Building Sangha and supporting fellow Buddhists to step into and interact with the world is vital in this time of confusion. Promoting Buddhist values and principles through exemplification challenges cultural norms constructively and is a powerful practice. We know that our actions have consequences and although we may never see the results we can have confidence that we will make a difference.

We have arranged 6 mornings of meditation, talks and discussion to make more conscious the connections between our ethical commitment as Buddhists and the needs of other beings, our society and our environment. It will be an opportunity to explicitly explore and discuss the ethical issues facing Buddhists in the 21st century as we go about our ‘ordinary’ lives.  

We also plan to clear the local park of litter, and make loads of money at the annual SBC Summer Fair. All the money we make will be given away to charities chosen by the Sheffield Sangha as a practice of radical giving.

We will also be inviting the Sangha to support someone you will never meet by boosting our permanent food bank collection.

As Sangharakshita writes, ‘'It is easy to forget that the Buddhist message is a subversive one, that its values run counter to mundane or worldly norms, and that your commitment to its ethical principles may lead you on occasion to offend conventional notions of morality.’’ (From The Yogi's Joy)

The themes of the mornings are.....

Buddhist view of politics: No party line.

Working for a charity: Ethics in the office.

Meeting death in life: Mindfulness and metta

In harmony with your neighbours: Skilful use of social media

Visiting the hell realms: Dharma in prison.

Doctors at the sharp end: Working in the National Health Service