The characteristics of the creative mind are the opposite of those of the reactive mind… The creative mind loves where there is no reason to love, is happy where there is no reason for happiness, creates where there is no possibility of creativity, and in this way ‘builds a heaven in hell’s despair’.
Sangharakshita – Mind Reactive, Mind Creative

It is through awareness that we move from the reactive mind to the creative mind, from Samsara to Nirvana. On this retreat, we will explore how we can allow our creative minds to flourish in whatever conditions we find ourselves in our work, our families, our meditation, and our friendships.

Join us for a weekend of meditation, puja, talks, discussion and silence. A retreat for fathers, grandfathers, stepfathers, surrogate fathers, fathers-to-be and father figures!‍

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Fri 28 Mar 2025 - Sun 30 Mar 2025

The retreat starts with dinner on the first day at 6:30 pm and finishes on the final day at 2:30 pm.

Book your place on this retreat

The new video release now live on the Triratna Video Library

The Urgyen Sangharakshita Trust's third monthly contribution to Sangharakshita 100 is another video in the 'Unseen Sangharakshita' series now live on trirtanvideolibrary.org.

This talk is called 'The Relation Between Buddhism and Art'.

For his first talk in Kraków, Poland, Sangharakshita chose to explore the relationship between Buddhism and art. The lecture was held at a centre for Japanese Culture and so Sangharakshita first spoke of his youthful encounters with the writings of Lafcadio Hearn and his introduction to the Diamond Sutra. He recounted his personal conflict between the study of Buddhism and artistic pursuits and how a poem by Shelley led to a resolution. A consideration of the connections between art and Buddhism followed with an explanation of the four kinds or levels of art he detailed in his book 'The Religion of Art'.

The lecture, given on 7 May 2002, was translated by Nityabandhu into Polish and has English subtitles.

Watch the latest release on Triratna Video Library

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Sangharakshita 100 events continue with the next 'Unseen Sangharakshita' video.

This time it's a talk entitled 'Wesak and After' which you can now watch on the Triratna Video Library

In May 1992 Bhante Sangharakshita was invited to speak at a UK Western region Wesak festival gathering. He reminisces about his first Wesak celebration in 1949 and highlights the importance of understanding the significance of Wesak and the Buddha’s Enlightenment, asking the question 'What is Enlightenment?'

He recounts a recent trip to Kraków, Poland, where he gave three talks, exploring the relationship between Buddhism and art, Triratna’s six distinctive emphases, and the conflict between academic study and practical Dharma practice. He reflects on the prevalence of conflict in Buddhist life, drawing parallels to the Buddha’s own journey.

He retells the story of the Buddha's encounter with Mara and goes on to consider in detail the Buddha’s conquest of the four types of Māra: Devaputta-māra, Kleśa-māra, Maccu-māra, and Khanda-māra, representing the triumph over death, conditioned existence, and the five aggregates. He explores the five kleśas and their antidotes before discussing the meaning of death for a Buddha. After considering the precious opportunity for spiritual growth through the Triratna’s resources and community he encourages all to continue their spiritual journey, seeking enlightenment and conquering Mara for themselves.

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Padmavajra shares some key moments with Sangharakshita from his long life in the order touching on some important lessons that still have relevance for him today.

Sahajatara (under the name Trey Blake) has an album out this month (January) with the esteemed and eccentric American musician Jim White of "Searching for the Wrong-eyed Jesus" fame on the Fluff and Gravy record label. Jim's film is still available to watch on the BBC. The Album is already being well reviewed, and is Uncut Magazine's Americana Album of the Month! The Album is called Precious Bane after the 1924 book by Mary Webb, which Sahajatara gave Jim at the beginning of a friendship several years ago. The album art looks amazing with Sahajatara's spellbinding photos of wild UK coasts on the inside.

On top of this, Jim and Trey will be touring in the Netherlands and Belgium, before coming over to the UK in February 2025, joined by the Belgian Superstars, Geert Hellings and Nicolas Rombouts. We heard that the London show is already sold out! There are hows also in Brighton, Bristol, Newcastle or Gosforth venues if you want to attend. They are small and intimate venues of less that 100 people I believe.

Samples of Sahajatara's song "waves", and Jim's too can be found on his website

Please spread the word, and support the album!

A delightful, uplifting and heartfelt talk from Saraha offering three pieces of sage advice for the spiritual life. Not to be missed. This talk was given at Birmingham Buddhist Centre, 2018.

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Bite-sized inspiration three times every week.

Subscribe using these RSS feeds or search for Free Buddhist Audio or Dharmabytes in your favorite podcast service!

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Suryadarshini retells the story from Sangharakshita's Know Your Mind about staying in contact with faith in the midst of a desert of suffering. She exhorts us to continue to turn towards our experience, even in the absence of pleasure or inspiration. Excerpted from the talk Faith and Doubt In Ten Minutes given at Norwich Buddhist Centre, 2018.

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Subscribe to our Dharmabytes podcast:  On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts

Bite-sized inspiration three times every week.

Subscribe to our Free Buddhist Audio podcast:  On Apple Podcasts | On Spotify | On Google Podcasts

A full, curated, quality Dharma talk, every week. 3,000,000 downloads and counting!

Subscribe using these RSS feeds or search for Free Buddhist Audio or Dharmabytes in your favourite podcast service!

Help us keep FBA Podcasts free for everyone: donate now!

Follow Free Buddhist Audio: YouTube  |  Instagram  |  Twitter  |  Facebook  |  Soundcloud

The Dharma of Fantasy

Our issue on fantasy literature, issue 37, is almost ready to be printed!

There will be amazing articles on :

* Addiction and renunciation in The Lord of the Rings by Dayajava

* The Oxford Inklings and the quest for mythic renewal by Ratnagarbha

* Finding love, patience & forgiveness through fantasy, by Maitriyogini

* Wonderful mythic artwork from Vishuddimati and Moksananda

With fantastic artwork , including this rendition of 'the eye of Sauron' by Stirzocular –www.deviantart.com/stirzocular/gallery

Subscribe at www.urthona.com

Are UFOs real? And what could they possibly have to do with Buddhism? This video takes you on a journey into the mysterious liminal realm—a space where the boundaries between the material and the imaginal blur. By exploring the connection between UFO encounters and spiritual experiences, we uncover how these phenomena point to deeper dimensions of human consciousness. Discover why reconnecting with this realm is essential for modern society and how it can transform our understanding of reality.

Poetry and verse were a lifelong love of Sangharakshita. His deep reverence for the Buddha was often expressed in his poetry. This programme explores Bhante’s thoughts on the importance of devotion whether expressed through writing, adorning shrines, puja or in other ways.

Paramartha considers the books of verse that Sangharakshita kept with him throughout his life including a text that proved an important source of inspiration, encouragement and guidance not only in his early years in India but throughout his life.

Find more video blogs from Urgyen House

Great Ocean, Urgyen Sangharakshita and Friends, a biography is now complete with this 150-minute film (with a part break). 

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Watch Abiding Part One

Watch Abiding Part Two

Watch the full catalogue of films on Lights in the Sky



 

For the past 10 years there have been activities for Gender Diverse practitioners in the UK, including day and weekend retreats, mitra study both in person and online, awareness training for centres, and an international meeting for gender diverse allies and friends in the Order. These have seeded activities for gender diverse people in local centres and provided a vital context for those who do not feel met by the binary system.  As well, a chapter of gender diverse order members are involved in supporting mitras and those training for ordination, and were involved in running the retreat at Adhisthana this year (our retreat next year is Sept 12-15 at Adhisthana).  Some of the activities of this chapter in supporting gender diversity inclusion are supported financially by the European Chairs Assembly. 

If you consider yourself gender diverse and would like to connect with others in Triratna, please contact Nagakusala (fremder@riseup.net) to be added to an international Whatsapp group.

For the sixth death anniversary of Bhante Sangharakshita we have delved into the Triratna Video Library archives and edited a 14 minute video.

In this previously unseen footage you will find Bhante giving a masterclass in how to launch a book as he launches the third edition of Subhuti’s ‘The Buddhist Vision’. Recorded in Birmingham on FWBO Day in 2001. With a light, even playful, touch, he remembers the Movement’s beginnings in Monmouth Street before turning to a ‘momentous event’ in 1985. He recalls early debates over what Buddhism actually is, explores the ‘vision’ of Buddhism and even shares his favourite saying from the Christian Bible.

Watch the video here.

On Saturday 9 November, during the international meeting of the Preceptors’ College at Adhisthana, we will be celebrating the completion of Sangharakshita’s Complete Works. 

With the publication of the final three volumes, including a remarkable concordance (which you can hear more about here in a beautiful talk, ‘Worlds within Worlds' by Vidyadevi, given at Adhisthana on the August Order weekend), we now have a collection of twenty-seven volumes of all of Sangharakshita's previously published work, as well as talks, seminars and writings published for the first time in book form, representing the definitive edition of his life’s work. 

This immense project has been undertaken with the skill, generosity, faith and commitment of so many people, and we want to rejoice in all of those who have contributed over the last decade and celebrate the culmination of this great work.

The Public Preceptors and the Adhisthana Communities will be joined at Adhisthana by 26 of the wider Complete Works team for a programme of short talks, expressions of gratitude, and a ritual dedicating the work to fulfilling Bhante’s Bodhisattva Vow and lifelong mission to spread the Dharma for the benefit of many.

Please join us online!

Meeting ID: 890 0431 2642
Passcode: 456671

Saturday 9 November 19.30 – 21.15 GMT [105m]

USA PST 11.30 | Mexico 13.30 | USA EST 14.30 | UK 19.30 | Central Europe 20.30 | India 01.00 (next day) | Australia AEDT 06.30 (next day) | New Zealand NZDT 08.30 (next day)

Suvarnadhi is undertaking a 24-hour pujathon on October 12 & 13 to help raise funds towards the completion of the new Auckland Buddhist Centre. The centre was purchased a year ago and needs a bit of work - we've been wearing puffer jackets and hats inside all winter. We already have 85% of the funds we need to get renovations underway in November, but need wider help with the last 15%. You can increase Suvarnadhi's motivation to stay awake by sponsoring her and learning more about the pujathon and the new centre here.

The Preceptors’ College is recruiting…

We are looking for an Order Member to join us some time between December – February to replace Akasajoti who has been the College Assistant for the last five years. This first role we are recruiting is full-time and will hold primary responsibility for the Preceptors’ College and play a supporting role with the International Council. 

We’re also keen to hear from anyone who might be interested in joining the team in the future. We intend to recruit a second executive assistant with primary responsibility for the International Council at the end of this year, to take up the post early 2025 when Arthavadin will step down.

If you’re interested in one of these roles, or contributing to this team into the future then you can read a bit more about the context below and get in touch with Akasajoti at triratnapreceptorscollege@gmail.com to start a conversation. Please express any interest in the role of Executive Assistant to the Preceptors College before 17 October.

…for an Executive Assistant…

The role of executive assistant involves a very enjoyable interplay of service and initiative: this requires a high-level of receptivity and listening to the vision, thought and leadership of the College and IC Members, combined with a capacity to intuitively and intelligently digest and synthesise the information. This informs the strategic visioning of agenda-forming and programme planning, includes the secretarial support of scheduling and minute-taking, and carries forward into the creative work of communications, reporting, proposal-writing, and other outputs. We’re envisioning that each of these Executive Assistants will take primary responsibility for one project, and play a supporting role in the other.

It could be a possibility for either or both of them to live at Adhisthana, which we would encourage, as they will benefit from the supportive conditions of a shared project and more immediate contact with each other, as well as other key responsibility holders with whom their work overlaps. This would be a boon to these internationally-oriented roles where so much of the work is conducted remotely. 

Each member of the team will be financially supported to live simply and give themselves fully to the altruistic project of serving our spiritual community and making the Dharma available in the world. This will also include eight weeks of annual leave and a retreat allowance, as well as national insurance, pension contributions, and order dana.

…creating a team of vital importance to Triratna. 

In 2024 after 10 years of existing within the charity structure of Adhisthana, a new charitable organisation (CIO) has been established for the Preceptors’ College and the International Council, recognising that Adhisthana has evolved to the point where it makes sense for these projects to function as independent entities. The Preceptors’ College and International Council will continue to hold their key meetings at Adhisthana and we will maintain a close and mutually supportive relationship.

The intention for the new CIO is to create a clear organisational structure for the Preceptors’ College and the International Council in order that they are able to fulfil their distinctive but related purposes in effective and harmonious relationship with one another.

The Chair of the Preceptors’ College is also the Chair of the International Council and its Steering Group, though has historically delegated this role to a Convenor. We’re moving to integrate the staff of both bodies in order to create a team who can share resources, information and expertise and work more efficiently and effectively to fulfil their common purpose.

The structure of this new team reflects more accurately the flow of responsibility, replacing the roles of College Secretary and International Council Convenor with a pair of full-time Executive Assistants, who will support the membership of the Preceptors’ College and International Council, and their core and ancillary meetings - including fulfilling the role of convening the International Council, delegated by the College Chair. These roles carry much more responsibility, creativity and influence than standard secretarial support and we hope the change in structure will reflect this. They will be further supported by an administrator and book-keeper (part-time), and work closely with Mahamati as incoming College Chair, his Deputies, and the other members of the International Council Steering Group.

It is of vital importance to Triratna that we have a well-resourced team serving these central institutions enabling them to offer leadership and support unity across our international Sangha. Over the next five years we would love to be able to take more creative initiative and be of greater benefit in responding efficiently to the needs of our Order and community and the wider world. If you are an Order Member or training for Ordination and can imagine contributing your skills to our shared project – in the areas of communications, facilitation, fundraising, governance, database and systems development, and more… – on a short-term or long-term basis, voluntarily or otherwise, please be in touch.

🖥️ Attend this event live on Zoom

We are very pleased to announce that the following three women will be publicly ordained at Aryaloka Buddhist Center on Saturday, September 7 at 11:30 am local time.   

Nancy Artz from Portland, Maine 

Laura Rivchun from New York City, New York 

Rohini Shah from Richmond, Virginia  

Their Public Preceptors are Ashokashri and Amala.   

🖥️ Attend this event live on Zoom

USA PST 08:30 | México 09:30 | USA EST 11:30 | IE & UK 16:30 | Europe CET 17:30 | India 21:00 | Australia AEST 01:30 (Sunday) | New Zealand NZST 03:30 (Sunday)

🖥️ Reserve your spot for the live stream

This event will be live-streamed. If you register to attend online we'll email you a reminder closer to the day. You don't need to register to attend online but please try to arrive at least 5 minutes before the start of the ceremony to minimize disruptions. 

The three women will be privately ordained on a retreat between August 24 and September 5.

Their private preceptors are Padmadharini and Dharmasuri.

Launching a book I haven't really written.  It is a compilation of mostly pujas with some other Buddhist rituals that I have composed or put together from other sources over the years since the early days of Vajraloka.  I think many of you will appreciate them and may wish to do them, too.  The reason that I say I haven't written it is that Lokabandhu, who has a lot to do with 'Triratna InHouse Publishing' simply put it together from computer files that I had on my various drives. I had never seen these collected together before or counted their number. I'd just call them forth from time to time.  And I'm amazed how many of them there are. Of course they are a bit of a mixed bag and contain many additions from outside,, but you're welcome to mix them up in your own way. 

It's a beautifully made publication and a fine resource.  The hardback is lovely.  And extremely inexpensive too.  

Published by Triratna In House Publications. The book is available online from Amazon in three formats: digital, softback and hardback. I was also offered the option of reading it for free on Amazon Prime reading, but what's the use of that?

William Blake had a profound and life-long influence on Sangharakshita’s thinking and imagination.

Our latest video, presented by Paramartha with contributions from Satyalila and Ratnaprabha, explores William Blake’s significance both for Sangharakshita personally and for the movement he founded.

Find more video blogs from Urgyen House