Of Teachers and Communication

Of Teachers and Communication...

“The role of teaching in Buddhism should come naturally to some degree. Being a tradition that frames itself around the triratna, or three jewels, which include an awakened teacher (Buddha), his teachings (Dharma), and a community of awakened disciples (Sangha), Buddhism often places the ideal of teaching and of the teacher as the hub of its sense of self-identity (literally and metaphorically, as the Buddha is a cakravartin, a ‘wheel’)”

(Sarbacker, Stuart Ray. “SKILLFUL MEANS: WHAT CAN BUDDHISM TEACH US ABOUT TEACHING BUDDHISM?” Method & Theory in the Study of Religion, vol. 17, no. 3, Brill, 2005, pp. 264–73.)

Sangharakshita, the initiator of a ‘Western style’ Buddhism into the United Kingdom and believer in Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar’s modified Buddhism, was an interesting thinker regarding the adaptation of Buddhism to modern life and was the founder of ‘Friends of the Western Buddhist Order’, now known as the Triratna Buddhist Community to which the Colchester Buddhist Centre has connections. Sangharakshita, like Gautama Buddha, was also a teacher in the true sense.

It was a blustery Saturday with sun enough for me to take some photos on the way to class. I find that looking at my day as I walk, looking around me, noticing the day helps. That one mile walk brings me authentically into the day and preps me for the weekly ‘Vision & Transformation’ class.

Our Saturday morning teacher (at the Colchester Buddhist Centre) once again eased us into the Eightfold Path (Four Noble Truths +). Obviously ‘skilful’ he used practical teaching to reveal the ‘Path’ or ‘Way’ to we stumblers.

Yesterday, instead of getting us all lost within symbolism and complex sounding Pali and Sanskrit nomenclature, our teacher presented the notion of ‘Right Speech’ (‘Samma vaca’ perhaps ‘perfect speech’?) reframed as skilful communication.

We were learning practical aspects of 'Right Speech' aka speaking with wisdom or skillful communication. In his adroit way, our teacher introduced us to three hands-on and very practical communication exercises, two performed with one other, the third in small groups, they were…

Looking at the other, no speaking.

Just looking. It took me a while of feeling quite uncomfortable to realise that the exercise was not about observation, but authentically experiencing an other. I can be slow at times.

Mirroring

Having movements 'led' by the other, i.e. mirroring the other. A most interesting exercise as we took turns to lead.

Praising an absent other

This was a small group exercise, sharing and singling out a friend or acquaintance to whom we felt kindness towards, or deserving of our positive energy or praise. I chose someone whom I admire in Cambodia. Someone who helped me get by for a year and four months during the pandemic there, and who helped me ‘escape’ too. For which I shall be eternally grateful for. I told of her many attributes, her painting skills, her music making, martial art skills, her warmth and positive energy towards her students, staff, children and so much more...

These exercises were followed by our one hour, teacher led, Metta Bhavana (Loving Kindness or unbounded friendliness) Meditation (which eventuates in an equanimous practice of love/friendliness towards all beings), and which I’m slowly coming to terms with (I have been experiencing difficulty spreading loving kindness to the ‘difficult person’, who shall not be named or shamed here, but I am getting there).

It has been suggested that the form of Metta Bhavana practised, at least in the West, now was somewhat modified in Chapter 9 of Buddhaghosa’s Visuddhimagga (Pali: Path of Purification), which dates back to the 5th century AD