Everyone is very welcome at our centre, regardless of religious persuasion. Here’s a little bit about Buddhism. If you need to know anything else or have any questions please feel free to get in touch using the Contact us link above. For more about the particular Buddhist tradition that we are part of see ‘About the Triratna Buddhist Community’.

    Buddhism is one of the world oldest religious traditions dating back around 2,500 years. It was founded by a man called Siddartha Gautama who found himself deeply troubled by the sufferings of human life. After several years of dedicated spiritual practice he finally attained ‘enlightenment’, a profound understanding of the nature of reality, held by Buddhists to be the very pinnacle of human development. Henceforth he was given the title ‘Buddha’ or ‘Awakened One’ and devoted the rest of his life to teaching others, giving us the first example of what it is possible for a human being to become.

    He subsequently went on expound a systematic path by which others could also gain this enlightenment. Sometimes he taught methods and systems which appealed to the intellect, or used stories or metaphor to inspire the hearts and minds of those who had come to learn from him. This gave us the Dharma, the teachings which Buddhists follow. The Dharma is extensive but perhaps we can give some general idea by saying that it is a path for every one of all ages, races and beliefs. It promotes values which can transform both the individual and society at large. It especially emphasises awareness or mindfulness and an attitude of non-harm towards all living beings. To help us to work on our minds and hearts in this way ,we use the tool of meditation.

    Meditation is a very ancient practice which seems to go as far back in human history as we can measure. Using traditional Buddhist methods, we initially create a space for ourselves to relax and be completely at ease, putting our everyday concerns to one side. From this sense of spaciousness we can begin to access deeper parts of ourselves and cultivate certain qualities. The Buddha emphasized ‘sati’ (mindfulness or awareness) and ‘metta’ (friendliness or loving kindness) in particular and the two main practices we teach in the FWBO help us to develop them. People who practice meditation regularly will attest to its power in developing an increase in energy, self confidence and clarity of mind.

    Central to the Buddhist vision is the spiritual community: groups of individuals with shared values, encouraging one another and providing the framework of friendship and experience of practice needed for the Dharma to flourish. The traditional word for it is the Sangha. The Sangha is like the Buddhist model of an ideal society and we hope that the values exemplified by it’s members will have a positive effect on the wider world, offering guidance and insight around such issues as consumerism, human rights and the environment.

    So the Buddha, Dharma and the Sangha are what are known as the ‘Three Jewels’. The three most precious things to all Buddhists and it is by committing oneself to these ideals that one becomes a Buddhist.

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