Triratna News
Triratna News

Urgyen Tulip Revival

By Sadayasihi on Mon, 15 Jul, 2019 - 15:18

Urgyen Tulip Revival

By Sadayasihi on Mon, 15 Jul, 2019 - 15:18

Metta Vihara, the retreat centre for Belgium and the Netherlands, opened in 2012. To help fund that project they asked a bulb grower to create a tulip, which was named Urgyen, after Sangharakshita, the founder of the Triratna Buddhist Order and community.

Now the grower has stopped producing it but a Triratna friend, Kees van den Berg, son of a Dutch bulb grower himself, has collected some 18 remaining bulbs and over the coming years is going to restart...

Triratna International Gathering 2017 - What The World Needs Now
Triratna International Gathering 2017 - What The World Needs Now

Saturday at the International Gathering

By Munisha on Sat, 26 Aug, 2017 - 16:46

Saturday at the International Gathering

By Munisha on Sat, 26 Aug, 2017 - 16:46

It being Bhante Sangharakshita’s 92nd birthday, at 10.45am all were assembled in the Adhisthana courtyard. As we waited we chanted the mantra sabbe satta sukkhi hontu (May all beings be well and happy!) Paramartha helped Bhante towards a chair, we sang Happy Birthday, he blew out the candles on a very small cake presented by Zoe Lim (the only mitra in Singapore) and Dhiraprabha presented him with a giant roll of birthday greetings from us.

Today, following on from the previous day’s slot focusing on...

Buddhist Centre Features
Buddhist Centre Features

2016 Summer European Chairs Assembly

By mokshini on Wed, 31 Aug, 2016 - 09:44

At the start of the summer meeting of the European chairs of Triratna Buddhist Centres, Mokshini talks to Parina about what happens at these meetings, and why and whether Parina values coming to them. Parina is the chair of Metta Vihara, the Triratna Retreat Centre in the Lowlands (that’s the Netherlands and Belgium).

See all posts from the ECA 2016

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Community Highlights
Community Highlights

In celebration of Buddha Day: a short talk on 'Buddha pride'

By Munisha on Mon, 16 May, 2016 - 14:54

In celebration of Buddha Day: a short talk on 'Buddha pride'

By Munisha on Mon, 16 May, 2016 - 14:54

To mark the week of Buddha Day around the Triratna world, here is a poetically inspiring 20-minute celebration of ‘Buddha pride’, given by Belgian Order member and poet Arthakusalin at last summer’s Mainland European Order Convention in northern Germany.

Arthakusalin is Chair of Ghent Buddhist Centre.

Buddha Day is one of three festivals we mark in Triratna celebrating the Three Jewels: Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. It falls officially on the full moon next Saturday 21st May, but will variously be celebrated anytime...

Espace Sangha de Paris
Espace Sangha de Paris

Première retraite Triratna francophone en Belgique

By Ujumani on Mon, 27 Oct, 2014 - 22:54

Première retraite Triratna francophone en Belgique

By Ujumani on Mon, 27 Oct, 2014 - 22:54
Le petit groupe qui existe depuis plusieurs années à Bruxelles, où il se réunit aux Voies de l’Orient, vient d’organiser sa première retraite - qui était donc la première retraite francophone de la Communauté Triratna sur le sol belge.

Mahasiddhi est venu de Birmingham pour l’animer, et il y avait aussi quatre Français, trois venus...
Triratna News
Triratna News

Telling the story of India's Dhamma Revolution in Europe

By Munisha on Wed, 2 Jul, 2014 - 00:02

Telling the story of India's Dhamma Revolution in Europe

By Munisha on Wed, 2 Jul, 2014 - 00:02Amalavajra writes from the India Dhamma Trust, which raises money for the ordination training of Indian Buddhists:

“Amrutdeep, a senior Indian Order member and Public Preceptor, recently completed a successful tour of six Triratna Centres in the Netherlands, France, Belgium and Germany. Coinciding with Buddhist Action Month, his visit fitted the Month’s overarching social action theme very well.

Visiting the sanghas at Metta Vihara, Arnhem, Amsterdam, Paris, Ghent and Essen, he told the story of Dr...
Triratna News
Triratna News

Boeddha NU (Buddhism Now) - new Belgian Dharma book by Dhammaketu

By lokabandhu on Sat, 28 Apr, 2012 - 05:06

Boeddha NU (Buddhism Now) - new Belgian Dharma book by Dhammaketu

By lokabandhu on Sat, 28 Apr, 2012 - 05:06Sometimes it seems that in English a new book on Buddhism is published practically every day - but elsewhere in Europe it’s still much more of a rarity. So we’re delighted to celebrate the recent publication of Boeddha NU (Buddhism Now) - a new Belgian Dharma book by Dhammaketu, long-standing member of the Triratna Buddhist Order. Here’s a review, translated from bol.com, the Dutch online booksellers:

“Buddha NU is a book of our own...
Triratna News
Triratna News

Metta Vihara (new Netherlands Retreat Centre) now nearly ready!

By lokabandhu on Tue, 7 Feb, 2012 - 15:18

Metta Vihara (new Netherlands Retreat Centre) now nearly ready!

By lokabandhu on Tue, 7 Feb, 2012 - 15:18Jan Deckers writes from Ghent, in Belgium, with the excellent news their new retreat centre Metta Vihara is nearly ready. Triratna’s Dutch and Belgian Sanghas have for many years been fundraising, property-searching, planning and seeking official permissions for a new Buddhist Retreat Centre in the South of the Netherlands - and it’s nearly here! He says -

“We can hardly believe it ourselves: the building is nearly finished. If the gods allow it we will take possession...