Friendship as the future of Buddhism...Friendship as the future of Buddhism Munisha Triratna...
Transcript of Friendship as the future of Buddhism...Friendship as the future of Buddhism Munisha Triratna...
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