'Buddhism and social transformation in India and Hungary: Lessons for us' Subhuti has been visiting India for six months each year for the last 30 years. He is supporting the work of Indian Buddhists who are followers of Dr Ambedkar, an Indian statesman and leader who was born an 'Untouchable'. After a lifetime of struggle, he converted to Buddhism in 1956, as a way out of the Hindu caste system, and millions of fellow Dalits have followed him since then. The Triratna Community has a substantial presence among these Dalits Buddhists and Subhuti works with them. For the last 15 years he has also been visiting a group of Roma in Hungary who are inspired by Dr Ambedkar and have become Buddhists. Some Roma Mitras run a school in Northern Hungary amongst desperately poor and marginalised people against the background of widespread prejudice and a far right government, whose leader boasts of creating an 'illiberal democracy'. Though this is not an experience most of us share, there is much we can learn about creating a free and just society from these situations.

'Buddhism and social transformation in India and Hungary: Lessons for us' Subhuti has been visiting India for six months each year for the last 30 years. He is supporting the work of Indian Buddhists who are followers of Dr Ambedkar, an Indian statesman and leader who was born an 'Untouchable'. After a lifetime of struggle, he converted to Buddhism in 1956, as a way out of the Hindu caste system, and millions of fellow Dalits have followed him since then. The Triratna Community has a substantial presence among these Dalits Buddhists and Subhuti works with them. For the last 15 years he has also been visiting a group of Roma in Hungary who are inspired by Dr Ambedkar and have become Buddhists. Some Roma Mitras run a school in Northern Hungary amongst desperately poor and marginalised people against the background of widespread prejudice and a far right government, whose leader boasts of creating an 'illiberal democracy'. Though this is not an experience most of us share, there is much we can learn about creating a free and just society from these situations.

The Vajrayana, or Tantric Buddhism, is a path of radical transformation that harnesses the energy of life's deepest and strongest experiences. Falling in love is one such experience that can provide great masses of energy to power our spiritual development. Vadanya reveals how in the Vajrayana we fall in love not with other people but with the person who we can become - with the ideal of the Enlightened mind - especially as experienced in the figure of the Buddha. He explores our attraction to beauty and the qualities of our future self that we are intuitively drawn to. Using the magical rite of fascination we can develop sraddha, respond to our longing and follow the call from beyond. This sangha night theme explores the scary, exhilarating, radical and challenging nature of the true Dharma. Over the course of these talks we will be forging a Western tantra to bring the spirit of Vajrayana teachings into our here and now. Questions for reflection and discussion: What do you find beautiful? What do you love about the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha? Recorded at Sheffield Buddhist Centre on 3.12.19