About Us
We are a society based in Oxford University dedicated to hosting talks, teachers, and practice relating to the diverse Mahayana, Vajrayana, and especially Tibeto-Himalayan Tradition of Buddhism.
As a community rooted in faith and academic discourse, we host esteemed teachers and scholars from across the Buddhist world, and regularly hold events for collective prayer, scripture study, and meditation. We also offer casual events for students to spend time together over tea and conversation, nurturing the Jewel of Sangha (Community) in Oxford.
We warmly welcome people of all beliefs and non-belief to join us, whether it is to learn more about the Buddhist way of life, to meditate, or to explore the scriptures which have helped shape world history.
Our Mission
We are committed to the principles and teachings of the Buddhist faith, especially in our adherence to Bodhicitta - the profound aspiration to bring all sentient beings, without exception, towards freedom from Suffering and Death.
We follow in the footsteps of our Lamas (Teachers) in acting as a refuge for sentient beings from the tumult of daily life, particularly by providing a place for practitioners of the Tibetan and Mahayana traditions.
Ethics and Transparency
The Tibetan and Mahayana Buddhist Society recognises the diversity of the Buddhist path - a teaching celebrated as the 84,000 Doors to Dharma in Buddhist tradition. In keeping with this beautiful dispensation, all lectures, panels, and meditation or prayer sessions are open to anybody who wishes to join. As we are based in Oxford, we are primarily an English speaking society.
Certain Vajrayana practices, out of respect for traditional systems of knowledge conveyance, spiritual authority, and the devotional privacy of their esoteric content, are held only for those with the appropriate preparation and initiation bestowed by a teacher. We endeavor only to host these events when a significant cohort of the society share the permission-initiation to perform it.
Although we are a faith society open to all people, we recognise the importance of Tibetan, Himalayan, and Central and East Asian ethnicities and identities in the formation and modern development of our faith. Therefore, we hope to work closely with local advocacy and culture groups, sharing events and facilitating communication and respect. No race, ethnicity, creed, or identity is excluded from our events - if you feel that you have been made unwelcome, please make immediate contact with our Welfare Officer. We further ask that all of our members exhibit prudence and caution when discussing politically sensitive topics, especially as not to bring the club or their fellow members into disrepute.