Buddhafield 2010 Theme: “A Force for Good in the World”
This year we celebrate the origin of our name, Buddhafield.
A buddhafield is a place where people grow, where we choose to create another kind of world, where we have everything we need, and from where we extend a hand to all beings.
How is a buddhafield built? A buddhafield only arises if people want it to. It is created when a group of people commit themselves to working towards enlightenment. They do this for their own benefit, and the benefit of all beings in their sphere of influence — this is known as the Bodhisattva Ideal, a force for good in the world.
Background Information
We are taking The Vimalakīrti Nirdesa as the “root text” for exploring this year’s theme. It’s from this text that Buddhafield aqcuired it’s name.
We recommend anyone coming on one of our events to explore the text: you can read a complete translation by Robert A F Thurman online. Sangharakshita gave a series of eight talks on The Inconceivable Emancipation — Themes from the Vimalakirti Nirdesha in 1979 which you can listen to on Free Buddhsit Audio. These talks were later edited into a book, The Inconceievable Emancipation, published by Windhorse Publications.
Free Buddhist Audio also have talks by Padmavajra and Ratnaguna on the theme of The Vimalakīrti Nirdesa. Padmavajra explores Chapter Six in his talk The Great Love and the Goddess, whilst Ratnaguna asks Who is Vimalakirti?
The Bodhisattva Ideal is a crucial aspect of creating a Buddhafield. You can find out more about the Bodhisattva from Wikipedia. Sangharakshita gave a series of eight talks on Aspects of the Bodhisattva Ideal in 1969, which were also edited into a book, The Bodhisattva Ideal: Wisdom and Compassion in Buddhism, also published by Windhorse Publications.
