The joyful occasion of Vimalavajri joining the Triratna Buddhist Order
The Buddha taught that ‘friendship is the whole of the spiritual life’ and at the Bristol Buddhist Centre, and in Triratna generally, the practice of creating a vibrant spiritual community or Sangha is essential. As well as inspiring and supporting each other on the path, creating Sangha is a transformative spiritual practice in itself.
Order Members from across the world at the International Order Convention in India at Bodhgaya
The Bristol Buddhist Centre is a hub of the Triratna Buddhist Community which is a worldwide Sangha of thousands and people are involved at all levels – from a single visit one evening to making the lifetime commitment to practising in our Sangha, which is ordination.
Introductory Drop in classes welcome anyone and everyone who wants to come and experience Buddhist practice for themselves. It’s good to ‘shop around’ and discover which approach to Dharma practice most suits you.
Our Friends Night classes and courses are for those who’ve decided they’d like to find out more on a more systematic basis. Every Monday, our Friends’ Night drop in class includes a longer period of meditation and a talk or discussion on some aspect of the Buddha’s teachings. No commitment is required, you just need to know the two meditation practices we teach, as the meditation isn’t led through.
Angie and Julia make prayer flags at our 2010 open day
Becoming a Mitra (the Sanskrit word for ‘friend’) in the Triratna Buddhist Community signifies that someone has decided they are a Buddhist, that they are endeavouring to practise the five Ethical precepts the Buddha taught and that they have done their ‘shopping around’ and decided that the Triratna Buddhist Community is the place where they want to ‘put down the roots’ of their practice. It’s fine to try out lots of different approaches, but if we’re going to take our practice deeper, we need make a commitment (provisional, at first) to a particular path. Becoming a Mitra is just such a provisional commitment.
Katie makes an offering during our 2010 Bristol Buddhist Centre Women's Weekend
Joining the Triratna Buddhist Order signifies that someone has decided to make their Going for Refuge, their practice of the Buddha’s teachings, central in their lives and that they have the understanding and experience to do this effectively. Training for ordination takes a number of years and involves study and retreats, as well as deepening connections and friendships with existing member of the Order. Fundamentally, the Triratna Buddhist Order is a network of friendships between people who have made the commitment to keep practising the Buddha’s teachings together, to the best of their ability, for the sake of all beings.