Windhorse Publications
Windhorse Publications

Out now: ‘I Hear Her Words: An Introduction to Women in Buddhism’

By Windhorse Publi... on Fri, 18 Jun, 2021 - 13:00

Out now: ‘I Hear Her Words: An Introduction to Women in Buddhism’

By Windhorse Publi... on Fri, 18 Jun, 2021 - 13:00

As a female student and practitioner of Buddhism, at times I feel frustrated by the underrepresentation of women in Buddhist texts and iconography. To give just one example, out of the forty-six figures on Triratna’s refuge tree, only two are female. Frustrated I may be, but I probably shouldn’t be surprised. As author Alice Collett points out in Windhorse Publications’ latest release, I Hear Her Words: An Introduction to Women in Buddhism, Buddhism was born and developed within ancient...

Triratna News
Triratna News

30th Anniversary of the First Triratna Ordinations of Women by Women in the West

By Sadayasihi on Thu, 12 Sep, 2019 - 10:14

30th Anniversary of the First Triratna Ordinations of Women by Women in the West

By Sadayasihi on Thu, 12 Sep, 2019 - 10:14

2019 marks the 30th anniversary of the first ordinations of women by women in the West.

Ratnasuri previously had been the Public Preceptor for two dharmacharinis in India, January 1987, which she conducted ‘on behalf of’ Sangharakshita, the founder of the Triratna Buddhist Order. 

In 1989 Sangharakshita asked Ratnasuri to perform ordinations ‘on her own responsibility’ - a very significant development for the Order. On 17th August 1989, on a retreat at Taraloka Retreat Centre, Wales, she received into the...

Triratna News
Triratna News

Pride 2018 in the Dublin Buddhist Centre

By Sadayasihi on Fri, 21 Sep, 2018 - 17:14

Pride 2018 in the Dublin Buddhist Centre

By Sadayasihi on Fri, 21 Sep, 2018 - 17:14

To celebrate Dublin Pride 2018, and Buddhist Action Month (BAM), the Dublin Buddhist Centre hosted a special Pride celebration on the 25th June. Kasey Tobin, a GFR Mitra involved in the event gives us a flavour of the event.

“This event was facilitated by a number of us in the Dublin Sangha with LGBT+ experiences.  As LGBT+ people we have seen a lot of progress in securing our human rights in the last few...

Triratna News
Triratna News

Women, Men and Angels: an apology

By Munisha on Mon, 6 Mar, 2017 - 13:38

Women, Men and Angels: an apology

By Munisha on Mon, 6 Mar, 2017 - 13:38

Updated March 28th: Watch a fuller video conversation here with Subhuti exploring the details of his regret and his apology in the company of his good friend Maitreyi.

***
Parami is one of the Triratna Buddhist Order’s two Order convenors. She writes:

“In 1994, a book called Women, Men and Angels was published, with the subtitle: ‘An inquiry into the relative spiritual aptitudes of men and women’. It was written by Subhuti, a senior Triratna Order Member,...

Adhisthana Kula
Adhisthana Kula

Women, Men and Angels: A Personal Statement by Subhuti

By Subhuti on Fri, 3 Mar, 2017 - 14:07

Women, Men and Angels: A Personal Statement by Subhuti

By Subhuti on Fri, 3 Mar, 2017 - 14:07

Introduction by Parami
In 1994, a book called ‘Women, Men and Angels’ was published, with the subtitle: ‘An Inquiry into the Relative Spiritual Aptitudes of Men and Women’. It was written by Subhuti, a senior Triratna Order Member, with the intention of elaborating on an impression or ‘idea’ that had originally come from Sangharakshita. While I am sure this was not Subhuti’s intention, the book had a painful effect on many people – especially women – even causing some to...

Triratna News
Triratna News

First gender diverse retreat for Adhisthana and Triratna

By Munisha on Tue, 18 Oct, 2016 - 13:33

First gender diverse retreat for Adhisthana and Triratna

By Munisha on Tue, 18 Oct, 2016 - 13:33

13th-15th May this year saw Adhisthana host the first ever weekend retreat for Triratna’s gender diverse sangha. Kamalanandi was there. (Apologies for an email mixup which has delayed publication of his report.)

“The retreat was led by a team of four Order members, some of whom had been instrumental in establishing the Triratna Gender Diverse Buddhists’ Facebook group, from which this retreat emerged.

Our theme was “Mind body bardo” and we had a few short...

Triratna International Council
Triratna International Council

Meeting The Needs Of The World - Bright Spots

By Candradasa on Thu, 4 Aug, 2016 - 20:15

Meeting The Needs Of The World - Bright Spots

By Candradasa on Thu, 4 Aug, 2016 - 20:15

Following the earlier set of talks about different areas of challenge for contemporary Buddhists in the modern world - at times sobering as we heard evoked strongly the huge needs involved - we get to hear some tales of ordinary communities of practitioners who are doing something creative in response.

Jnanadhara evokes a wonderful climate march in Dublin; Viveka reports on the San Francisco sangha looking together at racial bias; Vajrajyoti describes how a Buddhist recovery movement took...

Triratna News
Triratna News

Confessions of a Transvestite Buddhist

By Munisha on Sun, 3 Apr, 2016 - 23:40

Confessions of a Transvestite Buddhist

By Munisha on Sun, 3 Apr, 2016 - 23:40

Devamitra’s new book, Confessions of a Transvestite Buddhist: A Quest for Manhood was launched at the London Buddhist Centre (UK) on 18th March.

The book’s blurb asks, ”What drives a man to dress as a woman? What kind of man is a cross-dresser? Is he even a man at all, or is he something else? What exactly is a man, anyway? None of the explanations offered by psychologists, sociologists and others satisfied Devamitra… And they certainly provided no answers to the questions that troubled...

Triratna News
Triratna News

The “Triratna gender-diverse Buddhist group” on Facebook

By Munisha on Sun, 14 Jun, 2015 - 00:38

The “Triratna gender-diverse Buddhist group” on Facebook

By Munisha on Sun, 14 Jun, 2015 - 00:38

Triratna has many Facebook pages, personal and collective. Padmavyuha (UK) writes with news about one of the newest, with already nearly 90 members.

The Triratna gender-diverse Buddhist Facebook group  is “open to anyone who experiences or identifies themselves as (for example) trans, intersex, genderqueer, gender-questioning or genderless. It’s open to our allies too; anyone who wants to support us better.”

Padmavyuha continues, “The Triratna community is a very nourishing environment for many women and men practising the Dharma, but not everybody experiences themselves simply...