tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69943432008-07-17T02:10:26.917Zdhammaratihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17757408936802434695noreply@blogger.comBlogger54125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6994343.post-84477102585694078612008-06-23T12:24:00.005Z2008-06-23T12:51:57.727Z

last couple of days i attended a meeting of presidents of fwbo centres, the first meeting like it for four years. the centre president was intorduced in the eighties as a useful way of plugging a local centre into the wider movement, and of giving the centre the support of an experienced order meember who would develop a real relationship with the chairman, and with people at the centre. when

dhammaratihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17757408936802434695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6994343.post-8097643446468629212008-06-22T22:11:00.002Z2008-06-22T22:13:53.426Z

another graph: numbers ordained, 1968 – 2008. click the graph to enlarge it.

dhammaratihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17757408936802434695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6994343.post-6159800405164988322008-06-18T16:40:00.012Z2008-06-19T21:38:37.313Z

ceiling mosaic, galla placidia mausoleum, Ravenna this is a talk i gave at the fortieth anniversary of the western buddhist order. it makes a couple of points about our system of practice that i think are important. it's on the long side to read on screen, so if you'd like to read it you might prefer to cut and paste. there's also the audio version now available on freeBuddhistAudio: click HERE

dhammaratihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17757408936802434695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6994343.post-89063073084469796142008-06-04T00:19:00.008Z2008-06-04T13:54:09.825Z

sunanda has posted some very interesting up to date statistics about the order, and about ordination. for example, there are now 1516 order members: 1010 men and 506 women, almost exactly two thirds and a third . the average age at ordination in 1975 was 25: in 1985, 33; in '95, it was 41; and in '05, 44.of the 1516 order members, 807 live in the uk, and 376 in india. here's a selection of the

dhammaratihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17757408936802434695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6994343.post-78844160425725956512008-06-04T00:05:00.000Z2008-06-04T21:12:27.442Z

while the world food summit is taking place, wanted to repost this on the economics of eating meat. quoted from george monbiot in the guardian. the full article can be read here. 'Never mind the economic crisis. Focus for a moment on a more urgent threat: the great food recession that is sweeping the world faster than the credit crunch. You have probably seen the figures by now: the price of

dhammaratihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17757408936802434695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6994343.post-53294526987247263782008-06-03T09:11:00.011Z2008-06-04T19:41:11.595Z

from my admittedly limited personal experience, more american buddhists than europeans seem to have qualms on health grounds about becoming vegetarian. are americans so much less healthy than europeans? this from kathy freston in the huffington post: When I tell people that I'm vegan, the most popular question, by far, inevitably follows: "But, how do you get enough protein?" There it is again

dhammaratihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17757408936802434695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6994343.post-26168178701464550052008-05-29T15:01:00.006Z2008-06-01T13:17:57.680Z

had a couple of enquiries about the theme of this year's going for refuge retreat. i hadn't meant to be mysterious about the theme: it will be on the acceptance verse, for the benefit of all beings. nagabodhi and i had originally intended to do the 'transcendental principle' retreat, but nagabodhi won't be attending the retreat. i'd like to do that topic when he's on the retreat, so maybe next

dhammaratihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17757408936802434695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6994343.post-86934028178423814092008-05-27T12:00:00.010Z2008-05-30T15:39:56.647Z

just back from the 'beating the drum of the dharma' event at taraloka, where about 400 of us met under buddhafield canvas for 4 days. bhante gave a talk on the conditions for the stability of the sangha. delightful, poignant even, to see him there. here's a couple of pics: click to enlarge them. one of the most interesting developments for a few years, i think: people from all over europe, from

dhammaratihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17757408936802434695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6994343.post-42766002458474786172008-05-27T11:44:00.001Z2008-05-27T15:57:29.801Z

and before the taraloka event, on retreat at vajrakuta, looking at how formless practice, guru yoga and tonglen practice traditionally provide the meditation context for bodhicitta practice.

dhammaratihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17757408936802434695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6994343.post-63751013672322163052008-05-10T10:51:00.003Z2008-05-10T11:35:47.324Z

off on retreat with prakasha till may 20

dhammaratihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17757408936802434695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6994343.post-53665393031684567472008-05-06T13:09:00.010Z2008-05-10T11:36:29.375Z

bluebells in north wales a visit to tiratanaloka on sunday, to talk about my proposal for a 'joined up meeting'.  in the last few years, there have been a lot of structural changes in the order and movement. the general direction of them has been towards decentralisation and local autonomy, of centres and of ordination training. this was something we set in motion in the early 2000s, the

dhammaratihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17757408936802434695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6994343.post-9603848870903796192008-04-24T11:42:00.023Z2008-04-29T07:53:13.069Z

the third karmapa, jetsun rangjung dorje just finished an event with lama lhundrup and lama djangchub, from dagpo kagyu mandala in the auvergne. i know lhundrup from the european buddhist union, enjoy his company, and been very interested in the experience of his community. in particular i've been impressed by their three year retreats. at the minute they have something like 80 men and women,

dhammaratihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17757408936802434695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6994343.post-67362304986041618572008-04-04T00:35:00.015Z2008-04-25T19:04:24.275Z

6th century mosaic, San Apollinare Nuovo, Ravenna, Italy.  a good order weekend at wymondham college, marking the fortieth birthday of the order.a series of talks looked at the order, our practices, our relation with the world around us and the buddhist world.my talk was on ‘a system of training’, looks at the system of practices current in the western buddhist order, how they relate to going

dhammaratihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17757408936802434695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6994343.post-5779422611637887252008-03-18T23:44:00.009Z2008-04-14T23:45:15.583Z

...according to the guardian:Neuroscientist Shanida Nataraja has proved meditation does more than clear your head, it can put both halves of your brain to work, improving your concentration, memory and decision-making. She tells Andy Darling how it works here.

dhammaratihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17757408936802434695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6994343.post-54767356488551390952008-02-26T10:49:00.014Z2008-02-26T21:46:55.387Z

statues outside westminster abbey, of 'modern martyrs' including dietrich bonhoeffer, martin luther king and george romero.  click to enlarge. inclusion and exclusiona few days in london.  first of all assisting vajrasara, who was leading two days of nvc training at the british government's department of international development.  the training was organised by zoe stevens, who works with dfid,

dhammaratihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17757408936802434695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6994343.post-59517682073245648012008-02-02T17:14:00.001Z2008-04-09T21:51:15.278Z

loch lubnaig, near dhanakosa. click to enlarge this is a paper I prepared for the fwbo chairs at their meeting at dhanakosa this january. it outlines the history of madhyamaloka, and gives some idea of the proposed new sangharakshita library. I thought it might be of wider interest. In March 06, fwbo Central recruited some new trustees; Parami, Ratnadharini and Ratnagosha joined Cittapala,

dhammaratihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17757408936802434695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6994343.post-42395717484959158192008-02-02T17:12:00.000Z2008-02-07T10:33:45.508Z

surlingham, the home of padmaloka. click to enlargeI saw in the new year on corstorphine hill with edinburgh's spectacular firework display.for the rest of january, i was inolved in discussion with the chairs at dhanakosa, with new private preceptors and with the mitra convenors, both at padmaloka, and with bhante, subhuti and mahamati at madhyamaloka.I was at the chairs meeting to talk about the

dhammaratihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17757408936802434695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6994343.post-63747687281033239642007-12-04T20:53:00.000Z2007-12-08T21:20:01.519Z

a meeting at madhyamaloka, with dhammadinna, ratnadharini and maitreyi, to discuss the training of private preceptors. this came out of a discussion in august at the preceptors college meeting. as the group of private preceptors grows, we're recognising what an influential group it is, probably the single most influential group in the shape of the next generation of the order. till recently,

dhammaratihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17757408936802434695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6994343.post-91751534949546632262007-11-24T00:48:00.002Z2008-04-10T11:29:04.256Z

a meeting of the network of buddhist organisations, at taplow court, the spectacular elizabethan headquarters of sokka gakai internation uk, who were hosting the meeting. the meeting is very enjoyable. the activities committee has had the same core of people for some years now, serious practitioners, who know each other well, and work together easily and harmoniously. one of the perennial

dhammaratihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17757408936802434695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6994343.post-75818455872486894432007-11-21T19:21:00.000Z2007-11-22T01:13:32.661Z

Bhikkhus, that any bhikkhus who has not abandoned five wildernesses in the heart and not severed five shackles in the heart should come to growth, increase, and fulfilment in the Dhamma and Discipline – that is impossible. (Majjhima Nikaya, Sutta 16) order forum at the north london centre on saturday, then a slightly melodramatic rush to the scottish forum in glenfecchie, near aviemore, on

dhammaratihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17757408936802434695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6994343.post-41630219893268754872007-08-02T12:54:00.000Z2007-08-18T21:13:10.304Z

the valley. click to enlarge It’s more than 20 years since I did a retreat as long as this four month ordination course. I came straight to the retreat from an intense set of meetings, with the public preceptors for 10 days, then the private preceptors, with bhante, for a weekend. The private preceptors meeting finished on Sunday evening, and by Tuesday morning I was on a plane heading for

dhammaratihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17757408936802434695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6994343.post-87269563820017789862007-07-26T19:33:00.000Z2007-08-03T09:11:06.201Z

apologies for my long absence from these pages; for the last 4 months, i've been in guhyaloka on retreat, and just got back. i'll write something about it over the next few days. the pic is of manjuvajra reading from his memoir of his time in the usa. you can see a bigger image by clicking on it.

dhammaratihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17757408936802434695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6994343.post-89237094186923183502007-04-01T21:08:00.000Z2008-04-13T21:10:48.221Z

dhammaratihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17757408936802434695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6994343.post-38391844949048278952007-02-01T01:13:00.001Z2007-02-06T14:37:34.381Z

from the BBC's newsnight blog,information, amazingly and perfectly seriously, that gases from livestock do as much damage to the atmosphere as long haul flights do : At a conference last week the environment secretary David Milliband pointed out that "the livestock sector generates more greenhouse gas emissions than transport". Agriculture is reckoned to account for 7% of all greenhouse gas

dhammaratihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17757408936802434695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6994343.post-38751296567617543852007-01-30T15:04:00.000Z2007-01-31T23:37:38.778Z

my visit to the nkt, and the discussion about their constitution had me thinking about our own structures. my own specialist area of responsibility is the preceptors college, and its working practices. these are quite influential, on the training and selection of people for ordination, and on the selection of public and private preceptors. but they are not well know in the movement. i

dhammaratihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17757408936802434695noreply@blogger.com