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