Resource Pack 2 for newcomers to Triratna Centres:

introduction to Meditation, ,

and ceremonies

Introduction This pack aims to give people new to the Triratna Buddhist Community a short introduction to our main meditation practices, our approach to Buddhism, and the text of the main ceremonies we use.

Its companion contains a multitude of leads to further material on who we are and what we do - even what we look like! Most of it is available for free on the internet.

Suggestions for inclusion in future editions are welcome, please contact [email protected].

Contents This Pack gives you short introductions to meditation and Buddhism as practiced in the Triratna Buddhist Community, plus the text of the main ceremonies used. introductions basic Triratna texts a short introduction to meditation The Threefold Puja a short introduction to Buddhism The Dedication Ceremony a short introduction to the Triratna Buddhist The Sevenfold Puja Community the Refuges and Precepts The Heart

Contents of Resource Pack 1

Triratna Chairs Assembly | Resources for Newcomers | Meditation, Buddhism, and Ceremonies | this version January 2011 www.fwbo-news.org/resources.html : a brief guide

Introduction

Buddhist meditation includes any method of meditation that has Enlightenment as its ultimate aim. Buddhist meditation practices are designed to provide us with a grounding in certain basic human qualities, to help us to become a happy, healthy human being - a necessary foundation for any deeper spiritual practice. From these we can deepen into ‘insight’ meditations. This leaflet summarises two central Buddhist practices: the of Breathing, and the Metta , both of which are taught at Triratna Buddhist Community centres worldwide. These lead us naturally into deeper, more reflective, states of mind that may help us develop insight into the true nature of reality. Both go back to the time of the Buddha and have been practised ever since by millions of people of all types across the world. In essence, meditation teaches us to take full responsibility for our own states of mind, and offers us a means of transforming negative and reactive patterns in our minds into positive and creative ones. Such change can have a deeply transformative effect, and lead to new understandings of life. The secret of success for any meditation is good preparation and regular practice. Preparation includes both setting up our meditation posture, finding a suitable place for meditation, and - if we are to go at all deeply into meditation - leading an ethically simple and uncompromised life. To practise regularly we need confidence in the practice and in our own ability to change. As we go on, this confidence becomes more and more deeply rooted in our own personal experience. The Mindfulness of Breathing: developing calm and concentration

This practice helps us to develop a calm and 1 Feel the sensation of the breathing as it flows naturally concentrated mind. We learn to pull together the many in and out of the body. Just after each breath leaves scattered fragments of our emotional and mental energy the body, mark it with a (mental) count of 'one', then into a single unified whole, with the natural consequence 'two', etc. Count ten breaths, then start again at one. that our minds become more energised, focused, and 2 After doing this for a short while (say 4-5 minutes) start wholehearted, and therefore, that our experience of life counting each breath just before it enters the body, becomes clearer and more vivid, our choices more counting in the same way as before. conscious and more meaningful. Some traditions say the 3 After a few minutes of stage 2, stop counting Buddha was doing this practice as he became altogether, and simply follow with your mind the whole Enlightened. flow of your breathing. 4 Finally, direct your attention to the point where you This practice makes a very good companion to the Metta most clearly feel the air entering and leaving the body. Bhavana. Both were taught and strongly recommended Focus your attention on the subtle sensations made by by the Buddha. We suggest that anyone developing a the air stimulating that point. serious meditation practice alternates them equally. · To end the practice, relax your effort and sit quietly doing nothing for a minute or two, absorbing the effects of the practice, and gradually allowing your attention to Summary of the four stages of the practice: expand out again into your surroundings. It is important to end slowly and sensitively. Take time to reflect on · Begin by setting up your meditation posture and sitting how it went. quietly for a minute or two, to relax and settle yourself. Check your body for tension, and become aware of its Throughout the practice, keep an overall perspective on general level of energy. Check the overall tone of your how it is going, and look for ways to move into deeper energy, emotions, and mental activity, acknowledging states of concentration. These include adjusting your these as your starting point for this particular session of posture to balance energy that is too sluggish or too meditation. excited, consciously developing interest in your experience, and looking for enjoyment in the practice.

Triratna Chairs Assembly | Resources for Newcomers | Meditation, Buddhism, and Ceremonies | this version January 2011 www.fwbo-news.org/resources.html Metta Bhavana: the development of loving-kindness

Metta is almost impossible to translate adequately, but present. Another is to imaginatively give yourself a gift - a refers to strong, even passionate, feelings of love, flower, jewel, or flame, symbolising self-metta. friendliness, and compassion towards all life - feelings felt 2 Move the focus of your awareness onto a good friend and equally towards all, and completely free from emotional self- work creatively to contact, develop, and deepen metta interest or grasping. It is sometimes referred to as 'universal towards them, using similar methods to stage 1. Avoid loving-kindness'. It is a fundamental attitude of positivity and choosing someone for whom you feel sexual or parental love that will express itself spontaneously and appropriately feelings. in action: as compassion towards the suffering, joy at others' 3 Bring to mind a 'neutral' person, someone for whom you good fortune, help where help is needed, generosity have no clear like or dislike. Look for ways to contact towards the needy, and so on. metta for them and then develop and deepen it. This may mean 'bringing them to life' in your mind, reflecting on Summary of the five stages of the practice: what you have most deeply in common, or simply taking an imaginative interest in them. · Begin as for the Mindfulness of Breathing, checking your 4 Turn your attention to a 'difficult' person. Experience how overall energy, emotions, and mental activity, you actually feel towards them, and try to cultivate a fresh acknowledging these as your starting point. and more mettaful response, perhaps looking for a deeper understanding of them. 1 As you become more fully aware of yourself, develop a 5 Lastly, bring to mind all four people and develop metta response of friendliness, interest, and kindness towards equally towards all of them. Broaden out to include those yourself, wishing yourself "happiness and the causes of around you, in the local area, the country, the world - other happiness, freedom from suffering and the causes of forms of life - all life. Develop strong, impartial, universal suffering, growth and development". One approach is to metta towards all life. repeat a suitable sentence to yourself over and over, · To end, as in the Mindfulness of Breathing, relax your listening for the resonances in your heart. Another way is effort, and gradually expand your awareness outwards to remember a time when you felt this way, and feed that slowly and sensitively. memory with awareness, thereby bringing it into life in the

Working in Meditation: going deeper

Once you have learnt the basic practice, there are many ways Beyond this we may use the traditional list of the Five to take your experience deeper. The art of meditation is Hindrances: always to find a creative way to take your practice one step deeper. - Sloth and Torpor - Doubt and Indecision posture both states of too little energy: The three keys to a good meditation posture are to be stimulate mind and body comfortable, relaxed, and alert. Experiment to find what suits + Sense-Desire you. Your knees should rest firmly on the ground to give you + Restlessness and Worry stability, your hands supported in front of you, your buttocks at + Ill-Will the correct height, your head balanced, and your muscles all excess/unfocussed energy; relaxed. -reduce distraction, calm the mind the hindrances Work with these by naming them, thus acquiring a perspective Broadly speaking, we may suffer from too little energy on them; cultivating the opposite; considering the available for our meditation or from too much unfocussed and consequences of living forever in them; or - if all else fails - distracted energy. Working with posture is the first thing to try: allowing them to pass in their own time by adopting a 'sky-like sitting up straighter or opening our eyes if our energy is low, mind'. bringing our attention down into our stomach or relaxing our muscles if it is too high and scattered. daily practice A daily meditation practice is essential for real progress in meditation. Finding a place and time that suit you, meditating with others, keeping a meditation journal, reading and learning more about meditation - all these may help you to develop a regular practice. Keep your practice clear, bright, and creative. Enjoy! ♥

Triratna Chairs Assembly | Resources for Newcomers | Meditation, Buddhism, and Ceremonies | this version January 2011 www.fwbo-news.org/resources.html Buddhism: a rough guide

Buddhism is a path of practice and spiritual Buddhism teaches practical methods (such as development leading to Insight into the true nature meditation) which enable people to realise and of life. Buddhist practices are means of changing utilise its teachings in order to transform their oneself in order to develop the qualities of experience, to be fully responsible for their lives and awareness, kindness, and wisdom. The experience to develop the qualities of Wisdom and developed within the Buddhist tradition over Compassion. thousands of years has created an incomparable resource for all those who wish to follow such a path There are many ways to describe the path of - a path which ultimately culminates in Buddhism; this leaflet presents its teaching of the Enlightenment or . well-known in a simple two- part division: the Path of Vision and the Path of The basic tenets of Buddhist teaching are Transformation. straightforward and practical: nothing is fixed or permanent; actions have consequences; change is The text is based on the first two of the Eight-Fold possible. Thus Buddhism addresses itself to all Path lectures given by Sangharakshita.

people irrespective of race, nationality, or gender.

The Path of Vision: glimpsing the nature of existence

Buddhism begins with a vision of the nature of Conceptually speaking, Perfect Vision is often existence, the Truth or the Reality of things. This is explained in terms of experiencing the truth of the Path of Vision, darsana-marga in , the Buddhist concepts such as the Three Laksanas or first step of the Buddha's Noble Eightfold Path. Characteristics of Conditioned Existence: these teach that conditioned existence is ‘marked’, or shot Perfect Vision represents the phase of initial through, with dukkha, or unsatisfactoriness; anitya, spiritual insight and experience. This may arise or ; and anatman, or the absence of many different ways for different people: personal any fixed selfhood. Other formulations include the tragedy and loss; spontaneous mystical experience; , Karma and , and the by experience of nature or the arts, from deep Four Sunyatas or Emptinesses. thought, philosophical study, or meditation; as the result of altruistic activity or our whole experience of Buddhist concepts may be compared to a map, life; even in a dream. There is no uniform pattern. whose study can lead us to a glimpse of the But however it arises, we should be very careful we mountain itself: however the territory is described, it do not lose or forget it: this so easily happens. is important to remember Perfect Vision is a glimpse of Reality that is quite simple, direct, and immediate, Buddhism itself has employed many means to and more of the nature of a spiritual experience than communicate its vision of Truth: images such as the intellectual understanding. Wheel of Life and the Six Realms, representations of the Buddha himself and later elaborations such After Vision comes Transformation: transformation as the of the Five Buddhas, also the very of one's whole being in all its heights and depths, image of the Path itself. All these communicate in from top to bottom, in accordance with one’s insight some way a vision of our actual present state of and experience. spiritual bondage, our future potential state of

Enlightenment and the way leading from the one to the other.

Triratna Chairs Assembly | Resources for Newcomers | Meditation, Buddhism, and Ceremonies | this version January 2011 www.fwbo-news.org/resources.html The Path of Transformation: cease to do evil, learn to do good

The Path of Transformation is a complete, total, and The positive aspect of transformation consists in thoroughgoing transformation of one's emotional cultivating the remainder of the Eightfold Path: life, speech, communication with other people, relationships, livelihood and more. The Path of Perfect Emotion, Transformation aims to enable us to bring the whole Perfect Speech, of our being on all levels up to the level of the Perfect Action, highest moments of our lives. This is what it really Perfect Livelihood, means to follow the Buddha’s Noble Eightfold Path. Perfect Effort, Perfect Mindfulness, and Buddhism sees life as a process of constant Perfect Meditation. change, and its practices aim to take advantage of To take just the first, the positive aspect of Perfect this fact. It means that one can change for the Emotion consists in developing dana, maitri and better. The decisive factor in changing oneself is the karuna: generosity, loving-kindness, and mind, and Buddhism has developed many methods compassion. These are followed by and for working on the mind - most importantly, the upeksa: sympathetic joy and tranquillity, and finally practise of meditation. Meditation is a way of sraddha - faith and devotion. developing more positive states of mind that are characterised by calm, concentration, awareness, The central problem of the spiritual life - for most and kindness. Using the awareness developed in people at least – is to find emotional equivalents for meditation it is possible to have a deep their intellectual understanding. This is illustrated in understanding of oneself, other people, and of life the well-known story of the great Indian teacher itself. meeting the Emperor of China.

One aspect of Transformation is a giving up of all The Emperor asked, 'What is the fundamental that limits us or holds us back. This is the practice principle of Buddhism?' Bodhidharma answered of renunciation or nekkhama. This springs naturally 'Cease to do evil, learn to do good, purify the heart'. from a decrease of craving within us, consequent The Emperor was rather taken back, and said 'Is upon our vision of the true nature of conditioned that all? Even a child of three can understand that!' things. It manifests as stillness, simplicity, and And Bodhidharma replied: 'Yes your majesty: but contentment. even an old man of eighty cannot put it into practice!'.

Triratna Chairs Assembly | Resources for Newcomers | Meditation, Buddhism, and Ceremonies | this version January 2011 www.fwbo-news.org/resources.html Introduction to Triratna Buddhism for the modern world

The Triratna Buddhist Community is an international critical ecumenicalism, trying to understand what the network dedicated to communicating Buddhist truths various texts and traditions really mean - and to in ways appropriate to the modern world. apply that meaning to the living of our lives as Buddhists. Originally known as the FWBO (Friends of the Western Buddhist Order), it was founded in London Secondly, it is a unified movement in the sense that in 1968 by Sangharakshita. Having originally taken membership of Triratna is open to all regardless of ordination as a Theravadin in India, during nationality, race, colour, education, class or caste, his twenty years practicing Buddhism on the Indo- cultural background, gender, sexual orientation, or Tibetan border he went on to take initiations from a age: it seeks to welcome and value all as number of the escaping the Chinese individuals. More specifically, the Triratna Buddhist occupation of Tibet. When he returned to England, Order is open to both men and women on fully he experienced first-hand the limited context in equal terms: this is revolutionary compared to which Westerners had to practice the and traditional Eastern Buddhism, where ordination (or his response was to found a new Buddhist its equivalent) is generally not open to women. movement. Thirdly, it holds the act of Going for to the Bringing Buddhism into an entirely new culture Three Jewels (the Buddha, Dharma, and ) to implied to Sangharakshita that we needed to go be the central and definitive act of a Buddhist. back to basics — to look at the principles underlying all forms of Buddhism and work out how best to Fourthly, Triratna places great on spiritual friendship apply them in this new context. So Triratna is based or kalyana mitrata, and fifthly, on team based right on the principle of ‘critical ecumenicalism’: aligned livelihood, where it has been a pioneer in the field. to no one traditional school, but drawing on the Sixthly and lastly, it emphasises the importance of whole stream of Buddhist inspiration. the Arts for the spiritual life, seeing them as potentially bearers of spiritual values, which can Now that Buddhism has come to the West, help people to transform their lives. Westerners are faced with the task of creating new and viable Buddhist traditions for the modern world. In the last 40 years the Triratna Buddhist Triratna has pioneered new structures that allow Community has grown into a movement with dozens people to live out Buddhist teachings as an of centres all over the world. And not only in the authentic Buddhist way of life in the 21st century: West — Triratna has a substantial presence in team-based right livelihood businesses, India, as well as Dharma activities in other communities, socially engaged fundraising projects developing countries. such as the Karuna Trust, and more. Over the last forty years the Triratna Buddhist Community has Sangharakshita has now handed-on responsibility grown to be one of the largest Buddhist movements for the Triratna Buddhist Community and Order’s in the West, with centres and activities in many spiritual vitality to his followers. Triratna is entering a cities around the world including India. new phase of growth and consolidation, learning from, and building upon its history, and developing According to Sangharakshita, Triratna has six into a broad-based, mature and experienced distinctive features, which constitute its particular spiritual community. It is playing a significant role in individuality - an individuality which has developed bringing Buddhism to the West. as a result of practicing the Dharma under the conditions of modern, industrialised, urbanised, In India Triratna is known as the Triratna Bauddha secularised, living; conditions which are fast Mahasangha, where it has been established for becoming worldwide. some 30 years. The work in India has two aspects: firstly providing facilities for teaching the Dharma First, the Triratna Buddhist Community is an among Buddhists from the communities formerly ecumenical movement, signifying that in principle it known as ‘untouchable’, and secondly running accepts the whole Buddhist tradition as it has social work projects to contribute to the betterment developed over the centuries in the East. of those communities. Much of this is funded by the Specifically it bases itself upon the principle of Karuna Trust and other Triratna projects in the West.

Triratna Chairs Assembly | Resources for Newcomers | Meditation, Buddhism, and Ceremonies | this version January 2011 www.fwbo-news.org/resources.html Basic Triratna texts

The Threefold Puja

Opening Reverence Reverencing the Buddha, we offer incense: We reverence the Buddha, incense whose fragrance pervades the air. The Perfectly Enlightened One, The fragrance of the perfect life, sweeter than The Shower of the Way. incense Spreads in all directions throughout the world We reverence the Dharma, The Teaching of the Buddha, Reverence to the Three Jewels Which leads from darkness to light. We reverence the Buddha, and aspire to follow him. The Buddha was born as we are born. We reverence the Sangha, What the Buddha attained we too can attain The fellowship of the Buddha's disciples, What the Buddha overcame we too can overcome. That inspires and guides. We reverence the Dharma, and aspire to follow it Offerings to the Buddha With body, speech and mind, until the end. Reverencing the Buddha, we offer flowers: The truth in all its aspects, the path in all its stages, Flowers that today are fresh and sweetly blooming, We aspire to study, practise, realise. Flowers that tomorrow are faded and fallen. Our bodies too, like flowers, will pass away. We reverence the Sangha, and aspire to follow it; The fellowship of those who tread the way. Reverencing the Buddha, we offer candles: As, one by one, we make our own commitment, To him who is the light, we offer light. An ever-widening circle, the Sangha grows. From his greater lamp a lesser lamp we light within us: The lamp of Bodhi shining within our hearts.

The Dedication Ceremony

We dedicate this place to the Three Jewels: Not by the chanting of the sacred Scriptures, To the Buddha, the Ideal of Enlightenment to Not by the sprinkling of holy water, which we aspire; But by own efforts towards Enlightenment To the Dharma, the Path of the Teaching which We dedicate this place. we follow; To the Sangha, the spiritual fellowship with one Around this Mandala, this sacred spot, another which we enjoy. May the lotus petals of purity open; Around this Mandala, this sacred spot, Here may no idle word be spoken; May the -wall of determination extend; Here may no unquiet thought disturb our minds. Around this Mandala, this sacred spot, May the flames that transmute Samsara into To the observance of the arise. We dedicate this place; To the practice of meditation Here seated, here practising, We dedicate this place; May our mind become Buddha, To the development of wisdom May our thought become Dharma, We dedicate this place; May our communication with one another be To the attainment of Enlightenment Sangha. We dedicate this place. For the happiness of all beings, Though in the world outside there is strife For the benefit of all beings, Here may there be peace; With body, speech, and mind, Though in the world outside there is hate We dedicate this place. Here may there be love; Though in the world outside there is grief Here may there be joy.

Triratna Chairs Assembly | Resources for Newcomers | Meditation, Buddhism, and Ceremonies | this version January 2011 www.fwbo-news.org/resources.html The Sevenfold Puja

WORSHIP CONFESSION OF EVIL

With mandarava, blue lotus and jasmine, The evil which I have heaped up With all flowers, pleasing and fragrant, Through my ignorance and foolishness - And with garlands skilfully woven, Evil in the world of everyday experience, I pay honour to the princes of the sages, As well as evil in understanding and So worthy of veneration. intelligence - I envelop them in clouds of incense, All that I acknowledge to the Protectors. Sweet and penetrating; Standing before them I make them offerings of food, hard and soft, With hands raised in reverence, And pleasing kinds of liquids to drink. And terrified of suffering, I offer them lamps encrusted with jewels, I pay salutations again and again. Festooned with golden lotus, May the leaders receive this kindly, On the paving, sprinkled with perfume, Just as it is, with its many faults! I scatter handfuls of beautiful flowers. What is not good, O Protectors, I shall not do again. AVALOKITESVARA REJOICING IN

SALUTATION I rejoice with delight In the good done by all beings, As many atoms as there are, Through which they obtain rest In the thousand million worlds, With the end of suffering. So many times I make reverent salutation May those who have suffered be happy! To all the Buddhas of the three eras, I rejoice in the release of beings To the Saddharma, From the sufferings of the rounds of existence; And to the excellent Community. I rejoice in the nature of the I pay homage to all the shrines And the Buddha, And places in which the have Who are Protectors. been. I rejoice in the arising of the Will to I make profound obeisance to the teachers Enlightenment, And those to whom respectful salutation is And the Teaching: due. Those oceans which bring happiness to all beings, GOING FOR REFUGE And are the abode of welfare of all beings.

This very day, ENTREATY AND SUPPLICATION I go for my refuge To the powerful Protectors, Saluting them with folded hands Whose purpose is to guard the universe, I entreat the Buddhas in all the quarters: The mighty conquerors who overcome May they make shine the lamp of the Dharma suffering everywhere. For those wandering in the suffering of Wholeheartedly also I take my refuge delusion! In the Dharma they have ascertained, With hands folded in reverence Which is the abode of security against the I implore the conquerors desiring to enter rounds of rebirth; Nirvana: Likewise in the host of Bodhisattvas May they remain here for endless ages, I take my refuge. So that life in this world does not grow dark. refuges and precepts Reading and the Heart Sutra

Triratna Chairs Assembly | Resources for Newcomers | Meditation, Buddhism, and Ceremonies | this version January 2011 www.fwbo-news.org/resources.html TRANSFERENCE OF MERIT AND SELF- SURRENDER om ah hum jetsun guru Padma hum May the merit gained ( mantra) In my acting thus om mani padme hum (Avalokitesvara) Go to the alleviation of the suffering of all om a ra pa ca na dhih (Manjusri) beings. om vajrapani hum (Vajrapani) My personality throughout my existences, om tare tuttare ture svaha () My possessions, om amideva hrih (Amitabha) And my merit in all three ways, om muni muni maha muni sakyamuni svaha I give up without regard to myself (Sakyamuni Buddha) For the benefit of all beings. om ah hum vajra guru padma siddhi hum Just as the earth and other elements (Padmasambhava) Are serviceable in many ways gate gate paragate parasamgate bodhi svaha To the infinite number of beings, (Prajnaparamita/blue sky) Inhabiting limitless space, So may I become om santi santi santi That which maintains all beings Situated throughout space, So long as all have not attained To peace.

the Refuges and Precepts

Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato five precepts Sammasambuddhassa Panatipata Veramani Sikkhapadam Samadiyami Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Adinnadana Veramani Sikkhapadam Samadiyami Sammasambuddhassa Kamesu Micchacara Veramani Sikkhapadam Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Samadiyami Sammasambuddhassa Musavada Veramani Sikkhapadam Samadiyami Surameraya Majja Pamadatthana Veramani Buddham Saranam Gacchami Sikkhapadam Samadiyami Dhammam Saranam Gacchami Sangham Saranam Gacchami sadhu sadhu sadhu

Dutiyampi Buddham Saranam Gacchami the positive precepts Dutiyampi Dhammam Saranam Gacchami With deeds of loving kindness, I purify my body. Dutiyampi Sangham Saranam Gacchami With open-handed generosity, I purify my body. With stillness, simplicity, and contentment, I purify Tatiyampi Buddham Saranam Gacchami my body. Tatiyampi Dhammam Saranam Gacchami With truthful communication, I purify my speech. Tatiyampi Sangham Saranam Gacchami With mindfulness clear and radiant, I purify my mind. translation Homage to Him, the Blessed One, the Worthy One, translation the Perfectly Enlightened One! (x3) I undertake to abstain from taking life. I undertake to abstain from taking the not-given. To the Buddha for refuge I go. I undertake to abstain from sexual misconduct. To the Dharma for refuge I go. I undertake to abstain from false speech. To the Sangha for refuge I go. I undertake to abstain from taking intoxicants.

For the second time to the Buddha for refuge I go. For the second time to the Dharma for refuge I go. For the second time to the Sangha for refuge I go.

For the third time to the Buddha for refuge I go. For the third time to the Dharma for refuge I go. For the third time to the Sangha for refuge I go.

Triratna Chairs Assembly | Resources for Newcomers | Meditation, Buddhism, and Ceremonies | this version January 2011 www.fwbo-news.org/resources.html The Heart Sutra

The Bodhisattva of Compassion, No ignorance or end of it, When he meditated deeply, Nor all that comes of ignorance; Saw the emptiness of all five No withering, no death, And sundered the bonds that caused him No end of them. suffering. Nor is there pain, or cause of pain, Here then, Or cease in pain, or noble path Form is no other than emptiness, To lead from pain; Emptiness no other than form. Not even wisdom to attain! Form is only emptiness, Attainment too is emptiness. Emptiness only form. Feeling, thought, and choice, So know that the Bodhisattva Consciousness itself, Holding to nothing whatever, Are the same as this. But dwelling in Prajna wisdom, Is freed of delusive hindrance, All things are by nature void Rid of the fear bred by it, They are not born or destroyed And reaches clearest Nirvana. Nor are they stained or pure Nor do they wax or wane All Buddhas of past and present, Buddhas of future time, So, in emptiness, no form, Using this Prajna wisdom, No feeling, thought, or choice, Come to full and perfect vision. Nor is there consciousness. No eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind; Hear then the great dharani, No colour, sound, smell, taste, touch, The radiant peerless mantra, Or what the mind takes hold of, The Prajnaparamita Nor even act of sensing. Whose words allay all pain; Hear and believe its truth! Gate Gate Paragate Parasamgate Bodhi Svaha

Triratna Chairs Assembly | Resources for Newcomers | Meditation, Buddhism, and Ceremonies | this version January 2011 www.fwbo-news.org/resources.html Contents of Resource Pack 1 where to find stuff more about the Triratna Buddhist Community Recommended reading lists Triratna News Sangharakshita’s books Social Engagement On-line Dharma talks Fundraising Study material (including the Triratna Triratna /FWBO History and archives Dharma Training Course) Contact details for Triratna Buddhist beyond English Community Centres Details about retreats going deeper Dharma material and events for young Dharma study people What is a Mitra? Children and schools’ Dharma material Asking for Ordination Ask a Buddhist: on-line answers what we look like Photos of Triratna Centres Profiles of people/Order Members Video clips of Bhante/ Order Members / other people in the Triratna Buddhist Community

Triratna Chairs Assembly | Resources for Newcomers | Meditation, Buddhism, and Ceremonies | this version January 2011 www.fwbo-news.org/resources.html