Two Gifts for Aryaloka Buddhist Center

Viriyalila, an Order Member from Aryaloka, Triratna's retreat center in New Hampshire, USA, writes with news of two art projects that contributed to their 25th anniversary celebrations. She says -

"Last fall I had the opportunity to work closely with three long term friends in the Order to coordinate Aryaloka's 25th Anniversary celebrations. There were two artistic projects that I was closely involved with, that when finished, turned out to be the perfect gifts to give to this "Noble Realm" that has helped to build such a vibrant spiritual community.

"The first gift was initiated five years earlier in the form of a talk I gave marking the 20th anniversary. I had contacted Manjuvajra, the founder of Aryaloka, to see if he could provide me with some stories of the early days. Well, what he gave me was a draft of a book he was writing, which was pretty amazing! Using this, along with personal stories collected from some of our early pioneers, I was very happy to produce a fun and inspiring booklet telling at least one version of Aryaloka's story of coming into the world."

"From the very early beginnings, in a rented apartment/Buddhist gathering place in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts:

"One day...while sorting through a pile of unopened general mail, Manjuvajra came across a flier that had been sent to the previous occupants - a yoga group. It was advertising the sale of an interesting property in Southern New Hampshire. It was an unusual place - a pair of geodesic domes joined in the middle, to form a sort of space ship resembling building. There were several large rooms as well as a number of smaller rooms and thirteen acres of woodland with a beaver creek running through the land. He took hold of the flier and put it aside with nothing more than an idle thought that this would be the sort of place that would make an ideal retreat center.

Bob [Thiradhamma] and Manjuvajra had often talked about the possibility of a country retreat place. Bob found the city to be quite noisy on Friday nights with all the traffic and city sounds, the conditions were not well suited for meditation. Bob was envisioning a quiet deserted cabin, or even a shack, deeply set in the woods where 2-3 people could sit in peace and without external interruptions. Manjuvajra’s ideas were a little bit grander – a house perhaps, where a residential community could live and practice and work together, with extra buildings and rooms to accommodate visitors for large retreats.

On one Friday night, after completing their weekly meditation and puja, the subject of having a place of their own in the country in which to practice came up again. Manjuvajra hopped up off his seat, trotted off to the back room, and when he came back, he half jokingly, yet excitedly grabbed the flier advertising the domes in NH and thrust it into Bob’s hands.

“This is the place we want - big enough, close to Boston, quiet - and only a quarter of a million dollars!” They both laughed and then Bob, being an American, suggested that they actually go and look at the place. Manjuvajra, being British, thought he was joking but realized he wasn’t and when he’d overcome his reluctance to get too involved too fast, they called the owners and agreed a date to drive up to the New Hampshire Seacoast."

The Second Gift to Aryaloka for their 25th Anniversary was a large hand painted rendition of the 1000-Armed Avalokitesvara...

"Early on in the planning [of the 25th Anniversary celebrations] my dear friend Surakshita, who's been around Aryaloka since the very beginning, enthusiastically shared his vision of seeing a very large 1000-Armed Avalokitesvara banner draped over the domes of Aryaloka. He saw it as a cosmic and symbolic welcoming of people to the celebrations, marking this very significant, historical event.

"Having a very busy summer planned, I initially sat quietly waiting to see if anyone stepped forward... but he only had to mention it a few times, before I offered as long as I could find help! Very quickly my dear friend Amala expressed interest in working together to plan and create this magnificent 9 x 5 foot painting of the thousand-armed Avalokitesvara.

"Not really being a fine artist myself, I rejoice in Amala's ability to really bring the piece into its final stages - even right up to the time it was scheduled for hanging she still had her paint brush in hand! I rejoice in her patience, skill and courage to take on such an immense project. The highlight for me, besides deepening friendship with Amala through our working together, was on several occasions when we applied paint to some of the symbols in the image something was happening on a deeper level. Like when we painted the jewels on his crowns and especially when we painted the eyes, something 'other' came alive in the painting. Recollecting the experience now still evokes a similar feeling of awe and amazement."

"With metta, Viriyalila

www.aryaloka.org / info@aryaloka.org
14 Heartwood Circle

Newmarket, NH USA
(603) 659-5456

Aryaloka Featured on Local Television Program

On a cold, sunny day in February, Triratna's Aryaloka Buddhist Center in Newmarket, New Hampshire, USA was visited by a crew from local television station WMUR Channel 9. Aryaloka was selected as a feature in the popular New Hampshire Chronicle, a half-hour weekday show that highlights interesting people and places around the state.

Meditations, classes and a lively tea break were set up for sangha members to participate in while interviews and filming of activities took place. Many thanks to producer Jen Crompton and videographer Jason Modeski who spent four hours at Aryaloka that day. The six-minute, finished segment includes conversations with Bodhipaksa, Amala, and mitras Marcus and Jen, as well as glimpses of sangha members meditating, chanting, participating in a Dharma class, and gathering together in spiritual friendship.

Aryaloka's NH Chronicle segment is now available through Video Sangha, and can also be viewed on the local WMUR television station's website. Many thanks to all the sangha members who participated and to WMUR for introducing Aryaloka to a wider New England audience.

Ordination in America

Dayanandi writes from the US to say -

"In a ceremony at Triratna's Aryaloka Buddhist Center in New Hampshire, USA, on Saturday 4th September, surrounded by over 40 Order Members, together with numerous sangha, friends and family, Denise Connors became Bodhilochana - 'she who possesses the Eye of Perfect Wisdom'.

"Bodhilochana's Ordination came at the culmination of the 25th Anniversary Celebrations of Aryaloka and the start of the North American Order Convention.

Her Private Preceptor was Ashokashri and her Public Preceptor was Dayanandi"

Sadhu!

Worldwide Triratna Buddhist Community sangha mapped by Aryaloka

As part of Aryaloka Retreat Center’s 25th anniversary celebrations in the US (reported on Triratna News yesterday); Pete Ingraham from the Aryaloka Sangha has produced a map showing for the first time just where the Triratna Sangha is located - worldwide.

Using Google mapping and data provided by Lokabandhu from the Triratna Development team over in the UK, he’s produced a remarkable poster available on-line: click here for the medium (7MB) and large (13MB) sizes.

Especially interesting is their mapping of where Aryaloka’s Friends, Mitras, and Order Members live around America’s East Coast - and opposite that, the many Triratna centres and groups scattered across India.

Enjoy...!

Aryaloka celebrates 25 years in America

Aryaloka, the Triratna Buddhist Community’s Retreat Center in New Hampshire, US, is busy celebrating their 25th anniversary this weekend. They say -

“In 1985 the vision of a retreat center in a quiet setting, not too far from Boston, took its first steps to being realized. Dedicated Order members, mitras, and friends moved into the domes in Newmarket, NH. Since then, a sangha of practitioners has grown steadily, calling Aryaloka their spiritual 'home'. Countless meditations, discussions, confidences, vegetarian meals, and chores have been shared over the last 25 years. Thousands of beings have been touched by the Dharma and the vision of Enlightenment that is kept alive here.

“Please join us to celebrate the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha at Aryaloka in our 25th year”.

The schedule of events is well underway, and includes -

the domes at the heart of Aryaloka Retreat Center

* Opening Ceremonies on Saturday, August 28, featuring original musical compositions by Sravaniya; procession and ritual placement of 15 foot hand-made banners as we tell a brief history of Aryaloka; mantra chanting and ritual in the Aryaloka shrine room; festive 25th Anniversary Picnic.

* Open House on Sunday 29: doors open to all members of the community, a time to enjoy a tour and hear what goes on at Aryaloka.

* A series of talks, starting with 'The Simile of Heartwood Circle', by Dayalocana, Chair of the Aryaloka Council. Dayalocana has often thought that Aryaloka's location at Heartwood Circle might have an interesting connection with the Buddha's teaching of the Simile of the Heartwood. She'll take a look at the teaching from the Pali Canon, and also what we might find at Aryaloka Buddhist Center as we search for the heartwood, Aryaloka's inner core and strength that has endured for 25 years.

There’ll also be a talk by Manjuvajra, founding Order Member of Aryaloka in 1985, entitled 'Beginnings: The conception, gestation, birth and infancy of a Buddhist Retreat Center'. Aryaloka's history can be traced back to a time eight years before it was purchased. The FWBO had to be established on American soil and then, after four years, the decision to establish a community and retreat centre was taken. Manjuvajra will talk about what led up to that leap of faith; how Aryaloka came about, helped by the generosity of some people, and hindered by extreme challenges. He will trace the development of the community and centre during the first ten years of its life and talk about the colorful characters involved in that adventure.  You should be able to find both these and more on FreeBuddhistAudio in due course.

The week will conclude with rededication ceremonies, rededicating Aryaloka to Another 25 Years of Dharma Practice - and Beyond!

They conclude by saying - “Thank you to everyone who has come in the past and who comes today to make Aryaloka a place of true practice and friendship”.

More details on their website,http://aryaloka.org

More photos from Triratna ‘name change’ ceremonies around the world

the Norwich Buddhist Centre's 'name change' shrine

More photos are coming in from the ‘name change’ ceremonies of Triratna Centres around the world.

Aryaloka's 'name change' shrine

Here’s examples from the special shrines at Aryaloka in New Hampshire, and the UK's Norwich Buddhist Centre. More welcome!

Sand Mandalas at Aryaloka

FWBO News is happy to pass on a report from New Hampshire's 'Seacoast online' magazine detailing the recent visit of Tibetan monks to Aryaloka, the FWBO retreat centre in New Hampshire, USA.

"This week, four monks from the Gaden Jangste Monastery in India will spend days hunched over a board creating the intricate and colorful drawing at the FWBO's Aryaloka Buddhist Center in New Hampshire, USA. At the end of the week, after long hours of work, the monks will teach the lesson of the transitory nature of all things by systematically destroying what it took them so long to create.

"This mandala is being dedicated to the deity of compassion (Chenrezig in Tibetan, Avalokiteshva in Sanskrit)," said Nima Neduro, the group's coordinator and translator. "It shows his celestial mansion, and it will take all week to finish."

The process of creating the mandala is intricate and time-consuming. Long metal funnels with tiny holes in the ends are filled with colored sand. The funnels are ribbed, and the monks use metal sticks to rub the funnels, releasing the sand grain by grain.

"We have been criss-crossing the country for the past nine months to show our culture and, at the same time, raise money for our monastery in India," Neduro said.

The Gaden Jangste Monastery, was originally built to house 300 monks who had fled Tibet when the Chinese invaded in 1959. The continuing limits placed on the ability of Tibetans to practice their culture and religion freely has prompted a major migration of Tibetan Buddhists to India, and now the monastery is home to more than 2,600 refugees looking for religious and educational freedom, the coordinator said.

"Tibetans in India right now are free to practice their culture and religion," Neduro said. "The problem is with those still in Tibet.

"While the Chinese have allowed the communities to rebuild the thousands of temples destroyed when the Chinese invaded, Tibetan practices are limited by the government," he said. "Many are still trying to flee."

"Our purpose in inviting the monks here is a gesture of good will and support," said Amala, Aryaloka's director. "We heard that they were looking for venues in which to show their traditions, and we are extending the hand of friendship to other Buddhists", she said.

You can read Seacoast's full report here.

Families Overnight at Aryaloka

Megrette Fletcher has sent us this report from Aryaloka, the FWBO's snow-bound retreat centre in New Hampshire, USA -

"From Saturday evening to Sunday noontime during the recent school vacation, a small group of children aged 5-11 were formally introduced to the Dharma at the Aryaloka Buddhist Retreat Center. Entering the shrine room, these curious youngsters started to explore the purpose of meditation, different sitting positions, making offerings, and sharing Buddhist stories.

"Each parent had a chance to connect with all of the children, sharing with them how the Dharma has opened the parents' thoughts and hearts. Other activities included visiting outside shrines, yoga, coloring Buddhist images, and reading stories. These were woven into more traditional kid play like coloring, sledding, and sharing a snack. The parents also had a chance to talk with each other about how they would like to share the Buddha's teachings with their children. Parents acknowledge that there isn't any one way to introduce the Dharma to youngsters, but whatever way is used - including incorporating curiosity - creativity and fun are important strategies to include.

"The emphasis on spiritual friendship that is central to the FWBO was also considered when planning this mini-retreat. The overall structure was purposely left flexible in order to encourage the growth and development of free play and connections among the children.

"After the event, each youngster was given an opportunity to offer feedback. The older children were interested in more formal instruction in meditation and more chances to work together. Parents thought a walking meditation with chanting might be good for the younger kids. All the children wanted to return to Aryaloka. When asked why, the answer was an enthusiastic: 'It is just really fun to be here!'"

Carer's Retreat at Aryaloka, USA

Anastra Madden, from the FWBO’s Aryaloka Buddhist Retreat Center in New Hampshire, USA, has sent FWBO News this report of their recent ‘Caregivers’ Retreat’. There are a number of similar FWBO projects in the UK, some details follow after the Aryaloka report. This is clearly an area where Buddhist meditation techniques - and friendliness - can provide great benefit to many people.

“Members of the Aryaloka community, in collaboration with Seacoast Hospice staff and other healing practitioners from New Hampshire, recently provided a weekend retreat for family and professional caregivers. These individuals were in need of respite from their ongoing work of providing care for individuals living with chronic, life-threatening, or life-limiting illness.

“Aryaloka’s comfortable residential setting surrounded by the quiet of 13 wooded acres provided ideal conditions for the caregivers to be cared for by staff and retreat leaders. Nutritious vegetarian meals plus a "High Tea" topped off the educational/experiential activities that were facilitated by the retreat team and ten volunteer massage, reiki, and yoga practitioners. The weekend was threaded with meditation for relaxation; massage and reiki bodywork; restorative body movement; group processing through art, music, and journaling; exploring the importance of humor; and sharing personal stories with other caregivers. Participants were also given personal binders containing "take home" skills and strategies for self-care and stress management.

“In the short space between Friday evening to Sunday afternoon, the transformation in each participant was breathtaking. They became animated and vibrant, as if new life were poured into them. The feeling throughout the weekend was one of openness and joy, with multiple expressions of kindness, and laughter - much laughter ! As one participant expressed it , "This weekend has been phenomenal...the only word I can think of is seamless...." Participant evaluations confirmed that our goals for the retreat were fulfilled far beyond our original expectations. Also, an unexpected benefit also emerged : the atmosphere of total, unconditional care created for the participants spread back to the team, and facilitators also became participants!”

Sadhu, Aryaloka!

In the UK, several centres have been running weekends and other events for carers for some years. The Brighton Buddhist Centre runs the ‘Carer’s Breaks’ project; the London Buddhist Centre are converting their basement to house their major ‘Breathing Space’ project; which will host events for carers, plus mediation for depression, addiction, and stress. Manchester is home to the FWBO’s popular and successful pain management programme ‘Breathworks’, and earlier this month the UK’s Guardian newspaper ran an article exploring the LBC’s retreats for carers – click here to read it.

Sangharakshita's poetry inspires tapestry

Betsy Sterling Benjamin, associated with Aryaloka Buddhist Center in Newmarket NH, is showing her silk wax-resist hanging titled: “Blue Lotus of Lumbini”, a piece inspired by Bhante Sangharakshita's “Lumbini” poem. The exhibit is at the Main Gallery of the Paul Creative Arts Center, University of New Hampshire from September 8 to October 17, 2007. For more information call the Gallery (603) 862-3712.

Blue Lotus was last shown in the “Song of the Buddha Heart” exhibition at the Manchester Buddhist Centre, England during February of this year. It was also featured on the cover of Fiberarts Magazine in April-May 2007. and was selected with 90 other objects to be included in the 25 Biennial League of New Hampshire Craftsmen’s Juried Members Exhibition.

More of Betsy's work can be viewed here or on the FWBO Flickr site here.

Lumbini

I remember a pool of blue lotuses
Blooming at Lumbini near the dusty highroad,
And the miracle of those blue flowers rising
So purely from the black waters, told me
Far more of the birth of the Enlightened One
Than the broken Ashoka column, or ruined shrine.

. Urgyen Sangharakshita, 1949

Ordination at Aryaloka

On June 24 at Aryaloka, in front of a large crowd of friends, family, and Order members, Marilyn Dyer was ordained into the Western Buddhist Order as Viriyagita, "Song of energy in pursuit of the good." Her private preceptor was Sanghadevi and the ceremony was conducted by her public preceptor Parami.

Viriyagita currently lives with her husband Kevin in Cape Neddick, Maine and works as a nurse with intellectually and developmentally disabled individuals. She has a son, Sean, from a previous marriage, who lives in Seattle with his wife and three children. In 1985 Viriyagita started practicing Buddhism with a Tibetan sangha in Vermont. In 1986 she encountered the FWBO and was particularly drawn to Sangharakshita's clear exposition of the Dharma, the emphasis on the primacy of Going for Refuge, and the practice of spiritual friendship.

Viriyagita started out by attending several retreats as well as the regulars' class, which was very small at the time. Very early on in her involvement she made a trip to the UK to have a broader experience of the FWBO. She eventually became a mitra, started the first women's community at Aryaloka, and requested ordination into the WBO. She attended several more retreats in the UK and Scotland, one of which was a month-long Going for Refuge retreat.

In 1995 she was ordained along with Varasuri of Montana and Dayalocana of Aryaloka. A little over one year later she left the Order to pursue another spiritual path (Sufi). Within a short period of time she realized that no matter how much spiritual beauty and similarity of practice existed in this other tradition, she was at heart a Buddhist. She returned to Aryaloka, never really having lost contact with her spiritual friends and her private preceptor, Sanghadevi.

After many years of living with the aspiration to rejoin the Order, she made that request in June of 2005 and on June 24, 2007 she was given back her original Order name of Viriyagita.

The photo shows Viriyagita (right) with Dayalocana, current Chair of Aryaloka, with whom she was originally ordained in 1995.

Sadhu!

Jambudvipa team visits America

Jambudvipa is an FWBO/TBMSG project based in Pune, India, which - among other things - aims to internationalise the plight of India's vast ex-untouchable 'Dalit' community, from which come most of India's new Buddhists. Besides this they play a crucial role in disaster relief work with this community (see for example the report on their work after the Tsunami) - at such times India's age-old caste system rears its head with full force.

Mangesh Dahiwale, Jambudvipa's publicity officer, recently sent us this report on their recent - and ground-breaking - trip to the USA:

"As a part of Jambudvipa's vision to reach out to the world community and transcend barriers, and to generate international support for peaceful social revolution that Dr. Ambedkar launched, a visit to US was planned.

"Maitreyanath and Mangesh Dahiwale visited US during April 19-May 28, 2007. In the span of over 35 days, they moved from one city to another to give talks on evils of caste system in India, Dr. Ambedkar, revival of Buddhism in India and work of TBMSG. This visit was aimed at dissemination of information, raise support for the revival of Buddhism in India and develop alliances.

"During this visit, people from all different background co-operated, which included followers of Dr. Ambedkar living in US, social activists, academicians, black activists and Order Members of FWBO/TBMSG."

In the short time they were there they managed to meet a remarkable range of individuals and groups - from Tricycle Buddhist magazine and the Buddhist Peace Fellowship to the US State Department and five different universities and colleges, plus of course several FWBO centres, criss-crossing the country beween San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Cincinnati, San Diego, Washington, Indianapolis and elsewhere.

There are encouraging signs that caste prejudice and discrimination is increasingly being seen internationally not simply as an Indian social issue but a gross violation of human rights - see, for instance, recent references to this both in the UK's House of Commons and House of Lords where the UK Government minister is quoted as saying "My Lords, I agree with the noble Lord and with the Prime Minister of India —[Untouchability] is indeed a blot on humanity. Discrimination on the basis of caste identity constrains the human rights, livelihoods and life chances of millions of men, women and children. It is a systematic injustice and a routine violation of the most basic human rights..."

We are proud that the FWBO and TBMSG is able to play a part in making this more widely known and indeed in eradicating it.

FWBO Aryaloka

News from Dayalocana, Chair, Aryaloka Buddhist Retreat Center, Newmarket, NH, USA

At Aryaloka we have the good fortune this spring to send our good wishes with three mitras as they go forth to be ordained into the WBO. Bill Horton (centre) from Maine will be leaving in late March for a four-month ordination retreat in Spain at Guhyaloka, an ordination retreat center for men. Leonie Luterman (left) from Massachusetts follows a few weeks later to attend a three-month retreat, also in Spain, at Akashavana, the ordination retreat center for women. Marilyn Dyer (right) from Maine will be ordained in June right here at Aryaloka where the first ordinations in America were conducted by Sangharakshita in 1993.

Our good wishes go with all of them, and to all those who will join them, as they dedicate their lives to the Three Jewels.