Buddhism
“The not doing of anything evil. Undertaking to do what is ethically skilful. Complete purification of the mind. This is the teaching of the Buddhas”
Dhammapada v. 183
What Is Buddhism?
Buddhism is a Path or Way. In other words, it is something we do or practice; a way of living, of interacting with and in the world, a path of growth and development, of Transformation. It is also a spiritual Way that leads eventually to Insight into the true nature of life, to see things as they really are. A Path dedicated to the attainment of Enlightenment for the sake of all beings.
The Buddha’s teachings for the most part are practical, rather than theoretical; practical things to apply in our lives, in order to bring about change.
The Goal of Buddhism
The core aspiration of Buddhism is to bring about an end to suffering for all beings. To enable people to discover for themselves the understanding, tools and inspiration to bring about an end to their own suffering and the suffering of others.
Following the Buddha Way has led many people to experience depths of contentment and happiness far more than they could have ever imagined. The contentment and happiness that comes from working to evolve as best you can into the best that humans can be, the embodiment and full flowering of Wisdom and Compassion that leads to the end of suffering for all living beings.
Triratna’s Goal
The vision of the Triratna Buddhist Community is to support people on this journey of exploration and questioning from within; a very personal journey for each of us.
Triratna exists to support people on that journey in whatever way is appropriate. This exploration and evolution must emerge from an inner negotiation, a personal dialogue between your own heart and mind.
We acknowledge that it is a long and at times difficult journey, but one filled not just with possibility but also with much joy and fulfilment.
What Makes One a Buddhist?
First and foremost, it is a choice. It is a choice made by an individual on their own behalf, a freely made choice. The choice they make is to commit themselves to following the Buddhist Path, as best they can and as their growing understanding illuminates it for them. It is a commitment of the heart as well as of the head.
Traditionally this commitment is called Going for Refuge to the 3 Jewels.
To the Buddha for Refuge I Go.
To the Dharma for Refuge I Go.
To the Sangha for Refuge I Go.
The meaning of ‘refuge’
What is meant by ‘refuge’?
The Three Jewels are a refuge from suffering.
NOT refuge as a hiding place.
Better analogies are a basecamp, a storehouse, a grounding point. A place where we can contact our strengths, our resources and most importantly access the resources, skills and strength available from the Enlightened Mind (the Buddha), a place where we have access to the tools, wisdom and skills we need for the journey ahead (the Dharma) and where we can find the support of a community of like-minded people, who are travelling the same road (the Sangha).
The traditional phrase of ‘Going for Refuge’ corresponds to what in modern terms we call Commitment. Committing yourself to realising the full potential of what it means to be truly human.
The Centrality of ‘Going for Refuge’
In the Triratna Buddhist Community, what is of central importance to the spiritual life is this Commitment, this Going for Refuge, this personal commitment to developing the full potential of being human, the embodiment of Wisdom and Compassion. To achieve Awakening in order to bring about an end to suffering for all beings.
‘Commitment is primary, lifestyle is secondary’
Committed to following the Path to Liberation from suffering – committed to “Going for Refuge”. This is what is most important, not the lifestyle we live while doing so or the type of practices we follow.
“By you must the zealous effort be made. The Buddhas are only proclaimers of the Way”
Dhammapada v. 276
A Non-Theistic Religion
Buddhism embraces the Spiritual – the mysterious, the awe-inspiring, the supremely desirable, the transcendent but avoids the mistake that those with an eternalist view make; of thinking that in order to have a spiritual life, there must be ‘a personal creator god’: an unchanging metaphysical person or persons, state or thing underpinning, or supporting the spiritual.
By embracing the spiritual life but avoiding creating a divinity it also avoids the mistake that those with a nihilistic view make; that in rejecting the idea of a personal creator god, they must also reject the possibility of a spiritual life.
Taking what is called the Middle Way, the Way that avoids extremes, Buddhism transcends altogether the limited confines of what it regards as too narrow an understanding of how things actually are.
It sees through the limitations of both Eternalism (Theism, NewAgeism) and Nihilism (Atheism, Scientism).
The Middle way is not a halfway compromise between these extremes but rather it sees that Reality lies outside what it regards as the narrowness of these extremes altogether.
Therefore, Buddhism has no concept of a personal, creator god from whom we derive our being, to whom we owe allegiance or who will or can intervene on our behalf with the universe.