Retreats

The Perfection of Wisdom

an introduction to the Ratnagunasamcayagatha

Manjughosa, the Bodhisattva of Wisdom, holds a flaming sword above his head in one hand and a copy of the Perfection of Wisdom to his heart with the other.

There are a number of Perfection of Wisdom teachings. The two most well know ones being the Heart Sutra and the Diamond Sutra. But my favorite is the Ratnagunasamcayagatha. Which is a summary of the much longer and oldest of them all, the Perfection of Wisdom in 8,000 lines.

We will be looking at the Ratnagunasamcayagatha on this weekend: reading the verses, learning or recalling the Buddhist ideas they contain, and reflecting more deeply on what it all might contribute to our lives. In order to accomplish this, some of the opening verses of this text tell us exactly what we first need to do:

Call forth as much as you can of love, of respect and of faith!
Remove the obstructing defilements, and clear away all your taints!
Listen to the Perfect Wisdom of the gentle Buddhas
Taught for the weal of the world, for heroic spirits intended!

As these lines make clear, really meeting the Perfection of Wisdom literature is not a process of intellectual gymnastics, but an act of faith and devotion made by a heroic spirit. Hope you choose to join us!

Many people find these non-residential weekends to be a really helpful way to explore a Dharma theme more deeply with others over a weekend, while still having time for 'life admin'.

We come together Friday night, Saturday morning and Sunday morning.

We aim to have one of these each month throughout the year, with themes announced two to three months prior to the event beginning.

When

Cost