Over the centuries, as the Buddha’s teaching reached each new country, it adapted to the prevailing culture -- and often these countries had no contact with each other. As a result Asian Buddhism is extremely varied. Most of these traditions have now come to the West and present westerners with a bewildering variety of teachings, practices and forms.
This lies in the act of Going for Refuge to the Three Jewels, and in basic teachings of the Buddha, such as the Four Noble Truths, Conditioned Co-production, karma and so on. He believes people in the modern world are heirs to the whole of Buddhism. This is why the Triratna Buddhist Community does not restrict itself to one form of Buddhism but draws inspiration from the entire tradition. Sangharakshita’s attitude is not simply eclectic, however. He has a coherent approach to practice, which draws on particular techniques and teachings in a way that supports individual growth.
Listen to talks exploring our approach to the Buddha's teaching.