Dharma Night

Dharma Night is now exclusively an in-person class (it's no longer on Zoom).

Our weekly, in-person Dharma Night class is a chance to explore Buddhist themes and their relevance to our lives with a community of dedicated practitioners.

Dharma Night is aimed at people who have completed at least one of our introductory courses and have some familiarity with the two main meditation practices we teach as well as basic Buddhist teachings. However, if you don't mind jumping into the deep end a bit we welcome people of all experience levels.

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Next series: Sangharakshita: lineage and legacy – exploring our connection to Triratna’s
founder - Tuesday 2nd September - 7th October

Urgyen Sangharakshita (1925-2018) is the founder of the Triratna Buddhist Order and
Community. At the age of sixteen, while reading the Diamond Sutra, he realised he was a
Buddhist and had always been. Conscripted into the army he found himself in India at the
end of the Second World War – where he stayed on and was ordained as a Theravada monk.
He studied for many years under leading teachers from the major Buddhist traditions, also
playing a key part in the revival of Buddhism in India, particularly through his work among
followers of Dr B.R. Ambedkar.

He returned to Britain in 1964 and established the FWBO/Triratna in 1968. Sangharakshita
started a new Buddhist movement that had at its heart a new kind of ordination with Order
Members committing their lives to the practice of Buddhism without becoming monks or
nuns, and with teachings that span the breadth and depth of the Buddhist tradition while
emphasising friendship, the arts, and inspired imagination.
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In this series we will be getting to know Sangharakshita through looking at his life and legacy through the Four Lineages: the four streams of transmission each offering insights into Buddhist practice and understanding.

Tuesday 2nd September - Who is Sangharakshita? - Amarachandra

To start the series Amarachandra will explore aspects of Sangharakshita’s life and teaching
so that we know him – and his legacy – a little better.

Tuesday 9th September - The lineage of inspiration - Padmajata

The Lineage of Inspiration refers to the mysterious something that is beyond just the flow of teachings or practices – something that is communicated personally from and to each other. Padmajata is an ideal person to introduce this first aspect of the Four Lineages.

Tuesday 16th September - The lineage of responsibility - Sanghadevi

The Lineage of Responsibility asks us to actively engage and take responsibility in
organisational and other aspects of the community. Sanghadevi has taken responsibility at
all levels of our community – from shaking tins at underground stations to raise money for
to transform an old fire station into the London Buddhist Centre to taking over from
Sangharakshita as Public Preceptor for women’s ordinations.

Tuesday 23rd September - The lineage of teachings - Priyananda

Sangharakshita saw himself as a translator of Buddhist teachings and practices into the
modern world. The Lineage of Teaching communicates Sangharakshita’s vision while also
being responsive to changing circumstances, and passing on to future generations.
Priyananda had the opportunity to study with Sangharakshita and was the director of
Windhorse Publications – directly responsible for his literary legacy – so he knows
Sangharakshita’s teachings very well.

Tuesday 30th September - The lineage of practices - Keturaja

The Triratna System of Practice was developed by Sangharakshita inspired by the ‘five great
stages of the spiritual path’ in Nagarjuna’s Precious Garland. He talked about the
stages as movements within one’s whole spiritual life – from developing integration and
positive emotion to letting go and the emergence of something new. Keturaja has explored
this system of practice over many years and will bring his clarity and experience to this
aspect of the Four Lineages.

Tuesday 7th October - TBC

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Please be aware that none of the classes/events run by the Cambridge Buddhist Centre is aimed at under-18-year-olds. All under 18-year-olds must be accompanied by their parent or another responsible adult over the age of 18 (with their parent's permission). Please contact us in advance of attending at info@cambridgebuddhistcentre.com so we can assess how suitable the event is for the young person and how we can safely enable them to engage in an online class.