Buddhism in Britain

Healthcare Chaplaincy at the Buddhist Society

On Sunday I attended a healthcare chaplaincy meeting at the Buddhist Society. Dr Desmond Biddulph, the Vice President of the Buddhist Society  introduced Keith Munnings who proceded to talk to us about the progress the Buddhist Healthcare Chaplaincy Group has made in setting up and agreeing accreditation procedures for Buddhist chaplains wanting to work (invariably on a voluntary basis) in the NHS. Tim Battle, a CofE minister heads up the multifaith chaplaincy group which is agreeing a single accreditation process for each faith group, including Christianity.

The BHCG will present their process at the end of March or thereabouts to the Multifaith Chaplaincy committee. It is good to see the Bud.Soc. sponsoring this initiative.

The meeting was attended by around fourteen or so, a largish group (5) regarding the Forest Sangha as their home tradition. There is clearly some work to be done on the draft accreditation process, but there are detailed competencies and background information and these can be found at the Buddhist Society web site or at: http://www.buddhacommunity.org/lay_ministry_day.htm.

You can register an interest in healthcare chaplaincy via http://www.thebuddhistsociety.org/events/index.html

TripleGem think tank

I have had an enjoyable and busy two months or so setting up the new TripleGem (TG) enterprise. This has a website at http://triplegem.terapad.com. I investigated various technologies for websites and decided that terapad offers a good package for a blog and news based website. The terapad incarnation of TG will serve as a good proof of concept platform.

Hopefully TripleGem is going to be more that just a website. Hopefully it will act as a catalyst for a range of activities. Quite what these will be I do not know. I have described TG as a think tank since this provides plenty of scope, but I hope that TG will partner with charitable initiatives, as well as act as a focus for discussing news and issues that impinge upon Buddhism in the UK and the West.

Even though as Buddhists we are taught to regard words and concepts as uncertain, we are still very much conditioned by them. I am sure that the mental image conjured up in some minds by 'think tank' is of some intellectual, opinionated and pushy pressure group. If TG does go down this path it will fail, and I would not want to be part of it. Others perhaps see it as a long-overdue initiative which cuts across Buddhist traditions and which might flesh out some initiatives and plans for applying Buddhist approaches to contemporary issues.

But I trust in the good sense and wisdom of those who engage with TG to guide it along the middle way between... what? Perhaps indulgence in theories, ideas, conventions and structures on the one hand, and indulgence in emptiness, vacuity, impulse and randomness on the other. Or indulgence in worldly concerns at one extreme and indulgence in avoiding the world at the other extreme. We can get attached to just about anything...like the belief that Buddhists should not think. Or that we should not attach to anything. It is easy to fail to realise that non-attachment means that we do not attach to non-attachment either.

So If you want to suggest activities or ideas for TG to consider, or you want to get involved, have a look at the website http://triplegem.terapad.com and make contact.

The FCCBF and Manchester Conference

I notice that it is several months since I last posted to this blog. My contract as development worker for the NBO finished in April / May and I finally 'downed tools' in June, and unfortunately the Faith Communities Capacity Building Fund (FCCBF) did not accept a bid for a further year. This is a great pity as it is very difficult to make a sustainable difference to any organisation in just one year, especially on a part-time basis. The impact of government funds on faith organisations would repay some investigation, I think. I would  like to thank the many people who met me, hosted me, and helped me over the year.

I was very sorry to hear of the death of the Reverend Gyosei Handa in August. I had met and spoken with him at the beginning of my time as nbo development officer and been impressed with his energy and directness.

However, I have welcomed the space that my unemployment has provided, since I have had to spend a lot of effort in dealing with two elderly relatives. So I have cleared two houses and been involved with selling and purchasing property on their behalf. This is still ongoing. At the moment I  am effectively a part-time carer and engaged with things like housing benefit, devices that help lower aged bodies into baths, and chiropodists. I would rather not be finding out about all these things in quite such a 'hands on' way, although it is useful practice from both a Buddhist perspective and also to give  clear insight into what might happen to my body as it ages and the problems I may present to my children.

Someone remarked to me recently that caring for elderly people develops (or tests) all of the Buddhist perfections, and I must agree. (For those interested in the Theravada and Mahayana perfections the following link is helpful: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paramita.)

I attended the second Manchester Buddhist Conference on the 16th July and thought it even better than the first one. It is very unusual (unique?) to meet such a diverse range of monastics, Reverends and Dhamma teachers in one place. The majority of traditions present in the Manchester area were represented and the programme for the day provided a rich mix of practice and discussion. The Reverend Saido (who is very creative) and I also prepared and erected an NBO display with details of member organisations and activities.

I hope that volunteers can be found to organise a third conference in 2008. Details of the 2006 and 2007 conferences can be found at:  http://manchesterbuddha2007.googlepages.com/

I hope to contnue to post as the time and issues coincide.

Amida Newcastle

Amida Newcastle is located in Linden Road, Gosforth in a tall cherry red brick Victorian terrace. After climbing (many!) flights of stairs the Reverend Sujatin Johnson and I settled in an attic meditation room. Like myself, Rev. Sujatin had practised with the Transcendental meditation organisation. I recalled coming across TM at university many years ago and exploring this along with Buddhist approaches. TM is basically a calming Samatha practice and as such, helpful. 

We discussed chaplaincy. Rev. Sujatin has been Buddhist Chaplain at Newcastle University for over 3 years and has also started to visit Northumbria University. The chaplaincy situation in Higher Education Institutions (HEI)  is complicated; there is no standard pattern. Some HEI do not have any chaplaincy; some have historic links with the CofE or other religious bodies; many are considering their positions in light of recent equal opportunities legislation.  Buddhist chaplains are usually invited in as volunteers managed by existing CofE chaplains and the situation they find themselves in is very dependent on the attitude of the Christian chaplain.

Some are welcoming, open and tolerant, others are keen to preserve their own position and status. This can make it difficult for volunteers from non-Christian faiths who may feel marginalized. Related to this, I heard recently of a Christian hospital chaplain who only accepted Buddhist volunteers if they professed a ‘theistic form’ of Buddhism. This type of imposition is unacceptable, but demonstrates the pressure being exerted in some quarters.

Rev Sujatin had gone through some difficulties in her chaplaincy role, but had been determined to continue and finds that her contribution is both recognized and valued.

We also spoke about meditation as a relaxation technique or self-help tool. This idea has been around for quite a while and there are organisations that teach various meditation techniques without mentioning any particular religious or traditional framework. Perhaps TM is an early example of this, where religious trappings are largely absent and the technique is taught in a prescriptive way. Although I found TM helpful, I still wanted to know more. Evidence of lower blood pressure and higher creativity was nice, but perhaps turned meditation into something more like a gym workout then part of a broader enterprise to understand suffering. I found subsequent experience of insight practice and Dhamma teachings within the Forest Sangha Tradition to offer a much more complete path.

Rev Sujatin runs a regular 'meditation for relaxation' class. The class is free of religious ritual, but does take place in a space with a Buddha rupa and Buddhist symbols, so although the religious elements are not stressed, these do provide an unspoken framework. I think this a good model, although there remains a debate to be had about the extent to which religious symbols are helpful, espececially for those new to Buddhist traditions and who may be leaving another religion. There are also other classes at the centre based on Amida Pure Land practice for those who are comfortable with devotional chanting and wish to explore this particular Buddhist context.

Amida Newcastle is located at
Amida Sanctuary, Beacon House,
49 Linden Road, Gosforth,
Newcastle upon Tyne NE3 4HA

http://lotusinthemud.typepad.com/amida_newcastle/2005/02/amida_newcastle_2.html

British Buddhism and Hexham

Whilst in Northumberland on a short visit, I was pleased to be able to meet Dr Robert Bluck at his home near the  town of Hexham. Robert lives in a delightful old house overlooking the Tyne valley. There was a pleasing symmetry to this meeting at the end of my tenure as NBO development officer. One of my very first engagements a year ago had been at the friend’s Meeting House in Euston at an event organised by the Buddhist Hospice Trust. Dr Bluck had spoken at the event about his research into contemporary Buddhism in the UK (available as a book – British Buddhism*).

One element of his research has been in understanding the population of Buddhists in the UK. The last census provides some interesting source data. I mentioned some of the figures in my earlier blog entry. Robert wants to update the information in his book, and is interested in making contact with the large proportion of UK Buddhists who register themselves as Buddhist but do not appear to be linked with organisations. Many of this group are probably Buddhists by birth and see this as something of a cultural or religious identity. Getting in touch with, and understanding the outlook of this group is a challenge, as I have found to some extent over the past year.

There are difficulties with questions such as ‘how many Buddhists are there in the UK?’. Is a ‘Buddhist’ someone who says as much on a census form, or someone who is a member of a recognised Buddhist organisation, or someone who practises Buddhist meditation, or someone who is inspired and informed by, for example, the Dalai Lama’s books? Does being a ‘Buddhist’ mean one cannot also be a Christian, Marxist, Jedi Knight or Pagan? Does being a Theravada Buddhist mean one cannot practice Zen?

Statistics on numbers of religious adherents are potential political and propaganda tools as in ‘lies damn lies, and statistics’. The greater the number of members that a religion can justify, the greater the influence and privilege it can lay claim to.

My experience with those who are practising Buddhism is that many are not very interested in adopting and promoting their conventional identities; in fact quite the reverse. The liberation taught by the Buddha included freedom from attachment to identities of all sorts. So the desire to lay claim to the privileges associated with ones ethnic, cultural, sexual orientation, gender, physical attributes, geographical, and age identities may not be too appealing to many of those sincerely interested in the Buddhist path.

A woodpecker alighted at the feeding table in Robert’s garden. We watched through a spotting scope as it fed. Woodpeckers have developed quite a wide range of feeding habits. A few years ago I had a woodpecker regularly eating ants from nests in my lawn - an example of adaptation as the right sort of trees become harder to find.

I asked Robert about ordination practices that he had found whilst undertaking his research. What we call ‘ordination’, conditions us to think in Western terms, usually with ideas of monks or priests. Perhaps undertaking or embarking on a form of Buddhist training might be a better way to understand what happens when a lay-person becomes a traditional bhikkhu, for example. At Amaravati, which is a Theravada Monastery using the Vinaya for guidance, the process of an individual entering the community is a gradual one. Although in principle open to anyone, in practice, not only must one’s family agree with this course of action, but the monastic community must support the new member. In practice the process of becoming a full bhikkhu or siladara might take few years of progression through lay-helper, through white robed anagarika to monk or nun. There is no laid down time limit.

This contrast with adaptations that have been applied in various Westernised Buddhist traditions. As one example on a continuum, the FWBO have dropped the vinaya and the idea of householder or monk, and use a ten precept form. A request to be ordained as a member of the Western Buddhist Order may take many years (up to ten) before ordination is granted by the preceptors, and this is not automatic. In a sense this looks more like a graduation or perhaps initiation process than an embarkation on an ongoing training.

Robert and I also discussed the way Buddhism has collected cultural accretions – like barnacles - over its history. Although this image suggests the largely discredited idea of an essential core Buddhism lying beneath the barnacles.

Why should Western people sit cross legged on cushions for meetings for example? Or the Order of Buddhist Contemplatives use a form of English organ music?

However, such minor adaptations are surely pretty trivial when set against the aim of freedom from suffering, and perhaps the irritation or lack of patience we might experience makes these things useful examples of the way we can so easily generate dukkha.

*British Buddhism : Teachings, Practice And Development
(Routledge Critical Studies in Buddhism)
by Robert Bluck
Routledge, an imprint of Taylor & Francis Books Ltd
ISBN: 0415395151

Amaravati in February

Amaravati Buddhist Monastery is my home monastery and one that I have been attending for many years. I invariably experience a sense of peacefulness as I enter the gates and a feeling of inspiration at the sight of ochre robed Theravada monks and nuns. 

I had dropped in to speak with Ajahn Jutindharo, who has been a monk at Amaravati for some 13 years. He had received an invitation to a charities commission event. This had been sent to all UK Buddhist charities, and Ajahn J. wanted to appreciate whether I knew who might be attending this and whether it had been discussed within the NBO.

In actual fact, I was not aware of the charities meeting, although subsequently information did circulate through NBO channels. This is a good example of the disparate range of requests that are received by the Buddhist ‘community’ in the UK. Many of these requests or invitations are not specifically Buddhist or religious, they are to do with mundane matters of health and safety or other legislation that impacts many organisations.

Some requests do have a religious character or are looking for a Buddhist ‘voice’ and this leads to quite a few issues. There is a constant demand for Buddhist representatives to join SACRE’s – standing advisory committees for religious education in local education authorities – which I have mentioned before in this blog. Other requests that come through NBO channels might ask for a Buddhist representative at events ranging from Commonwealth Day to government sponsored faith communities consultative councils, religious leaders meetings running alongside G8 summits, (and intended to influence their deliberations), and sexual orientations equality and other legislation. The list goes on.

Many of those who gain benefit from Buddhist organisations or might regard themselves as Buddhists may feel inspired to join one or other committee or consultatative meeting; perhaps without fully appreciating what is involved. Often, a faith representative is regarded as representing, in some sense, all Buddhists. SACRE Buddhist members are expected to reflect all Buddhist persuasions in a local authority area. Exactly how such a responsibility can be discharged is a matter for debate.

Another common issue is for our naïve Buddhist representative to find himself the victim of tokenism or of an agenda which might only become apparent later and with which she or he is uncomfortable. Discretion must be exercised therefore; there is little doubt that constructive engagement is valuable but it has to work for the individual. For example, teachers or educational professionals who are also Buddhists may feel completely at home at SACRE’s and find this forum very useful.

Some rough guidelines for engagement could include clarifying :

the purpose of the group or committee

the role that a Buddhist is expected to fulfil

the benefit that arises from this activity in the broadest sense

If the benefit is limited or low then involvement should be reconsidered. Our time must be regarded as valuable.

Like many Buddhist organisations, Amaravati is involved with a broad range of activities. Things can occasionally seem quite hectic.School visits are hosted, speakers may be identified for various engagements, and contributors to interfaith and other meetings may be provided. The main activity of the monastery, though, is the maintenance of a Theravada monastic community following the Vinaya, and of a linked lay (householder) community. The purpose of this fourfold assembly of monks, nuns, lay-men and women, is the practice of the Buddha’s teaching. And the purpose of the Buddha’s teaching is to realise enlightenment.

For details of Amaravati see www.amaravati.org.

An associated website focusing on lay-activity is www.buddhacommunity.org

Western Chan Fellowship

I spent an enjoyable evening at the end of February in Bristol discussing Dhamma with Sally and Mike Masheder, both practitioners within the Western Chan Fellowship. Later we were joined by Gareth Fysh-Foskett a student completing a dissertation on Buddhism at the University.

The Western Chan fellowship follows the teachings of Master Hui-kong Sheng-yen of the Chinese Chan tradition. He has identified a number of Western Dharma heirs of whom John Crook, based in Maenllwyd in mid-Wales, is one. Chinese Chan is the tradition which led to Zen schools in Japan and is famously described as:

A special transmission outside the scriptures

No reliance on words or letters

Direct pointing to the heart of humanity

Seeing into ones own nature.

This is a bold and attractive statement, but one which raises a number of questions. The obvious one being what is the relationship between the Dhamma (teachings as embodied in scriptures) and the enlightenment experience? I am not sure that any mainstream Buddhist tradition would ever have claimed that enlightenment was an intellectual accumulation of information, or was dependent upon absorbing the right facts or involved the ‘worship’ of sacred texts.

It would seem, though, that the Buddha’s teachings both point towards and shape our understanding of what is an ineffable experience. It is a healthy instinct to question our reliance on ancient texts and to encourage a practical engagement and application of such teachings without developing a blind and possibly dogmatic attachment to them.

It would be possible to justify the assertion that at certain times in the 2500 years of the Buddhist tradition, individuals and schools have developed an unskilful relationship with scriptures, seeing them as infallible and sacred objects rather than invaluable guides for reflection and action. Or, interpreting the Buddhist path as closed in this degenerate age, and believing that all that is possible is to maintain certain scriptures and the letter of Buddhism rather than being able to apply teachings in the way originally intended. This belief can be found both in some Theravada circles as well as in more recent Mahahayana schools.

Such a belief - that enlightenment is now impossible - does obviously have a profound impact on subsequent behaviour. We can, however, be aware of our beliefs and recognise the uncertainty of such mental formations. This is the key to working with scriptures. They are very helpful pointers, but uncertain. They are for reflection and insight rather than 'worship' or turning into metaphysical truths.

The idea of lineage was amongst a number of subjects of discussion. Lineage is a way of increasing the likelihood of an authentic transmission of the Buddha’s teaching and of granting authority to teachers. If teachers can be traced back all the way to the Buddha himself, then this makes it more likely that what is taught today is based on real insight into the Buddha’s teaching. However, lineage is only part of the picture; other ways of checking a teacher’s insight include his or her behaviour and whether it is in accordance with practice, teachings and precepts.

Later as I prepared to sleep I read a little from 'Illuminating Silence' by Master Sheng Yen. I found much that resonated with my own Theravada practice. This seems a common experience. At the level of practice there is much agreement between Buddhist schools. It is at the level of doctrine and the intellect that differences arise.

Information on Western Chan Fellowship can be found at: http://www.westernchanfellowship.org/ 

Bristol Theravada

I met David and the Venerable Bhatsakorn Piyobhaso at the Starbucks in the Borders Bookshop in Bristol. It was the 28th February and I had just driven across the city very slowly through the morning traffic. I was very pleased that David had managed to bring Bhante with him. Not only was I looking forward to meeting him, but a bhikkhu in robes is a lot more obvious than a carnation in a lapel, and I knew that identifying David would not be a problem.

Venerable Piybhaso is a Thai Theravada bhikkhu studying at the university and living at the Theosophical Society. He has been leading meditation meetings at the Society now for several months and gradually building up a community of interest. There are now meetings on Wednesday evenings and on Sunday morning for the Thai community. There is apparently little else in the way of Theravada Buddhism in the immediate area although other traditions are well established.

The Theosophical Society is supportive of Buddhism and of the meetings and provides spacious premises. Eventually, perhaps, a dedicated Theravada centre might be needed. David was interested in building relationships with other Bristol groups and we talked of the Bristol Buddhist Forum. Organising joint Wesak events with local Buddhists is a good way of establishing friendships and I mentioned the hope that the NBO would start to partner with regional Buddhists assemblies.

Meeting details can be found at : http://www.theravadabuddhisminbristol.org/whats-on.htm

Telford Priory

On my way back from Criccieth I stopped at Telford Priory where the Rev. Saido is based. The priory is a spacious modern detached property with a good size garden and plenty of parking—a great benefit for such a centre. Rev Saido is the NBO treasurer and is an experienced monk from the Order of Buddhist Contemplatives (OBC).  He is also a good companion and we spent several hours discussing many things.

I was invited to join the Friday evening group meeting and enjoyed a pre-meditation discussion on the relative merits of the Jerusalem Artichoke with John, a regular member. A tasty root vegetable which grows easily, (in fact it is difficult to remove from a plot), the Jerusalem artichoke also contains special sugars which promote healthy intestinal flora and plenty of wind. John warned us of the potential auditory distractions which might accompany our forthcoming meditation session.

I floundered a little with the form of the meditation and walking practice; however in essence it is very similar to that practised at Amaravati and many other Buddhist centres. The Zen (OBC) form is to face the wall and to meditate with eyes open, whilst I generally sit with eyes closed.

Rev. Saido showed me some attractive materials he had created to teach aspects of Buddhism. (I was reminded of the Venerable Kusalo, another talented and creative spirit.) He showed me a rare copy of the Enlightenment Game, handmade at Shasta Abbey in America and illustrating a great variety of Buddhist teachings within a witty, clever and educational framework.

The Rev. Saido has also accumulated a marvelous collection of illuminated Buddhist artifacts. Some may find these a little kitsch, but there is an innocent charm about kitsch which I find attractive. Knowing of Rev. Saido’s interest in such artefacts, his supporters seek them out and generously donate them to him.

As a long member of the NBO Rev. Saido and I discussed some ideas for new initiatives. One problem with having a UK wide membership is the difficulty in physically meeting, especially now that we have to reduce our carbon footprint. Encouraging travel across the UK might attract the charge of climate change denial.

Obviously the internet offers a variety of ways to interact which make geography irrelevant. We thought it would be good for more effort to be focused on extending the NBO web presence. We already have a good website at www.nbo.org.uk. However, with the addition of an NBO wiki, this could develop into a powerful way of building up a Buddhist information database.

Wikis provide web based tools for collaboratively adding to and amending text, media and information. Older versions of information are preserved along with the history of who changed what and why. This looks just the sort of technology to help the dispersed members of the NBO to communicate and work together.

I had been thinking about an NBO wiki for a while and decided to set one up on my return home.

Information on Telford Priory and activities can be found at: www.tbpriory.org.uk

The Hermitage

Lama Shenpen Hookham lives at The Hermitage near Criccieth in North Wales and is the resident teacher of the Awakened Heart Sangha. After an engaging and interesting drive in February 2007 I was warmly welcomed into the Hermitage and before long I had both met Lama Shenpen and eaten a good supper. Later I joined the community for an evening session of chanting and meditation. 

I was fortunate to be able to speak to Lama Shenpen on a range of topics. including her research project some years ago at Oxford and published as ‘The Buddha Within’. Her supervisor had been Paul Williams a Tibetan Buddhist scholar who had converted to Catholicism a few years ago.

I was very interested to hear about the Tibetan guru system, as this is different to the way things work in Theravada. The relationship between a guru and disciple (or follower) is deliberately cultivated. I can see how at its best, such a relationship can be invaluable. In Theravada, the teaching is more impersonal, and carried out in something of a collegiate fashion. Monks who have an interest in teaching are encouraged to do so, and although there may be an acknowledged ‘spiritual director’ of a monastery, other teachers, mostly ordained, but sometimes lay, also teach.

Students may ask questions during retreats and after talks and do have limited provision for interviews with the teacher, but not the same close formal relationship that is embodied within the guru approach. This does protect both disciple and teacher from possible accusations of misconduct and delusions of self-importance—on both sides—plus the possibility of dependence, although at the cost of a certain distance and impersonality between teacher and student and of having to translate general teachings into specific directions for oneself.

We discussed Reginald Ray’s study of forest renunciants in ‘Buddhist Saints in India’ published some fourteen years ago. Ray’s idea is that the two tier model of monastic and lay Buddhist should actually be a three tier model of monastic, lay and forest based renunciant. He thinks that it is the forest renunciant who is the dynamo supporting a healthy Buddhism. I have yet to read Ray’s work in full but wonder at the somewhat simple models he proposes.

I certainly agree that conscientious practice must lie at the heart of Buddhism and without this the living Dhamma will stagnate. Without teachers who have at least had their ‘Dhamma eye’ opened we will have the blind leading the blind. And monastics do have many potential roles; of scholar, meditator, teacher, and counselor. But not all monastics undertake all roles. So it is quite possible for a monk to spend a lot of time in solitary practice developing samadhi and wisdom. It all depends on the monastery and the inclinations of a particular monk.

The vinaya which governs monastic behaviour does not dictate how a monk spends his time. It also supports an orthopraxy rather than an orthodoxy. As long as a bhikkhu follows the major Vinaya rules and meets when possible with the monastic Sangha, then his practice is to a large extent under his own control, especially after the first few years of training have passed.

What seems more of an issue is the policy or beliefs that a group of monastics may come to agree with. If they believe that nibbana is impossible in this degenerate age and that, therefore, simply maintaining scholarship, and accruing merit is all that one can meaningfully do, then this belief will obviously have an effect on their behaviour. This is the situation that prevailed in Thailand over a hundred years ago when the forest tradition arose. The history of Buddhism is a cycle of decline into various kinds of scholasticism, prescriptive approaches and loss of energy, alternating with reform movements often advocating forest practice and renunciation as vital.

I await the delivery of Ray’s book to see if my view is confirmed by actually reading the book in detail.

Lama Shenpen runs a successful online Buddhist correspondence course—An introduction to Buddhism.She finds that some of those who use the course subsequently come to the Hermitage for a retreat. There are both organised retreats and the facilities for personal retreats of various lengths. There are published guidelines and a framework for the personal retreats, including Lama Shenpen’s experienced teaching and support. I was up early the next morning— rather cleverly; the light in my room switched on automatically at 5 am— and joined in a two hour period of meditation, walking and chanting before breakfast. I left at Midday driving into a light Welsh drizzle, and reflecting on the good company, good teaching and good porridge I had tasted during my stay.

http://www.ahs.org.uk/default.asp?action=article&ID=588