Triratna Buddhist Community (TBC)

What is Triratna?

Triratna, meaning ‘three jewels’, is an ecumenical Buddhist movement that draws on many Buddhist traditions and practices to present the teachings of the Buddha in a coherent form relevant to the modern world. Practitioners of Buddhism in the 21st century are uniquely placed to survey the whole of the Buddhist tradition in its various historical and cultural contexts and draw on the most spiritually vital elements to enrich and inform our practice of the Dharma. The Triratna movement (originally called the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order) was founded in 1967 by Sangharakshita, an Englishman who spent many years in India.

What are the three jewels?

These are the three jewels of the Buddha – the ideal of Enlightenment, the Dharma – the teachings of the Buddha, and the Sangha – the spiritual community; that are the central values around which Buddhist practice focuses.

Who is Sangharakshita?

Sangharakshita or Bhante (which means teacher) is the spiritual visionary who founded the Triratna Buddhist Order and Community. He was a translator between East and West, between ancient tradition and the industrialised world, enabling people to hear and understand the Buddha’s teachings in a way that is accessible and applicable to us in the 20th and 21st century.