The Sangha
The spiritual community and ‘mutual support’
- What is Sangha
- Development of the individual, through mutual support, within a Buddhist spiritual community
- The thing about Sangha is It doesn’t work like other human groups or communities.
- When it’s working, It’s is essentially other regarding.
- It’s about everyone involved, to the extent they are able be aware of, help set up, sustaining and creating the conditions to enable the community to practice Buddhism.
- It’s about making and sustaining conditions that enhance mutual awareness and support individual and collective practice.
- Developing the individual through giving (and taking) (especially time) to the Sangha.
- Early and Traditional (ethnic) buddhist Sangha. Traditionally composed of four groups: monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen.
- Modern Buddhist Sanghas
- Less monastic based. Concerned with creating the environment and opportunity to practice and develop and move the constraints of modern life. More secular based sanghas.
- The Triratna Community: founded as the FWBO on 8th April 1967.
- Initially a coming together of Sangharakshita’s clear dharma driven momentum and a few interested in Buddhism, coming from the height of the late 60’s mysticism and hedonism.
- Triratna has grown creatively since its inception.
- Triratna has evolved from Kusaladana from the FWBO of the early 70s where it was quite culturally disconnected. Through the last 50 years it has developed and matured in a positive direction so it is now able to be with and help a much wider spectrum in society.
- The Structure and institutions of (OM’s, Chapters, Preceptors, College)
- The Triratna Community; The 3 Strands (Order, College, Movement)
- Contributing to and supporting our spiritual family
- What does it mean to be a Mitra ?
Discussion: What led us to the Centre and what are our expectations of ourselves and the Sangha.
Meditation: Mindfulness of Breathing
References
- The Triratna Story
- How Triratna works