Triratna News

A second Triratna centre for Sweden: Malmö

On Thu, 29 December, 2016 - 11:18
Munisha's picture
Munisha

On 10th December, Sweden’s second Triratna Centre opened, in Malmö, Sweden’s third largest city, situated in the south, very close to Copenhagen, capital of Denmark. See Malmö on a map. (This was just a week after Stockholm’s sangha moved to new premises - and a few days before another two Malmö mitra ceremonies.) 

The Malmö Centre team writes: “The Malmö sangha began in June 2013, when three of us (Anna, Caroline and ex-Kajsa) began to meet to practise together, with the aim of expanding and creating a proper sangha. In August 2014, we got the Swedish Order’s blessing to offer an introduction course, the same year we received a small grant from Triratna’s European Chairs’ Assembly’s Growth Fund, for cushions, mats, a rupa and a kettle.

Five people took that first course, held in a basement at ABF (an adult educational association). Four of them are still with us!

Since then, we have had one introduction course every semester, and the sangha has grown and developed. In May 2015, Kajsa was ordained and became Kshantida. Three people have become mitras, bringing the total to seven in Malmö, of whom four have asked for ordination. Every Wednesday, we meet for sangha night, attended usually by 10-12 people. Overall we have 15-20 regulars.

We also hold two women’s mitra study weekends every semester, open to women in Denmark and the south of Sweden, led by Dayadharini from Gothenburg, together with Kshantida. 

In April 2016 we created an official association, with a council, and in August 2016 we began to look for our own place to rent. Thanks to our local sangha’s generosity, signing up to donate a certain amount of money every month, we were able to sign a lease in November! 

We renovated the place ourselves  - a 35 square meter studio in the city centre - we were not only studying the Dharma, but also practising sangha while painting walls, sewing curtains and cleaning.

The official opening was a lively event, where the sangha invited family and close friends for sparkling (non-alcoholic) wine and snacks. Kshantida, our Chair, gave a speech and raised a toast for the Malmö sangha. We enjoyed talking, eating and a seven-fold puja.

We are very grateful for the opportunity to spread Triratna teachings by opening a new Buddhist Centre in Sweden. This was only possible because of our tremendous practice of dana, everyone associated with the Malmö sangha contributing their time, energy, dedication and generous donations of money. 

With metta,|
Malmö Buddhist Centre team: Kshantida, Anna, Caroline, Josephine”

The Growth Fund 2017 will be announced on Triratna News in March.
Visit Malmö Buddhist Centre’s website. 
Follow Malmö Buddhist Centre on Facebook. 
See Triratna resources in Swedish. 
Read more about Triratna in Sweden.

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