People

Suvarnadhi

My name means 'she whose wisdom is like gold' and was given to me at ordination in 2019. At that time, I'd been practising within the Triratna community for about 11 years.

A long running quest for meaning, as well as a need for more meditation guidance, first led me through the doors of the Auckland centre. My first encounter was an evening of Buddhist ritual, which I loved (it's usually either a love or hate thing at first).

I've been working as part of the Auckland Buddhist Centre team since 2019, and became chair of the centre in May 2021.

I'm also a qualified Breathworks mindfulness teacher, specialising in mindfulness based pain management programmes. A history of chronic pain led to my interest in this work. Prior to this I worked in the corporate world in assorted IT roles - nerdy back-end systems integration being my favourite! I like to understand how things work and fit together. And I love piecing the Dharma together, too. I like ideas, and enjoy listening to podcasts about philosophy, free will, near death experiences and neuroscience. Although I love watching a good old-fashioned (preferably not gory) murder mystery, as well, and enjoy comedy and music (my tastes shamelessly run the gamut from classical to pop to goth).

Sthiraratna

You pronounce my name 'Steer-a-rat-na', and I'm the Auckland Buddhist Centre Manager.

I've been involved in the Triratna movement since around 2010, in both Auckland and Wellington, and was ordained in March 2023. I'm on the Sangha Night, Puja, meditation and Buddhist Recovery Network teams at the centre. I'm also a baritone in a local choir.

I'm an enthusiastic supporter of the Sudarshanaloka Retreat Centre in Thames, where I enjoy spending time on retreats and on solitary in the beautiful surroundings of the native forest at the base of the Coromandel Ranges. I'm currently living on Waiheke. The image shown here was a gift from a visitor to the Sanghadipa Buddhist community house where I used to live.

Vajrasarasi

I came into contact with the Dharma in 2004 in the UK, arriving in Auckland NZ in 2006 with a job offer and knowing that a Triratna Centre existed somewhere in Auckland. I've been attending and practicing ever since.

I have a strong connection with the imaginal faculty in my practice, and the Bodhisattva ideal. I'm the Women's Mitra convenor at the centre, help lead our Auckland sangha retreats, and am a member of the ABC council. I also have a deep love of poetry and cake.

Sujiva

I'm originally from India and first got inspired by Buddhism when I attended a beginner’s meditation course at the Wellington Buddhist Centre in 1993. My experience of learning to meditate soon deepened into an interest in exploring the 'nature of the mind' through Buddhist teachings & practice.

I was ordained in 2002 and in 2011 returned to live in NZ after 10 years in the UK. During my time in the UK, I taught meditation & Buddhism at the London & Cambridge Buddhist Centres, attended many intensive retreats and worked for a multinational Buddhist company.

I'm a keen tramper, dancer, and windsurfer. And I'm the men's mitra convenor and a member of the council at the Auckland Buddhist Centre.

Ratnavyuha

I've been actively involved with the Triratna Buddhist community since 1992 when I was still at University. As with many other people, my personal journey has its sign posts of significant people, significant books, turning points, deeper realizations, and extra-ordinary but none-the-less ordinary experiences. This whole wonderful rabbit hole of a journey began at Aryaloka Retreat Centre in New Hampshire USA, followed by Cambridge England where I was ordained at Guhyaloka in 1999, then to the other side of this beautiful planet and Sydney Australia, and most recently Auckland New Zealand.

These days I contribute by leading courses, classes and retreats at the Auckland Buddhist Centre, collaborating with others to develop retreat facilities in New Zealand, and being part of a local and international team responsible for the men's ordination training process and Triratna internationally. I'm also a member of the centre council.

I live with my partner in Grey Lynn, drive a silver blue 2006 Toyota Corolla (not flash but it keeps turning on without costing lots of money), and I still follow American football.

Vasudhara

I've been involved with the Triratna Buddhist community since 1999 and was ordained in 2014. I'm currently on the team leading Saturday morning meditations, and I'm also a safeguarding office at the centre and a member of the council.

Dhiramuni

I became involved with the Auckland Buddhist Centre several decades ago to learn Buddhist meditation. I quickly realised that in the Dharma I had found my spiritual home. Daily meditation remains a strong feature of my Buddhist practice and a central part of my life. I value it as an invaluable vehicle leading to a deeper understanding of the Buddha’s teaching. Over the years I have attended many classes, study groups and retreats and I now lead meditation and help with men's study.

I was ordained into the Triratna Buddhist Community at a retreat in the Coromandel in December 2017.

Akasasri

For much of my life the outdoors and living with nature, especially New Zealand’s beautiful mountains, forests, rivers and coasts, has been where I found my spiritual resonance and learnt how to navigate through the ups and downs of life. This was until 2009 when I attended an ‘Introduction to Meditation’ course at the ABC and life has not been the same since. Now with the life of raising a family behind me, the Dharma is my life, sprinkled with lots of doses of nature, especially out on the Auckland West Coast where I live with my partner.

I was ordained into the Triratna Buddhist Order in June 2017 at Akshavana in Spain, and am currently on the centre council, and help to support retreats. More of my time is currently devoted to supporting members of the Triratna Buddhist Order in New Zealand, as an Order Convenor.

Bhadrakari

Born in 1946, I left home at 21 on a quest to find a deeper meaning to life. After much travelling and living and practicing with many different spiritual disciplines I came upon the Triratna Community in 1998 after one of my sons died in a car accident.

I have four living children and many grandchildren. I was ordained in Spain in 2011, am very committed to the path of purification and have a passion for inspiring people to practise. For a long time, I supported Buddhist Recovery Network classes at the centre and daytime classes. These days, I'm involved in facilitating a Dharma study group that meets on Fridays - I love the people.

Vajrajyoti

I've been actively involved in the Auckland Buddhist Centre since 2000 when I moved to Auckland from a women's retreat centre in Wales. I'm committed to helping create a vibrant, lively spiritual community in which we together deepen our wisdom and compassion. Over the years, I've been involved in facilitating study groups, leading retreats, chairing the centre, and generally helping people connect with each other and with the Dharma.

In 2025, I've moved to a more rural life, but still facilitate a study group online and am a safeguarding officer at the centre. I'm also still involved in the fundraising team for the current renovation of the new centre.