As you may know, a few weeks ago the Western Buddhist Order changed its name to the Triratna Buddhist Order. Now the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order has followed with a name change to the Triratna Buddhist Community. It is intended that this new name will always be used in full, rather than being shortened to initials as was the case with the FWBO.

 

The new name will be ritually marked and celebrated at the FWBO International Retreat in late May.

 

Leeds FWBO Buddhist Centre will also formally change its name in the near future but there will be a short delay while the recent changes in charitable and legal status settle down.

 

More details in the next issue!

 

As the Sangha settles into, uses and enjoys the many spaces, times and opportunities that we have at Leeds Bridge House we thought we should let everyone know where we are regarding the funding of the Centre

 

The Triratna Buddhist Community (FWBO) has centres all over the world, but each Centre is an independent charity and needs to be financially self-sufficient. This means we must raise all of our income ourselves. Some comes from fees from meditation and Breathworks courses, but most of our income is from donations from yourselves - the local Sangha.

An overview of the current financial situation after 18 months in the new Centre, shows that our income in the first year was £36,000 from three main sources: donations 48%, interest 21%, earned income 31%. Donations include standing orders, one-off donations, fundraising and 'dana' (via donations bowl at the Centre). Interest is from money invested following the sale of the old community house at Heddon Place. Earned income is from beginners course fees, Breathworks courses, room rental and bookshop.

 

Our costs for the same period ran to £42,000. Of this 42% went to pay a full time worker and partial support for one Order member, 42% went on the rent and service charge for the Centre at Leeds Bridge House, and 16% on running costs for Centre activities.

 

We anticipated when taking on premises for the new Centre that we would run at a loss initially, but aimed to break even within three years. Our loss of £6000 in this first year was expected. We benefited from high interest rates of a few years ago and the maturing of a long term savings account. The financial situation is now very different and we will get less interest in the future.

 

To build a sustainable Buddhist Centre we need to increase the amount of money coming in to the Centre. We would like to do this by having more people come in to the Centre and participating in different activities, making donations, paying for courses and renting the space. We are confident that this is achievable but it needs everyone's efforts to make it happen.

 

The money gained from the community house sale has been invested with the Charities Aid Foundation, and in the longer term we want to put this towards buying our own premises for a Buddhist Centre. With this long term goal in mind we need to maintain our capital, and to add to it if we can.

 

 

You can give us your time and energy, offering regular help with running and maintaining the Buddhist Centre.

 

You can help by letting people know about us and our activities; meditation and Dharma teaching, Breathworks courses for pain management, and room rental for away days, courses and other events. We depend on publicity to bring new people to the Centre. Practical help you can give is to let people know by word of mouth, email networks, putting up posters, distributing leaflets. Let us know where you can place posters and leaflets and we will provide them. We would like to build a network across the whole region, so even if you only know one or two places this is a help. 

Working together, we can all build a sustainable Centre over the next year.

Sometimes we expect too much of ourselves. This poem was read by Uddyotani at the recent Mitra Ceremony for Geoff, Tony and Jenny, and again during the Puja at Lineham Farm. Those who missed these events might find it useful too.

 

Tuesday: Practice Evening - Unled meditation from 6.30pm (prompt) until 7.15pm and again from 7.30pm to 8.10pm (with 15 mins silent break in between). One or both sessions may be attended but please do not ring the bell during meditation. Suggested Donation £4/£2 (unwaged)
 
Wednesday: Young(er) People's Evening - Held once each month, 6.30pm to 9.00pm. Suggested Donation £6/£3 (unwaged)
 
Thursday: Friends Night Regular Practice Evening. Friends nights are our main Sangha night and
in many ways the heart of practice at Leeds Buddhist Centre. It is a drop-in session exploring different themes around meditation and Buddhism. The evenings are based in part on the Free Buddhist Audio Foundation Course (Details Here) From 7.00pm until 9.30pm. (Meditation begins at 7.10pm prompt) Suggested Donation £6/£3 (unwaged)

Bodhipaksa

The Buddha must have considered the following list very important, since he advised that everyone should reflect on in. The five reflections are that I, personally, am subject (1) to aging, (2) to illness, and (3) to death; (4) that I will be separated from all that is dear to me; and (5) that I am responsible for my own actions and destiny.

 

 

In reading these passages, I suggest you imagine that you are on your deathbed, looking back at your life. What kinds of achievements will you want to look back on? What kind of character traits do you want to be remembered for? What relationships will you most value?

 

There are these five facts that one should reflect on often, whether one is a woman or a man, lay or ordained. Which five?

'I am subject to aging, have not gone beyond aging.' This is the first fact that one should reflect on often, whether one is a woman or a man, lay or ordained.

'I am subject to illness, have not gone beyond illness.'...

These are the five facts that one should reflect on often, whether one is a woman or a man, lay or ordained.
 

Read more here...