Our much loved friend Varakhanti died in Brighton hospital at around 7am this morning, 11th October 2019. She died peacefully in her sleep.
Seven weeks ago she became ill with a bone marrow disease most likely to have been aplastic anaemia. As explained in our last email, she took the decision to stop remedial treatment a few days ago. Varakhanti was at peace with her dying process and remained aware and positive to the end. She spent...
Our beloved friend Dharmacarini Dharmamani from Ghent, Belgium died in hospital at midnight on 10th October. She was nearly 80 years old. She died in peace after a short illness.
Dharmamani came originally from Romania and moved to France in 1985 with her daughter. She came in contact with Triratna via the Paris centre in 1999 and moved to Belgium in 2005. She was ordained at Metta Vihara in 2013. Her sadhana was Manjusri.
Kalyanashi explains how spiritual community is at the heart of everything we do in Triratna and how we can contribute to it, and go more deeply into this essential refuge.
Kalyanashi explains how spiritual community is at the heart of everything we do in Triratna and how we can contribute to it, and go more deeply into this essential refuge.
“Body like a mountain, heart like an ocean, mind like the sky.” - attributed to Dōgen, 13th Century Japanese Buddhist monk and founder of the Sōtō school of Zen
The Brahma Viharas are sometimes known as the four immeasurables because the number of living beings to whom they apply is immeasurable and the benefits of practising them are immeasurable.
The Brahma Viharas meditation consist of cultivating loving-kindness (Metta), compassion / solidarity (karuna), sympathetic joy (mudita) and equanimity (upeksha).
Yale University Press were kind enough to send me review copies of Stephen Batchelor’s books when they were published. But reviewing them is difficult, as they are polemical, in favour of a particular new...
Although through experience no essential self could be found, the inquiry showed how the assumption of one still showed up. There was a contradiction that was just highlighted through the practice. It was really intense. I found it really helpful. I was more able to move through day to day life with that not feeling so jarring. Something had been learnt around how to just be with all that.
When I first began practice, everything made sense, but it was intellectual whilst...
Here’s Dhammarati with another beautifully made presentation giving the history and Dharma context for the formation of the Triratna International Council.
This includes an audio recording (towards the end of the presentation) of Urgyen Sangharakshita, Triratna’s founder, giving his thoughts on the essential work of the Council as part of a healthy succession plan for our community, in line with his intentions to pass on well his own duties, responsibilities and inspiration.
“I felt my interconnectedness with all beings and that somehow what we were doing was intensely worthwhile.“ - Lilamati, Sheffield Earth Strike Street Meditation
Members of Triratna sanghas across the globe came out in support of the ‘Earth Strike’ on Friday 20th September. In 2018, schoolchildren began walking out of school in protest at global inaction around climate change. This year, the youth climate activists called on adults to support them at an Earth Strike, on 20th September 2019. They did: millions from across the world demonstrated...
Although through experience no essential self could be found, the inquiry showed how the assumption of one still showed up. There was a contradiction that was just highlighted through the practice. It was really intense. I found it really helpful. I was more able to move through day to day life with that not feeling so jarring. Something had been learnt around how to just be with all that.
When I first began practice, everything made sense, but it was intellectual whilst...
