Sangha Nights: Practical Buddhist Wisdom
Sangha Nights: Practical Buddhist Wisdom
April marks a new theme in Sangha nights, which will lead up to the Four Sanghas retreat (details here) which explores the pivotal Buddhist text, The Heart Sutra.
April marks a new theme in Sangha nights, which will lead up to the Four Sanghas retreat (details here) which explores the pivotal Buddhist text, The Heart Sutra.
To help lay the ground for the retreat, during Sangha nights we will explore the early Buddhist wisdom teachings which are referred to in the Heart Sutra: the skandhas, the sense faculties, conditioned co-production and the four Noble Truths. They are taught for a purpose: to help release us from suffering. So we will explore them practically, feeling into how to put them into practice. And hopefully we will sense something of how this radical way of looking brings greater ease and freedom.
To help lay the ground for the retreat, during Sangha nights we will explore the early Buddhist wisdom teachings which are referred to in the Heart Sutra: the skandhas, the sense faculties, conditioned co-production and the four Noble Truths. They are taught for a purpose: to help release us from suffering. So we will explore them practically, feeling into how to put them into practice. And hopefully we will sense something of how this radical way of looking brings greater ease and freedom.
11 May – Conditionality/the nidana chain (Akasharaja)
11 May – Conditionality/the nidana chain (Akasharaja)
18 May – The Heart Sutra - myth, history and poetry (Samantabhadri)
18 May – The Heart Sutra - myth, history and poetry (Samantabhadri)
25 May – The Four Noble Truths (tbc)
25 May – The Four Noble Truths (tbc)
Thought of the Week
Thought of the Week
In a new feature on our website, different members of the Shrewsbury sangha share a favourite teaching or story from the Buddha, or from a favourite Dharma teacher.
In a new feature on our website, different members of the Shrewsbury sangha share a favourite teaching or story from the Buddha, or from a favourite Dharma teacher.
In this second edition, Darren shares his thoughts on the guidance that we are often given to guard the gates of the senses.
In this second edition, Darren shares his thoughts on the guidance that we are often given to guard the gates of the senses.
Just click on the photo and you will be taken to the Thought of the Week section of the site.
Just click on the photo and you will be taken to the Thought of the Week section of the site.
If you would like to share your thoughts on a teaching and how it may have impacted your own life or practice then please contact Darren , who can help create the photo and format your text to fit the theme. You don't need any internet skills to be involved in this, just send the text you would like to appear and the rest will be done for you.
If you would like to share your thoughts on a teaching and how it may have impacted your own life or practice then please contact Darren , who can help create the photo and format your text to fit the theme. You don't need any internet skills to be involved in this, just send the text you would like to appear and the rest will be done for you.
What's on
What's on
Guided meditation
Guided meditation
Drop in every Saturday morning at 11 am (currently on Zoom) for thorough instruction and guidance in our two core meditation practices, the Mindfulness of Breathing and the Metta Bhavana. Please click here for the Zoom link to join (the link will take you directly to the session) or enter tiny.cc/shrewsbury-sangha into your device browser bar.
Drop in every Saturday morning at 11 am (currently on Zoom) for thorough instruction and guidance in our two core meditation practices, the Mindfulness of Breathing and the Metta Bhavana. Please click here for the Zoom link to join (the link will take you directly to the session) or enter tiny.cc/shrewsbury-sangha into your device browser bar.
About the Triratna Buddhist community in Shrewsbury, Shropshire
About the Triratna Buddhist community in Shrewsbury, Shropshire
We believe that the Dharma, which is the traditional term for both the teachings of the Buddha and the truth they are intended to convey, offers a path of liberation from all forms of emotional and mental suffering. It is to tell people about that path and offer them tools and methods to practise it that our Buddhist centre exists. The path broadly consists of Ethics, Meditation and Wisdom as means of fundamental self-transformation.
We believe that the Dharma, which is the traditional term for both the teachings of the Buddha and the truth they are intended to convey, offers a path of liberation from all forms of emotional and mental suffering. It is to tell people about that path and offer them tools and methods to practise it that our Buddhist centre exists. The path broadly consists of Ethics, Meditation and Wisdom as means of fundamental self-transformation.
In our community, we try to exemplify that path by following the Buddhist ethical precepts - all of which are ultimately an expression of love - by meditating and studying the Dharma and by reflecting on our experience to gain insight into life's true nature. We also teach meditation and Dharma in a range of public classes and courses. Please click here to see our activities for newcomers.
In our community, we try to exemplify that path by following the Buddhist ethical precepts - all of which are ultimately an expression of love - by meditating and studying the Dharma and by reflecting on our experience to gain insight into life's true nature. We also teach meditation and Dharma in a range of public classes and courses. Please click here to see our activities for newcomers.
Because we believe that everyone and anyone can benefit from them, we welcome everyone to our classes, regardless of religious belief or the lack of it, gender or gender identification, sexual orientation, age, race, class, whether able-bodied or disabled.
Because we believe that everyone and anyone can benefit from them, we welcome everyone to our classes, regardless of religious belief or the lack of it, gender or gender identification, sexual orientation, age, race, class, whether able-bodied or disabled.
Our community also sets out a clear path of commitment for those who are interested in taking things further. We encourage even fairly new people to get involved in our teams to help others coming along for the first time. Some people choose to become Mitras ("Friends") - a Mitra being someone commits to deepening their practice of the Dharma in the Triratna Community in the context of a simple ritual. Others go a step further and join the Triratna Buddhist Order, a body of women and men who have undertaken to place the practise of Buddhism at the heart of their lives.
Our community also sets out a clear path of commitment for those who are interested in taking things further. We encourage even fairly new people to get involved in our teams to help others coming along for the first time. Some people choose to become Mitras ("Friends") - a Mitra being someone commits to deepening their practice of the Dharma in the Triratna Community in the context of a simple ritual. Others go a step further and join the Triratna Buddhist Order, a body of women and men who have undertaken to place the practise of Buddhism at the heart of their lives.
Whatever your level of interest and desire for involvement, you will get a warm welcome from us.
Whatever your level of interest and desire for involvement, you will get a warm welcome from us.
Please click here to listen to any of our recorded talks.
Please click here to listen to any of our recorded talks.
Make a donation
Make a donation
One of Buddhism's key practices is generosity (dana). Giving is an important way of overcoming self-centredness and an expression of loving-kindness (metta).
One of Buddhism's key practices is generosity (dana). Giving is an important way of overcoming self-centredness and an expression of loving-kindness (metta).
Even though the centre isn't currently open, we still have a range of financial obligations to meet, including repaying our purchase loans and paying utility bills. If you would like to make a donation, especially if you feel you've benefited from what we offer, please click here. You don't need a PayPal account to donate. Thank you!
Even though the centre isn't currently open, we still have a range of financial obligations to meet, including repaying our purchase loans and paying utility bills. If you would like to make a donation, especially if you feel you've benefited from what we offer, please click here. You don't need a PayPal account to donate. Thank you!