Over the years of studying the dharma I have come to understand most of the Buddha’s teachings. However, there is a teaching that I have not really fully understood. This is a small part of one of the Five Skandhas which is often translated as heaps or aggregates. I have… Read More »A truly self-less way
This month we seem to be continuing the theme from July’s Dharma Day Festival. On that day Dayasara introduced us to the teachings of Milarepa, an 11th Century Tibetan Buddhist teacher. I have in mind the beautiful and lyrical text “Song of Meeting and Parting” which was sung by Irene.… Read More »For the Benefit of All Beings
Chairs Homily July 2024 This week I have been away from Ipswich on the European Chairs Assembly (ECA) at the Adhisthana Centre in Herefordshire. One of the joys this time of being at Adhisthana was on arrival being greeted by Jodie, one of our own members of the Ipswich Sangha.… Read More »Spiritual Lineage
The big event in the life of the Centre this month is the Sangha weekend retreat. This event is held at the Vajrasana Retreat Centre near Walsham-le-willows in Suffolk. The Retreat Centre is owned and run by the London Buddhist Centre (LBC) and is run, primarily so that their Sangha… Read More »Face-to-Face with Ourselves
On 27th April 19 men joined the Triratna Buddhist Order at Padmaloka, our men’s retreat centre in Norfolk. Amongst them where two fine men from the Ipswich Sangha. Many of you will know them from the support they already give to classes and events at the Ipswich Buddhist Centre. Amoghavajra… Read More »Two new Order Members for Ipswich
We have all heard the philosophical refrain: “I think therefore I am”. This first principle of René Descartes’s philosophy was made in 1637. This concept has underpinned much of Western philosophy. It forms the basis of how we perceive ourselves, as a thinking being able to understand the world around… Read More »‘Self’ Awareness
E=MC² is a formula we are probably all familiar with. This is Einstein’s ‘simple’ equation to explain the basics of the physical universe, his Special Relativity theory. It is composed of just 4 characters and one of those characters brings with it Time. This Time is in the form of… Read More »E=MC²
Chair’s homily – March 2024 This month we say goodbye to Jamie and Nick. These two members of our Sangha are leaving us for Padmaloka and then Spain to complete their training for Ordination and then start their training as new Order Members. Both have spent years getting ready for… Read More »Next Steps on the Buddhist Path
Chairs Homily – February 2024 One of my Sangha friends recently asked me how could they move faster on their progression on the spiritual path? They asked because they felt stuck and lately they were making no progress. When they first started coming along to the Buddhist Centre things had… Read More »Progression on the Spiritual Path
Chairs Homily – January 2024 Once again we have gone around the whole year and are starting again. We seem to place some importance to the new year. It is interesting that we quickly move away from the obvious, that time is continuous, it is continually changing, and try to… Read More »Four Gifts
