Triangle Buddhist Peace Fellowship

By Eli Harris (eli.harris@duke.edu)

The Triangle Buddhist Peace Fellowship is an organization for socially engaged Buddhism. TriBPF is open to all people interested in the application of socially engaged Buddhism principles to peace activism, as well as other social justice and environmental issues. Buddhists from various traditions and non-Buddhists join us from all over the Triangle area to participate. Individuals bring their own ideas and interests to the group, which provides a local conduit for exploring socially engaged Buddhism.

Socially engaged Buddhism is a broad term to describe a non-sectarian movement to express the compassion and wisdom of various Buddhist traditions. This expression takes the form of social actions modeled on North American social justice and peace movements, as well as other faith-based organizations. Socially engaged Buddhism provides guidelines to be peace and to be change through mindful and compassionate nonviolent action. People explore peace and justice from its roots in individual, daily life to the greater casual relationships we have in our interdependent world.

TriBPF is associated with a larger U.S.-based international organization, the Buddhist Peace Fellowship, located in Berkeley, California. The basic mission of TriBPF follows the national BPF organizational model:

"The mission of the Buddhist Peace Fellowship (BPF), founded in 1978, is to serve as a catalyst and agent for socially engaged Buddhism. Our aim is to help beings liberate themselves from the suffering that manifests in individuals, relationships, institutions, and social systems. BPF's programs, publications, and practice groups link Buddhist teachings of wisdom and compassion with progressive social change.

Our practice of contemplation and social action is guided by our intentions to:

. Recognize the interdependence of all beings . Meet suffering directly and with compassion . Appreciate the importance of not clinging to views and outcomes . Work with Buddhists from all traditions . Connect individual and social transformation . Practice nonviolence . Use participatory decision-making techniques . Protect and extend human rights . Support gender and racial equality, and challenge all forms of unjust discrimination . Work for economic justice and the end of poverty . Work for a sustainable environment."

The local TriBPF has gone through periods of activity and non-activity. Since last year, dedicated local Buddhists reactivated the group and continue to lead it through its ongoing development. TriBPF has been holding regular monthly meetings since this summer, usually at the Chapel Hill Zen Center. TriBPF also welcomes invitations from other groups or centers to host our monthly meetings as we attempt to rotate throughout the Triangle, giving more opportunities for members and newcomers alike to join us. Monthly meetings have led to a strengthened structure for the group and to more opportunities for members to communicate and to participate.

In the past, members have engaged in diverse activities from prison ministry to community activism to participation in larger peace organization actions. Recently, some TriBPF participants have participated in local and national rallies to support peaceful resolutions to conflicts. Additionally, members have joined talks and retreats on the topics of peace and Buddhism. Subgroups have formed that provide opportunities for activists to meditate and to study socially engaged Buddhism.

Monthly meeting dates and times alternate between Sundays at 2 PM on even-numbered months and Wednesdays at 7 PM on odd-numbered months. Our December meeting will be on the 15, with the location to be determined soon. The current monthly meeting format starts with a brief, volunteer-led silent meditation period and dedication. Announcements are made. Prior business is addressed and voted on. New discussions follow. Meeting turnout has been recently been between 5 to 10 people. While not everyone is able to join monthly meetings, more than 30 people are members of the TriBPF email listserv. Communication between group members largely takes place via a public listserv. The TriBPF listserv operates as a forum for list members to share information, announce upcoming events, and network as a community.

For more information and resources on socially engaged Buddhism and the Buddhist Peace Fellowship, please go to the website at http://www.bpf.org.

Please contact Ron Bodkin by email at bodkinron@hotmail.com for more information on the Triangle Area Buddhist Peace Fellowship. Information is also available online at http:// www.duke.edu/~geh3/tribpf.html.