Welcome! This is the English version of the website of the Triratna Buddhist Community (previously: FWBO) in Poland and of our Buddhist centre in Krakow - Sanghaloka.

Unfortunately for the time being we won’t be offering the Monday evening introduction to meditation in English. This is because the person who used to run them (Sassirika) no longer lives in Krakow. We realise its a disappointment to some of you who have been coming for a while and enjoying these evenings. We may resume them at some point next year and if we do we’ll advertise here, or you can drop us an email if you want to be kept informed.

Those of you who have learnt to meditate with Sassirika and wish to continue please feel free to join us for a sit on Tuesday or Thursday evenings at 7pm (its up to you whether you want to stay for the Buddhist programme after the meditation).

Alternatively, if you speak Polish there are introduction to meditation classes on Wed evenings at 7pm or if you don’t speak any Polish but are really keen on learning Buddhist meditation email us and we’ll find a time to meet and teach you meditation.

Whether you are passing through Krakow with a backpack or living here permanently you may be surprised to come across a Buddhist centre in Krakow teaching meditation in English. You may have been curious about meditation or Buddhism for a while and may even have thought Thailand was the place to learn it or perhaps London, but Poland and Krakow of all places?

We teach Buddhist meditation (every Monday at 7pm) and run courses in Buddhism. Please READ BELOW.

Introduction to meditation

(Mondays 7pm)

We run introductions to Buddhist meditation every Monday from 7-9pm at Sanghaloka Buddhist centre in Kazimierz in Krakow (ul. Augustianska 4, off Dietla). Check how to get there.

These evenings are led by Sassirika. Sassirika was ordained into the Western Buddhist Order (now Triratna Buddhist Order) in 2006 and she is an experienced meditator. She was born in the UK and moved to Poland in 2008.

We teach two basic meditation practices dating back to the time of the Buddha - the mindfulness of breathing and the metta bhavana (development of strong positive emotions towards oneself and others/all beings). More information about these practices on www.fwbo.org/meditation.html and http://www.wildmind.org/

You don’t need to be/become a Buddhist to attend and you don’t need to shave your head either.

We ask for a contribution towards our costs: 10zł (concession: 7zł).

If you want to ask anything please feel free to email us on: kontakt@buddyzm.info.pl

If you would like to learn to meditate or talk to us but can’t make Monday evenings drop us an email - we are happy to arrange another time to meet.

We look forward to seeing you soon!

Buddhism course (level 2)

(Tuesdays 7pm)

A new series ‘Exploring the Jungle of Buddhism’ starting on 13 April - until the end of July.  These evenings are for regulars at Sanghaloka who are familiar with both meditation practices we teach. If you know both our meditation practices you don’t need to book and you can drop in on any Tuesday.

(If you haven’t learnt the meditation please first come on Monday evening, see above).

The evenings 7 - 9pm will start with meditation and then a talk, followed by discussion in two groups (one in Polish, one in English) where there will be the opportunity to explore the talk/theme further.  Talks will either be in English or Polish (with appropriate translation).

Cost: 10zl / 7zl (conc.)

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The titles of upcoming Tuesday evenings:

11 May - The Mandala of the Five Buddhas (incl. a slide show of paintings of the 5 Buddhas; by Vidyakaya)

18 May - The Buddha and Fearlessness (by Sassirika)

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Past evenings included:

20 April - ‘Meeting the Buddhas’ (the symbolic significance of archetypal Buddha figures, a talk by Sassirika)

27 April - ‘The Grateful Buddha’ (how saying ‘thank you’ can help us get Enlightened, a talk by Nityabandhu)

4 May - Buddha and Friendship (<–click on the title to listen to the MP3 recording/ 30. min, by Nityabandhu, Polish with English translation)

another talk from a recent retreat:

- Impermanence (anitya) (<–click on the title to listen to the MP3 recording / 40. min, by Sassirika, English with running Polish translation)

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More information about Buddhism and our movement worldwide can be found on on fwbo.org and on the FWBO news

Entry on Sanghaloka on cracow-life.com