an MBE, for services to literature.

November 19th
Bernard O'Donoghue is a poet and literary critic. His 1995 collection, Gunpowder won the Whitbread Poetry Award. His Selected Poems was published by Faber and Faber in 2008. He received a Cholmondeley Award in 2009. Bernard is a Fellow of Wadham College, Oxford, and a senior member of the Oxford University Poetry Society

Forthcoming Ordination in Finland

Triratna News is delighted to announce that the first ordination of 2011 will be Marita Salminen, from Finland.  She  will be privately ordained by Bodhishri on Thursday 6th January at 5pm, in the context of a puja during a retreat at Abhayaloka Retreat Centre in Finland.

Her public ordination ceremony will be conducted by Ratnadharini at the Helsinki Buddhist Centre on Sunday 9th January at 6pm - all are welcome.

Sadhu!

Buddhafield New Zealand at Prana Festival for 7th year running

Just ending is New Zealand’s annual Prana Festival - 4 days and nights of more than 100 workshops, music, art, dance, and the Coromandel Peninsula’s pristine Opoutere beach for lazing on, swimming and long walks. And for the 7th year running Buddhafield New Zealand have been there with their Buddhafield Dome space. They say -

“The Buddhafield is a zone of natural beauty, where silent reflection, meditation and peaceful exchange provide the festival patron with an alternative counterpoise to the hurly burly of the festival proper. The Buddhafield Workshop Dome dominates the area and is surrounded by various shrines, art installations and a Zen Bushwalk. It is open for discovery both day and night and runs a full program of workshops throughout the duration of the festival.

the Buddhafield dome at Prana

“Traditionally, a Buddhafield is a place of spiritual awakening and awareness and is blessed and protected by the Buddhas of past, present and future. Originally an outreach development of the Triratna Buddhist Community in the UK where a handful of western Buddhists were inspired to practice in the outdoors in harmony with the rythms of nature, Buddhafield UK has evolved into a dynamic spiritual community that operates a large Cafe at various festivals, hosts spiritual retreats and runs its own very successful festival in Devon every summer. Buddhafield NZ has grown out of these origins and is pleased to be manifesting again this year at Prana for the seventh year running...”

If you missed it this year - look out for 2012! Details at www.prana.co.nz.

The Poet’s Way: a review

Following yesterday’s story on Vishvapani’s new book 'Gautama Buddha', Sarah Ryan, Publishing Manager of Triratna’s Windhorse Publications, writes with news of one of their recent books. She says -

“We’ve received a beautiful review of Manjusvara’s new book The Poet’s Way which I’d love to share with everyone on Triratna News. It’s a lovely book and I’m so happy it’s been so well received.

With warm wishes for a happy mid-winter, Sarah

Padmachandra’s Review of The Poet's Way by Manjusvara, Windhorse Publications 2010

A Trustworthy Guide

“As I write this, the snow is falling outside the window, and leaving a tablet of pure white on the grass. Reflecting on Manjusvara's new book about writing and the spiritual path, The Poet's Way, I immediately think of the blank white page that the poet or aspiring writer must face before setting off on their journey. For some this white page may be terrifying, for others exciting, and for many both of these things, representing as it does the unknown, the not yet come into being. If I were to be setting out into the unknown through the snow, or through facing a blank page for the first time -and it always feels like the first time, indeed is new and unique each time - I would like to have the voice in my ear of someone who has already travelled the way. A voice that is friendly, accessible, straightforward, authentic, and which seems to be speaking specifically to me. A voice which also communicates that spark of magic that is in all creative enterprise. Manjusvara's voice is just like this throughout this simple yet profound book: a voice that is trustworthy and intimate, humorous, enthusiastic and never patronising. Whilst reading the book I also felt the generosity of someone who was willing to share the tools of his trade in detail and without jargon, what he has learned through hard work along the way, both as a poet and experienced Dharma practitioner.

“The first four chapters explore what a poem actually is and how it works to transport us from one realm of a more ‘mundane’ reality, to a deeper and more meaningful experience of the world and ourselves. He explores particularly the special use of language that is employed in poetry and how this changes our consciousness, if we allow it to. He also introduces many engaging examples and stories throughout the book to illustrate his points.

“Each chapter ends with an exercise that helps us to tap into this experience for ourselves. Manjusvara's take in both this work and his other book, Writing Your Way, is fairly unique in discussing the process of writing poetry within the more holistic context of an attempt to live life consciously and ethically.

“After chapter four Manjusvara goes into more precise detail about the craft of poetry. One highlight for me was Manjusvara's exploration of forms and line breaks in chapter five ‘oblongs and squares’ in which he explains very clearly – and shows by giving examples – the different effects of breaking lines in different places. I don't think I've read a more accessible and enjoyable account of the importance and significance of enjambment and where the poet breaks the line. I also particularly enjoyed chapter nine, Knowing when to stop, where Manjusvara again describes in detail the process he went through in writing a poem, the different decisions he made along the way, and why.

“Amongst other aspects of the craft of poetry Manjusvara discusses sound, rhythm and rhyme (which as a trained composer he is well qualified to discuss), different poetic forms, and shapes of poems in general. What is particularly helpful is that he always explains in very clear language the effects of different aspects of the poem, how and why they work.

“Reading this book for me was like entering an ocean. The entry seemed gradual and straightforward, but seemingly without effort or difficulty I found myself having been guided surely and steadily to deep places where inspiration and treasures were generously offered. I would recommend this book as a great and uniquely accessible guide for anyone sincerely wishing to understand and write poetry, especially where they value reading and writing as a means towards greater sensitivity and awareness of self and world.

“Padmacandra”