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FriendshipasthefutureofBuddhism
MunishaTriratnaBuddhistOrder
andCommunityEBUevent:
BuddhisminAc:onRigpaCentreBerlin1.4.2016
Introduc:on
• IhavebeenaBuddhist,withTriratna,since1993
• JoinedtheTriratnaBuddhistOrder2003• NowresponsibleforTriratna’srela:onswithotherBuddhistsinEurope
• TodayIamspeakingpersonally.
Introduc:on• 14yearslivingaBri:shBuddhistcommunityhouse
• NowIliveinStockholmwithmypartner,whoisalsoordained.
• TriratnaBuddhistOrder• TriratnaBuddhistCommunity• www.thebuddhistcentre.com• Google‘ABuddhistManifesto’and• ‘TheTriratnaStory’
WhatIwilltalkabouttoday
• WhymyBuddhismisthebest• (That’sajoke.)• WanttosharethewayBuddhistfriendshipchangedmylife
• WhatImeanby‘Buddhistfriendship’• WhyIthinkBuddhistfriendshipisessen:altothefutureofBuddhism
TwocoreTriratnateachings
1. ABuddhistissomeonewhoGoesforRefugetotheThreeJewels-includingSangha
2. Kalyanamitrata–theimportanceofspiritualfriendship
1GoingforRefugetotheSangha
• TogoforrefugetotheThreeJewelsincludesgoingforrefugetotheSangha.
• Onlythearyasanghaisatruerefuge• butourfellowBuddhistsarethesanghamostavailabletouseveryday.
• InTriratnaweprac:secommitmenttofriendshipwithotherBuddhists.
2.KalyanamitrataTheBuddhatoldAnandathatkalyanamitratawasthewholeofthespirituallife.Kalyana=beau:fulMitrata=friendshipInTriratnaweinterpretkalyanamitrataas‘spiritualfriendship’.Wetakethisextremelyseriously.Ourlivesareorganisedaroundfriendship.
Twokindsofkalyanamitrata
• Ver5calkalyanamitrata• withBuddhistsmoreexperienced• withthoselessexperienced
• Horizontalkalyanamitrata• Friendshipwiththoseofsimilarexperience
Kalyanamitrata
• Informalkalyanamitrata• Formalkalyanamitraceremoniesformarkingcommi\edfriendshipbetweentwoOrdermembersandsomeonetrainingforordina:on
• Noceremonyformarriage.• (Wedon’tmarryanyone,straightorgay-equality!)
Ordina:on
TheTriratnaBuddhistOrderisnotlayormonas:c.Wearenotpriests,nuns,monks,roshis,lamas…WeareaworldwidecommunityoffriendswhoGoForRefugetotheThreeJewels.(Somecelibate,mosthavepartners.)WhetherordainedornotweareBuddhistfriendsatdifferentlevelsofexperience,commitment,insight–andtherefore,responsibility
TriratnaOrdersta:s:cs
January2016TriranaOrderworldwide2,000womenandmenincludingca.500womenand680meninEurope.
Ordina:on
• WearenotordainedasteachersbutasmembersofanOrder,acommunityoffriends.
• Wedonothave‘students’or‘teachers’• Someofusdon’tteachatall,oronlyinformallythroughfriendship.
• TobecomeamemberofthisOrderyouneedtohavepersonalfriendshipswithexis:ngmembersoftheOrder.
Friendshipasstrength
TriratnaOrderfriendshipsspanincrediblydifferentcultures;forexample• IndianDalits(formelyUntouchables)with• highlyeducatedmiddleclassAmericansandEuropeans
Ourfriendshipsareourgreateststrength.Enablesustosurvivedifficul:esChris:ansstrugglewith.
1956DrBRAmbedkarconvertedtoBuddhismalongwith380,000otherUntouchables(Dalits)Massconversionscon:nuetothisday.ManyoftheseNewBuddhistsareinTriratna.Vastpeacefulsocialrevolu:on–especiallyforDalitwomen.
India’s‘NewBuddhists’
MyhistoryofBuddhistfriendship1
• Trainedforordina:on1995-2003– studygroups– medita:on– retreatswithothertraineesfromaroundtheworld
– friendshipswithOrdermembers– Includingthewomanwhoordainedme
MyhistoryofBuddhistfriendship2
Since1993• 17yearsworkingwithinManchesterBuddhistCentre’ssangha(UK)
• attheClearVisionTrust:Buddhistvideoprojectwww.clear-vision.org
• OtherBuddhistbusinessesinsamebuilding• Lived14yearswith6Buddhistfriends• Many,manyretreatsandOrdergatherings• Thelast13yearsinaweeklyOrderchapter
Alifeincommunity
So,myen:reBuddhistlifehastakenplace• inaworldwidecontext• inconnectednesswithothersWithmanypeopleverydifferentfrommeItisnotprivate.It’schallenging.Itisfun!
How?
• 3-yearstudygroups• 4-monthtrainingcoursesforyoungBuddhists• 3-4monthordina:onretreats• Shops• Cafés• Centreteams• KarunaTrustfundraisingappealswww.karuna.org
• BuddhistAc:onMonth(www.nbo.org.uk)
Why?1
Me\aBhavana(Lovingkindnessmedita:on)andMe\aSu\ateachustoextendlovingkindnessbeyondfamily,partners,‘peoplelikeus’
Thistakesusoutofour‘comfortzone’tocul:vatewarmthforpeoplewhoaredifferentfromusandpeoplewedon’tlike.
Why?2
• Intensity• Requiresmorethanaweeklyclassorretreatto‘cook’theego!
• Livingand/orworkingtogethercreatesopportuni:estostophidingourvulnerability
• Toallowourselvestoloveandbeloved.• (Also,it’sfun!)
Triratna’sEuropean
Chairs’Assembly
ThefriendsIworkfor
• TheECAdoesbusinessasfriends.
• Spending:metogetherisasimportantasgeongthebusinessdone.
• Example:namechange2010• Businessmee:ngsofBuddhists
whodonotknoweachotherwellareverydifferentintone.
• Trustisthekey.
Whyisthisimportant?
• DangerofindividualisminwesternBuddhism,‘my’prac:ce?
• Narrowdefini:onof‘prac:ce’asmedita:on.• Othersgiveencouragementandfeedback.• Otherskindlypointoutmyunskillfulnesstowardsmyselfandothers.
• Otherswilltestmypa:enceandethics.• MylifehasbeenchangedbythekindnessofmyBuddhistfriends.
Whyisthisimportant?
• Isola:onamongBuddhistleaders/teachersisdangerous.
• Theyneedpeersforsupportandfeedback.• OqentheygoastraybecausetheyhadnocloseBuddhistpeerstochallengethem.
• Challengerequirestrust.• Trustisbuiltonlovingcommitment.
Whyisthisimportant?
• Mindfulnessandcompassion-basedinterven:onsareaveryimportantBuddhistcontribu:ontoworldhappiness.
• ButtheyarenotBuddhism;notacompleteteaching.
• Mindfulnessisa(personal?)prac:celeadingtowellbeing
• WellbeingisveryimportantbutitisnotEnlightenment,Insight.
Whatwilldis:nguishthemindfulnessmovementfromBuddhismis
thecommunityandfriendship
ofthosehelpingeachotherdevelopPerfectVision.
HeretheTathagatabecamefullyEnlightened!
• Bodhgaya