Sangha: Friendship and Community

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What is Sangha?

Sangha, the Heart of the Buddhist Centre

Sangha is a Sanskrit word for community. Traditionally it refers to all the enlightened men and women who have come before us, and in the East it usually means the community of monks and nuns. In our Triratna Buddhist Community, Sangha is our community of practitioners – the people we share our spiritual lives with.

The guidance of more experienced friends, and the support and friendship of others on the path are very important because Buddhism is an approach to life, not an abstract philosophy. The Buddha once said that spiritual friendship is the whole of the spiritual life, and we see friendship as the whole of the Triratna Buddhist Community.

Ananda: Lord, I think that half of the Holy Life is spiritual friendship…

The Buddha: That’s not so; say not so, Ananda. It is not half of the Holy Life, it is the whole of the Holy Life

Upaddha Sutta

A Network of Friends

Our Centre isn’t just a place for teaching meditation, or learning about Buddhism. Everything we do together here supports a network of spiritual friendships, whether it’s meditation, study, ritual, going on retreat or looking after the building. When we share our efforts to become more than we currently are, trust can build up as we all at least try to be ethical, to be aware of ourselves and others, to express metta, or loving-kindness.

Of course, our Sangha isn’t perfect, but we believe we are trying our best to put the Buddha’s teachings into practice in a complex and diverse city and world.

Joining in

Starting to Feel Part of Things

The Manchester Buddhist Centre Sangha includes anyone who practises with us and comes to the Centre regularly. It is made up of Friends, Mitras and Order Members.

Many other people just come to the Centre for yoga classes or a massage, to browse in the bookshop or attend occasional events, because they like it!

About Friends
We consider someone a Friend when they have been to some introductory classes, and now come to the Centre to join in other activities, sometimes volunteering here. There is no pressure to take their involvement further, and some people remain Friends for many years, making a valuable contribution to our community.
About Mitras

Mitra is a Sanskrit word for friend. Here, it means deepening your friendship with the Triratna Buddhist Community, and making a formal commitment to practising Buddhism within the context of the Manchester Buddhist Centre in a simple, public ceremony.

Some Mitras go on to ask for ordination into the Triratna Buddhist Order. They prepare for this through many dedicated years of training, including retreats, peer support groups, study, and deepening friendships with local Order members. They are often known as GFR Mitras as they are trying to deepen their Going For Refuge to Buddhism’s Three Jewels – the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. They are also sometimes just called Mitras training for ordination.

Two Mitra convenors, Suryaka and Vishangka, co-ordinate and support Mitra activities at the Centre. Speak to them or another Order member if you are wondering about taking this step.

About Order Members
At the heart of the Triratna Buddhist Community is the Triratna Buddhist Order. Order members commit to following the Buddhist path to Enlightenment, as the central point of their lives. Their understanding of the Dharma is based on the teachings of our founder, Sangharakshita.

They undertake to practise a traditional set of ten ethical precepts and have all been in a long period of training before joining the Order. At ordination they are given a new name in Pali or Sanskrit, often relating to qualities they have or aspire to.

The Order is neither lay nor monastic – some Order members have families, some are celibate practitioners, or anagarikas. Some live and work in Triratna’s residential communities and team-based working situations, others work in non-Buddhist settings. Order members’ spiritual commitment is the crucial thing, not their lifestyle. Above all they try to share their spiritual lives, and co-operate in practising and spreading the Dharma. The Order is open to any man or woman, regardless of age, race, class, gender, sexuality, caste or any other criterion, who is sincerely and effectively committed to practising the Dharma.

Working Together

Sharing in the work of running the Centre is a great way of feeling part of things – read more about joining in and giving your time.

If we learn to relate to our friends with metta, we will gradually learn to respond to the whole world with metta, with unselfishness. It is in this way that spiritual friendship is indeed the whole of the spiritual life
Sangharakshita

Founder, Triratna Buddhist Community

Festivals and Ritual

Engaging Heart and Mind

Our festival days are important times for Sangha members to come together:

  • Parinirvana Day in February
  • Buddha Day in May, sometimes known as Wesak
  • Dharma Day in July
  • Sangha Day in November

At festivals we celebrate an aspect of Buddhist practice with devotional practice and rituals such as Puja. We also celebrate significant figures in the Triratna Community, including Padmasambhava in September and both Dr Ambedkar and Sangharakshita in October.

What is Puja?

A Puja is a set of verses invoking gratitude to the Buddha and aspects of his teaching. We usually chant them in call and response here, with the words and translations available, and with no pressure to join in. The Buddhist path isn’t just about intellectual understanding – Puja can help us engage with our emotions and imagination too.

In the Buddha’s time, the full moon gave the Sangha a regular opportunity to gather for teachings, Puja and meditation, and this tradition continues in the Buddhist world today. We usually celebrate on the weekend, or sometimes the Monday evening, nearest to the full moon day.

Men at shrine at festival puja

More about Puja

Festivals and Rituals coming up
Pujas are beautiful – I feel I’m connecting to Buddhism with both heart and mind

Sangha Retreats

Going on Retreat

On retreat, you can deepen your meditation, cultivate mindfulness, and learn more about Buddhism.

When Manchester Buddhist Centre has organised the retreat, there’s also a chance to develop friendships with other people who come to the Centre. Our retreats are usually held at outdoor centres in beautiful Derbyshire countryside.

We also sometimes hold urban retreats, providing many retreat-like conditions while being non-residential and taking place alongside ordinary life.

Retreat Fund

Sangha members who cannot afford a retreat may be able to get help from our retreat bursary fund. Or if you can, please give to the fund so everyone gets the chance to go on retreat.
There was just a sense of space that was fantastic and I felt like I could be me

Sangha retreat
Retreats coming up
Find more retreats at all levels across the UK, open to individual bookings, at Goingonretreat.com

Who’s Who at the Centre?

These are some of the people at the heart of the Centre – our Chair, President,Trustees and the small team managing the day to day running. There’s no room to add all the others who give their time freely here as teachers, receptionists and so much more. Everyone involved in running the Centre and our classes has committed to the Buddhist path, either by joining the Triratna Buddhist Order (when they are given a Buddhist name evoking their qualities and aspirations) or by becoming a Mitra. Order members wear a white sash called a kesa, which shows the commitment they have made.
Dharmakarunya

Dharmakarunya

Teacher

(Dhar-ma-ka-roon-ya) “She whose compassion comes from the Dharma”

Silabodhi

Silabodhi

Teacher, Chair of Trustees

(See-la-bo-dee) “Enlightenment through virtue”
Vishangka

Vishangka

Trustee, teacher, Mitra convenor

(Vish-ank-her) “Fearless”
Arthapriya

Arthapriya

President

(Art-er-pree-er) “Lover of the meaning/good”
Suryaka

Suryaka

Trustee, teacher, Mitra Convenor

(Su-ree-a-ka) “Like the Sun”

ParanAyaka

ParanAyaka

Centre team (buildings maintenance), teacher (Par-a-nye-aka) "He who leads others to the Further Shore"

Aparajita

Aparajita

Trustee, teacher

(Apar-aahh-jita) “Undefeated”
Buddhasamagama

Buddhasamagama

Centre Team (Finance)

(Buddha-sam-ah-gama) “With the Buddhas”
Candradipa

Candradipa

Centre Team (communications), teacher

(Chandra-deepa) “Light of the Moon”

Chandana

Chandana

Teacher

(Chan-dun-a) “Sandalwood”
Aryaraksita

Aryaraksita

Trustee, teacher

(Ari-ya-rak-sheeta) “Protected by the noble ones”

Sthirajyoti

Sthirajyoti

Centre Team (IT, admin), teacher

(St’hira-joti) “Steady light or radiance”

Opening Times:

• Tuesday - Thursday 11am - 3pm
• Saturday 10.30am - 2.30pm
Sundays 2nd, 9th, 16th December 10.30am - 2.30pm
Closed 24th December - 1st January inclusive
Bodywise opening
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