This teaching was given at the London Buddhist Centre's Transforming Self and World group in April, 2017. The morning included a led meditation and enquiry, a main talk and discussion, and a closing meditation. What does Buddhism have to do with belonging? What does belonging have to do with Buddhism? We live in a pluralistic society, where many cultures coexist while maintaining their cultural differences. One of the main concerns of our day is how we continue to create a sense of belonging, amid so much difference. For Triratna, we might ask ourselves, how do we create spaces where all feel welcome, regardless of age, race, nationality, class, gender, sexual identity, physical ability and even religion? And as we deepen our commitment and involvement, how do we honour the unique experiences and gifts of each individual, while also seeking a ground of connection based on the Dharma? Sangharakshita has said: The Dharma should be communicated to as many people as possible and this means communicating the Dharma in as many different ways as possible...Avalokitesvara has a thousand hands, and each of the thousand hands holds a different object. Similarly, Order members of particular temperaments have different talents, aptitudes, and capacities, and in making their respective contributions to the life and work of the Order they should allow – you should allow – those talents, aptitudes, and capacities full scope. Join us in an exploration of what the Dharma might have to say about radical inclusivity.

This talk was given on Triratna Order Day held at the Cambridge Buddhist Centre, at the invitation of the Eastern Region Order Conveners. *** 0.00 Intro including 4 reliances 3.20 Appreciation 5.50 Experience at Chithurst Monastery 8.40 Sangharakshita as translator, big vision: effort and love, from all of us 11.00 Re-evaluation. Diversity. Bhante on value of critique 14.20 Shadow side of big vision & rapid expansion / Quality of meditation teaching / Bhante as authority, “Bhante says..” / 1st and 2nd Reliances / conceptual understanding 20.40 Gender attitudes / 4th Reliance as tool for re-evaluation 30.00 Insight in the order: (selfish? In opposition to Bodhisattva ideal?) Prejudice. 3rd Reliance. Hui Neng 38.30 ‘Official’ and ‘Unofficial’ versions of the order, public and private 44.00 Internet as tool 47.15 looking ahead, trust emergence, getting out of our own / each others' way 58.20 Concluding comments. Means as means, not ends. *** Corrections: Please note that the 7 pages of 'Transforming Self and World' mentioned in the talk have, I have since learned, been edited down in the 2008 edition to leave simply the point about women being capable of the highest spiritual attainment - that's great news. However I think the comments here are still more widely relevant because they apply to other comment on the subject, within our archive and previously published literature.