By jvalamalini on Sat, 14 Mar, 2015 - 15:31It was so gorgeous coming back into our mandala early this morning, and lighting our aspiration candles. Meditating, I could sense the immense beauty we were sitting in and creating together, and how we’re opening to the world with this, influencing the world. It was like something full of colour and light, and at the same time vast and open, white and spacious. And powerful…. I don’t usually think of beauty as powerful!
Throughout the ancient scriptures of the Pali Canon it is made clear that the way to Enlightenment involves the cultivation of the emotions at every step, most often in the form of the four Brahma Viharas. from ‘Living With Kindness’
There is good reason to believe, intuitively at least if not on the basis of hard evidence, that the very nature of consciousness is a well-spring of loving kindness. It is said that the very quality of Buddha Nature is that of inexhaustible love, and it is already there.
The opening ritual to dedicate the Rainy Season Retreat included meditation, readings (from Dilgo Khyentse Rimpoche and Nyanaponika Thera) and chanting to invoke the mandala of the five archetypal Buddhas and the qualities of kindness, compassion, gladness, and equanimity.
By jvalamalini on Sat, 14 Mar, 2015 - 10:03I and all else that moves, until awakening, Take the Triple Gem as refuge. In order to gain perfect Buddhahood for others’ sake We practise the Four Immeasurables - Whereby may sentient beings Gain happiness with its causes; Be parted from all grief with its causes; Not become parted from the happiness wherein no grief is And dwell in the condition of equanimity
Refuges and Precepts
Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammasambuddhassa Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammasambuddhassa Namo Tassa...
By jvalamalini on Fri, 13 Mar, 2015 - 22:59OMAKSOBHYAHUM By the power of your Samaya Deliver us from the hells By purifying the demons of hatred and aversion And transforming them into the Mirrorlike Wisdom The deep blue, imperturbable Buddha Aksobhya
OMRATNASAMBHAVAHUM By the power of your Samaya Deliver us from the human realm By purifying the demons of pride and conceit And transforming them into the Wisdom of Equality The golden yellow, jewel born, Buddha Ratnasambhava ...
By jvalamalini on Fri, 13 Mar, 2015 - 22:47This afternoon the spaces in Bristol Buddhist Centre were transformed - what used to be a shop at the front of the building is now a food preparation and dining room, and the shrine room has become a wonderful five Buddha mandala. Kumuda’s wonderful paintings of the Jinas fill the walls and we have a beautiful 5 Buddha shrine in the centre of the room.
As Alyson reminded me as people arrived - this is magic!
As part of her preparatory notes for the Spring urban retreat on the theme of ‘Living In The Mandala’ and the Brahma Viharas, Ratnavandana has prepared this great set of reflections on ways to stay connected when you’re doing an ‘urban retreat’ of this sort (whether online or at a Buddhist Centre!).
To download, read the document in full screen mode and choose ‘download’ from the sharing options (top left of the navigation panel).
All this weekend and next week we’ll be bringing teaching and blogs from the Rainy Season Urban Retreat that starts this evening in Bristol, UK. The theme is ‘Living In the Mandala’ and we’ll be exploring the...
By Centre Team on Wed, 11 Mar, 2015 - 19:30To mark the arrival of Spring in the northern hemisphere we enjoyed a great, unexpected opportunity to go a bit deeper with our practice together. Bristol Buddhist Centre in the UK took part in a ‘Rainy Season Retreat’ together on the subject of Living In The Mandala - looking at the Brahma Viharas. And they invited everyone to join in online!