| The Buddhist Centre

Caring for the environment is a natural part of the Buddhist path. The Buddha encouraged us to understand more deeply the underlying unity and interconnectedness of life. Values such as simplicity of lifestyle, sharing with others, taking responsibility for one’s actions, and compassion for all living things have always been at the heart of the tradition.
In today’s world, we need to hold to these values ever more strongly. More and more, we are finding it appropriate to identify clearly Buddhist ethics with ecological awareness. This involves conscious choices in the way we lead our lives and run our own buildings and organisations. Many of our Buddhist centres are now using eco-friendly services and supporting local green initiatives, while some people in Triratna are also involved in campaigning for wider change.
From a Buddhist point of view, bringing about outward change is only half the story. Ecological awareness is an opening of the heart to the whole web of life, and a warm appreciation of the natural beauty we see around us. In this way, through ‘green retreats’, workshops and other events, we can find within ourselves the strength and inspiration
to bring about change in the world.
Read Saving the Earth, by Akuppa, and Vegetarianism by Bodhipaksha. Samacitta has also written a thought-provoking essay on veganism and its ethical and environmental perspective.
Listen to talks on ecology.
Visit EcoDharma, a wonderful resource for approaches to sustainable living drawing on the Buddha’s teaching.

Triratna members engage in a range of compassionate activities. For some Buddhists their livelihood is a vocation, and many work and volunteer in the caring professions where they live: in hospitals, schools, charities, social work, and so on. Others give their free time — for example, chaplaincy, prison visiting, volunteering at hospices or on telephone helplines, befriending the aged, giving blood, environmental campaigning – whatever motivates their altruism.
There are also a range of Right Livelihood teams based at Triratna Centres, and in other projects like Abhayaratna Trust and those supported by FutureDharma.
In India we have a wide range of social projects (not necessarily tied to Buddhism) working with children and families from some of the poorest communities in the world. The Karuna Trust raises money for many of these. The Nagaloka Centre is a great example of an independently funded project where Buddhist approaches to social work and education directly benefit those attending.
Listen to evocations of compassion in action | Join the Buddhist Action group to get involved!

Over the past 40 years or so, many people attending Triratna Buddhist Centres have chosen to live together in residential spiritual communities. Buddhists around the world have set up a wide range of communal living situations with the aims of living simply, developing friendships with like-minded people, and supporting and encouraging each others’ attempts to practise the Dharma.
These Buddhist communities vary from a few friends informally sharing a house or apartment to larger or more intensive situations with regular periods of meditation, study, ritual, and community meetings. Community life is a practice in itself – learning to share, tolerating other people’s habits and communicating honestly to resolve differences. It helps people to develop loving-kindness, loosen the divide between self and other, and gradually to realize the interconnected nature of life.
There is also an environmental benefit because communal life is generally cheaper; people can live more frugally, split bills, and need, say, only one fridge, washing machine and so on, shared between half a dozen or a dozen people.
Buddhist communities usually consist of individuals rather than couples. Many are in partnerships but choose to live with friends. In the early days of the Triratna Buddhist Community, communities were sometimes mixed and sometimes single sex; over time it emerged that the single-sex situations were more stable and satisfying. Currently some people are again experimenting in various ways with mixed and family communities. The experiment continues!
Listen to people engaged with the idea of living together communally.
Read Living Together by Sanghadevi.

Right Livelihood is an important aspect of the Buddha’s Noble Eightfold Path. The Buddha encouraged his disciples to engage in compassionate activity, and to make their living in a way that does not cause harm and that is ethically positive.
Given that almost everyone’s life includes an economic dimension, work and career need to be integrated into life as a Buddhist. Most of us spend the majority of our waking lives at work, so it’s important to assess how our work affects our mind and heart. How can work become meaningful? How can it be a support not a hindrance to spiritual practice — a place to deepen our awareness and kindness?
In Triratna we believe it’s crucial that the sangha is not dependent on the support of outside donors, who may influence its values and priorities. He has therefore encouraged those students who are free to, to explore working together — in partnerships, teams, and businesses. These have pioneered new ways of working based on generosity, co-operation, honesty and ethical trading.
Right livelihood teams
Working in one of these teams is a strong spiritual practice. It supports individual efforts to grow and usually encourages spending ample time on retreat. It also challenges team members to collaborate, to take responsibility for their lives, and to loosen limited views of themselves.
Some of these Right Livelihood enterprises have been financially successful and become substantial ventures, raising funds for Dharma teaching and other altruistic projects. One of the pioneers in this area was the now closed windhorse:evolution, a UK-based company which ran a wholesale retail business and a chain of gift shops.
Listen to explorations of Right Livelihood.
Get more resources around Right Livelihood

The Triratna sangha is open to all those who wish to practise Buddhism within its community or who are sympathetic to our approach. Most people encounter Triratna through a meditation class at a Triratna centre. Everyone who has contact with Triratna is considered a friend. However someone who wants to make a particular connection with the Triratna Buddhist Community and develop friendships with members of the Order can ask to become a Mitra (which simply means ‘friend’ in Sanskrit).

Read a short eBook about what it means to become a Mitra in the Triratna Buddhist Community
The Mitra community
In this context, a Mitra is someone who is actively involved in Triratna activities, and intends to continue practising the Dharma in this community. Becoming a Mitra marks a deepening of commitment. And, as far as possible, Order Members try to ensure that the spiritual needs of Mitras are met. There are special activities, including specific retreats, and study groups which follow a four-year course, covering the key aspects of the Buddha’s teaching and
Sangharakshita’s approach to it. People ask to become a Mitra when they:

1. Consider that they are Buddhists.
2. Want to live in accordance with the five ethical precepts
3. Believe that the Triratna Buddhist Community is the appropriate spiritual community for them.
Once a person’s request to be a Mitra has been accepted, they take part in a simple ceremony. This ritual is acknowledged by all Order Members. Wherever they go throughout the world, at all Triratna centres, they will be acknowledged as a Mitra, and mitra activities will be open to them.
Take a look at the Dharma Training Course for Mitras.

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