Getting Involved
Practising Generosity at the Liverpool Buddhist Centre
Sangha is the name given to communities of people who come together through a shared interest in learning and living out the teachings of the Buddha. Our Centre lives, breathes and grows out of acts of kindness and generosity from people within our very own community – the Liverpool Buddhist Centre Sangha.
Together we give our time, put our skills and energy to good use, offer financial support, positivity, friendship and create a sense of beauty. All these acts make a difference to the Centre and people practising with us and strengthen our connections with each other.
Deepening your Connection and Becoming a Mitra
Mitra is the Sanskrit word for ‘friend’. A Mitra is someone who has been practising at their local Triratna Buddhist Centre for a while and over that time has felt a connection deepening to the point at which they have decided they wish to make a commitment to the Buddha, his teachings (the Dharma) and the community of others who follow his teachings (the Sangha). To become a Mitra the person must be ready to state 3 things:-
I think of myself as a Buddhist.
I am trying to practice the Five Precepts that the Buddha gave for all his followers – a commitment to kindness, generosity, contentment, truthfulness and awareness.
I feel that the Triratna Buddhist Community is the main context in which I want to deepen my practice of the Precepts and of meditation.
The commitment is then made in a ritual way during a simple but heartfelt ceremony, witnessed by other Mitras, friends and Order Members.
If you would like to know more about what it means to take this step in becoming a Mitra, please contact the Centre Team who will put you in touch with one of our Mitra Convenors to discuss this further.