Buddhism

The basic teachings of Buddhism are straightforward and practical:

• nothing is fixed or permanent
• actions have consequences
• change is possible, there is an interconnectedness at the heart of things

Living a life based on these teachings means to live life from a kind and open heart. Buddhism promotes living an ethical life that will transform our lives and our world. We are encouraged to try the teachings for ourselves and only practice what we find helpful.

Buddhism addresses itself to all people irrespective of race, nationality, or gender. It teaches practical methods (such as meditation) which enable us to realise and utilise its teachings in order to transform our experience, to be fully responsible for our lives and to develop the qualities of Wisdom and Compassion.Buddhism is a path of practice and spiritual development leading to Insight into the true nature of life. The Insight of the Buddha could be described as seeing that all things arise in dependence upon conditions.

Buddhist practices such as meditation are means of changing oneself in order to develop the qualities of awareness, kindness, and wisdom. The experience developed within the Buddhist tradition over thousands of years has created an incomparable resource for all those who wish to follow a path – a path which ultimately culminates in Enlightenment or Buddhahood.

There are around 350 million Buddhists and a groWing number of them are Westerners. They follow many different forms of Buddhism. All traditions are characterised by an understanding of non-violence and tolerance, and take their spiritual guidance from the historical Buddha and his Insight.

The Ipswich Buddhist Centre is part of the Triratna Buddhist Community (formerly Friends of the Western Buddhist Order) founded by an Englishman called Sangharakshita in 1967.

We strive to follow the Buddha’s teachings in a contemporary culture.

What is Meditation?

Meditation is a way of becoming calmer, open and alive to our moment-to-moment experience. With the increased awareness that this brings we are able to leave behind stressful and limiting states of mind and the suffering they bring

Awareness brings with it the ability to choose a more satisfying and fulfilling way of being. Whether it is peace of mind that one is looking for, or a deeper insight into our very nature and a radical transformation, then meditation is a profound tool.A regular meditation practice builds up like drops of water filling a pot. We free ourselves gradually from self-limiting habits and states of mind. Meditation supports us to act and to live the life we would wish.

We teach two simple but profound meditation practices – part of a compete system of practice – that are as old as Buddhism itself:

Mindfulness of Breathing, which calms our mind and gathers our awareness into the present moment.Metta Bhavana, or ‘development of loving kindness’, which helps us to develop friendliness for others and ourselves.

Meditate Together

It is much easier to develop a good meditation practice in company with others. Our classes are supportive groups where you can learn how to sit well and overcome the hindrances we all experience.

Introductory Sessions

Our beginner sessions on Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings are very popular. Whether your interested in learning to meditate, developing mindfulness or would like to learn more about Buddhism, these sessions are a great place to start.

There is no need to book. Just turn up a few minutes before the session start time. You can be sure of a warm welcome. Everything you need is provided include

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Bhaiṣajyaguru | Healing Buddha

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BUDDHA ASPECTS
Bhaiṣajyaguru | Healing Buddha
Bhaiṣajyaguru | Healing Buddha
Bhaiṣajyaguru, the Buddha named Master of Healing, is an important member of the Mahāyāna Buddhist pantheon. He has been worshiped predominantly in East and Central Asian traditions of Buddhist practice.

Concepts of healing played a fundamental role in early Buddhism:
Śākyamuni Buddha was sometimes given the epithet “supreme physician,” and the Buddhist teachings were termed the “king of medicines” for their ability to lead beings out of suffering:

In early Buddhist teachings, as in later times, the Enlightenment process was equated with the healing process.Further, many monks were healers and physicians; such persons played a significant role in the spread of Buddhist teachings.

Thus, when the Mahāyāna pantheon began to take form in the centuries directly before and after the beginning of the Common Era,several key figures were associated especially with healing abilities, both metaphorical and literal. Master of Healing ultimately was viewed as the most important figure of this group.

The principal scripture written about this Buddha, entitled:

Scripture on the Merits and Original Vows of the Master of Healing,the Lapis Lazuli Radiance Tathāgata,- is a work that eventually became best known in the Chinese version translated by Xuanzang in 650 CE.As in other works of this type, most likely composed in the early centuries of the Common Era in the north-west borderlands of India,the historical Buddha Śākyamuni serves as a pivot between the human realms and celestial spheres, in this instance revealing to his listeners the existence of the Enlightened celestial being Bhaiṣajyaguru.

FolloWing a pattern often seen in such texts, the Buddha and his Pure Land are described, his vows to aid all beings are detailed, and various methods are explicated for invoking his beneficent force.Here, Master of Healing is described as lord of a spirit realm located to the East, a land named Pure Lapis Lazuli, with level ground made of that radiantly blue stone, marked by roads of gold and various structures built of precious substances.Like the celestial fields of other Buddhas such as Amitābha, this realm is a refuge from suffering;it is an ideal site to listen without distraction to the pure principles taught by its lord, the Master of Healing, in association with the 2 leaders of his Bodhisattva assembly, Sunlight (Sūryaprabha) and Moonglow (Candraprabha).

Master of Healing’s 12 vows, first made when he set out to gain Enlightenment, cover a wide range of benefits to sentient beings:

The most widely known is the 6th vow, a pledge to alleviate the sickness and suffering of all beings. The fulfillment of this pledge forms the subject of much of the scripture.Yet, while Master of Healing has pledged to aid all beings who are sick and suffering, he must be called upon in order to invoke this potent aid.According to the scripture, methods of effective invocation range from the simple expedient of calling out his name to special rites involving prayer and worship before his image.

In the case of life-threatening disease, a complex rite is outlined in the scripture (and described in great detail in special ritual texts) -- in which 49 cartwheel-shaped lamps are burned before 7 images of the Buddha for 49 days, with many other ritual acts performed in units of 7 or 49.The number 7 (and its square, 49) is especially important in the Buddhist healing cults, most likely relating to the number of days in the intermediate state (antarābhava) between death and rebirth.A fundamental feature of the healings bestowed by Bhaiṣajyaguru is the transformation of karma, that is, a concern for eradicating the patterned causes as well as the visible symptoms of suffering.

This sense of transformation pervades the scriptural and ritual traditions associated with the practice.In this context, Master of Healing is especially important for his work in assisting beings to reach a momentous spiritual turning point known as the “aspiration to attain Enlightenment,” at which the drifting life is cast aside in order to seek spiritual fulfillment.Standard images of Master of Healing depict him as a seated Buddha in monk’s garb, either having skin the rich blue color of lapis lazuli or having a golden complexion with a halo and aura of lapis lazuli-colored rays.

The Buddha holds a bowl or covered medicine jar on his lap with his left hand, while his right hand, resting on his right knee with palm outward, offers the medicinal myrobalan fruit;sometimes he is standing, holding the medicine jar in his left hand, with right hand upraised in the gesture of the banishment of fear.He is flanked by his Bodhisattva assistants, Sunlight and Moonglow, who stand in princely garb.Encircling them are 12 Yakṣa generals, each of whom is said to command 7 000 troops, all in aid of the Buddha’s healing work.In some East Asian traditions, these 12 generals are clearly depicted as lords of the 12 hours of the day and the 12 years of the Jupiter-based cycle.

The cosmic wholeness of this scene is striking:

with lapis lazuli at the center that radiates like the depths of space,together with the 2 luminaries who are encircled by lords of time,- it points to the profound nature of internal and external healing provided by this Buddha.

A somewhat later tradition, introduced to China in the early 8th century and eventually popular among Tibetans and Mongolians, focuses on 7 brothers identified as healing Buddhas, the senior physician among them being Bhaiṣajyaguru:

This group is often depicted with Śākyamuni Buddha, thus turning back to the roots of the Healing Buddha cult in the early tradition of Śākyamuni as spiritual healer.

The traditional mantra of Bhaiṣajyaguru, also known as Sangye Menla in Tibetan is:

Tadyata Om Bhekhandze Bhekhandze Maha Bhekhandze Randza Samudgate Soha

You can repeat also the Sanskrit version of Medicine Buddha dharani, as mentioned in the Sūtra:

• Namo Bhagavate Bhaisajaya
• Guru Vaidurya Prabha Rajaya
• Tathagataya Arhate Samyakṣam-Buddhaya
• Tadyatha Om Bhaisajye Bhaisajye Maha Bhaisajye
• Samudgate Svaha

Buddhism: History

Thematic Fronts:

1. Sikh
2. Buddhism
3. Vedic & Hindu Scriptures
4. Religious Philosophy
5. Śrī Vaiṣṇavism
6. Guru
7. Hinduism
8. Christianity
9. Devi & Ramakrishna
10. Saivism & Siva
11. Religion
12. Saints
13. Holy Humanity
14. Golden Age