BUDDHAFIELD DHARMA
Practising Buddhism on the Land
By Lokabandhu

Buddhafield is a unique phenomenon in the history of Western Buddhism: a joyous, hard-working, idealistic, experimental, Dharma-practicing community of men, women and children who take delight in Dharma practice out-of-doors, in the woods and fields of England.

Drawing inspiration from the classic Buddhist Mahayana text the Vimalakirti Nirdesa, Buddhafield aspires to be first and foremost a "field of living beings" - but also, of "high resolve, virtuous application, generosity, tolerance, meditation, wisdom", and much more. Buddhafielders are equally at home on a month-long silent meditation retreat in a remote Devon valley or teaching meditation in the depths of the 200,000-person Glastonbury music festival - or serving up veggie burgers 18 hours a day in the Buddhafield Café.

This book sets out to document the many facets of the Buddhafield project, and to explore something of its unique approach to Dharma practice - centred as it is on a love of the elements and community, with a deep appreciation of inter-connectedness and the need for a comprehensive approach to environmental and ecological ethics.

At its core is a collection of ten Dharma talks by members of the Triratna Buddhist Order, of which Buddhafield is a part. There's also a full introduction to the many facets of the project, a brief history, a fine collection of photographs, and a series of practical instructions ranging from how to build a geodesic dome to how to make a hot tub to how to make a vegan 'shepherdess pie' for 200 people - all as used in Buddhafield.

The book was produced as Buddhafield prepared to celebrate the 20th Buddhafield Festival, a much-loved annual gathering of some 3,000 people, with a unique 'no-drink-no-drugs' approach to alternative festival-going, asking people to cultivate instead an atmosphere of 'clear and radiant awareness'.

2016, 222 pages. Paperback & Kindle editions available.
ISBN 978-1-905297-94-8
B&W 8.5 x 11 in or 280 x 216 mm Perfect Bound on White w/Gloss Lam