This is a very special time, a time to reflect and to take action. We said a fond farewell on Tuesday evening to Vikki our dear friend as she leaves us to top on her ordination retreat. She leaves us, she goes forth to have her going for refuge witnessed by the order within in which she has chosen to practice, to grow, to deepen her commitment to the three jewels.

And we, witnessing her going are left reflecting on her journey so far. Rejoicing in her merits, taking inspiration from her example, miss her already.

And so until her return we will strive on, mindful, resolute, going for refuge to the three jewels.

Sunday 7th April 1968

On Sunday 7th April 1968 12 men and woman received the Upaska/Upasika ordination from Sangharakshita and thus the Western Buddhist Order came into existence.


Now 44 years later the Order has grown in to a world -wide community of spiritual friends with many thousands of Order members, mitras and friends.

The triratna Buddhist Order and the Triratna Buddhist Community, as it is now known, place at its very heart the act of “Going for refuge” to the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha and see its spiritual significance as the defining principal that makes one a Buddhist. This places Order members, mitras and friends on an equal plane in the sense that there can be no “second class” Buddhist, no one group of people being the “proper” Buddhists and the rest just there to be ministered to. So long as we all go for refuge, to the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha , and place that going for refuge at the centre of our lives then Buddhist we can say we are.

This by no means reduces the act of going for refuge to a mechanical process, something which is just recited on special occasions or just as part of a routine. The act of gong for refuge should be a heart -felt act, an affirmation of our most cherished ideal. Going for refuge is more than just the recited formula. It is the encapsulation of a process which involves ethics, compassion, transformation through meditation and development of insight into reality its self, ultimately the liberation of ones self and the attainment of Nirvana.

But even this is not the whole picture for the compassionate nature of the seeing into reality means that liberation, true liberation must be won for all, and this is why the act of going for refuge within the Triratna community includes the Bobhisattva Ideal.

The act of going for refuge is an individual act, but an act that takes place within the context of a community of spiritual friends who hold dear to their hearts the ideals of that going for refuge and all that that involves.

Today I celebrate that creation of the Triratna Order and the Triratna Community and give my heart -felt thanks to the Buddha, Sangharakshita, the community of order members, mitras and friends both past and present and again make a commitment to take my refuge in the Buddha, the supreamly enlightened one, the Dharma the teachings of the Buddha, and the Sangha, the community of people treading the path to liberation.

So from this day, I take my refuge in the BUDDHA, DHARMA, SANGHA, now and until all beings wherever they may be are free from suffering.

And the time is.......

............NOW

More than just a name

Whats in a name? well it usually connects you to what you think that person or even object is. But is this really what is there? Are we just seeing an mental construct of what we would like to see even if that construct is repulsive or disturbing to us? Yes is the answer I have come to realise, yes I see things the way I want them, not how they actually are. This was a hard lesson to learn, I was shaken to my core, (well that what it felt like) disturbed and shocked, saddened and guilty. And as you may have noticed I have not shaken off this in built filter through which I see the world, I, you see is I as in a way I see my self. Such a long way to go, so lets keep trying, together, on our own, as a sangha, a community, as a continual stream of  coming into being and then passing away. From my bedroom window where I am sitting I can see the funeral which is taken place in the church opposite. A well organised event, cones down to enable the mourners to park, leaves swept away so no one falls on the way in etc. its very dignified, very British, but still there's grief, loss, suffering........ May they find peace in the coming months, may they learn to live life with a happy heart again, may they be well, may they be happy, may the be free from suffering, Metta to us all.

Our Jewel

Last nght we said a fond farewell to one of our number, Anna, who has been a valued and much loved member of our sangha for nearly 3 years. Anna has been here in sunny liverpool sudying and now it is time for her to spreading her wings, again, and return home. This has brought home something which I think I may have taken for granted, our Sangha. We go for refuge to the three jewels, the Buddha, Dharma and the Sangha. The Buddha, our ideal, our inspiration is what we strive to be like and to obtain enlightenment just like him. The Dharma, the truth and the teachings is what we will use to course down the path to enlightenment. The Sangha the spiritual community, the collective of individuals who are striving towards enlightenment. Out of the three the Sangha is probably the most physically tangible, where there every Tuesday, we run and support meditaion and Buddhism courses, we go on retreat together and keep in contact, some times daily. But it dosent end there, we join with other sanghas, and by its very nature become one larger Sangha. Then through nation wide retreats we extent our sangha further and further. With the realization that our Sangha is the Sangha, the world wide collective of Buddhists, going for refuge to the three jewels, Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, Tuesday nights are a jewel there right there amongst us!

This may be a bit of a ramble............

.....but I know I have said in the past that life is just moment by moment, and I stand by that, but I do find myself planning what I should do in the future. The future which is not present, not happening. This all stems from are new sangha night study theme, Bhantas system of meditation, and last weeks section of Mindfulness with Breathing by Bikku Buddhahassa which Buddhashanti explored. I really got a lot out of it and have been keen to add it to my daily mediation. The thing is it just hasn't been as good as last Tuesday, same cushions, same process no where near the same experience! Now I know that they can't be identical, no two moments are the same but something similar would be nice. Yes I can hear you shouting at me, supportive conditions. On Tuesday before going into the section on the mindfulness with breathing we have already meditated for forty minutes, and had a Dharma talk from Buddhashanti so the second sit was always going to be better because I was more integrated and aware and just down right happy! So this morning just to sit with the minimal of prep, no surprise it was patchy to say the least. So to the plan. Well its not a plan, its more getting the most out of the time I have put aside for my meditation. Bhanta says that we should evaluate everything, test it out, is it skillful or not skillful, is it helping me develop spiritually or not.
Now you have to be careful here, this is not a way to drop things we don't like, infact its the things we find uncomfortable which some time do us good, What are you going to put at the center of your personal mandala? Well Ive put the Buddha and going out from there all the things with are suportive to my practice. If you think about it an sure you will be able to imagine your own. So am being reallistic about what I can achive and when, how much effort I need and not to become to down hearted
See you tomorrow, see planning again!

Its been a long time

Well yes it has, and things are a varied as ever. The meditation is regular but very up and down, my reading is patchy, in fact the only thing which seems to be going in the right direction is being able to listen to talks while lying in the bath. Its strange where you seem to connect but at the moment it seems to be in the bath, at least am clean! Just got to purify my mind now and where on our way!