Walking the Path Together
- Parami
- Jan 21
- 3 min read
Hi everyone.
Last night I attended a Mitra group to talk about and answer some concerns and questions about Bhante and Triratna’s past. Interestingly this has come up a few times recently. In this particular group I visited there are a number of women about to have their Mitra ceremonies on Parinirvana Day on February 15th. They wanted the opportunity to clarify - or at least approach - the topic. I hope it was helpful. It occurred to me that, although I hope people becoming mitras are at least aware that there have been controversies around Bhante and his sexual relationships, perhaps they would appreciate knowing where to look online for some of the work done by the Order in relation to this. There is a link to the work of the Adhisthana Kula which can be found embedded in the section on Taking care on the GBC website. This is found under the ‘about’ button. From the introduction to that report:
The Adhisthana Kula was a group (‘kula’) of people with senior roles in the Triratna Buddhist Order who were based at Adhisthana –Triratna’s main retreat centre in rural Herefordshire, UK – when it formed in 2017. Its seven members held responsibilities in the major Triratna institutions and were in communication with Sangharakshita, who also lived at Adhisthana up to his death in 2018. In early 2017 the group began meeting daily to address issues connected to past difficulties and controversies, and most of their work was undertaken by early 2018.
There is also a separate FAQ done by a group of Order members around this issue and other issues from our past. This can be found at
I was personally involved in both of these groupings and I think we have done a fairly good job at trying to be transparent, non defensive and to share what we have learned from our explorations into the past. Like any community we have not been perfect, nor are we now but I hope that we have learned along the way and can offer a Path of practice and a way to lead a Dharma life which is beneficial and inspiring.
We will continue to explore what Triratna has to offer through this year by focussing on a series of talks given by Sangharakshita in 1976. In a blog post in December I said
Next year, our overall theme will be Buddhism for Today and Tomorrow. This refers to a series of talks given by Sangharakshita in 1976, so 50 years ago next year. It will be interesting to explore the themes of those talks given that we are now in the tomorrow. Are the same things relevant? How has the world changed? What is Buddhism today 50 years on? What can we offer the tomorrow still to come? There is also a poem by Sangharakshita called the Four Gifts which relates to the same themes. To open the year I will give a talk called the Four Gifts explaining the themes and then through 2026 we will be delving into them.
So that talk is now on FBA. Here’s the link if you want to get a sense of what the year will bring -
Tonight we started on the first block - the Lotus Flower / method of personal development. Gunasiddhi gave a lovely talk explaining Bhante’s system of practice: integration; positive emotion; spiritual receptivity; spiritual death and spiritual rebirth. She explained that, although Bhante initially spoke of this as a system of meditation, they are themes that we work with throughout our spiritual life not only on the cushion. We will be looking at each of those stages over the next couple of months and I am very much looking forward to that. It always strikes me as one of the most practical and yet inspiring teachings that Bhante has given us and I am sure that we will benefit immensely from looking at those aspects in our own lives. The Dharma has to be applied as well as discussed and I think this teaching really lends itself to that lived experience. So, here’s to us learning together, practising together and walking the Path together.
For now, as always,
May all beings be well, may all beings find true happiness and its causes and may all beings be free from suffering.
Where the Bodhichitta has not yet arisen
May it arise
Where it has arisen
May it flourish
Where it flourishes
May it never die
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