Sangha night

The Three Jewels of Buddhism

Come along for Sangha Night, an opportunity to deepen our understanding of the Dharma, how it relates to our own lives, and practice together.

Almost anything can happen on Sangha Night, but mostly we meditate together, have a 20-30 minute presentation from someone in the community, and then have 20 minutes for small group discussion on the evening's theme.

Tonight: The Dharma Jewel

Our international Buddhist movement is called Triratna, a Sanskrit word meaning "three jewels". In a Buddhist context, the Three Jewels are the Buddha, the ideal of Enlightenment; the Dharma, the Buddhist teachings; and the Sangha, the spiritual community.

We talk about "going for refuge" to the Three Jewels, in that they are, in combination, a means by which we can come close to, touch, and even fully connect with a reality in which the unsatisfactoriness of conditioned existence just drops away.

Tonight, Sthiraratna shares his approach to the Dharma jewel. Specifically, he will talk about what initially attracted him to the Dharma, and what it is about the Dharma that keeps him inspired, curious and content. Those feelings alone are enough to feel as though one is going for refuge in something. What else drives one to shape one's life around a description of reality that is so challenging to the life we are naturally inclined to lead.

Sangha nights are a place for people to come together and celebrate community, deepen their knowledge of Buddhism, and their understanding of how to practice it. They are designed for those who have been coming to the centre for a little while. If you have had minimal contact with us, you are best to attend our Intro course first, even if you have practised within other traditions.