A Living Dharma: Duties of Brotherhood

Led by Saddhaloka

Part of the Study Convention: A Living Dharma.

At first sight it may be surprising, to some even shocking, for Buddhists to be studying a traditional Islamic text. For Bhante, Urgyen Sangharakshita, spiritual friendship is a vital element in sustaining an effective, deepening life in the Dharma, and one that he felt was often diminished or even lost sight of in the Buddhist tradition as it had come down to us in the twentieth century. He was interested to see what we might learn from other spiritual traditions. He led study on Spiritual Friendship by the medieval Cistercian Abbot, Aelred of Rievaulx, and in 1983 he led a seminar on The Duties of Brotherhood in Islam, an eleventh century text by Al Ghazali.

To explore critically and from a Buddhist perspective, a text from a very different world and tradition can be challenging, inspiring and instructive. In this case the impact of the seminar was immediate, and its fruits are still with us in Triratna in an unfolding vision of spiritual friendship.

We will be a fairly small group (maximum 8 retreatants) looking at the original text and seminar commentary, and hopefully recapturing something of that original excitement as we explore our own understanding and practice of spiritual friendship.


Reception is from 4pm on the day of arrival, with the retreat beginning with supper at 6pm.

The retreat will finish in the morning after the clear-up. If traveling on public transport, please book a train after 11am.

This retreat is for members of the Triratna Buddhist Order

Start Date: 1st Apr 2022
End Date: 8th Apr 2022
Event Type: Residential
Deposit: £70
Price: £270 (Waged/Supported (including deposit)) / £195 (Unwaged/Unsupported (including deposit))

Dana/Bursary Donation
An opportunity to give if you are attending a dana event. For paid events, an invitation to contribute to our bursary fund.

Bookings are closed for this Event.