An Account of Croydon Buddhist Centre in the 1980s by Vishvapani

In the wake of recent testimony, I am re-posting here an article I wrote for Dharma Life magazine in 1998, which describes my experience at the Croydon Buddhist centre in the 1980s

In September 1997 The Guardian published a critical article about the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order (now called the Triratna Buddhist Community) – that included a long description of an FWBO centre that went wrong. It was ‘a cult’, I read, characterised by ‘collective...

A Challenging Week

I’ve had a few challenges this week. Things have arisen that have made my mind somewhat stirred up. Sometimes it’s hard to know the best course of action. And with my habit of loving to be busy, loving a challenge I have felt pushed and stretched. 

But meditation is a lifeline. To enter our large meditation room at the community, light the candle and incense and sit still and quietly with myself and the goings on of my mind ………….....

Un nouveau Centre bouddhiste pour Paris

Récemment à notre soirée de la Sangha, nous avons lancé le projet de recherche d’un nouveau local pour notre Centre bouddhiste.

Nous aspirons à un lieu qui pourrait mieux répondre aux besoins de notre Sangha grandissante et soutenir son épanouissement.

Ce sera un lieu spacieux avec une belle salle de méditation qui ne serve pas, comme celle du Centre actuel, de couloir, où nous pourrons garder une atmosphère de tranquillité et de révérence autour du Bouddha. Il y aura une deuxième salle pour des...

Sangharakshita's diary

Sthanashraddha is Sangharakshita’s secretary. He writes:

“There is not much to report from the early part of December apart from Bhante having a rather quiet time having recovered from a long spell of poor sleep over the summer and autumn. During that time he saw Subhuti, Lokamitra and Devamitra, having seen almost no one in the previous month or two.

Then Bhante caught a cold. He quickly deteriorated and was admitted on the evening of Tuesday 20th December to Hereford County Hospital suffering from...