“In essence, a spiritual community is a free association of individuals. You can no more have a spiritual community without individuals than you can have an omelette without eggs.”
A Sangha, or spiritual community, needs committed individuals practicing the Dharma in the context of their own particular lives in order to exist. The central myth of the Triratna Buddhist Order is the figure of the 1,000 armed Avalokiteshvara: the idea being that each...
The first in an occasional series this year of unreleased archive episodes from Buddhist Voices. Here’s Lokeshvara, one of our two International Order Conveners in Triratna, talking in 2015 at the end of his voyage around the world achieved in exactly 80 days. No hot-air balloons or steam trains or packet ships, alas, just lots of economy flights and time zone surfing!
What we do hear coming through is why it’s worth such an effort. Lokeshvara gives a great impressionistic sense of...
“The growth of the bhikkhus is to be expected, not their decline, bhikkhus, so long as they assemble frequently and in large numbers; meet and disperse peacefully and attend to the affairs of the Sangha in concord..”
The Buddha elaborated on the conditions for the Sangha to prosper, one of which, as we see above, was for his disciples to gather in large numbers. Sangharakshita, the founder of the Triratna...
Day 1 of the International Council at the Saddhamma Pradeep Retreat Centre here at Bhaja in Maharashtra, India. Introducing Vajrajyoti from New Zealand, Nagapriya from Mexico (via England), and Vajrashura from Dublin, Ireland. Dassini is your host for this informal look back at people’s personal impressions of a full first day, with a sense of why the International Council really matters…
“Civic spaces are an extension of the community. When they work well, they serve as a stage for our public lives. If they function in their true civic role, they can be the settings where celebrations are held, where exchanges both social and economic take place, where friends run into each other, and where cultures mix.” [1]
Since The Buddhist Centre officially launched 5 years ago many web spaces have sprung into being which allow greater community building across Triratna as...
Moksatara Amalasiddhi and Prajnaketu explain and share some of the highlights of this weekend at Adhisthana, from where we hear about inspiring international efforts to help young people express themselves fully in a Dharma life.
A great summary of a very full week’s work and Dharma practice from Mokshini and Dassini as the great winter gathering of European Triratna Buddhists comes to an end.
As well as the overview we also hear about a special and moving ritual for one member of the assembly choosing to go deeper with the practice of simplicity and contentment in her life… A beautiful way to mark the close of a deepening kind of meeting! ...
