Retreat Materials

What Is The Order?

 

Primary material: 

• ​What Is The Order? Handbook produced by Tiratanaloka

 

Background material:-

• The History of my Going for Refuge by Sangharakshita

• Forty Three Years Ago by Sangharakshita 

• Ordination by Moksananda

 

 

The Transcendental Principle

 

Primary material: 

• A Survey of Buddhism by Sangarakshita, Chapter 1. You will need to bring the text with you to the retreat. At present, it is in print as part of Volume 1 of Sangharakshita's Complete Works. If you have trouble getting hold of it, please let us know as soon as possible.

• Audio recordings of the text read aloud are available here.

 

Background material:

• What is the Dharma? by Sangarakshita

• Revering and Relying on the Dharma by Subhuti

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The Mythic Context

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Primary material: 

• The Refuge Tree as Mythic Context by Aloka (available from Padmaloka)

• Re-Imagining the Buddha by Subhuti

 

Optional material: 

• The Five Aspects of Dharma Life - Spiritual Receptivity by Subhuti (opens in freebuddhistaudio.com)

 

Background reading: 

• Precious Teachers by Sangharakshita

• Wisdom Beyond Words by Sangharakshita , pp. 183-194 ('The Greater Mandala')

• Teachers of Enlightenment by Kulananda

 

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The Eight Guidelines

 

Primary material: 

• The Eight Guidelines Handbook

• Eight Guidelines as Personal Reflections

 

Background material:

• The Seven Papers by Sangharakshita and Subhuti

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The Bodhisattva Path

 

Primary material: 

• The Bodhisattva Path Handbook 3.pdf

 

Background material:

• The Bodhisattva Ideal by Sangharakshita (also available on here as audio talks given by Sangharakshita)

• A Supra-Personal Force by Subhuti

 

 

Going for Refuge

 

Primary material: 

• Going for Refuge to the Three Jewels Handbook Version 2.1

• The life and death of a false refuge, a talk by Maitripala

 

Background reading:

• The History of my Going for Refuge by Sangharakshita 

• Dimensions of Going for Refuge by Sangharakshita 

• Initiation into a New Life (Pages 127 - 151)  by Subhuti

 

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Ethics - The Path to Beauty

 

Primary material: 

• The Ten Pillars of Buddhism by Sangharakshita. (also available on here as audio talks given by Sangharakshita)

• Living Ethically by Sangharakshita.

 

Optional material: 

• Know Your Mind by Sangharakshita, in particular sections of Chapter 7 – The Creative Mind at Work: 2 (Self-respect – hri),  3 (Respect for wise opinion – apatrapya),  4 (Non-attachment – alobha),  5 (Non-hatred – advesa), and 11 (Non-violence – avihimsa).

• Revering and Relying upon the Dharma by Subhuti

 

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A System of Practice

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Primary material: 

• The Five Aspects of the Dharma Life. Eight audio talks by Subhuti (a transcription of these talk is available for purchase from Padmaloka)