Progress in imitation of enlightenment is a long hard road.

Faith is a fast track.

David Brazier: From Friday evening 22nd April until Sunday 24th, at Nantes in France, the European Buddhist Union sponsored a conference, which I attended. There were six speakers, in order: myself, then Lama Dondrup (Nyingmapa, Spain) spoke about decision making in our lives, Vassika (Triratna, English resident in France) talked about the history and approach of the Triratna Buddhist sangha, Ricardo Guerrero (Theravada, Spain) spoke about a project to create a Buddhist complex in a remote part of Spain, Lama Shenpen talked about karma and how to impove; and finally Claudine Carayol (Reiyukai, France) gave a rousing lecture to send us away full of enthusiasm for intersangha harmony and cooperation. There were many discussion groups and workshops. The event was well organised and we were entertained most royally with excellent catering, accommodation, and facilities.

The proceedings did manifest the theme in that there was unity around a spirit of amity among all the participants while there was also evident a great diversity of views, interpretations and understandings of the Buddhist path. Is Buddhism an arduous path that requires great effort or is it rather that the path is only made arduous when we rely upon out own effort?  Does the parable of the herbs in the Lotus Sutra mean that each individual has its own power to grow and become enlightened or does it mean that no such awakening can occur without the grace of the Buddha?  Is Buddhism a kind of self-development programme or is self-development a distraction from the spiritual life? Is it all a matter of understanding karma and learning how to improve one's karma until one day one's karma is so pure and positive that one attains Buddhahood, or is one's karmic condition completely irrelevant to spiritual awakening? Did Angulimala reform primarily because Buddha instructed him, or because Buddha accepted him? What is the role of ancestors and spirits in Buddhism? There was certainly much to reflect upon. There were also differences of practice - silent meditation and vigorous chanting being most in evidence.

In my own presentation as the first speaker I began by referring to my book The Dark Side of the Mirror as an example of cooperation, since it is a book by a Pureland author about the work of a Zen master and was published by the Triratna organisation. This enabled me to point out that there is no inherent barrier in Buddhism to cooperation between schools as there might be in more dogmatically based religions. Then I talked about how the Amida sangha has recently split into half a dozen sub-groups, which enabled me to point out that there is, within Buddhism, an inherent tendency to diversification since teachers tend to have a number of successors who go off in different directions. Then, thirdly, I spoke about the Oasis Project as a scheme with a prospect of developing in the future through harmony between members of different schools. I then spoke about the spirit of our times. Until recently, for several centuries, Europen culture has included a rather fundamental assumption of the inevitability of progress - the idea that our grandchildren are bound to live in a better world than we have done - and with this has gone a faith in finding techniques by means of which to make the world (and ourselves) better. Buddhism has largely been promoted in the West as a set of techniques of this kind. However, it may now be that this basic assumption no longer holds. Increasingly, people are doubtful that the world will get better. Recent shocks, such as the financial crisis and the pandemic have shaken optimism and, more fundamentally, the pressures caused by ecological degradation increasingly appear to be an insuperable challenge. Will this bring about a change in the spirit of our age? Are we on the cusp of a paradigm shift?. How will this affect our attitude to life and to Dharma practice? Most of the popular schools of Buddhism in the West are ones built upon a progress model whereas those that are widespread in the Far East were mostly conditioned by the idea of Mappo, "the Dharma Ending Age", the general degeneration of culture and civilisation. As the first speaker, I did not attempt to answer there questions, but left them hanging for reflection during the conference.

I was then asked to give a brief synopsis of my own school of Buddhism. As there were only four minutes remaining, this was, of necessity, very brief. I said that where many schools aim to train the practitioner to become Buddha, Pureland regards that idea as impractical and advances, rather, the principle of having a relationship with Buddha. When one engages seriously in such a relationship one becomes acutely aware of one's all-too-human nature - one's vulnerability, frailty, proneness to error, etc. One sees that one's own efforts are often counterproductive. This recognition of one's own condition then naturally leads to a sense of fellow-feeling and compassion for others, since we are all in the same boat, and one feels immense gratitude that one is accepted by the Buddhas even in one's human state. So the practice is not one of trying to achieve, but rather one of celebrating and expressing gratitude for what has already been received.

The conference was a great success in  strengthening bonds of friendship between practitioners in different schools and one went away inspired to continue to cultivate this goodwill by a variety of means. 

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Photo by Sunsook Park

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8-12th August 2022

At Eleusis, Central France  -  In person only

As last summer, a time for relaxed living in good company, sharing poems and other writings over brunch, Dharma discussions, going for walks, good conversation, community, communing with nature in the adjoining 35 acres of meadow and woodland where we hope, eventually, to establish the Oasis 2 Project. A chance to unwind in good company and tranquil surroundings well off the beaten track.

13-14th August 2022

At Eleusis, Central France  -  In person & Online

This year Global Sangha will celebrate Obon on the second weekend of August, which is also full moon, so this will incorporate the August Upavastha. Some of the event will be online. A more full and comprehensive event will take place at Eleusis, including a visit to the nearby community at Oasis. Nambutsu; chanting; readings; meditation; offerings to the ancestors and spirits; odori dancing and other celebratory activities. In person participants may stay longer if they wish to have some time for relaxation and to enjoy the area.

15-20th August 2022

At Eleusis, Central France  -  In person only

Of particular interest to those already on or hoping in the future to join the Buddhist Psychology Diploma Programme, but open to all who are interested, the Summer School will include seminars, workshops, experiential groups, demonstrations and discussions. There is no better way to deepen one's understanding and learn and refine skills. The event will be at David Brazier's house in France. Accommodation is limited so this will be a first come, first served, booking. This course is almost full.

 

Full board: 30€ per day

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Liz Allmark: I feel that where Buddhist Psychology can be most influential and effective is in its approach to ego. Whereas traditional forms of therapy encourage development of the ego, Buddhist Psychology encouages a wider point of view which accompanies the client through a gentle journey to understand a broader horizon. This, in turn,  goes beyod the ego demands and gently suggests a more holistic approach to life where the ego is not the centre of the universe. In looking at the conditions which have arisen in the client's life and gaining understanding and compassion in why the ego reacted in the way that it did and the ensuing habits which have formed, it is possible to see life through a larger lens which can encompass the whole of life and one's attitute to this. To me the fact that Buddhist Psychology brings a spiritual as well as a psychological approach to therapy is where it is most effective in being able to meet the client at all levels of being and therefore truly accompany a client on their therapeutic journed in whatever manner works best for them.

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Annette Tamily Jung: Le printemps bat son plein à l'Oasis. Les iris autour du stoupa sont prêts à fleurir.  Marie C. a finalisé le plan de sa maison et les travaux devraient commencer bientôt. Nous nous réjouissons de voir l'Oasis se développer et prospérer. Pour ceux et celles qui seraient intéressés, n'oubliez pas qu'un projet de deuxième Oasis est en cours ...

Photo by Helen Evanfé

A small group are studying the history of the tradition. Last autumn we  studied the transmission in India in the early centuries following the life of the Buddha. In the spring semester there are study units covering the transmission of the  teaching  in China from the beginning of the common era up to the medieval period (13th century). This is a good course for gaining a deeper understanding of the way that the Dharma has spread and adapted to changing historical and social conditions. You can still join this course:

Tickets <https://www.tickettailor.com/events/globalsangha>

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