Triratna News
Triratna News

30th Anniversary of the First Triratna Ordinations of Women by Women in the West

By Sadayasihi on Thu, 12 Sep, 2019 - 10:14

30th Anniversary of the First Triratna Ordinations of Women by Women in the West

By Sadayasihi on Thu, 12 Sep, 2019 - 10:14

2019 marks the 30th anniversary of the first ordinations of women by women in the West.

Ratnasuri previously had been the Public Preceptor for two dharmacharinis in India, January 1987, which she conducted ‘on behalf of’ Sangharakshita, the founder of the Triratna Buddhist Order. 

In 1989 Sangharakshita asked Ratnasuri to perform ordinations ‘on her own responsibility’ - a very significant development for the Order. On 17th August 1989, on a retreat at Taraloka Retreat Centre, Wales, she received into the...

Triratna News
Triratna News

Sakyadhita Conference: Gender Equity for Monastic and Lay Buddhist Women

By Sadayasihi on Mon, 19 Aug, 2019 - 17:33

Sakyadhita Conference: Gender Equity for Monastic and Lay Buddhist Women

By Sadayasihi on Mon, 19 Aug, 2019 - 17:33

Sakyadhita is a Buddhist women’s organisation founded in 1987. The 16th Sakyadhita conference took place near Sydney, Australia in June, with a number of women from the Triratna Buddhist Order in attendance: Kusalacitta from Sydney, as well as Tarahridaya and Karunadeepa from Pune in India. Dharmamodini was there to run a stall for Bodhi Books and Gifts.

Sakyadhita means ‘daughters of the Buddha’, and it aims to promote gender equity for monastic and lay women with a focus on education,...

Triratna News
Triratna News

Launch of the Triratna Women project

By Sadayasihi on Thu, 7 Mar, 2019 - 17:30

Launch of the Triratna Women project

By Sadayasihi on Thu, 7 Mar, 2019 - 17:30

To celebrate International Women’s Day, the Triratna Women project are launching their own space on The Buddhist Centre Online! This project has been a number of years in the planning so it is very exciting that it is finally out there.

It started as a direct response to the deaths of Vajragita in 2014 and Anjali in 2015. Danasamudra, one of the project coordinators, had been aware for some time of the need to record the experience of women in Triratna, especially those...

Triratna Women
Triratna Women

Volunteer for us - Introduction from Prajnanandi

By Dharmaprabha on Thu, 7 Mar, 2019 - 12:30

Volunteer for us - Introduction from Prajnanandi

By Dharmaprabha on Thu, 7 Mar, 2019 - 12:30

Triratna Women welcomes volunteers!  Here we have Prajnanandi from Croydon, who helps us with images, recordings and editing. She brought us a real boost of inspiration to get the project to the public realm.

Prajnanandi writes: 

“I’m volunteering for this project because I was so inspired by hearing about this on the AOWE, March 2019.

I think it’s incredibly important that we preserve our voices for future generations and other Buddhist movements. So often women in Buddhism are only seen as nuns or as lay...

Triratna News
Triratna News

Recent Ordinations

By Sadayasihi on Mon, 4 Mar, 2019 - 14:54

Recent Ordinations

By Sadayasihi on Mon, 4 Mar, 2019 - 14:54

We are pleased to announce the recent ordination celebrated at Adhisthana on Thursday 28th February 2019. Helen Rey from the Seattle Sangha becomes Prasadadhi (long second ‘a’ and long ‘i’), a Sanskrit name meaning ‘She whose Wisdom is clear, bright, pure.’ Punyamala was both Private and Public Preceptor. 🎉

Other recent ordinations from around the Triratna world include Joy Fratelle from Port Fairy who was publicly ordained at Melbourne Buddhist Centre on Saturday 23rd February 2019. Joy becomes Maitrībodhinī (sixth and last letter both long ī). Her name...

India Dhamma Trust:
India Dhamma Trust: "At the heart of a peaceful Dhamma Revolution"

Course for Young Women in India

By Dhammavijaya on Tue, 8 Jan, 2019 - 13:10

Course for Young Women in India

By Dhammavijaya on Tue, 8 Jan, 2019 - 13:10

In Nagpur, 17 young women are participating in a course that Karunamaya is running especially for younger women. They come not only from Maharashtra, but also from Agra, Chhattisgarh, and Bihar, and are aged between 19 and 35. Among other course activities, the women have produced and performed four plays, based on Bhante’s ideas about the individual, the group and the spiritual community. They have also visited the Diksha Bhumi where Dr Ambedkar and his followers converted to Buddhism on...

Triratna News
Triratna News

Public Ordinations at Akashavana

By Sadayasihi on Fri, 14 Sep, 2018 - 17:56

Public Ordinations at Akashavana

By Sadayasihi on Fri, 14 Sep, 2018 - 17:56

We are very pleased to announce the public ordination of the following seven women at Akashavana Retreat Centre.

Public Preceptor Punyamala:

Cait Hughes becomes Dānajotī (Pali)
Official westernised spelling: Danajoti
Name meaning: ”She whose light is generosity”
Private Preceptor: Maitrisara

Tracey Dibble becomes Prajñāśrī (Sanskrit)
Official westernised spelling: Prajnashri
Name meaning: ”She who has the radiance of wisdom”
Private Preceptor: Santasiddhi

Inge Heathfield becomes Candramaitrī (Sanskrit)
Official westernised spelling: Candramaitri
Name meaning: ”She whose love is like...

Community Highlights
Community Highlights

Aryaloka Computer Education, India

By Sadayasihi on Wed, 8 Aug, 2018 - 17:24

Aryaloka Computer Education, India

By Sadayasihi on Wed, 8 Aug, 2018 - 17:24

The Aryaloka Computer Education Project in India aims to fulfil the vision of Dr Ambedkar: Liberty, Equality, Fraternity in which everyone has the opportunity to fulfil their potential, regardless of their background. In line with that vision they offer computer education, personal development, English and self-defence training and particularly work with women as the education and job prospects of girls and women are low in India.  Two women, Priyal Kishor Ukey and Swati Shamrao Kawle, share how the Aryaloka Computer Education Project made...

Ipswich Buddhist Centre
Ipswich Buddhist Centre

A Women's Day with Parami

By RCheesley on Fri, 13 Apr, 2018 - 14:10

A Women's Day with Parami

By RCheesley on Fri, 13 Apr, 2018 - 14:10

Open to all women of the Triratna Buddhist Community sangha.

A fantastic opportunity to spend the day with Parami, public preceptor and a very experienced order member.

Join us at Ipswich Buddhist Centre from 10am-4pm on Sunday, 22nd April.

Places are limited so early booking advised - you can book online via Eventbrite here.

Please bring a veggie lunch to share if you are able.

If the cost of the ticket is a difficulty please contact us before booking your space by emailing enquiries [at] ipswichbuddhistcentre.org.uk (subject: Parami%20Day%20Enquiry)

Triratna News
Triratna News

Ordinations at Akashavana

By Munisha on Mon, 5 Jun, 2017 - 21:51

Ordinations at Akashavana

By Munisha on Mon, 5 Jun, 2017 - 21:51

We are delighted to announce the public ordinations of the following women, at Akashavana Retreat Centre in Spain on Saturday 3rd June 2017.

Public preceptor: Parami

Monika Podgorska becomes Upeksanandi
(dot under the ‘s’, long ‘i’)
Sanskrit / Pali name meaning: She who delights in equanimity
Westernised spelling: Upekshanandi
Private preceptor: Dharmavasini

Mairead Keane becomes Prajnamayi
(tilde above the ‘n’, long ‘i’) 
Sanskrit name meaning: She who is filled with wisdom
Westernised spelling: Prajnamayi
Private preceptor: Paramachitta

Theresa O’Leary becomes...

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