Buddhist Voices

Guhyaloka—the ‘Secret Valley’—has been the Triratna Buddhist Community's primary place for men’s ordination since 1987. Over 600 men have become Order members there. It has therefore been vitally important in helping to shape what the Triratna community offers the world today. For it to thrive into the future, Guhyaloka needs to undergo major renovations, all of which require financial support. This conversation between Jyotika, who is leading the ‘Guhyaloka for the Ages’ campaign, and Sona, long-time Public Preceptor and lover of the valley, brings to life its deep history and also something of it magic and mystery. To find out how you can help, please visit: https://guhyaloka.org/fortheages Donate now: http://justgiving.com/campaign/Guhyaloka +FOLLOW THE NEW GUYHALOKA CHANNEL TO STAY UPDATED! The Hands of Avalokitesvara Can you be a part of making Guhyaloka a place of ordination ‘For the Ages’? We need to raise £850,000 As its primary purpose has been to support the witnessing of effective Going for

In this latest episode of the Buddhist Voices podcast, we follow the personal journeys of Sarvananda and Satyadaka, two lifelong friends and dedicated Dharma practitioners who have lived together in various contexts for over twenty years. It's a rare opportunity to listen into stories from such a close companionship, making this conversation a true delight to share with you. This episode covers a wide array of topics, including our friends' individual private ordinations, the evolution of their Dharma practices over time, and their profound connections with the Arts as a key aspect of spiritual life. Both Sarvananda and Satyadaka became involved in the Triratna Buddhist Community during their early twenties. Their journey began at Vajraloka Retreat Center in Wales, and they later relocated to Norwich where they found like-minded Order members who shared their passion for Buddhism and the life of the artist. Sarvananda has been a devoted writer throughout his life within the Order, while Satyadaka has nurtu

In this episode of the Buddhist Voices podcast, we explore the personal journey and reflections of Dharmacharini Maitripala, a member of the Triratna Buddhist Order as well as a private and public preceptor, based in Brunswick, Australia.  Initially leading a seemingly idyllic life, Maitripala's quest for 'more' was sparked by a serene moment of beauty as she noticed the glistening morning dew delicately resting on the cobwebs on her laundry line. Such a potent image seems to have gradually awakened something within her. But it would be some time before she would find herself in a shrine room remembering that same image. She came across the Dharma in 1991 when attending a weekend course led by Buddhadasa and Guhyavajra in Melbourne. Both Buddhadasa and Dayamegha were her first main dharma teachers. During this time she was bringing up her three daughters in the lovely forest town of Emerald about an hour and half from Melbourne. Throughout the episode, Maitripala reflects on the evolution of her spiritual

In this latest episode of the Buddhist Voices podcast, we take a deep dive into the life and transformative journey of our guest, Dharmachari Samasuri. Our guest's journey began whilst struggling her way through medical school in London. Sharing a house with long time friend Karunamati when she found herself on the brink of a breakdown.  Amidst the backdrop of Glastonbury Festival, she fondly remembers marching up to the Buddhafield tent to learn meditation. Having grown up in South Devon, Samasauri has always had a strong connection with nature, and the mythic dimension of practice. The warmth of the people she encountered, the sense of belonging, and the unique enchantment of rituals led by Varabhadri on her inaugural retreat with the London Buddhist Centre resonate vividly in her memory.  The narrative expands further as we delve into Samasuri’s experiences on Buddhafield family retreats. Embracing the chaos of being on retreat with her two children and finding extraordinary ways to integrate practice in

In this episode of the Buddhist Voices podcast, we delve into the life of Dharmachari Jyotipala. Ordained into the Triratna Buddhist Order in the late 1970s, Jyotipala's spiritual journey has taken in many different contexts within the Order, including a spell living in India wearing formal Buddhist robes. However, his spiritual life started much earlier than that. Raised a catholic he became inspired by Thomas Merton and joined a then new monastery in Utah, ‘Our Lady of the Holy Trinity’, with the intention of becoming a Trappist monk.  In this insightful interview conducted by Satyalila in 2018, Jyotipala's remarkable level of honesty and humility shines through. His path in the Order has taken a number of unforeseen twists, and he candidly discusses his own challenges and shortcomings with a charm that's deeply endearing. His conversation exudes an unmistakable sense of contentment, coupled with a strongly resonant faith. Indeed, he describes himself simply with the Indian term 'japawolla', someone who fi

Join Satyalila for another episode of the Buddhist Voices podcast as she engages in a heartfelt conversation with Suryaka about their journey of discovering and embracing Buddhism. This interview was originally conducted for the Fifty Years, Fifty Voices project. Suryaka's name is pronounced as "Su-ree-a-ka," meaning "Like the Sun." Suryaka’s initial attraction to yoga and meditation retreats was that they seemed cheap and like a nice holiday! Having avoided any kind of religious practice throughout their life due to a fear of being confined and squished by religious institutions, she experienced a pivotal moment on retreat at Dhanakosa Retreat Centre in Scotland. Sitting by a stream she realized that Buddhism could perhaps provide the means she’d been looking for to channel their energy. This led them to the Manchester Buddhist Centre, where she found a genuine sense of community, shared work and authentic teachers who deeply resonated with their experience.  This journey was not without its challenges. Su

In this podcast episode, we have the pleasure of hearing from Rijumayi, currently based in Melbourne, Australia, as she shares her spiritual journey as part of the Fifty Years, Fifty Voices project. Rijumayi takes us back to her formative years, recounting her initial encounters with Buddhism during her teenage years. Her interest in the teachings was ignited whilst in high school, she attended a lecture by the Dalai Lama in the city. The reverence and respect that people had for him would leave a lasting impression on her. As well as delving into her evolving experience with meditation and the Dharma, Rijumayi remarks that in her search for meaning, she really found the framework for transformation that she was looking for at the Melbourne Buddhist Centre, which lead to her eventual ordination into the Triratna Buddhist Order.  Throughout the discussion, Rijumayi stresses the importance of seizing this precious opportunity to practice, encouraging listeners not to postpone their spiritual journeys and to cu

As part of the Fifty Years, Fifty Voices project, celebrating 50 years of the Triratna Buddhist Order; In this episode of the Buddhist Voices podcast, we hear from Manjuvajra, a member of the Order for over 45 years, who shares their experience of reassessing their relationship with the order after withdrawing from their previous institutional roles. Manjuvajra notes that the order they joined many years ago was very different from the current manifestation, making it harder to identify with the practicalities of the order. Reflecting over many decades of practice, Manjuvajra describes an ever-deepening confidence in the existence of the Buddha, which illuminates both the Dharma and Sangha jewels. They also reflect on the development of spiritually supportive friendships that provide intimacy without emotional bondage. Manjuvajra has found a deepening of their connection to the three jewels through long retreats and expresses a desire to create a culture of long retreats within the community, where individua

In 2018, Satyalila had the pleasure of sitting down with Akasasuri at the Adhisthana Library for an interview as part of the Fifty Years Fifty Voices project. Extracts from this interview were used in the project, and now we are gradually releasing the full interviews to provide a deeper dive into the lives of various members of the Triratna Buddhist Order across the globe. In this far-reaching conversation, Satyalila and Akasasuri touch on many aspects of her life in the order. They begin by discussing where it all began as well as the events that led to Akasasuri joining the then "Friends of the Western Buddhist Order" and her experiences with other teachers who influenced her journey. Her journey began with training as a Gestalt therapist and psychosynthesis in Holland. Like many conversations in the 50 Voices project, Akasasuri emphasizes the importance of friendships within the Triratna Buddhist community. She speaks warmly of Dharmacharini Vajrayogini, who she regards as a formidable woman and a great

In the latest episode of the Buddhist Voices podcast, we are privileged to hear from Dharmachari Manidhamma. It was during a big procession celebrating Buddha Jayanti (the Buddha's 'Awakening' or 'Enlightenment'), where a life-sized bronze statue of Dr Ambedkar was installed, and slogans of 'Jai Bhim' and 'Victory to the Great Buddha' could be heard.  As a young boy, Manidhamma fondly remembers making friends and playing while also going to the Buddhist temple and taking part in Pali chanting. However, he was born into a family of bonded labourers in a society rife with caste-based discrimination and exclusion. Growing up, he was not even allowed to walk on the main streets of his village. It was his father who, inspired by Dr B. R. Ambedkar's speech at Pulgaon, decided to move their family to a small town called 'Aarni,' where life was expected to improve.  Manidhamma went on to learn about Buddhism and meditation while studying to become a pilot. However, the impact of Bhante Sangharakshita's visit was so

In this podcast episode, Amritavani shares her journey towards the Dharma, starting from her childhood fascination with something bigger calling her. She talks about her exploration of different spiritual paths, including yoga, Christianity, and the divine feminine, before finally finding her way to the Dharma through a meditation class in Croydon. It was at the Croydon Buddhist Centre that she met two inspiring order members who left a lasting impression on her, Vijayasri and Sucimani, who made her feel accepted and heard, which eventually led her to deepen her exploration of the spiritual life within the context of the Triratna Buddhist Order. Amritavani also speaks movingly about her experience of being a mother and how it informs her practice. With limited retreat time. Working with guilt when she goes away from her young children whilst having limited energy for formal practice because she loves them dearly and needs to take care of them. However, despite these limitations, she often finds herself inspi

In this latest episode of the Buddhist Voices podcast, Parami and Sraddhavajri engage in a conversation for the Fifty Years, Fifty Voices project. They share their early encounters with the Dharma and its transformative impact on their lives. In particular, Sraddhavajri reminisces about her childhood in Modinagar, India, where her parents were involved with Buddhism and the teachings of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar's. She fondly remembers Dharmachari Amoghabhadra, who taught her Karate as a young girl, and how the kindness and friendship of the Sangha were instrumental in keeping her committed to her practice through good and hard times, a theme that frequently emerges in the conversations for the fifty voices project. An interesting topic that the pair discuss is their experience as women. Parami recalls her initial visit to the Centre in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1977, where the majority of participants were men, with very few women involved at that time. Despite this, she was deeply impressed by the teachings of Sa

On a cold winter's evening towards the end of 1969, at number 14 Monmouth Street, a small shop named Sakura, accessed via a side entrance through an alleyway, then down a narrow set of stairs into a basement, a meditation class was being held. Seated at the back of the room was Sangharakshita, dressed in robes, with a western pullover underneath, wearing an abundance of rings and long hair. Buddhadasa recalls this first encounter with a clarity as if it had happened only last year. “May I join you?” He asks. As it turns out, for him, these were prophetic words. It often seems hard to believe that the Triratna Buddhist Community we encounter today had such humble origins. It wasn’t long after this potent encounter that Buddhadasa decided to dedicate all his time to supporting Sangharakshita’s efforts to establish a new Buddhist movement, leaving behind a career in architecture and becoming the Chair/Secretary/Treasurer of the then Friends of The Western Buddhist Order, all at same time. Over 50 Years later, B

Growing up in Chorley, Lancashire, in the northwest of England, Abhaya (1936-2022) recalls his early life as the youngest of four siblings, raised by parents who were run off their feet. With Dad away at the war, mum managed a small chip shop in which he and his brothers used to help out. Following in the footsteps of his older brother Jack, Abhaya would later spend several years at a Catholic Seminary, a period he jokingly characterizes as being like 12 years imprisonment. Christianity plays a strong conditioning factor in the early part of Abhaya’s life, the northwest being “rife with Catholicism” and his older brother going on to become a priest. Yet Abhaya’s path would stray off that given course, and in the 1960s he travelled to Thailand where his life would well and truly change, meeting his future wife and encountering the counter-culture of the ’60s and ’70s. Returning to England he would then come into contact with Urgyen Sangharakshita and the very beginnings of the Western Buddhist Movement. Satya

Many people in the Triratna Buddhist Community know Amoghasiddhi for his kind and welcoming smile, as well as his tireless Dharma work for our sangha in Nagpur, India. Now part of the ordination team in India, as well as a member of Indian Public Preceptors Kula, Amoghasiddhi has been ordained for over 30 years.  In this moving interview with Candradasa, originally recorded back in 2018 for the Fifty Years, Fifty Voices Project, the pair cover a lot of ground, including Amoghasiddhi's love of poetry and a visit Bhante Urgyen Sangharakshita made to Nagpur in 1992. Amoghasiddhi describes the sight of 70,000 people attending the speech Sangharakshita gave at the same place where, in 1956, he had addressed a grief stricken crowd of over 250,000 followers of Dr Ambedkar, after the latter's unexpected death. When Sangharakshita gave that speech in 1992, there were just four Order members in Nagpur. As Amoghasiddhi happily recalls:  "Bhante said, 'Nagpur needs 100 Order members…' Well we are very glad to tell you

When Aryadhi encountered meditation for the first time, she wholly embraced it amid the very positive atmosphere of the London Buddhist Centre. She recalls the memory of waking up on her first retreat after a powerful new year’s eve puja just knowing that she was a Buddhist, and that her life would never be the same again. A series of important self discoveries would begin to unfold during her ordination training. And in September 2013 she was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, a neurological condition on the autistic spectrum. Aryadhi describes this discovery as being like finding ‘the missing piece of the puzzle’, and her moving account is a testament to the importance of receiving the help she needed on her journey. Listen to a deeply inspiring story of self-aware Buddhist practice, and of coming into your own as a human being with vital gifts to share... Extracts from this talk were used for the Fifty Years, Fifty Voices project: Visit the Fifty Years, Fifty Voices on The Buddhist Centre Online

“This conversation I'm having with you right now is an expression of Bhante's vision of the Dharma.” In this latest full interview for the Fifty Years, Fifty Voices Project, we hear from Dharmashalin. Now the Mitra convenor for the Birmingham Buddhist Centre, Dharmashalin made his first proper contact with Buddhism at 19 years old after a period of drug-based experimentation and existential angst. As is often the way with drugs, what was once a source of inspiration became something much darker and, at best, just another form of escapism. It was at Christmas ‘98 that a friend lent him a copy of Sogyal Rimpoche’s ‘Tibetan Book of Living and Dying’, which left a strong impression. Specifically, the section on karma and rebirth set forth the realization that our actions have consequences, even beyond our present life. Dharmashalin speaks from the heart in this deep and far reaching interview, with his usual characteristic openness and sincerity. Extracts from this talk were used for the 50 Years, 50 Voices p

Sucimani interviews Vijaya and for the Fifty Years, Fifty Voices Project. Vijaya shares movingly about the suffering she faced growing up in a slum near Nagpur railway station, losing her younger brother and father in quick succession and, subsequently, having to fight periods of depression.  Later in life a visiting Dharmachari would come and teach her meditation and in her own words she recalls ‘this is where life is’. So deeply grateful and inspired by this encounter, both herself and her older brother would go on to ask for ordination and become members of the Triratna Buddhist Order.  Other topics of discussion include a vivid encounter with Green Tara and what it’s like to be part of a lineage of discipleship that goes right back to the Buddha: that flow  initiated by Urgyen Sangharakshita when he ordained Srimala, Srimala in turn ordaining Vijaya… Now, a Private Preceptor herself, Vijaya recalls the period of growth she experienced during the first ordinations, and what it’s like to pass on that thre

Al igual que muchas de las historias que escuchamos en el proyecto Cincuenta Años, Cincuenta Voces, la amistad ha marcado la vida de los miembros de la Orden en toda nuestra comunidad internacional. En este episodio escuchamos a dos buenos amigos que comparten sus caminos y su historia de práctica del Dharma, con un toque poético. Desde Mérida, en el corazón de los Andes venezolanos, hasta el Centro Budista de la Ciudad de México, Aryavacin y Manjugita están animados por un profundo anhelo de libertad. Aquí podemos escuchar la historia compartida de sus vidas que han abarcado muchos contextos diferentes: desde el trabajo social en los barrios pobres de Venezuela, hasta el curso Dharma Life en Adhisthana, Reino Unido. Esta conversación fue grabada originalmente en la Convención Internacional de la Orden en Bodhgaya, India, en 2018, y es traída hasta tí en Español.Extractos de esta charla fueron utilizados para el proyecto Cincuenta Años, Cincuenta Voces - visita el espacio dedicado en The Buddhist Centre Onli

“Padmapani is my Yidam, two-armed Avalokitesvara… I came from a Pureland Mahayana tradition so I wanted all of the Buddhas and bodhisattvas to be part of my practice, but I gradually narrowed down… Avalokitesvara gave the Heart Sutra and bit by bit it became clear that, ‘Well, it’s just a question of how many arms!” When Prasadacarin’s school teacher organized a class visit to a Mahayana Buddhist temple in Stockholm, Sweden, he did not imagine his encounter with the Dharma that day would spark off his own spiritual quest, and lead eventually to becoming Chair of  Triratna's Stockholm Buddhist Centre in his early 20s! Listen to this moving account of a spiritual life that started at a very early age, passing through the twists and turns of growing up and the complications of coming out as a gay man in a context that wasn’t supportive. Prasadacarin speaks openly and from the heart in this latest Fifty Years, Fifty Voices episode. Extracts from this talk were used for the 50 Years, 50 Voices project - visit