Dear Order Members and friends,

As I write, the public ordinations of five women – two from Venezuela and three from Mexico – are taking place at Adhisthana in context of pilgrimage retreat for Spanish speakers; welcome to Varamaitri, Akasadhi, Silabhadri, Parashanti and Chandrakanti. The theme of pilgrimage has been growing, as Adhisthana celebrates its tenth anniversary. Parami invited me to join the retreat one evening for an informal conversation about the search for, and early days at, Adhisthana, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that not only did people find the topics interesting – but I could understand most of what was said in Spanish!

June was full of back-to-back events for me: Adhisthana community days; my own pilgrimage from Tooting to Adhisthana; a European Chairs’ Assembly meeting; and the Lineage retreat on the Three Esoteric Refuges. Since then I’ve been enjoying a relatively quiet period, catching up on the usual ongoing things: ordination proposals, preceptor consultations and reviews; regular meetings with College Deputies (Amrutdeep, Jnanavaca, Punyamala and Ratnavyuha) and College Assistant (Akasajoti); liaising with the International Order Convenors (Aryajaya, and now Vajrapriya too); engaging with the Adhisthana community (welcoming Prakashamitra and Lalitanaga back from ordination) and my Chapter, as well as Adhisthana trustees meetings and an Adhisthana mandala meeting being developed by Khemabandhu; helping with the Tiratanaloka property search; attending the combined UK & Ireland Area Order weekend and some of a Young People’s festival retreat…

I’ve also spent time catching up with friends, either in person or by electronic means. To mention just a couple I especially enjoyed… Vidyavati was over from New Zealand and in the UK doing research for the book she is writing about her great grandfather, and we got to spend a few days together, hanging out in various tea shops and cafes of nearby stately homes and sharing our personal histories… and I took my 94-year-old mother on a few days’ road trip via some of the beautiful Cotswold villages I’d walked through during my pilgrimage, to Adhisthana (which she remembered from when it was a muddy building site) and my bolt hole in Brecon.

I’ve been preparing for a trip to Mexico this coming month, for the Pan-American Convention, as well as the opportunity to visit our Centres in and around Mexico City and meet some of our sangha there – and practice my Spanish. I’m hoping to catch some of the Day of the Dead celebrations, before heading back to the UK in time for the November International College meeting.

This November marks the end of the first four of my five years as College Chair, and is when the next Chair will be appointed, and I’ve been reflecting on my experience over that time. Before becoming Chair myself I had been one of Saddhaloka’s Deputies, although in those days it was mainly a matter of supporting him in planning College meetings twice a year. Then five years ago, and shortly before I was appointed myself, Sangharakshita, our founding preceptor and teacher, died. 

The death of a founder is a significant time for any organisation, and it was hard to know in advance what it would mean for us. However the time around Bhante’s death and burial at Adhisthana was marked by an atmosphere of positivity and harmony, with it seeming to many of us that we would now have a more purely archetypal relationship with him; and it was testament to his foresight that everything was in place for things to continue without his physical presence.

A year after Bhante’s death came the Covid pandemic. For many people that meant a degree of physical isolation and an explosion of online communication, as well as a heightened sense of impermanence. It was an incentive for me to start working more closely with my Deputies, in case they needed to deputise for me, and for some time we met weekly – creating an effective and much appreciated team context for me as Chair. I was also fortunate to be working with Akasajoti, who – among other things – encouraged me to start writing these updates from the College.

Over the past seven years or so I’ve also been involved in matters of Order ethics, and this has probably been the most taxing responsibility. Initially this was through the work of the Adhisthana Kula, but more generally, as times have changed, it’s been necessary to revisit some historical ethical issues; to negotiate where we stand in relation to constantly developing ethical practice and understanding (especially in the UK & Ireland) such as Safeguarding; and to put in place our own procedures for responding appropriately to unskilful action within our community. I’m grateful to my Deputies for sharing more and more of this responsibility with me, on behalf of the College; to the International Order Convenors for all they’ve taken on, including creating the post of Order Convenor for Ethics; and to the ECA (European Chairs Assembly) for supporting a Safeguarding officer.

Another major concern over the past couple of years has been changing legislation in India, in relation to ‘Foreign Contributions’, which has caused funding uncertainty in relation to many projects in India, and distress regarding security of livelihood – especially in relation to the underprivileged Buddhist community. 

When I was appointed College Chair, several people voiced the opinion that the responsibility was primarily a matter of ‘giving blessings’, and I’m glad to say that is becoming more and more the flavour of my experience. I’m reminded of the bestowing of blessings that conclude our kalyana mitra and ordination ceremonies; how the witnessing of spiritual commitment is sealed by calling on the power of the Three Jewels. It occurred to me during the Lineage retreat, that blessings – although in one sense ever-present – need to be invoked, and the practice of pilgrimage does just that. It’s been inspiring to see people coming from all over the world to mine the gems of Bhante’s teaching, circumambulate his burial mound, and receiving blessings. 

with Metta,
Ratnadharini

> See September's Features from the College

Dear Order members and friends,

My experience this month has been dominated by preparing for, and enacting, a 150 mile pilgrimage from where Sangharakshita was born in Tooting, London, on 26th August 1925, to Adhisthana, Herefordshire, where he lived the last – and some of the happiest – years of his life, dying on 30th October 2018. Having had the inspiration for the pilgrimage, I realised I could share the experience with others and open it up as a fundraising initiative for Tiratanaloka Unlimited (the existing Tiratanaloka Retreat Centre being too small and therefore limited in terms of what it can offer women training for ordination). Thus I would be giving tangible expression to my feelings of gratitude to my teacher, as well as contributing towards his deeply held wish that more and more people would have access to the Dharma and the opportunity to deepen their Going for Refuge to the point of making the commitment of ordination – and beyond. 

Some of the people I first mentioned the idea to were so enthusiastic, I realised I could end up organising a large group expedition – which would be wonderful – but I realised early on that I had been imagining something relatively simple, and would walk alone. When I shared my plans with other Public Preceptors in March, Satyaraja immediately offered to stand in and complete the walk for me if anything happened! Akasajoti, as assistant to the College, got inspired about the project with me and would create video updates as I went along. I wouldn’t be able to carry Bhante’s memoirs with me – let alone have time to re-read them – but Nagabodhi’s book 'Sangharakshita: the boy, the monk, the man' would be the perfect accompaniment.

First there were a few basic decisions to make. For those of you who are interested in details… someone put me onto the komoot app, which – given a start and end point – quickly plots a route that can be tailored to walkers (or cyclists etc.) and once I’d tweaked that to make the most of the flat route of the Thames Path out of London, it registered 150 miles (128 miles on various kinds of paths and 22 miles on mainly very minor roads). The last time I did a serious walk was way before Covid, and 150 miles is neatly divisible into 10 days of 15 miles; my only concession to being a lot older was to add a rest day! I also acknowledged that I wasn’t up to camping and backpacking that distance anymore, so each section needed to start and end somewhere I could get accommodation and food; and if I pulled the route slightly south, my mum’s house was exactly halfway and I could have my recovery day there. Finally I mapped the whole thing onto up-to-date Ordnance Survey maps, and from there onto my phone (although I took cut-down paper maps as backup). 

I broke in a new pair of boots, and started fitting in 15-mile treks, either from Adhisthana up and along the Malvern Hills and back, or along the Brecon and Monmouthshire canal. Unfortunately on one occasion I wasn’t wearing good socks, and limped back with deep blisters on the bottom of each heel. Two months later they were just reaching the surface, so I did the walk in carefully researched socks and Compeed blister plasters (which merged into each other during the day and had to be teased apart each evening).

Finally the day came to set out from Adhisthana, and I circumambulated Bhante’s burial mound before setting off for London. It was surreal being waved off from outside Tooting Broadway tube station, by Akasajoti, Vajratara, Dhammarati and Dhammagita (who brought rose petals) and heading off along the High Street… I’m an inveterate paper map user and it was the first time I’ve used a phone to navigate, but it worked well most of the time. The video diaries are available on The Buddhist Centre Online, so I won’t repeat a day-by-day account.

In retrospect, it took me a couple of days to adjust to being in a very different mode: being outside and active most of the time, rather than sitting in front of a computer. As I left London behind, there were fewer and fewer people on the footpaths or bridleways I was following, and I began to feel more and more as though on solitary retreat. I got less concerned with timekeeping and stopped looking at my watch; I was starting early and there was plenty of daylight… but it was more than that. How fast I was going was much less important than how I got there. 

I’ve always loved following old tracks as they are so embedded in the history of the landscape, and some of my route followed Neolithic ways. I wasn’t going to be able to remember or record all the intricacies around me, but I could get an overall sense of the way architecture changed along the route. The beauty of the churches in each village gave me a sense of how positive it can be when everyday life is informed by the aesthetic, ethical and mythical.

There was also the joy of simplicity. When you have to carry everything you need, you discover how little that actually is. The day I forgot to pack lunch and had to ’survive’ on emergency rations of two Naked bars and a handful of peanuts, I discovered that was actually enough. And even then the universe provided – in the sense that the next church offered tea, coffee and biscuits to visitors, on a dana basis. 

I enjoyed most the paths I could follow relatively easily – without having to fight my way through nettles / brambles / herds of inquisitive bullocks / electric fences etc., or find detours when the footpaths didn’t exist (usually because they’d been ploughed up). Then I could relax into a rhythm out of which mantras began to arise, and they often remained in the deep background for hours at a time. That, and reading Nagabodhi’s book in the evenings, meant I was travelling in the company of the Buddha and Bhante.

Nagabodhi’s book was a boon companion. I was already familiar with most of the material from Bhante’s memoirs, but it was different reading a third person perspective and overview – especially from someone who was there from the very earliest days of the Movement and Order. It certainly refreshed my sense of Bhante’s depth of practice and perspective on the Dharma, and how strongly that inspired the first generation.

At the end of each day I sent a motley collection of photo clips and short videos to Akasajoti, which she then turned into a coherent narrative – often working into the night – and I gather many people enjoyed looking out for this daily instalment. She also forwarded to me video messages of support from friends, which tended to arrive just when I needed them most. You can see all of this here. I felt unexpectedly connected to the many people I knew were bearing me in mind, and it started to feel that although I was walking alone, I was walking on behalf of many others too. 

As I rounded the last corner to Adhisthana I’d counselled myself not to assume anyone would be there to meet me, but a couple of people had been tracking the progress of my phone and many of the community – and people on the Pilgrims’ Week – were there, with the Shakyamuni mantra and more rose petals. It was quite overwhelming and brought home to me how much I had been in solitary retreat mode. After rehydrating on ice-cold drinks and lollies, I completed the pilgrimage by circumambulating Bhante’s burial mound. I felt strongly in touch with having dedicated my life to contributing in whatever way I best can, to keeping Bhante’s vision alive and flourishing. The next morning I took over from Khemabandhu and Lokeshvara to complete the final of 108 hours’ continuous circumambulation of the burial mound, that had been taking place during the Pilgrims’ Week.

I’m already aware of two other, slightly different, pilgrimages that have been made from London to Adhisthana, and believe there have been others from different starting points; I’m sure there will be more. Creating Adhisthana was an act of faith; we were building something new, and couldn’t predict exactly what it would become. I still remember that when Bhante revealed the name of the project, it evoked a sense of what we would be growing into. ‘Adhiṣṭhāna’ refers to the ‘grace’ or ‘blessings’ that emanate from an authoritative place, guru or lineage, and Adhisthana has naturally become a place of pilgrimage for many people associated with Triratna. The more pilgrims and practitioners, the more blessings…

This particular pilgrimage also inspired blessings of a more tangible nature. Donations are still coming in, but have probably exceeded £17,000 + gift aid – which is a wonderful demonstration of generosity and support for the Tiratanaloka Unlimited project. You can still give here for another week, and beyond that there are many other opportunities to keep contributing to Tiratanaloka Unlimited and support them to reach their target. Having been part of the Tiratanaloka community for 15 years myself, as well as being a Public Preceptor and president of the current Tiratanaloka Retreat Centre, I would love to see it become possible for all those wishing to train for ordination, to get on whatever retreats would be helpful. Thanks again to everyone who is supporting this venture. 

with metta,
Ratnadharini

This month’s update from the College comes from Ratnavyuha – a Public Preceptor living in Auckland, who is not long back from leading an ordination course at Sudarshanaloka. He is one of the Deputy Chairs of the College. Ratnavyuha met Triratna at Aryaloka in North America, and a few years later moved to train for ordination in the UK, working at Windhorse Trading, and being ordained at Guhyaloka in 1999. In 2004 he moved to Oceania where he has been based ever since, contributing over this time to city centre and retreat centre projects in Australia and New Zealand.

+++

Kia ora koutou. A big hello to everyone on the various sides of this planet we inhabit.

I’m writing this monthly College newsletter from Aotearoa (known in English as New Zealand) and thereby giving Ratnadharini a breather.

In case you are not aware, loosely speaking New Zealand is in dark when the UK is in light, in winter when the United States and Mexico are in summer, our water spins in the opposite direction to the northern hemisphere when it goes down the drain, and our truly magnificient midnight sky has different stars from the northern hemisphere since above us is the galactic centre of the Milky Way, albeit impermanently so. There are more significant differences, for example Aotearoa is a biculture nation by treaty where more people are learning to speak te reo Māori. It is becoming more common for new people attending our centres to at least start by speaking briefly in te reo Māori when introducing themselves rather than speaking only English.

Maitreyi is here are the moment, visiting our area and leading a series of retreats for women. We were going to take the opportunity to gather as many of our public preceptors together for a few days at Sudarshanaloka. There were a few things we had to talk about, and undoubtedly we would have discussed ordination training in our area, but I was most looking forward to simply spending time together on retreat. Unfortunately, a few public preceptors caught covid on the retreat prior to our time together, they were in isolation at Sudarshanaloka, and we had to scrap our retreat plans. We’ve had two College events cancelled in our area due to covid. The first being a month long visit and area preceptor’s retreat with Saddhaloka in early 2021.

We have had our own ‘local’ public preceptors in our area for some time now, particularly in the women’s wing. These days we include: Malini, Maitripala, Megha, Purna, myself, Siladasa, Sudrishti, and Vajrajyoti. Ideally, there would be at least five women and five men, such that we could have two kulas with 5 public preceptors each for making ordination readiness decisions and private preceptor appointments locally. At the moment, when making decisions like these, we include public preceptors from other parts of the world when needed (which works well due to established friendships). Although our ordination training remains traditionally organised by gender, we are discussing amongst ourselves the possibility of holding a non-gendered ordination training event in the coming year which would complement what we already offer.

Recently, Purna and I led a one month ordination retreat at Sudarshanaloka. We were fortunate to have Silaratna and Guhyasiddhi join us on the retreat team as private preceptors, and Moksavira supporting the retreat as a tenzo. Moksavira wanted to show everyone how easy it was to cook a diverse range of great vegan food, so he never repeated a meal and each one was delicious. It worked for me, and I’m making that last push to (joyfully) give up cheese and eggs completely. We worked well together as a team and created a tangible atmosphere of samadhi, sraddha, deepening friendship and transcendental lightning.

It was great to see our retreat centre used for another ordination retreat. The women did it first in March 2022 but we’ve previously sent men interested in longer retreats to Guhyaloka. We did have men interested in that longer retreat this year, but our nominations were too late and there were no spaces available. But it worked out well for us. The residential team living at Sudarshanaloka (currently Dhiraprabha, Guhyavajra, Karunajoti, and Moksavira) said they really appreciated hosting another long ordination retreat. The initial vision for the land, back into the early 1990’s, has always included a goal to regularly hold ordination retreats and perhaps that vision has come into greater focus and growing maturity. Even though our history is shorter, there is no doubt that Sudarshanaloka has a mythic atmosphere, including a similarly magnificent stupa with some of Dhardo Rinpoche’s ashes installed by Bhante, which rivals Guhyaloka’s (perhaps also Akashavana's.. but I don’t know, never been there).

This one month together was the longest single retreat I’d ever done at Sudarshanaloka, such that I could really unpack my bags, let go of knowing the day of the week and decorate the walls if I wanted. Which Sthiraratna and Silaratna beautifully and literally did in their room! Sudarshanaloka has always felt like another family / sangha home, as does Guhyaloka and Padmaloka for me, but after this time together there, I feel like we all came to know our retreat centre much more intimately as a result. And I could feel a promising future.

There is also a benefit to having three New Zealand men ordained together. I love Guhyaloka, and have spent over 16 months of my life meaningfully there on retreat. However, and to my regret, I’ve not kept in touch with many of the order members from those ordination retreats unless they now live in New Zealand. I am hoping that with these three order members just ordained, by living closer to one another and closer to the team from their retreat, that our momentum of friendship and connection from the retreat together will be more supported. Another contribution to this goal is that we run national Nissaya retreats for men ordained in the last 5 years which focus on the practises of sadhana and chapter. Those retreats seem to be effective and appreciated.

Big thanks to Mahamati for sharing how he has lead the one month Guhyaloka ordination retreats in the past. We took his work, sprinkled in my experiences of the longer four month ordination retreats, pinched some ideas from what our women’s wing has done with their one month ordination retreats here, and added some innovations of our own to put together our final programming. It worked well and we will continue to improve our little iteration.

with metta,
Ratnavyuha

Dear Order members and friends,

Thanks to Maitreyabandhu for the evocative account of our network of friendships last month. 

First I’ll write with an update from the March College meeting – and end with a personal request.

At that point last month, I was involved in our annual Women Preceptors’ retreat at Adhisthana, which gets better each year as the body of experience grows and the connections between us become stronger. We’d decided to make it an ‘in person’ event, while making the study material available to preceptors elsewhere, and appreciated the fact that of the 70 or so of us present, preceptors had come not just from Europe but also from the US. We were following the theme of lineage, and the opening talk, Vajratara on ‘The Preceptor as the Navigator of Myth’, is available more generally. 

The tenth anniversary of Bhante’s arrival at Adhisthana fell during that retreat; that very same day, ten years later, Padmasambhava arrived and we all turned out to welcome him. Prakasha and Srisambhava had very generously offered their stunning Padmasambhava rupa to Adhisthana, and Yashodeva’s team drove back with him from the remote Welsh coast, through the most vibrant rainbows they’d ever seen. Some of you will remember the rupa as the central figure on the wonderful shrine created in the marquee for the UK & Ireland combined Area Order weekend in August 2018; it was the last time Bhante appeared in public, and he was clearly moved as he circumambulated the shrine with Paramartha pushing his wheelchair. Padmasambhava will be ritually installed during the ‘Lineage and Three Esoteric Refuges’ retreat in July this year.

The March College Kulas’ meeting followed, a few days later. This is an opportunity for public preceptors in the UK and Europe to gather at Adhisthana, although some of us are involved in Kulas elsewhere in the world, and some of those Kulas were able to have hybrid meetings. As well as considering preceptor appointments and reviews, and ordination recommendations, it’s a chance to connect more personally as well as studying and meditating together, and we take the opportunity to include an information and discussion hybrid session with public preceptors worldwide. On the two transitional evenings at Adhisthana, we also had the option of watching movies: ‘The Quiet Girl’ and ‘Everything, Everywhere, All At Once’.

This year Vajratara led study on ‘The Legacy of the Refuge Tree’, drawing on early Buddhist texts as well as Sangharakshita himself, and exploring the myth or symbol of our Refuge Tree in relation to the historical absence of our founding teacher and preceptor. We followed the study sessions with the Going for Refuge and Prostration Practice, led by Satyaraja in the Refuge Tree shrine room – which is where Bhante’s body lay between his death and funeral, at the foot of the painting by Chintamani which depicts Bhante about to bestow a kesa. During the week we were also treated to short accounts from six public preceptors, about their personal connection with a figure on the Refuge Tree. A few of us will be participating in a session during the international online Triratna Day celebrations sharing some thoughts and inspirations connected with the Refuge Tree.

During the hybrid ‘business’ session, we agreed to recommendations for two new Public Preceptors, which will hopefully be endorsed by those College members not present. We heard a proposal from Khemabandhu, for the laying of stones at Adhisthana, to mark the death of public preceptors. An outline proposal from a working group, to set up a separate Charity structure for the College, was agreed by those present. And as we will be choosing the next Chair of the College in November (they will take over from me a year later) I took the opportunity to talk more personally about how I have found the responsibility. 

The discussion that has been taking place regarding the question of the ordination of former serious offenders, is taking shape in the form of a draft list of points of principle, on which consensus has so far been reached within the College and ECA (European Chairs’ Assembly). During this meeting we agreed, as a next step, to share this with Ordination Teams and Mitra Convenors – and hopefully within an Order Forum in the not too distant future.

Dharmavajri’s funeral took place during the College meeting. I’d been inspired – though not surprised – to hear of her strength of practice, following what turned out to be a terminal diagnosis, and was especially sorry, as her public preceptor, not to be able to be there.  I’ve also been aware during this past month of the deaths of Sashiprabha, Amritabodhi, and Ratnavara this month; all from India, and Amritabodhi such a long-standing Order member. 

Some College members had the best of reasons not to be present at the meeting; Purna and Ratnavyuha were ordaining Buddhanusarin, Sthiraratna and Darsanasiddhi at Sudarshanaloka; and in India 19 men were being ordained at Bordharan. Maitripala went straight from our hybrid session, to conduct Pasanna's public ordination in Melbourne; and a couple of days after the meeting Yashodeva set off for Spain to ordain Vilasadipa at Suryavana.

I was delighted to hear that there is now an Asian (outside India) Triratna online group, led by Aryapala and Sraddhapa, and with people attending from Singapore, Taiwan and Japan; and that Nagasuri is leading study online for some of these people. It was lovely to see a friend, Zoe Lim, at the recent Mitra ceremony for Jananie. 

And finally my personal request. I’m going to be making a pilgrimage from Tooting – Bhante’s place of birth – to Adhisthana – where he died and is buried; and I’m inviting people to sponsor me in aid of Tiratanaloka Unlimited. It’s about 150 miles, and I’m hoping to walk it in 10 days (with a rest day halfway). I’ll be travelling light – I’ve booked places to stay each evening – and am saving up Nagabodhi’s new book ‘The Boy, the Monk, the Man’ as my reading material for the journey. I really want to do what I can to support the Tiratanaloka team to find a place large enough to take the brakes off the ordination process of the next generation of women Order members. I set off on Monday 12th June, and if all goes well I’ll arrive at Adhisthana around the summer solstice and in time for the Pilgrims’ week – they’re saving the last of the 108-hour circumambulation for me!

You can donate and sponsor my pilgrimage here.

with Metta,
Ratnadharini

These letters are published here each month, as well as on preceptorscollege.online, and in Shabda, the Order newsletter, as a means to communicate the ongoing work of the College Chair and updates on current discussions and decisions. Responses are welcomed. You can comment below or write directly to preceptorscollege@adhisthana.org.

Dear Order members and friends,

I made the most of the lull in emails over the festive season, and spent a quiet couple of weeks in front of the wood burning stove in my house in Wales. It was good not to be staring at a laptop screen all day, and enjoyable to get engrossed in a couple of books: ‘The Promise of a Sacred World’ by Nagapriya, and ‘Compassion and Emptiness in Early Buddhist Meditation’ by Anālayo. I always appreciate Nagapriya’s writing, and as well as contextualising the True Pure Land tradition, he makes a convincing argument in support of the subtlety and transcendent power of Shinran’s approach to the spiritual life – as well as addressing several of my recurring personal koans. From Anālayo’s book I was especially struck by his clarification that compassion is a positive wish to alleviate suffering, rather than simply experiencing the same suffering as another, and that in the early scriptures this typically takes the form of a dharmic response.

I also spent time with family, including celebrating my mother’s 94th birthday; rediscovered Scottish country dancing after a three year covid break; and ventured out into kayaking on beginners level white water, in spite of various bumps and bruises.

Back at Adhisthana in the New Year, Mahamati and I joined in with the ECA (European Chairs Assembly) meeting. I gave an update on some adjustments to College working arrangements (which are reviewed and updated regularly) in relation to probation / suspension / ‘expulsion’ (being recognised to have put oneself outside the Order), to keep them in line with our experience of carrying out our responsibilities and having listened to comments from Order members about how that can be improved. In summary, the changes are as follows:

1. The creation of the new category of ‘suspension pending further exploration’ which would be applied in the case of a serious ethical breach or credible allegations of such, or while a police investigation takes place. 
2. The institution of a kula of a minimum of five public preceptors to make decisions involving probation/suspension/‘expulsion', in line with the kula of five required for decisions regarding ordination. Where possible this would be the Area College Kula and include the individual in question’s public preceptor.
3. Previously we stated that ‘those Order members who know the person, especially in their chapter and region, will also need to be consulted and to support the action’. This is amended to state that ‘whilst a wider consultation in the Order among those who know the person, especially in their chapter and region, will always be desirable, there are circumstances where this is not possible.'
4. Previously we stated that a suspension or probation required a clearly defined period of time; we have amended this to state that it ‘should include a clearly defined period for review, with clear goals about what needs to be resolved’. i.e. the period for review is defined, rather than the period of suspension; to ensure the suspension period is flexible according to a framework of change and transformation rather than a defined penalty, whilst ensuring it doesn’t proceed indefinitely.

As we also now have consensus within the College on points of principle which would give us an agreed framework within which it might be possible to consider the ordination of former serious offenders, I was also able to share a draft list of points with the ECA. As I said in my November update:

'… it is not surprising that strong views have been expressed on both sides of the debate. Broadly speaking, on one side is the wish to recognise the potential for any individual to transform their life, and to support that; on the other side is the concern not to underestimate the resources needed, nor the potential effect on individual Order members or the Order in general. This is an important discussion for our Order, especially given the work some Order members are doing with people currently in prison… We also need to be more explicit in defining what constitutes a ‘serious offence’, and to consider whether some offences are so serious as to rule out the possibility of ordination… this is a continuing discussion and one that we will share more widely with the Order.'

Apart from a couple of minor suggestions, there appeared to be broad support for the document from those present, and we will look for ways to create more forums for Order discussion.

I also encouraged the Chairs to book for the celebratory ‘Lineage and the Esoteric Refuges’ retreat for preceptors, presidents, chairs, Order & mitra convenors, 30 June - 7 July, that is part of the Adhisthana 10th anniversary events – and fast booking up!

I then spent a few enjoyable days, as president, with the Tiratanaloka community. As well as devoting time to the vital Tiratanaloka Unlimited fundraising and property search which will enable many more women to access training for ordination, we performed a ceremony asking the local devas to free us up from the current site – which has borne witness to so much transformation and holds so many significant memories. I also led a morning of study on a couple of passages from the Chapter on Ethics from Asanga’s Bodhisattvabhumi, which I was pleased to revisit as there is a strong correspondence between the description of taking the bodhisattva vow, and our own ordination ceremony. 

Then back to Adhisthana for an evening gathering of all 15 Order members on site, before heading into full community days. The theme of the four days was ‘blessings’, with Saddhaloka leading study on the Mangala Sutta and making a connection between the ‘blessings’ / ‘auspicious signs’ of the text and the meaning of adhiṣṭhāna. We were treated to life stories from six new community members, five of whom have arrived since the beginning of the year. Khemabandhu shared his experience as Chair of Adhisthana, and there were short reports from each of the significant elements of the residential Adhisthana mandala. We spent a day in our separate communities, and another day exploring the ‘single-sex idea or practice’, beginning with short talks from Sanghadeva and Shubhavyuha. My impression is that the community has really matured, and is in a strong position as we move into the tenth anniversary year.

Looking back over the last two months… I was sorry to lose one of our International Order Convenors, and community members, when Saraha needed to step down so soon after being appointed in order to look after his mother following the death of his father. I had appreciated getting to know Saraha, and wish him well as he continues to fulfil his dedication to be of service to others, in whatever way he best can.

I was relieved that we finally created the role of International Movement Coordinator, as I’ve been reflecting for some time that it was extraordinary not to have anyone with the explicit responsibility to liaise between our many international Centres. I’m delighted that Jnanadhara has been appointed to take up the position; he’s been involved with the International Council for many years, as Chair of Dublin Centre, and I’ve got to know and appreciate him as a member of the Steering Group.

I’m aware of the deaths over the past two months of Dayabandhu, Moksacitta, Bodhishura, Vajrasuri and most recently Dharmavajri. I knew Moksacitta, Vajrasuri and Dharmavajri personally – particularly Vajrasuri, who was on my ordination retreat, and Dharmavajri who I ordained publicly – and the many accounts of how Order members respond to the existential challenge of death, is a great inspiration.

Sadhu to four new Order members: Akshayadipa, in Cambridge; Dayaketu, Suvarnakirti and Danamuktin, in Mexico. It was great to have seen a little of Suvarnakirti, as he attended the last Dharma Life Course at Adhisthana.

with metta,
Ratnadharini

> View January's Features from the College

Dear Order members and friends,

When I last wrote, a month ago, we had just marked the fourth anniversary of Bhante Sangharakshita’s death at Adhisthana. A meeting of the International Council was underway, and by the end of a very harmonious and enjoyable meeting we had clarified the purpose of the IC and agreed on strategic priorities.

A couple of days later, the annual international ‘in person’ gathering of the College of Public Preceptors began. I was one of the people who caught a bad cold, but fortunately much of the teaching and presentations was being done by other people, and again it was a very harmonious and enjoyable meeting. Adhisthana very generously supports the IC and College meetings by waiving charges for both events – which is a big help given the cost of international travel.

We were especially glad to welcome five new Indian Public Preceptors (Abhayadana, Abhayavati, Nagaketu, Shubhajaya, and Vijaya) as well as one from North America (Amala) and one from The Netherlands (Akasasuri). It was also the first ‘in person’ international meeting for several others, and with 42 of us present it was our largest meeting to date. (Two people were on sabbatical, and unfortunately circumstances meant that only Ratnavyuha and Siladasa were able to join us from New Zealand and Australia.) We aim to hear lifestories from each new Public Preceptor, and this time spent three evenings hearing from each of Vajrashura, Shubhajaya, and Amala.

Towards the beginning of the College meeting Vajratara led the Guru Yoga practice, and on the last evening Sanghadevi led the Kalyana Mitra Yoga practice; both practices evoking our place in the Triratna lineage. We ended each evening by chanting one of the mantras we’ve received from Bhante, while circumambulating his burial mound; fortunately each evening was dry, and it was a strong reminder of the time of his funeral four years ago.

Throughout the meeting we met in various combinations of our College kulas, which was an opportunity to catch up with each other in person, as well as to discuss topics such as ordination recommendations and new preceptor proposals. And after breakfast each morning there was an opportunity to take part in a Japanese tea ceremony, kindly offered by Siladasa.

The meeting began with two mornings of study on ‘views’, led by Subhuti. The first morning used the framework of ‘Manu / Buddha / Guru / Terton’ from Bhante’s Padmasambhava Day talk in 1979. The second morning drew especially on an extract from Bhante’s 1988 talk 'The Next Twenty Years':

‘Something else about which I’ve felt quite concerned and pained recently is the question of racial prejudice and discrimination. If you had asked me a few years ago whether racial prejudice and discrimination was on the decline in Britain I would have said, ‘Yes, it certainly is, and it won’t be many years before it disappears altogether’, but I don’t think I could say that today. In the last few months I’ve read in the newspapers so many reports of cases of harassment that I’ve come to the conclusion that as a movement, and especially as an Order, we need to take a much more active part in combatting prejudice and discrimination of the sort. I’m quite sure that within the Order, and perhaps within the movement as a whole, there is no racial prejudice or discrimination of any kind, but there’s certainly a lot of it in Britain and I think we have to try not just to ensure that it doesn’t exist in our midst, but to do whatever we can to remove such prejudice from the society in which our movement functions. We can’t just look the other way and content ourselves with the fact that we ourselves don’t personally practise that discrimination or indulge in that prejudice. I’m not suggesting we take a militant attitude – that is often counter-productive – but in a gentle and kindly and non-violent way we must do everything in our power to counteract this menace, which is obviously quite opposed to the whole spirit of the Dharma.’

Subhuti made the point that every society contains elements of what Dr. Ambedkar calls ‘systems of graded inequality’, with Caste being the most obvious (Isabelle Wilkerson’s book of that name is also worth reading). Some people consider it enough to rely on the Dharma; but there is clearly strong and widespread racial prejudice in the UK, as experienced by most People of Colour, and Bhante raises the question of what we can do ‘to counteract this menace’.

Over the following two days the College members liaising with the BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of colour) strategy group, had invited Eugene Ellis (the Director and Founder of the Black, African and Asian Therapy Network, BAATN, author of ‘The Race Conversation’, and a Mitra at the London Buddhist Centre) to lead a racial awareness workshop. He was supported by Maitrisara who stepped in at the last moment when Saraka was unable to join him as planned. There is quite a range of conditioning and experience among College members, particularly taking into account the cultural differences involved across our international membership, and I appreciated Eugene’s openness and sensitivity to that, as well as everyone being willing to engage in the process.

It has become a bit of a ritual for Maitreyabandhu to compere an evening of more personal reflections from some of us, and this time Parami, Dayanandi, Nagaketu, and Paramabandhu shared their experience of having received initiation or blessings.

On 10th November, Parami led an open evening marking Bhante’s funeral, which many people joined – either in the shrineroom at Adhisthana, or online. This included extracts from Nagabodhi’s forthcoming book and Maitreyabandhu’s long-form poem, The Commonplace Book, dedicated to Bhante, as well as evocative readings and mantras – many read or lead by the same people as at the funeral itself. I vividly remember Padmavajra reading Bhante’s poem ‘The Elements Speak’ immediately after Bhante’s burial; the copy he had been given was missing the last verse, but fortunately he has a phenomenal memory!

Halfway through the meeting we were again able to devote a day to hearing from our Indian brothers and sisters. This has been a highlight in the past and was so again, and they treated us to chai and pakora. It was significant to hear from the four new Indian women Public Preceptors, whose appointments mean so much for the many women wishing to join the Order, and there have been many other developments to rejoice in; however it was also salutary to hear of the difficulties and obstacles our Order and Movement have been facing in India over the past year.

We then moved into two mornings of study on the Bodhicitta practice, led by Padmavajra, which drew out a difference in emphasis between the practice as a Mula Yoga, and how it is approached in the Lojong or Mind Training, beginning by drawing out the advantage of concentrating on the cultivation of metta, as foundation for compassionate activity.

Our last two days were spent in discussion of various topics:

The first morning we heard from Aryajaya and Saraha, as International Order Convenors. Punyamala, Jnanavaca, and Amrutdeep, as College Deputies most involved overseeing matters of Order ethics, rejoiced in the work of Subhadassi as Order Convenor for Ethics, and gave the meeting an update on instances of probation / suspension / ‘expulsion’ (recognition that someone has put themselves outside the Order) / reinstatement / and reviews of processes followed. Concerns were voiced regarding limited resources for this work.

Jnanavaca updated everyone on the likely necessity and implications of making it clear that the College is a separate entity to the Adhisthana Trust. Ratnavyuha presented the current financial situation of the College, our main outgoings being the cost of travel involved in maintaining an effective international membership; we benefitted from a generous legacy a couple of years ago, but need to begin actively fundraising again. 

Ratnavyuha shared a five year review of the Kula Reps meeting (which liaises between all College Kulas). One outcome has been the reorganisation of the Guidelines for Ordination, from six to eight; another the workshop that took place during this College meeting. 

Having heard a couple of requests for more female representation on the Refuge Tree, we clarified that the Refuge Tree represents the lineage of Bhante’s own understanding and practice of the Dharma, and is a unifying symbol throughout the Order; and is therefore not likely to be changed retrospectively. We heard from Vajratara and Saddhaloka about their conversations with Bhante before his death, regarding his decision to include Anagarika Dharmapala and Dr Ambedkar, and that he then considered the Tree to be complete.

Nagapriya (who with Ratnadharini and Abhayadana is on the steering group) gave an update on the International Council; Subhadramati and Paramabandhu (as trustees) gave an update on the FutureDharma Fund; Vajratara on the India Dharma Trust; and Vajrashura on the Sikkha Meditation Kula.

Subhadramati, Santavajri, and Vajratara filled us in on the progress of fundraising and property searching for Tiratanaloka Unlimited, in order to respond to the numbers of women asking for ordination; and we heard of proposals for future Public Preceptors.

College working arrangements are reviewed and updated regularly, and the afternoon session was devoted to a proposal, presented by Punyamala and Jnanavaca, for changes to the College working arrangements relating to probation / suspension / ‘expulsion’, to keep them in line with our experience of carrying out our responsibilities and having listened to comments from Order members about how that can be improved. There was broad consensus among those present, so we will now be giving those College members who were unable to attend the meeting, a month to respond, and will then share our thinking with the Order more generally.

The second morning was spent continuing a discussion that has been taking place over a couple of years, concerning the possibility of ordaining former serious offenders. Saddhaloka has been involved in conversations on this topic over the last couple of years, with individual Order members and also small groups, and it is not surprising that strong views have been expressed on both sides of the debate. Broadly speaking, on one side is the wish to recognise the potential for any individual to transform their life, and to support that; on the other side is the concern not to underestimate the resources needed, nor the potential effect on individual Order members or the Order in general. This is an important discussion for our Order, especially given the work some Order members are doing with people currently in prison. 

We are working to see if we can reach consensus among College members on points of principle, which would give us an agreed framework within which there would be the flexibility to take into account different cultures and circumstances. We also need to be more explicit in defining what constitutes a ‘serious offence’, and to consider whether some offences are so serious as to rule out the possibility of ordination. Again, this is a continuing discussion and one that we will share more widely with the Order.

The final afternoon of the meeting was spent considering the purpose of College gatherings and how we might best conduct them. There was a general sense that this had been a good meeting and it was delightful to meet ‘in person’ with College members from Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, North America, India, the Netherlands, Germany, Ireland. I am especially grateful to have the support of my stalwart team of Deputies – Amrutdeep, Jnanavaca, Punyamala, Ratnavyuha – and a great working relationship and friendship with Akasajoti as assistant to the College.

Three Public Preceptors ‘retired’ from the College at this meeting (although they remain Public Preceptor to those they have ordained) and we took the opportunity to rejoice fulsomely in Varadevi, Saddhaloka, and Sanghadevi; sadhu! sadhu! sadhu!

with Metta,
Ratnadharini

> November's Features from the College

Dear Order members and friends,

Yesterday at Adhisthana we marked the fourth anniversary of Bhante Sangharakshita’s death; with several events taking place it was a full shrineroom, and many more joined us online. Ratnavyuha gave a delightful talk, sharing the history of his personal experience of Bhante and the development of their connection from when they first met at Aryaloka retreat centre in the US, through further encounters in the UK and Spain. I imagine we were all in touch with our own personal connection with Bhante, many of us with vivid memories of hearing of his death four years ago, as we moved into chanting the five mantras that were recited day and night until – and during – his funeral eleven days later. Mahamati, who had been one of those conducting Bhante’s funeral, was with us to choreograph the five mantras, each accompanied by an associated reading of Bhante’s words.

The 9th meeting of the International Council is currently underway at Adhisthana, and as Chair of the College of Public Preceptors I am also Chair of the IC – although I am fortunate in being able to delegate the convening of the meeting to Arthavadin, who is a wonderful mixture of skilled and calm, firm and responsive; we are in good hands.

Between meetings a steering group meets every month to follow through decisions that have been made and prepare for the next meeting. This is made up of Arthavadin and myself; two other College members, Nagapriya (Mexico) and Abhayadana (India); the two International Order Convenors, Aryajaya and Saraha (both based at Adhisthana); the Indian Movement coordinator Amrutsiddhi (India) and our newly appointed International Movement coordinator, Jnanadhara (Ireland); with the support of Aparajita, as assistant to the IC.

Eleven years after the inauguration of the IC, this meeting is dedicated to a review. There are 34 of us here in total, mainly drawn from each of the three Strands (Order / Movement / College) and six Areas: India / Latin America / mainland Europe / north America / Australia & New Zealand / UK & Ireland. We also have the benefit of guests: Nandavajra (Future Dharma), and also Candradasa and Sanghadhara (The Buddhist Centre Online) who are covering the meeting on social media and creating podcasts.

We began the meeting with Nagapriya giving a talk connecting the Bodhisattva Ideal with the lineage of responsibility (which together with the lineages of teachings, practices, and inspiration, makes up the ‘4 lineages’ we have received from Bhante). I especially appreciated Nagapriya’s reflections on the far-reaching implications of our action or non-action, which spread throughout time and space and are impossible to grasp in their entirety. 

So far we have had an update on the work of the IC and steering group, also the Ahimsa Kula and Communications Working Group; the development of a new IC website and legal structure; and the appointment of Jnanadhara as the first International Movement Coordinator. I’m especially glad we finally have an IMC (thanks to the support of Future Dharma and the ECA); Jnanadhara is well suited to initiate this responsibility, having been Chair of the Dublin Centre for 10 years and having represented the Movement Strand on the IC steering group for some time, and looks excited and engaged!

We began our review of the IC with a SWOT (strengths / weaknesses / opportunities / threats) analysis within each Strand, and followed that with an in-depth exploration of the current aims, responsibilities, and powers of the IC, as well as an exploration of the issues likely to face Triratna in the future, in order to clarify the purpose of the meeting. Some of the topics that have arisen have been in the areas of leadership and representation, and where in our organisation different kinds of decisions should take place.

One of the issues we are facing more generally in Triratna, is how to maintain meaningful connections between Order members living in different cultures and at considerable distances from each other – especially now long haul flights are more contentious. The development of online communication has opened up one avenue (one example being Order members from all over the world meeting weekly to do the Practice for the Arising of Bodhicitta) and the network of experienced Order members who are willing and able to travel builds ‘live’ connections. However many of our international institutions are needing to consider how best to operate in the future, which may involve more emphasis on Area gatherings, as well as international ones, and finding a balance between ‘in person’ and online or  ‘hybrid’ events. 

I’m aware of a few Order members who – for various reasons – have appreciated being in online international Chapters, and have been wondering whether this is something more of us might like to build on. I could imagine some Order members joining intentionally international Chapters, possibly as well as their existing local Chapter, and maybe for a fixed time period such as a year. It would mean any Order member anywhere could share their life and explore their practice in a context that transcended their own culture and emphasised the common factor of Going for Refuge to the Three Jewels. 

with metta,
Ratnadharini

> View Octobers' Features from the College

Dear Order Members and Friends,

I’m writing this month’s update from Aryaloka retreat centre, in the US. When I first became College Chair I planned to connect up with Order members outside the UK, but Covid restrictions put international travel on hold for a couple of years. Three weeks ago I set off on a road trip with Aryadrishti, one of the American Order Convenors, taking in some of the places I’ve not been to before: Seattle, Portland (Oregon), Missoula, Vancouver, and Aryaloka; I also took the opportunity to renew my Canadian passport and spend a couple of days in Ottawa, city of my birth. I was sorry not to get to San Francisco, New York or Tacoma this time, but hope to make the Pan American convention in Mexico next year.

It’s been delightful to build on my connection with Aryadrishti, which dates back to 1995 when we were both living in Melbourne. She did all the driving on this trip – which included detours to take in stunning scenery, avoid wildfires and particularly bad patches of smoke, and for me to get to kayak through Portland on the Willamette river (thanks to Jamie). I’m grateful to Aryadrishti for her generosity and friendship, and to many others along the way for their hospitality: especially Taraprabha and Larry in Seattle, Varada and Buddhapalita in Missoula, and Shantinayaka, Satyavasini and Vimalasara in Vancouver, who so kindly hosted us. Thanks too to everyone involved in scenic hikes and great food.

Sangha night in Seattle passed in a bit of a blur, as I was just off the plane and had been awake for nearly 48 hours, but it was a great place to start; since then, my appreciation of the distances involved between Triratna activities has grown considerably. Along the way I’ve been able to share my experience of the College and International Council, answer questions and hear any concerns. It’s been good to spend time with Order members and Mitras, both those I knew already and those I hadn’t met before, and useful to get a general sense of each sangha – especially as they emerge from a couple of years of Covid restrictions. 

My final week has been here at Aryaloka, where I’m glad to have finally got to see the unusual domes that form the main spaces and enjoy such a well-established retreat centre. My time here began with an Order weekend, and I appreciated the opportunity for Dharma study based on Subhuti’s material on Vasubandhu’s Vijnaptimatrata trimsika karika. Right now the indefatigable Karunadevi, Amala, and I are in the middle of leading a preceptors’ retreat, and then Karunadevi and I will be staying on for just the first day of a women’s GFR retreat.

While I’ve been out of the UK, Queen Elizabeth, Abhaya and Saramati have all died. I’d been very glad to exchange a few words with Abhaya a few weeks ago, as he’d been able to attend the UK and Ireland Convention and had a luminous quality about him then. I was also glad to have been able to have a short online conversation with Varasuri, Saramati’s wife, when I was in Missoula shortly before his death. 

Backtracking to August, it was wonderful to be back at Wymondham College for the Convention, with 450 other Order members, and able to meet up with so many friends again. Highlights for me were the talks by Padmavajra and Vijayamala, celebrating the 75th anniversary of Bhante’s Going Forth in India; the extraordinary rendition of the Dhammapada, courtesy of Manidhara; and the launch of Tiratanaloka Unlimited, the fundraising campaign that will take the brakes off the number of women training for ordination. There were other great fundraising campaigns being launched at the same time, for The Abhayaratna Trust’s ‘Order Health Fund’, Buddhafield ‘Base', and the Urgyen Sangharakshita Trust, but I have a particular connection with Tiratanaloka, having lived there for years and now being their president, and have been aware of the limitations of the property for many years. I was also delighted to be able to purchase a sculpture by Nagasiddhi in their sale of donated art! 

I got to visit Alfoxton for the first time in August, and was very impressed with the inspired and talented team and volunteers led by Jayaraja; I wish them well with such an exciting and challenging project.

Meanwhile, among other events at Adhisthana, the second International Course has taken place, with Order members from Australia, New Zealand, the US, Mexico, India, Finland, Poland, Germany, Ireland, and the UK, and was much appreciated; and now another men’s Dharma Life Course is underway. It’s significant having visitors join the community from so many different countries. 

I’ll be arriving back in the UK and going straight into an Order nissaya retreat at Tiratanaloka, followed soon afterwards by meetings of the International Council and then of the College. It’s been great to be able to start meeting in larger ‘in person’ numbers again, and easy to forget what it was like when that was not possible; however I’m aware we will need to explore how best to organise ourselves, as a growing international sangha and given increasing awareness of environmental concerns. Next year we’ll be marking the tenth anniversary of Adhisthana, and I’m especially excited that we’ve just sent out invitations for a ‘lineage of responsibility’ retreat mirroring the very first retreat ten years ago, when the ECA opened their gathering to preceptors, presidents, mitra and Order Convenors.

With metta,
Ratnadharini

Dear Order Members and Friends,

This month we hear from two of my deputy-chairs, Punyamala and Jnanavaca, who have recently arrived back from leading Ordination courses at Akashavana and Guhyaloka.

With metta,
Ratnadharini

***

From Punyamala:

It has been my great good fortune to spend the last 11 weeks at Akashavana, the forest retreat of luminous space, leading an international ordination retreat during which 18 women entered the Order.

It feels foolhardy to attempt to convey something of the beauty, depth of practice and transformative nature of that time dwelling in the Spanish mountains in the wild and sacred landscape of Akashavana. However, maybe I can give you a flavour of a remarkable retreat the experience of which is largely incommunicable. As T S Eliot says, 

I can only say there we have been, but I cannot say where
And I cannot say for how long, for that is to place it in time.

So we were wholeheartedly practicing under vibrant, deep blue skies where the vultures soar and glide surrounded by pines and holm oaks and protected by ancient rocky cliffs, in a timeless realm away for the sorrows and heartbreak of the world for a while.

Our community of 23 had various challenges to face. Early on in the retreat we had a covid outbreak in which 17 of us were affected by covid. Everyone responded magnificently to this situation and as most people were only mildly affected we were able to maintain our retreat programme. Some heroines gave unstintingly and worked very hard cooking and doing essential tasks. Everyone was kind, co-operative, flexible and generous. We also had 2 periods of very hot weather, one during the ordination phase of the retreat. The heat was tiring and debilitating at times but again everyone remained positive and creative.

This was the first long ordination retreat for women during which everyone wore robes. We had a strong robing ritual at the start of the retreat. I found that the wearing robes emphasised our faith and common purpose in Going for Refuge to the Three Jewels. I discovered that putting on my robe before going to the shrine room strengthened my commitment to practice effectively.

It was also the first retreat at Akashavana since the stupa to Dhardo Rimpoche has been built. The stupa has a strong presence and has a splendid location on a terrace above the shrine room. It brings a significant new dimension to Akashavana recollecting Dhardo Rimpoche and Bhante’s friendship with him and also providing another practice area in the very heart of the landscape. This was well used both for individual and collective practice.

Akashavana felt especially important to me this year not only because it provides such extraordinary and magical conditions for women’s ordination in Triratna, but also, more generally as a sacred place in the world where women can experience great beauty and profound silence and a true sanctuary from the travails of samsara so that

Refreshed we rise and turn again
to mingle with this world of pain.

- Sangharakshita

Akashavana only exists through the generosity of so many. I’ll conclude with expressing my gratitude to those who made this year’s retreat such a rewarding experience. Firstly, I am very grateful to the 18 new Dharmacharinis who so wholeheartedly engaged with the retreat creating a loving and harmonious community which enabled deep transformation and supported everyone into the Order. It was particularly good to have 3 women form North America who enriched the retreat in so many ways. The team for the retreat, Kalyacitta, Hridayagita, Sucimani and Jvalamalini worked tirelessly and good humourdly and took the various challenges we faced in their stride. They also provided excellent and uplifting talks and teachings. I am truly grateful for all their input.

Finally, the retreat could not have happened without the support of the Akashavana community who worked tirelessly and with great generosity throughout. Bodhipakshini and Padmasakhi and their volunteers were simply magnificent.

It has been a rich and rewarding time and I am delighted that 18 new Dharamacharinis have joined the Order.

with love,
Punyamala

***

From Jnanavaca:

I returned just over a week ago from co-leading the Guhyaloka ordination course with Paramabandhu. We had 11 wonderful weeks in the ‘secret realm’. Guhyaloka, as many of you will know, is spectacularly beautiful. I knew and felt this while I was there but somehow after a few weeks it was easy to become accustomed to the beauty. Now back in London, and more particularly in Bethnal Green with it’s traffic and concrete, the retreat feels like a gorgeous dream. 

There were 20 of us there - 16 retreatants and a team of four. The other two team members were Jnanadhara and Santaka who were wonderfully supportive, hard-working and capable. One of the most enjoyable aspects of being there was the tangible sense of harmony between us all. Each of the retreatants was impressive as an individual, but even more so as part of a community where there was such a spirit of co-operation, kindness, good-humour, and friendship. I felt very fortunate to be there not only with Paramabandhu who is one of my kalyana mitras and who I’ve lived with for 27 years, but also with three other much younger men from my community Samaggavasa, who are now part of the Order. 

It was the first time I’d co-led an ordination course, and the first time I’d conducted public ordinations. I must admit that before going, I wasn’t particularly looking forward to it, feeling the responsibility of co-leading the retreat as something of a burden. This feeling wasn’t helped by me contracting Covid two weeks before leaving. The thought of being up a mountain in the cold and possibly wet conditions without most of the creature comforts I am all too accustomed to, felt like an unwelcome challenge. Fortunately I was well enough by the time the retreat started and the physical conditions were just fine and more than fine. We were very well looked after by the resident community at Guhyaloka who shopped and cooked for us and were always available to take care of our needs. I rejoice in all their dedication and hard work, not just in looking after us, but in taking care of Guhyaloka - a demanding job that I would not be able to do. 

I experienced a great deal of joy and gratitude and a deep sense of fulfilment on the retreat. Conducting the public ordinations I was very much aware of all the kalyana mitrata I’ve received in my dharma life. As well as Paramabandhu there were other preceptors present - namely Arthapriya, Mahamati, and Vessantara - who have been teachers and guides at various points in my life, and whose example I look up to. And then there were the peer friends amongst the private preceptors (too many to name) as well as of course the men being ordained. All of us there, and so many other friends not physically present, united in Going for Refuge to the Three Jewels. All of us participating in a common vision of human potential. I was delighted to privately ordain two men who I live with - Maitrishura and Maitrikumara - as well as publicly ordain six men including another man I live with, Samantavajra. The ordination ceremonies, both private and public, felt emblematic of what is most important in my life expressed more purely than I am usually able to do. 

I was very aware of my own ordination in India in 1999 and of Subhuti, my private and public preceptor, my teacher and friend. And as it were standing behind Subhuti were Bhante and Bhante’s teachers, the teachers of the past all the way up to the Buddha. A sense of lineage has become more and more important to me as the years go by. I’m afraid I don’t really have the words or the clarity to express what I mean by this, but I do have a tangible sense that the honouring of lineage is a key to opening up to the blessings of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. I think this may be what Shenpen Hookham is pointing to in her book ‘The Guru Principle’, and personally I feel proud and humbled and profoundly grateful to be part of a lineage. 

On the retreat, as well as studying the Dharma section of ‘The Three Jewels’, I re-read chapters two to four of ‘The Survey of Buddhism’ as well as ‘Ambedkar and Buddhism’ and various other pieces of Bhante’s writings, including many of his poems. As well as being affected by the depth and clarity and devotion in the writing, it was another way for me to stay connected to Bhante. I’m not generally prone to visionary experience, but in one meditation where I was ‘just sitting’, Padmasambhava seemed to spontaneously appear. “Great Guru, please give me a teaching” I asked. I thought this a reasonable and appropriate request but there was no response. I repeated my request a second time and still there was silence although his presence remained quite vivid. However the third time I asked there was an immediate and definite response that took me aback. Very clearly, deliberately, and in a rather stern manner the Precious Guru replied “I gave you Bhante”, in a tone that I took to mean “what more do you want?”. 

During the ordination period I was aware more than ever of the trust that our Sangha is founded on - particularly the trust that is placed in the College and it’s members to welcome people into the Order and to oversee the ordination processes. Since joining the College in 2020 I’ve taken on being one of Ratnadharini’s deputies and been involved in trying to manage some of the more difficult issues that can arise in our Order from time to time. I’ve found this work challenging and at times quite unpleasant, although its also rewarding to work closely with Ratnadharini and her other deputies - Punyamala, Amrutdeep and Ratnavyuha. Like many of us I’ve been involved in taking responsibility in our institutions all my Order life and like many of us it’s not work that I always enjoy or find easy, and at times I can question why I do it. However conducting my first public ordinations has helped me to put some of the more difficult aspects of the work into its proper context, and I think its also helped me to feel more confident as a member of the College. 

So I’m ‘landing back’ reasonably well and starting to re-engage with my life in London. I’ve just finished reading one book and started two others by Dr. Eben Alexander - an American neurosurgeon and academic who in 2008 had a near-death experience while in a coma caused by a rare strain of bacterial meningitis. The disease severely damaged his neocortex - the part of the brain that he says makes us human. I’m reading his books because I’m interviewing him next week as part of the ‘Nature of Mind’ project. Before his near-death experience he was a committed scientific-materialist convinced that consciousness is a phenomenon created by the brain. His experience, including his full and scientifically inexplicable recovery, has transformed him and he now believes consciousness is more fundamental than matter. As a neurosurgeon he understands and explains why the experiences he had while in the coma couldn’t have been fabricated by his infected and damaged brain. 

Personally I don’t need convincing of the continuity of consciousness after death, but I meet many people, including Buddhists, who hold a scientific-materialistic world-view, sometimes more or less consciously. It’s a pernicious view that is arguably infecting western Buddhism. For me one of the values of the ‘Nature of Mind’ project is to have this view challenged by contemporary scientists. 

Dr Alexander’s books are fairly light-reading, nevertheless I think he’s sincere, and I found the account of his near-death experience in his book ‘Proof of Heaven’ compelling and remarkable. In ‘Living in a Mindful Universe’ he explores ideas about consciousness that resonate with Buddhism, and which I think may have more impact on some people because of his scientific training and previous rational scepticism. I’ll end with some words from an earlier book of his, ‘The Map of Heaven’: 

“Love, Beauty, Goodness, Friendship. In the worldview of materialist science, there is no room for treating these things as realities. When we believe this, just as when we believe it when we are told that meaning isn’t real, we lose our connection to heaven - what writers in the ancient world sometimes called the ‘golden thread’. 
We get weak.
Love, beauty, goodness, and friendship are real. They’re as real as rain. They’re as real as butter, as real as wood, or stone, or plutonium, or the rings of Saturn, or sodium nitrate. On the earthly level of existence, it’s easy to lose sight of that.
But what you lose, you can get back.”

Wishing you all well, especially those who have recently joined our precious Order. 

With Metta,
Jnanavaca

Dear Order Members + friends,

This month I seem to have emerged more fully from the era of Covid lockdowns. As well as my regular visits to South Wales, I’ve also been to London, Stratford-upon-Avon (wonderful to get to the theatre again: Henry VI and Richard III), and Leek in northern England (checking out a possible property for Tiratanaloka). I’ve also been kayaking down the River Taff to Cardiff basin, negotiating a couple of weirs and a lot of rocks (as the water level is so low at the moment), into an incoming tide and gusting headwind that was flattening the dinghies..

And now I’m writing from the Pure Land of Vajrasana, where the sun is shining and the occasional deer wanders past outside. I’m here to join the European Chairs’ Assembly for a couple of days, but missed the first couple of days of the gathering, which included talks from Bhadra on ‘The Embodied Heart: What it is to be a Chair under the influence of the lover archetype’, and from Prasadacarin, Bodhilila, and Viryanaga on ‘Chairing in the love mode, struggles in the power mode’. The meeting has now moved on into an update on the strategic priorities set two and a half years ago, and it’s clear that everyone is appreciating being able to meet again in person. I’ll make the most of being over in the east of the country to drop in on Padmasuri, before visiting my mum on the way back to Adhisthana.

This month I’ve also been involved in several online meetings relating to the International Council. The IC Steering Group, which is drawn from all three Strands and different geographical Areas, meets monthly to support Arthavadin in his role as Convenor. Nagapriya has also initiated a meeting of the College members involved in the IC, to explore the particular contribution we can make from a College perspective. And then there are the IC meetings themselves..

This month saw the last in a series of three online International Council meetings exploring Authority and Responsibility in our Spiritual Community; Commonality; and Principles for Social Engagement. This final meeting opened with a series of short video presentations, setting us up with information on different approaches and experience from around the world, and the discussion was generally very stimulating and harmonious. Arthavadin has done a great job of collating the responses generated under 14 headings, and will be taking these to the Steering Group before disseminating them further. We were able to share the first draft with the ECA session that was discussing much the same topic as a strategic priority.

When Arthavadin become International Council Convenor, he set up some informal working groups to begin, as he put it, ‘grasping the nettle’ – or starting to engage with some of the more long term and demanding topics needing attention. I’m involved with the group exploring ‘Growth and Sustainability in Triratna’, which has had several stimulating meetings and will be generating material that will hopefully form the basis of a formal IC Working Group, which will then be able to make recommendations.

At Adhisthana, I especially appreciated our recent Community days, as the ones earlier this year were torpedoed by someone catching Covid.  Among other things, we spent one delightful session hearing each community member advocate a project, and then voting on how to distribute this year’s £3,000 dana budget. Different community members offered a choice of study on Eros & Beauty / the Dasadhamma Sutta / the Kadampa Precepts. Khemabandhu hosted an update on the Adhisthana Teaching Community project, and others of us talked about the various responsibilities we hold as part of the Adhisthana Mandala. This week Rochani leaves Adhisthana, after being dedicated to the project for eight years. She’s off to experiment with living alone but within reach of friends and culture in London. And in a couple of weeks Jayadhi, the youngest Order member, arrives back.

I’ve also started a very informal and enjoyable gathering at Adhisthana, initially with Aryajaya, Saraha, and Khemabandhu, which is intentionally not a meeting, but an opportunity to share impressions and experience arising out of our various responsibilities. 

Adhisthana is looking especially beautiful this summer, as Sanghadeva plants out a design by Chris Beardshaw, and the photogenic and friendly rare-breed sheep are back grazing under the oak trees. Dr Richard Comment, of the Bumblebee Conversation Trust and supported by the World Wildlife Fund (UK), visited our wildflower meadows for a Bumblebee ID training day, and filmed a very philosophical interview with Sanghadeva. 

We celebrated the summer solstice by inviting local Order members to join us for a barbecue. One of our local Order members was recently awarded an O.B.E. in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List, for the contribution she has made to so many people as a result of her inspired creation of Breathworks. Congratulations to Vidyamala on such well-deserved recognition!

With metta,
Ratnadharini

> June's 'Features from the College'

Dear Order Members and friends,

As well as being College Chair, I’ve come to hold various other responsibilities within Triratna, including currently being a Centre President and involved in the International Council. Looking back, becoming part of the women’s ordination team at Tiratanaloka was probably the most significant factor in shaping this life; but actually it goes back even further than that and has really emerged from a network of kalyanamitrata…

I first encountered the FWBO / Triratna in London, when I was in my 20s and already living in a housing association community. It was a short step to move into an LBC community, and then my sense of needing more contact with spiritual friends led me to abandon my lucrative and engrossing career in computer programming, for team-based Right Livelihood. The contexts of living and working with other buddhist women gave rise to formative relationships with my kalyanamitras Vidyasri and Sanghadevi, with Sanghadevi later becoming my private preceptor. Some 15 years later, and by now an Order member myself, I was invited to spend six months with women practising in Melbourne – forging lasting connections.

It was a surprise to then be asked to join the women’s ordination team at Tiratanaloka, as I was a relatively new Order member and hadn’t thought of myself as the kind of person who lived in a retreat centre (similarly to most people who end up doing so) or even as an obvious full time kalyanamitra (many people finding me unapproachable and even scary). I remember discovering how privileged and inspiring it was to witness the transformation of women training for ordination. In the days before ordination teams started to develop more fully elsewhere, we kept in contact with women training for ordination all over the world (outside of India) – which at that time involved writing an extraordinary number of physical letters. To make things more manageable we divided up the world between us, and I got Australia, Scandinavia, and Cambridge! Over time I became preceptor to some of these women, and my long-standing connections with the Stockholm and Helsinki sanghas led to my becoming president to these Centres, as well as to Tiratanaloka.

However I hadn’t factored in becoming College Chair, and the rather demanding first couple of years made it clear that I wouldn’t be able to do justice to all three presidencies. It seemed natural to keep up my connection with Tiratanaloka, and I had already started to explore the possibility of stepping down from Stockholm and Helsinki when Covid restrictions halted travel. I am now delighted that Sujana is about to become president in Helsinki, which seems an excellent match, and I keep up my friendship with Prasadacarin, Stockholm Chair, while he explores other options.

I was able to spend time with Sujana during the Presidents’ meeting at Adhisthana this month. The theme was the lineages of responsibility and of inspiration (two of the four lineages of teachings / practices / inspiration / responsibility, outlined by Bhante). It was our first in-person meeting for three years, and very much appreciated by those present (markedly fewer than last year’s online meeting, which just about everyone attended). There were short talks on the theme from Subhadramati, Kulamitra, and Vajranatha, and more personal ones from Ratnaghosha, Lokabandhu, and Maitreyi, as well as Subhadramati interviewing Paramartha on his connection with Bhante. Ratnaprabha introduced study sessions on ‘Authority and the Individual in the New Society’ – a talk given by Bhante in 1979 for the opening of Sukhavati / The London Buddhist Centre; and Prakasha led evening meditation and puja. Bhante’s talk gave us plenty to discuss, e.g.: ‘Going for refuge means moving from the group to the spiritual community, i.e., from the power principle to the Bodhicitta.’

As president of Tiratanaloka, I joined the team this month for some of their community days, and we spent some of that time with the Pāsādika Sutta (The Delightful / Inspiring Discourse, Digha Nikaya 29). The Sutta begins with the novice Cunda relating to his preceptor Ananada how, following the death of the Nigaṇṭha Nātaputta, the Nigaṇṭhas had split into two factions and were now quarrelling and disputing with each other – in a manner that makes it clear that human nature is much the same today! The Buddha’s response is that not only does there need to be a fully-enlightened Buddha whose doctrine is well-proclaimed and whose disciples have fully mastered it, but that understanding and ability to teach effectively needs to have percolated throughout the sangha, without anything being deducted from or added to it. He then says his disciples should come together and recite what they have heard from him, and gives one of the early lists of what constitute his essential teachings (the 37 Factors of Enlightenment, or Bodhipakkhiya Dhamma). They should check their understanding of both the meaning and expression, carefully suggesting alternatives if either are wrong, and applauding when correct. He goes on to clarify the reason for his teaching of restraint, and makes the point that this does not mean the avoidance of all forms of pleasure; in fact the experience of jhāna is entirely pleasurable and leads to Arahantship. This is the purpose of his teaching, and he does not engage in useless speculation.

I was delighted, as always, to spend time with the team, who are impressively inspired and harmonious. During my 15 years at Tiratanaloka, the maximum size of ordination team and support team combined was about 12 or 13; the current team is about 6.5 with some volunteer help. Not only are they the core leaders of GFR retreats – with help of other experienced Dharmacharinis; they also do most of the administration as well as supporting or co-leading ordination retreats (including three month retreats at Akashavana). Currently, with input from Subhadramati and FutureDharma, they are setting out to raise funds for the larger and more sustainable project that is needed to respond to the increasing numbers of women who have requested ordination – Tiratanaloka Unlimited. A true band of dharma heroines – with more beginning to appear in the wings!

Next summer will be the tenth anniversary of the opening of Adhisthana, and I’m glad plans are starting to take shape for a series of celebratory events. The opening event in July 2013 had been planned as a meeting of the European Chairs’ Assembly (ECA), which I thought would be big enough (around 60 people) and forgiving enough, to test the facilities without overwhelming them. When they decided to invite the College, Presidents, Order and Mitra Convenors to join them, there was a rush to decorate the remaining bedrooms; I woke up disoriented early one morning, standing with a paint roller on a pole and leaning against a freshly painted wall… The event itself passed in a blur, but I’ve heard it was great, and there’s a plan to repeat it next year…

with metta,
Ratnadharini

See April's 'Features from the College' here.

Dear Order Members and friends, 

A year ago, someone rejoiced in my merits – and those of College members generally – as they put it: ‘out of the blue’. He said he was following up an intention to express gratitude when he felt it, and I’d like to take this opportunity to respond ‘in kind’.

Saddharaja has rheumatoid arthritis, and recently Covid on top of that, however he’s just set out to complete his cycle ride from Land’s End to John O’Groats (the southernmost to the northernmost point of mainland UK) raising funds for Triratna activities in Kolkata. Last summer, after 420 miles and having raised £14,000, illness forced him to stop in Shrewsbury; this summer he’s aiming to cover the remaining 650 miles with Prajnakara as support. You can follow his blog triratnakolkata.blogspot.com or contribute here https://gofund.me/d272b9b1.

One of the benefits of being based at Adhisthana, is the opportunity to drop in on events. I’d found a previous Philosophy Seminar very stimulating, and was looking forward to this year’s theme 'In Search of the “Transcendental”’, but was only able to attend one talk: ‘Sangharakshita’s Transcendental Critique of Literalism’ by Viryadeva, based on a couple of Bhante’s lectures from the Vimalakirti Nirdesa series. I won’t attempt a précis, but it included reference to the Yogacara model of consciousness (that Subhuti has done so much to unpack) and culminated in an uplifting evocation of the nature of transcendental beings, which resonated for me with a thread I’ve been following from Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. 

I was also glad to be able to drop in on the gathering of an impressive cohort of 24 young Order members at Adhisthana. Khemabandhu interviewed me on the topic of ‘tradition is the handing on of the flame, and not the worship of the ashes’ and it was interesting to explore the overlap between the image of flame as tradition, and the meaning of adhiṣṭhāna, and to talk about the experience of holding specific responsibilities within our community. I was especially glad to get to share my overall very positive sense of our Order, as the last few years seem to have been overly involved in trying to resolve difficulties – which can give a lopsided impression. We ended up touching on how crucial it is that we are able to exemplify harmonious communication, if we are going to be effective in playing a part in transforming human tendencies to polarise, that lead to such devastating and unnecessary dukkha (suffering) in the world.

I’m delighted to rejoice – in her absence – in Lizzie Sparkes, who is set to take over from Akasajoti as our youngest dharmacharini. We’ve just seen her off from Adhisthana, where she is clearly much loved and appreciated by everyone, on her journey to Akashavana. The spiritual community is a strong home for her and she’s made lasting friendships wherever she’s been, beginning with the Colchester sangha. I’ve mainly got to know Lizzie by bumping into and hanging out with her in the community. She’s intelligent and creative; ethically ‘clean’ and doesn’t hold on to grudges; and knows what she thinks and feels, and communicates that openly with a willingness to learn and change.

I’ll also rejoice in Danasamudra, who has just handed over librarianship of the Sangharakshita Library, having overseen overseen the books since they arrived in cardboard boxes, to Sally Malsingh (who is also heading off to be ordained). Danasamudra has had a lot of help, especially from the FOSLs (Friends of Sangharakshita Library), but her passion and dedication to the task has been the driving force behind full categorisation and general organisation of the impressive library. 

I’m fortunate in having several very supportive contexts. Working with Akasajoti continues to be a delight, with her skilful communication and organisation, talent for beautiful and evocative design, and the pair of us seeming to be of one mind on just about everything. I also continually draw on my team of College Deputies and will miss having Punyamala and Jnanavaca around while they are both away on the three-month ordination retreats – that happily are taking place at Akashavana and Guhyaloka again. I’ve recently begun a new configuration of College Chair’s Council, initially with Aryajaya and Saraha (as the International Order Convenors), and Khemabandhu (as Adhisthana Chair), hopefully to be joined by Arthavadin (as International Council convenor), which is intentionally not a business meeting, and which I’m finding both useful and enjoyable. Personal friends, such as Dhammarati and Padmasuri, are important mainstays in my life, and when I became College Chair I let Subhuti and Dhammadinna know that I would be regarding them as unofficial extra kalyanamitras!

With Metta,

Ratnadharini

See April's 'Features from the College' here.

Dear Order members and friends,

Thanks to Jnanavaca for writing last month’s letter, which came as the war in Ukraine was just beginning. It’s been sobering to watch the devastation of so many lives. I was on a women preceptors’ retreat at Adhisthana as the invasion became a shocking reality to those of us following the news; however others were making the most of being offline, and so it remained in the background until the final day of the retreat.

The theme of the retreat was ‘the dakini as esoteric sangha refuge’ with a keynote talk by Vajratara, an exploration of the four speech precepts by Subhadramati, ‘giving and receiving feedback’ by me, and ‘kulas and the creative mind’ by Santavajri. Having been given my title, I was amazed to discover in the reading material Vajratara had prepared for the retreat, that there actually is a sutta on ‘giving and receiving feedback’. It’s the Codanā Sutta (AN 5.167) translated as Criticising or Reproving, and builds on the more familiar material about skilful / unskilful speech in the Abhaya Sutta. As well as daily Guru Yoga / Bodhicitta practice, we were doing evening rituals based on the five mantras chanted at Bhante’s funeral. It was a delight to be on retreat in person again, with preceptors attending from mainland Europe and even the USA, and others joining online. We took the opportunity for a preview of the Tiratanaloka team’s plans for expansion: Tiratanaloka Unlimited, which we’ll no doubt be hearing more about soon.

Immediately after that retreat was a women’s Area Order weekend, and immediately after that the March College Kulas meeting. The main international College meeting is in November each year, while March is an opportunity for individual Kulas to meet either at Adhisthana or elsewhere, after which the whole College meets for a weekend online. Unfortunately this year’s March meeting clashed with an Order retreat at Shravasti, a men’s ordination retreat in India and women’s ordination retreats in Australia and New Zealand, so we are especially looking forward to the first live College meeting for two years this coming November.

Meeting in our Kulas at Adhisthana, we opened up the evening of the first day to a shrine room acknowledgement of the effect of the war in Ukraine, with Saddhanandi and Saddhaloka introducing an evening that included hearing from Order members in Krakow – where they had just decided to open the Buddhist Centre to refugees – and about a Mitra in Odessa facing the real life dilemma of whether to take up arms or not. Amogharatna closed the evening with a moving period of metta bhavana, for all those caught up in the war. The following evening many of us went to see a preview of the movie ‘Benediction’, about the pacifist poet Siegfried Sassoon.

We also took the opportunity to spend an evening rejoicing in Lokeshvara’s merits, as he steps down after eight years as one of our International Order Convenors. I’ve worked closely with Lokeshvara during that time, initially in the Adhisthana Kula and more recently because there is quite an overlap between his and Aryajaya’s responsibilities and my own as College Chair, and I’ve greatly valued his input and friendship. He cares deeply about our Order and has always brought a spiritual perspective to our discussions, and we gave him a thangka of a mandala, which has been a significant symbol for him in recent years. 

We entered the international hybrid College weekend via (for those of us in this part of the world) the rather intense route of a Friday night ‘business’ meeting. However first of all, Akasajoti treated us to a preview of the beautiful webpage she has been creating that brings together for the first time, all the information preceptors are likely to need!

As always, we will need to wait to hear back from those unable to take part to reach final decisions, but I am now able to confirm the appointment of Amala, from near Portsmouth, Maine / Aryaloka, New Hampshire, as a Public Preceptor. This is an especially welcome appointment, as Karunadevi – who has been the only woman Public Preceptor in the USA / Canada for many years – will need to retire from the College at some point. Karunadevi will continue to offer her support to Amala, as will Viradhamma, Sanghadevi, Ashokashri, Parami, and others, including the Area ordination team. There is one more Public Preceptor appointment that I hope to be able to announce soon.

I was personally very sad that after being under considerable strain Yashosagar has decided to take a two-year sabbatical from the College; I have valued his contribution immensely and am glad he feels able to continue as part of the ordination team in India, and very much hope he will be able to return refreshed.

Nagapriya reported back from the International Council steering group, where he and I have been joined by Abhayadana – which means we now have College participation from Mexico, the UK, and India. Nagapriya and I are also involved in an energetic working group initiated by Arthavadin to explore the topic of ‘Triratna growth’. Another working group is focussing on Order ethics and safeguarding, and the Ahimsa Kula has been following up any concerns remaining since the Adhisthana Kula published its report. Vajrashura updated us on the work of Sikkha, focussed recently on the Nature of Mind project initiated by Maitreyabandhu with Adhisthana. The next meeting of the International Council will be a weekend in June exploring ‘a dharmic perspective on social engagement’.

A group of College members have been liaising with the Triratna BIPOC strategy group, and there was encouragement from the rest of the College in response to a presentation of an outline proposal to create additional training to support people of colour.

Ongoing discussion also included the topic of Probation / Suspension / Expulsion, with the recognition that there will sometimes be a need to suspend an Order member following a credible allegation of serious unskillfulness whilst further exploration takes place.

The weekend continued with a roundup from all Kulas in the mornings, followed by discussion of points arising such as succession planning, and more general discussion about the balance needed between online and ‘in person’ engagement for those wishing to deepen their involvement in Triratna. It is clear that more resources are needed to support those of us involved in resolving ethical issues within the Order and Movement.

In the afternoons we were treated to study by Padmavajra, on the theme ‘Love Mode / Power Mode'; and in the evenings Maitreyabandhu again introduced a series of personal contributions, this time hearing from some of us around the theme of ‘Love and Loss’.

Later in the month I took a train for the first time in two years, in order to be at the LBC for a weekend seminar for young women, entitled ‘I want to live a full Dharma life, but…’ Tightly choreographed five minute presentations from a range of Order members, around topics such as motherhood / career / social impact / ordination, were followed by searching questions and further exploration in small groups and across a range of ages and Triratna experience. I also enjoyed hanging out in Samayakula community, trying to remember which bedrooms I’d lived in nearly 40 years ago, and hanging out with Dhammagita in Hyde Park.

With Metta,
Ratnadharini

Dear Order Members and Friends,

As one of her deputies, Ratnadharini asked me to write this month’s letter from the College.

My month began with ‘landing back’ from a three week solitary retreat at the LBC’s retreat centre, Vajrasana. It was the first proper solitary I’d had since the start of the pandemic and it felt like balm. I emerged refreshed and energised in a way that I haven’t felt for a long time. The main theme of the solitary was trying to take deeper my reflections on seeing things in terms of the ‘maya way’ - trying to see the phenomenal world, as well as the ‘self’ that I think experiences it, as appearances in mind. I was reading transcripts of Vessantara’s retreats on ‘The Ocean of True Meaning’ and re-reading Bhante’s seminar on ‘The Shepherd’s Search for Mind’ as well as ‘Living with Kindness’ and ‘Living with Awareness’. There’s much further to go but I felt I made some progress - one of the effects of which seems to be realising that there’s much further to go. I felt a great deal of gratitude for my life and my friendships, and a tangible sense of Bhante’s blessings as well as those of his teachers. In particular Jamyang Kyentse Rimpoche seemed a more vivid presence, perhaps because I do the Manjughosha Stuti sadhana which Bhante received from him.  

I returned to learn that Amoghavamsa had had a heart attack and Ashvajit a serious fall and bleed on the brain while in Mexico. I’m glad to say that Amoghavamsa is doing well and that Ashvajit’s condition seems to be improving, albeit slowly. I was moved by Mahamati’s response which was to fly out to Mexico to help care for Ashvajit. I was also moved by the Abhayaratna Trust and the Order responding so quickly and so generously to help with the medical costs, and with another fund to cover Mahamati’s expenses.

I also learned that Lee Walford, a mitra in Cambridge, had had a road traffic accident while cycling and that he was in a coma. Unfortunately his injuries were severe, and very sadly, some weeks later his parents had to make the decision to turn off the life-support machine. He died a few days later. Lee worked managing charity finances for both the Cambridge Centre and for Dharmachakra, who run Free Buddhist Audio and The Buddhist Centre Online. He was also for many years a much-appreciated member of the team at Windhorse Publications. I’m the president of the Cambridge Centre and although I didn’t know Lee very well, I knew him enough to know he was a gentle, kind and sensitive man who cared deeply about the work of Triratna. I wish him well on his journey.

Back in London I helped to launch the ‘Nature of Mind’ project. This new project is hosted by Adhisthana and supported by the Future Dharma Fund. Over the next six months, there’ll be interviews with a number of experts in different fields about the ‘mind’, as well as seminars exploring their ideas from a dharmic perspective. There’ll also be meditation teaching and retreats for newcomers as well as for Order Members. A number of Centres are participating with additional activities for their local Sanghas. It’s a bold and exciting project that I hope will attract more people to the Dharma.

I was launching it with an evening talking about the work of the psychiatrist and neuroscience researcher, Iain McGilchrist, and his thesis that the two hemispheres of the brain have different and opposing modes of attention, and consequently two different ‘world views’. He shows how both modes of attention are necessary, but that by allowing the left hemisphere’s world view to become dominant, we’ve created a culture that is self-centred, utilitarian, reductive and alienated from how things really are. McGilchrist is also a philosopher and a literary scholar. He’s a true polymath and his ideas have so much resonance with the Dharma. His book ‘The Master and his Emissary’ is I think a truly important work for our times. In particular I was keen to emphasise in my talk that perhaps despite being a scientist, he’s not a ‘scientific-materialist’. He believes that consciousness is primary and that matter is like a ‘state of consciousness’. It was a privilege to interview him online last year and I’m delighted to say that he’s going to be coming to the LBC in April. Maitreyabandhu and I will be interviewing him in person about his new two-volume book, ‘The Matter with Things’. So far I’ve not read very much of this enormous work but have managed to sprain my wrist - fortunately mildly - trying to pick up both volumes with one hand!

Partly in connection with the ‘Nature of Mind’ project, but also out of personal interest, I’ve been reading about Near Death Experiences (NDEs) and watching various interviews with people who have had such experiences. I recently read a book called ‘After’ by Dr. Bruce Greyson. He’s a medical doctor who’s spent many years researching NDEs primarily through interviews with people who have had them. I recommend his book, particularly for sceptics. Another excellent book I’ve recently read is ‘In Love with the World’ by Mingyur Rimpoche in which he describes his own Near Death Experience and his resulting liberation. To a lesser extent the interviewees in Bruce Greyson’s book also talk of a transformation following the NDE. They lose a fear of death, feel at peace, experience a profound sense of connection with all life, become less materialistic and reorientate their lives to be more altruistic. There seems to be a recognition that all actions, no matter how small, have consequences, as well as an experience that we’re profoundly connected with each other and all beings, and a realisation that learning to love unconditionally is the only thing that really matters in life.

I’ve also just finished reading Satyadasa’s memoir ‘The Sound of One Hand’. It’s a delightful read - very honest and very witty. Subhuti says of it: “Satyadasa lays himself bare, revealing struggles, personal and spiritual that will be familiar to many of us, whilst also providing a truthful and inspiring account of a spiritual community as it matures. I hope this beautifully written and engaging book is widely read.” I feature in the book. It’s a rather strange experience seeing oneself as another saw me, but fortunately Satyadasa has been kind and generous towards me in his account of our friendship.
   
One consequence of doing the ‘Nature of Mind’ launch was that I missed the men’s Area Order weekend at Adhisthana. I was sorry about that, and sorry to not be there for Prakasha’s talks which I heard were excellent. I was however able to go on a week-long Preceptor’s retreat at Adhisthana. It was a particularly good retreat I think. I was pleased to give a talk trying to explore themes from my solitary, including how seeing things in the ‘maya way’ is the foundation for maha-maitri and how we can truly benefit all beings. Apart from just being on an in-person retreat with friends, the highlight for me was listening to Subhuti being interviewed by Maitreyabandhu on a buddhist perspective on the ‘nature of mind’. It’ll be available soon and I hope many people watch it. 

A more difficult aspect of the retreat was being involved in the decision that recognised Bodhidharma as having excluded himself from Order. It’s a painful process for all concerned - certainly for Bodhidharma, but also very difficult for all those affected by his actions. Since joining the College in 2020, and then becoming a deputy to Ratnadharini and also joining the Ethics Kula later that year, I’ve had to be involved in a number of cases of serious breaches of the precepts. It’s been the most difficult and painful aspect of my work.

More positively I’ve been preparing to co-lead, with Paramabandhu, the Spring ordination course at Guhyaloka this year. It’ll be my first time conducting public ordinations and it’s been a pleasure inviting men on the course. There should be 17 retreatants including Sarvadarśin who has recently been ordained in Australia. I’m also due to be privately ordaining two of the men that I live with in Samaggavasa community, as well as another one publicly. All being well we’ll be heading off to Spain for an 11 week retreat at the beginning of May. Unfortunately the course has had to be shortened from the 16 weeks that it used to be because of restrictions following Brexit.

This past fortnight we’ve also had Vajrashura and Padmavajra staying with us in Samaggavasa. It’s been good to see them, and to have Padmavajra teaching again at the LBC - something he’s not done since the start of the pandemic. He gave two beautiful talks, one at our Parinirvana Day festival last week, and one the following evening at the ‘Dharma Night’ class. Then yesterday I gave a talk in Brixton, South London, at their sangha’s Parinirvana Day festival. I was struck by how, even by Triratna standards, they are an exceptionally friendly and welcoming sangha.

In England this week the last Covid restrictions were lifted. But this has been overshadowed by other news. As I write, Russia continues its invasion of Ukraine and president Putin is saying he’s putting Russia’s nuclear deterrent on ‘special alert’. This afternoon I’ve been meeting with a friend of mine who is Ukrainian. He’s a mitra who’s been invited on the ordination course where I’m due to be his public preceptor. He lives near the LBC but his parents and grandmother are in Ukraine. He’s just found out that the city in which they live is being bombed and that his parents are having to take shelter in the hallway of their apartment. I led him in some meditation, and we did a seven-fold puja to Green Tara in front of my shrine, during which he read the opening six verses of the Dhammapada. We sent metta to all those in the war including the Russian soldiers. It felt a tiny response in the face of a nightmarish situation, but I’m sure it’s not completely without consequence.

With metta,
Jnanavaca

Dear Order members and friends,

A week or so ago we received news of the death, at the age of 95, of Thich Nhat Hanh, founder of the Order of Interbeing and the Plum Village tradition of Engaged Buddhism, and well known for his teachings on mindfulness, peace and ecology. I still have my copy of ‘The Miracle of Mindfulness’ from 1988, when there were far fewer Dharma publications generally available in the west, and remember how influential it was for many of us. Having experienced the death of our founder just over three years ago I can imagine, to some extent, what it will be like for the Order and community he founded and inspired, and who will be continuing his vision into the future, and send metta. Vishvapani has written an obituary of Thich Nhat Hanh, printed in The Guardian, and a short interview with Suryagupta was also published in another article.

My last letter was written at the end of November last year. In early December, the UK and Ireland women’s Area Order weekend at Adhisthana explored the meaning of our Refuge Tree, continuing on from a talk given by Subhadramati to the International Council at the end of October, with a further talk from Subhadramati and one from Vajratara entitled ‘Critical Ecumenicalism: sitting at the feet of the Gurus with an open heart and a discerning mind’. For many this was their first ‘live’ gathering with other OMs for a couple of years, and worth wearing masks to make it possible.

Later in December, and again in January, I spent time with the heroic Tiratanaloka team as their president. Karunadhi recently stepped into the responsibility of Chair, and the big topic is how to address the growing need for more resources to respond to the numbers of women who have requested ordination (mainly from the UK and Ireland, but also from mainland Europe and often from further afield). Now Subhadramati has left the London Buddhist Centre for a more itinerant lifestyle, she is adding her support to the project.

I enjoyed a few relatively quiet weeks over the holiday period, online as little as possible and following up a thread of study and meditation, sparked off by a conversation with Subhuti; long overdue and deeply nourishing. I was also able to spend a few days with my mother; once over Christmas, when family plans broke down due to Covid restrictions, and again for her 93rd birthday.

I arrived back at Adhisthana in January to much rejoicing, as Lizzie Sparkes – who many of you will know as the main cook at Adhisthana – had been invited on this year’s long Akashavana ordination retreat. The first big event of the year was the meeting of the European Chairs’ Assembly, which Mahamati and I joined on behalf of the College. It was heartening to hear how the UK and European Centres had not only weathered the pandemic, but – thanks to new technology and The Buddhist Centre Online – developed new approaches that will continue to be relevant in the future. There seems to be a discussion brewing about how people making first contact online, might then be able to follow up with ‘in person’ local sangha connections. 

Mahamati and I both enjoyed joining sessions during the ECA meeting, and meeting up with various friends. For me it was especially good to spend time with Prasadacarin, Chair of Stockholm Centre, as I am technically still president there in the absence of a replacement and he has become a good friend, and he gave me the pottery bowl he made and had promised for when I do step down! I was also glad to see Dhammamegha, Director of Windhorse Publications, and another long-standing friend; she has worked so hard and effectively to re-establish the viability and vitality of our publishing house. You can read their final report from 2021 here.

Feeling refreshed, and able to start thinking ahead more creatively rather than simply responding to urgent demands and concerns, I’ve been revisiting ideas I’d had when I took on responsibility as College Chair nearly two and a half years ago. In fact I’ve just taken a leap of faith and booked flights to American and Canada in September, and hope to meet with as many Order members as possible as well as attending an east coast preceptors’ gathering. I’m going to be travelling with Aryadrishti, one of the Area Order Convenors and an old friend of mine, and we’re planning some fun along the way. I’m also hoping to visit Ottawa, my birthplace, and see the Fall from a slow train journey. 

The past two months have been rich in ordinations, with three at Vijayaloka in Australia in December, welcome to Jinavajra, Sarvadarśin and Khemavajira, and two at Chintamani in Mexico in January, welcome to Aryavadin and Nityamani.

I was delighted that the four new women Indian Public Preceptors were able to conduct their first ordinations at Bordharan this month, with Srimala’s support, which meant 19 new Indian Order members. This is a significant step in our lineage, following on from Karunamaya and Jnanasuri more recently, and also Srimala, Padmasuri, and Ratnasuri in the past. Welcome to Shilavajri, Aryamani, Ojahshri, Maitritara, Vidyasuchi, Shraddhashri, Acalasiri, Shakyavajri, Diparatna, Shubharatna, Vidyadrishti, Shakyashri, Maitreyani, Karunacariya, Shraddhaprabha, Tejahprabha, Shiladharini, Dhairyamati, Virajadharini.

Most recent of all* was the ordination of Chandradarshana, in Birmingham UK. Doreen Wilson would probably have been ordained this summer, but Santavajri stepped in after hearing that Doreen’s health was deteriorating, and conducted her ordination two days later. As Santavajri says in her notice, it was both a joyous and poignant occasion, and I’m so glad everyone involved was able to make this possible.

Sadhu to all new Order members! 

With metta,
Ratnadharini 

* Since writing, a further Ordination has taken place, of Vimoksajyoti at Sudarshanaloka. Sadhu!

> See January's Features from the College

Dear Order members and friends,

This month the annual international College meeting was a complex hybrid affair, taking place partly in person at Adhisthana, and partly online. Akasajoti came up with a schedule that not only took into account the different time zones, but also maximised crossover by shuffling us into different configurations; she even set up interactive zoom screen in the shrine room that meant we could all see and hear each other.

We began the meeting with three days of ‘business’ discussion, held entirely on zoom. My Chair’s report included some relevant statistics on ordinations and the Order generally. I also covered the various areas of responsibility of the College Chair: International Council, liaison with the European Chairs’ Assembly; Adhisthana; Presidents’ meeting; and the Ethics Kula (of which I am no longer a member). I drew people’s attention to the outcomes of a conflict resolution process, initiated by a group of Order members with concerns about the communication of a couple of Public Preceptors in relation to ex-Satyadhana and raising the possibility of this being a more systemic issue. I also mentioned that I had found the past two years challenging, and that continuing to do a little Dharma teaching had been a boon. 

There was also a reporting back from the Indian Preceptors' Kula, which is always much appreciated, and which this time included an account of the impressive work that has been done by our community in response to the suffering due to the Covid pandemic. We also heard about the impact of changing legislation in India (the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act) which has highlighted areas of unclarity and concern between some of our Trusts – and unfortunately given rise to some disharmony.

We experimented this time with combining discussion topics into four focus groups, each taking place twice to enable international participation. Each was led by two facilitators who prepared material in advance, and we invited people to follow their interests in choosing a group. We hoped this format would give enough time for depth of discussion and – where appropriate – come up with recommendations to put to the whole meeting, and from the plenary sessions this appears to have worked well. We will have more to communicate from these soon. There was also a Triratna Preceptors’ College Trust AGM, and a report back from the College Kula Reps (a group of representatives from the College kulas in each 'Area').

After a free day – which some people spent travelling – those of us in the UK (joined by Kulanandi, who is based in Berlin) met at Adhisthana, where our first opportunity for 18 months to meet ‘live’ was a joy. Others from Europe, India, Mexico, USA, Australia, and New Zealand, joined us on zoom.

We then moved into a period of retreat, interspersed with gatherings of individual Kulas. Our meeting has usually followed the format of: Kula time; retreat period; ‘business’ discussion, and my impression was that people enjoyed having the ‘business’ discussion first and then moving into a more retreat-like week that included time in our individual Kulas during the first few days. 

During this phase of the meeting we welcomed six new Public Preceptors: Abhayadana, Abhayavati, Shubhajaya and Vijaya from India; Vajratara and Yashodeva from the UK (although Yashodeva will be especially supporting the Spanish-speaking ordination processes). We were treated to life stories from Abhayadana, Vijaya, Vajratara, Yashodeva, and Jnanavaca; and we rejoiced in the merits of Karunamaya and Padmasuri, as they both retire from the College.

The retreat itself was based around study led by Subhadramati drawing from a 1980 seminar on Chapter 13 of the Jewel Ornament of Liberation: 'The Perfection of Ethics and Manners’, as well as extracts from ‘the Windhorse Trading seminar’ in 1993 where Bhante approaches the development of insight. We had small groups for discussion and confession, and also practised the Vajrasattva sadhana, led by Jnanavaca and Purna, and Vajrasattva and Sutra of Golden Light pujas, led by Punyamala and Padmasuri. It was magical to participate in a puja that was being led in the Adhisthana shrine room, but with readings and mantras coming ‘live’ from people in other countries.

Another innovation was the ‘Open Evening with the College’, hosted by Maitreyabandhu and Vajrajyoti, and attended by around 700 Mitras and Order members from all over the world. Padmavajra, Vajratara, and Ratnavyuha gave short talks on the central Buddhist act of Going for Refuge, as well as the meaning and significance of our private and public ordination; mitras Cara, Nick, and Solvieg shared very moving personal accounts of why they have asked for ordination; and a panel responded to questions. Many thanks to the team doing an almost impossible task of simultaneous translation into German, French, and Spanish - we will keep trying to deepen our practice of international community and the inclusion of people whose first language is not English. The level of interest, significant content, and messages of appreciation, mean that this is something we would like to repeat. 

Events coming from Adhisthana this Autumn have been marking the third anniversary of Bhante’s death. During the International Council weekend at the end of October, each day began with a ritual led by Aryajaya from Urgyen House. I was uplifted by a talk from Subhadramati exploring the theme of Commonality from the perspective of our Refuge Tree – in particular the version painted by Chintamani, in which Bhante is seen holding up a kesa in anticipation of the act of bestowing ordination.

Bhante’s presence was felt very strongly during the ritual handover of the responsibility of Chair of Adhisthana, from Saddhanandi to Khemabandhu. After many years as Taraloka Chair, Saddhanandi was asked to move to Adhisthana in 2014, and became Chair the following year. She has been formative in building the community and developed a close personal connection with Bhante, and during the ritual handover she generously passed to Khemabandhu the piece of greenstone Bhante had given to her. I’m glad to say Saddhanandi will be continuing at Adhisthana as part of the Dharma Team, which is the core of a wider Adhisthana Teaching Community that recently gathered at Adhisthana; some 20-30 experienced Dharma teachers (including some from other countries) who will be developing our teachings of Bhante’s particular presentation of the Dharma. As well as supporting this emerging project, our new Chair, Khemabandhu, is especially keen to create opportunities for more young people to benefit from being at Adhisthana, so I’m sure we will be hearing more about that.

Finally: sadhu to Silamani and team in Valencia, for their beautiful new Centre; and to Viveka, Mahaprabha, Ananta, and Samayasri and colleague Max Gaston, for initiating Karuna USA.

with metta,
Ratnadharini

> November's Features from the College

Dear Order members and friends, 

It’s a while since I’ve written, as there was no September Shabda.

It’s been a delight over the past few months to see a series of ‘hybrid’ events taking place at Adhisthana,‘in person’ as well as online. People have appreciated being able to reconnect in that way again, as well as enjoying the beautiful environment and the opportunity to visit the newly opened Urgyen House and exhibition, and the community have been happy to be able to welcome people back on site.

Among other events we were able to meet in relatively large numbers for a UK & Ireland combined Order weekend in August. There was a wealth of input from Vidyamala on Satipatthana and Lojong training, and opportunities to explore associated areas of practice more deeply; also the launch of the Urgyen Sangharakshita Trust, and a talk from Subhuti on ‘The Gurus’ Adhisthana’. The marquee remained up for the Sub 35 festival retreat, created by Ksantikara and team, which combined the liveliness of a festival with a seriously weighty retreat programme; Ratnaghosha, Saddhanandi, and Dhammarati each gave talks based on a line from Padmasambhava’s ‘Advice to the Three Fortunate Women’.

Many of us are still subject to varying degrees of Covid infection and lockdown, and the stress and uncertainty look likely to be with us for a while to come. The positive aspects of online communication have helped enormously, although I wonder about the effect of spending so much of my life attached to my computer. I recently managed to take four days pretty much offline, fulfilling the plan I’d had for a couple of years to walk some of the ‘Beacons Way’ that zigzags across the National Park. I hadn’t been sure I would still be able to do this kind of hike, but a local chiropractor had worked wonders with my stiff and sore leg, and I felt better for the break in many ways.

Various discussions are working their way through the Order. Our first online Order Forums were attended by about 500 Order members and considered whether more serious breaches of the Ten Precepts we take at ordination might imply an Order member having put themselves outside the Order; we also explored the tension between transparency and confidentiality involved in such decision-making. It was useful to hear a range of perspectives, and we hope this conversation will continue in other contexts such as Order Chapters. We will be picking it up again during the (hybrid) College meeting in November.

This ten-day November meeting is the main College meeting of the year, when all College members come together for a period of practice, as well as discussion time both in our individual kulas and all together. This year we will have three days study with Subhadramati, on the theme of ethics and confession. We will be hearing from the College Chair and Deputies, and from the Indian Public Preceptors, and experimenting with an Open Evening with the College, hosted by Maitreyabandhu.

This year’s agenda includes the topics of: gender and the ordination process; clarification of ethical processes including probation, suspension and expulsion; communication and building trust; authority, responsibility, and the role of the College; next steps for encouraging and supporting racial diversity; and the ordination of former offenders.

We are delighted that we will be welcoming four new Indian women Public Preceptors to their first College meeting: Abhayadana and Vijaya from Nagpur, and Abhayavati and Shubhajaya from Pune. These are especially significant appointments as there have been no Indian women Public Preceptors active in the College since Jnanasuri and Karunamaya each retired for health reasons, although they (and Srimala) continue to support the situation.

We will be taking the opportunity to rejoice in Karunamaya’s merits, having done so for Jnanasuri a couple of years ago, and also in Padmasuri as she too retires. Padmasuri, Srimala, Jnanasuri, and Karunamaya have all been heroines in their own way, and all contributed so much towards making it possible for Indian women to be ordained. Padmasuri was involved in leading the long ordination retreats for women at Akashavana for many years, but lived in India as a young Dharmacharini, working as a nurse and teaching Dhamma, and is remembered and appreciated by many there. Both she and Srimala acted as private preceptors on Sangharakshita’s behalf in 1987, ordaining Vimalasuri and Jnanasuri, and Srimala has continued to visit India most years. Jnanasuri was at the mass conversion conducted by Dr. Ambedkar only weeks before he died, and has worked tirelessly for the Dhamma ever since. Karunamaya has spent most of the past 30 years living in India, and is now at least as much Indian as she is English; she is currently considering next steps that will support her love of meditation.

The International Council has also been making the most of zoom to hold a series of online gatherings. In August we explored the topic of Authority and Responsibility in our Spiritual Community, and people appreciated the opportunity to give sustained attention to a single theme – the implications of which will be followed through in future meetings.

I’m currently reading, and would recommend, ‘The Warmth of Other Suns’ by Isabel Wilkerson, telling the story of the migration of African Americans from the south to the north and west. It’s an informative and moving account and is giving me more of a sense of that aspect of history, and on the strength of that I’m intending to read her book ‘Caste – The Lies that Divide Us’.

With Metta,
Ratnadharini

Dear Order Members and friends,

Ratnadharini has been encouraging the College deputies to write this monthly letter occasionally, so I agreed to take the plunge this month!

July started with an international, online weekend meeting of the College. Since I became a public preceptor in 2015 the College has met twice a year in March and November so it is a new development to meet in the summer. The meeting worked well and I appreciated connecting with the other public preceptors. Due to the opportunities presented by Zoom and Akasajoti’s wizard skills in negotiating time zones, it feels both meaningful and effective to meet in this way, although I hope many of us will be able to meet in person in November. It was also fortuitous for the college to have planned to gather at this time as we were able to start discussing some of the issues arising from the recent case of expulsion of a member of the Order. As result, we have now arranged two Order forums about how to respond to ethical issues in the Order to broaden out the discussion and include the wider Order.

During the weekend Purna led us in some study around the myth of the return journey and the place of Buddha nature in our system of practice which I found stimulating and illuminating. The highlight of the weekend for me was a session in which a few College members shared an object of significance/fascination. This was riveting. In the session I attended, Mahamati shared reflections about Bhante’s last years, using Bhante’s roamer as the focus (a roamer is a walking aid which Bhante used when his mobility deteriorated). Dhammarati’s object was Sangharakshita’s Complete Works which he designed and which symbolise Bhante’s vast mind and incomparable grasp of the Dharma. He included a short and enjoyable explanation of the Sabon typeface used in the Complete works which is based on a fifteenth century typeface. Padmasuri showed us the gorgeous embroidered priest’s stole which her grandmother made for her grandfather who was an Anglican vicar, and finally Jnanavaca gave us a glimpse of his personal shrine which is rich in symbolism and meaning. The session concluded with a beautiful song from Ratnasila. There is such a wealth of talent in the Order and it is lovely when we have the opportunity to share things with each other.

Not long after the College meeting I was off to Taraloka for my first in-person retreat for 9 months. It was a great pleasure to be at Taraloka with 14 other women and to see the newly completed Earth/sky garden outside the shrine room. This landscaping project is a beautiful and significant addition to Taraloka and its design is visionary. It has been crafted and finished to a very high standard.

It was interesting to find myself with strangers and I was initially taken aback to encounter the great variety that exists amongst human beings! It made me realise how narrow my life has become over these last 18 months during which I have only seen people I know well in person ( the 2-D world of Zoom only gives a very limited snapshot of a person). One thing I have come to know much more deeply in the last 18 months is how fundamentally social human beings are as a species. For that to have been eroded and restricted, challenges what it means to be human. I find I am having to re-learn, remember, what and how to relate to other people so I think it took us all a bit longer to settle into the retreat, especially as some people had been living on their own throughout the last 18 months. Since the retreat ended, England is now coming out of the restrictions imposed by covid-19 which provides us all with a challenging set of conditions. I realise that I need kindness and forbearance to negotiate the challenges ahead as well as Amitabha’s discriminating wisdom and, of course, metta.

The theme of the retreat was ritual and the imagination. Ritual is close to my heart and I ever grow in confidence that it is my main practice. My approach is to see it as meditation in action and I aspire to bring a ritual approach to the whole of life. I find when I am participating in ritual, or in a sacred space, I am naturally more aligned to the way things are. Ritual fosters our link to the Transcendental. I would like to see more conversations about ritual and hope we could move towards a shared understanding and framework of the significance of ritual and its place in Triratna. During the retreat, we dwelt ever more deeply in Tara’s realm both in the inner landscape of meditation and the outer landscape of the place, discovering the magic and beauty in the woodlands and encountering the diverse wildlife. The retreat seemed to have a transformative effect on many of the participants.

Talking to a good friend yesterday, I think ritual could help us all in the coming months as we come to terms with the effects of the conditions of covid-19 by creating a context in which we can acknowledge the many, many losses of the last 18 months and also any gains.

Wishing you well and may we all flourish in the Dharma,

Punyamala
Deputy Chair of the College

> See July's Features from the College

> You can hear more from Punyamala in a recent conversation about her relationship with Sadhana, here from Adhisthana; or read reflections, from 2017, on her experience of being a Dharmacharini and a mother, here.

Dear Order Members and friends,

Yesterday the public ordinations of another eight women took place at Adhisthana, while the church bells rang out across the fields from Coddington steeple. Sadly I was not able to be in the shrine room at the time, as I was in a zoom meeting, but it’s been delightful seeing the new Dharmacharini’s emerge into the beautiful Adhisthana context.

In fact meetings of various kinds seem to have been the flavour of this month. According to my diary I’ve been in meetings of the International Council steering group (twice), an ordination kula, the Adhisthana Council, Adhisthana trustees, Ethics Kula, College Deputies (three times), a race awareness taster session, and dropped in on the European Chairs Assembly. Also individual meetings with a couple of Order members with safeguarding experience, regular meetings with Akasajoti, mainly on College business, not to mention Chapter and community meetings at Adhisthana. There were other informal meetings that didn’t officially make it into my schedule. 

What I hadn’t anticipated was the amount of follow up needed, after the announcement last month that the actions of an Order member meant they had ‘put themselves outside the Order’. I’ve been busy replying to many emails (mainly supporting the decision), and speaking with many people who expressed reservations or concerns (mainly online). After meeting with College members over three days (to allow for different time zones), I also wrote a longer and more informative letter to all Order members. 

Unfortunately the work load meant I had to drop out of leading study for the women’s Dharma Life Course currently taking place at Adhisthana, although Taravandana and Kalyanaprabha very kindly stepped in at the last minute and covered me seamlessly. Fortunately I did manage to visit my mum for a couple of days, as she’d fallen and broken her wrist.

It hasn’t been an easy month (that’s English for ‘it’s been really tough’). I’m very aware that many people have suffered, in one way or other, as a result of past and present actions, and I want to keep the various conversations going and do what I can to make sense of it all and learn how best to avoid suffering in the future. I’ve felt keenly aware of my responsibility as College Chair, and my personal limitations, as well as deeply appreciative of the challenge and support of many friends.

I’m currently preparing for another meeting in a couple of days’ time… this time an online meeting of the international College, which I am very much looking forward to. I will be able to share more about that in next month’s letter.

Thanks to whoever sent the roses that arrived today!

With Metta,
Ratnadharini

> View June's Features from the College

Dear Order Members and friends,

Last month one of my deputies, Amrutdeep, wrote from his perspective about the effect of the Coronavirus pandemic in India. 16 Order members and over 35 Dhammamitras died in India in the last couple of months and it’s still pretty grim; if you’d like to help, you can read more about some of the ways in which you can give here.

Its poignant that over the past five weeks or so we’ve also welcomed 41 new members into the Order, some of whom had been invited to be ordained last year. This was a feat of flexible organisation under current conditions.

An online ordination retreat in April created the conditions for six women to be ordained, three in Holland and three in Germany, with Kulanandi driving between Metta Vihara and the Berlin women’s community to conduct their public ordinations.

An online ordination retreat led from Taraloka this month supported ten women and their preceptors to hold private ordinations. The public ordinations conducted by Santavajri and Padmasuri at Adhisthana, by Subhadramati at the London Buddhist Centre, and by Parami at Dhanakosa. A second online ordination retreat culminated in a further ten women being publicly ordained by Subhadramati at Taraloka.

Two women were publicly ordained by Karunadevi at Dharmadhara Retreat Centre in California, after being on retreat with their preceptors.

And most recently, Buddhamaitri was publicly ordained by Padmavajra, following a retreat with his preceptor Aparajita; and, a face-to-face ordination retreat for 12 men took place at Vajrasana, with public ordinations conducted by Arthapriya and Paramabandhu, and I believe most – if not all – of them have been able to travel to Guhyaloka to continue their retreat. Being based at Adhisthana I was especially glad to hear that James Brodie has become Khemabandhu, and Ben Linsey-Bloom is now Vilasamuni. Khemabandhu is a key member of the Adhisthana team and Vilasamuni joined the community here for the months leading up to his ordination.

Continuing the theme of ordination, I spent last week at Tiratanaloka where the team have been holding ordination training retreats online. It was a delight to be able to meet and sit together in their beautiful community shrine room to mark the responsibility of Chair being handed on from Candraprabha to Karunadhi both of whom I ordained. It’s good to see responsibility being handed on down the generations and to know that Tiratanaloka is in such good hands. To mark the occasion I had found some notes made by Suvajra, of Bhante’s comments on his experience of handing on responsibility; and as I read this out I realised that they were dated 28th May 2001, at Il Convento, and so exactly 20 years ago.

Finally, it was with great sadness that I had a communication with a long-standing Order member, to let him know that, in consultation with my Deputies, the International Order Convenors, and Ethics Kula, I had come to the conclusion that his past action was incompatible with membership of our Order. This is not something that has happened often in our Order, and some Order members are understandably concerned; however matters like this have to be confidential and I haven't been able to share details. Our consultations have reflected the sadness and seriousness of this matter and we’ll continue to consider and discuss how we can best fulfil our commitment to ethical practice, with care for all those affected. 

With Metta,
Ratnadharini

> See May's Features from the College