Eight Guidelines (online)

The Eight Guidelines are a set of questions intended to help you reflect on your practice. Each of the eight covers an area that is significant to the life of a member of the Triratna Buddhist Order. 

Please note that the Guidelines are not a checklist of criteria to determine readiness for ordination. Rather, it acknowledges that everyone has their own unique path of practice, and helps you to shape and articulate what that might look like for you.

At the same time, we practice as part of a community with certain common principles and approaches to the Dharma. Thus there are interwoven themes of individuality and commonality that are helpful to explore together. The aim is not only to spur self-reflection, but also to spark dialogue with your kalyana mitras, study leaders, and preceptor.

The Eight Guidelines are as follows:

• Going for Refuge
• Ethical Practice
• Meditation and Mind Training
• Understanding the Dharma (as taught by Bhante)
• The Mythic Context
• Spiritual Friendship
• Understanding the Principles of Triratna Community and Order
• Altruistic Dimension

For this gathering, we will hear three short talks from experienced mitras on their experience working with a particular guideline. We will also reflect together more broadly on how your understanding of these principles may have changed in the course of your deepening Dharma practice.

There will be a small group discussion and reporting in, and we will end the day with a Threefold Puja.

Eight Guidelines (Tiratanaloka Booklet)

Saturday, Jan 28, 2023

Please note your time zone: 

8 am - 11 am PT | 9 am - 12 pm MT | 11 am - 2 pm ET | 4 pm - 7 pm UK

Offered by donation 

Our TFO Retreat Team costs are covered by the Alokasetu - Bridge of Light - Fund - please consider a one-off or monthly donation to support ordination training team costs in our region.

This event is open to women * who have requested ordination with the Triratna Buddhist Order.

*The Triratna Buddhist movement has a long, rich history of offering women-only practice spaces. At the same time, we welcome participation from a diversity of gender identities, including trans women and those who identify as non-binary. We ask all participants to be open to this broader definition of a women-centered space. If you have any questions or concerns, please email us at alokasetu@gmail.com.