This is going to be a shorter piece than I have given you of late, so apologies or maybe you will see it as good fortune? It is interesting how a thing, an event can be viewed in opposing ways depending on our own personal ideas, thoughts or emotions at… Read More »Joining a worldwide movement
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
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
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
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
December homily Last week I had a couple of moving goodbyes or partings with friends. Last Thursday we finally said goodbye to Leigh, who is off to Cambridge to live and work for a Triratna organisation, the Windhorse Trust. I also said goodbye to Kusaladana, who many of you know,… Read More »Meetings & Partings
Yesterday a new blue-robed figure walked into the Buddhist Centre. He had arrived at the packed Centre to introduce himself to the Ipswich Sangha. This was Jayaketu, the latest Ipswich Order Member, who was previously known as Mike. He told the gathered throng, about his adventures and experiences, both good… Read More »…and so the Sangha grows
Chair’s Homily for July I am at Adhisthana this week on the European Chairs Assembly, where ideas and proposals abound in many different languages. Sitting chatting, whilst eating breakfast, I notice on my left Viryakirti from Mexico and Silamani from Valencia, Spain. On my right is Aryabandhu from Berlin and… Read More »The Art of Communication
