London Buddhist Centre

Sthiramanas talking on

Kusalara's leads us in exploring the Sangha, or spiritual community, as a vital refuge and "jewel" within the Buddhist tradition that offers support far beyond worldly treasures. Kusalasara explains how deep communication and the collective endeavor of practicing together allow us to move beyond the ego and inhabit the "realm of the dharma".

In this talk, Sthiramanas explores the central Buddhist act of going for refuge to the Dharma, describing it as a search for a genuine place of safety and stability within a world defined by fragility and suffering,,. He defines the Dharma as both objective reality and a universal cosmic law, demonstrating how aligning our actions with the law of karma can transform our consciousness from painful constriction to a state of expansive openness.

Sanghadharin explores the fundamental human search for safety and security in an inherently insecure world. While we often rely on "limited refuges"—such as careers, relationships, or material possessions—these things are impermanent and cannot provide ultimate satisfaction. Sanghadharin introduces the Buddha as a true and reliable refuge, representing the fully enlightened mind that has plucked out the "thorn" of greed, hatred, and delusion.

Sanghadharin introduces a new series on the "Three Refuges," exploring how the Buddha serves as an ultimately reliable "true refuge" in contrast to the limited security found in impermanent things like careers, possessions, or relationships. The Buddha refuge represents a commitment to a complete transformation of one’s being, which involves cultivating universal human qualities of wisdom, compassion, and fearlessness to their highest degree. The talk concludes with inspiring stories from the Buddha’s life and a guided visualization designed to help us embody these enlightened qualities and awaken them from within.