Nagaloka Buddhist Center Ethical Guidelines (2024)
These guidelines are adapted from the Model Ethical Guidelines (2023) of the worldwide Triratna Buddhist Community. The Buddha’s five ethical precepts apply to all areas of human behavior, but these guidelines are mainly meant to guide people while they operate the Center or communicate Buddhist principles to others who are new or less experienced, especially in public situations, where a particular duty of care is owed. Expectations are detailed in our Teacher Agreement.
Five Buddhist Ethical Precepts:
1) I undertake the training principle of abstention from harming living beings.
With deeds of loving-kindness, I purify my body
In principle, Triratna activities aim to support the awakening of an individual for the benefit of all beings. In all our dealings with one another, we aspire to behave in a spirit of kindness, expressing kalyana mitrata (‘spiritual friendship’).
Wishing to minimize the harm we do to living beings, we affirm that physical violence and strong expressions of anger have no place among us. We reserve the right to ask anyone to not attend our activities who we deem may pose a risk to another person attending Nagaloka.
Nagaloka is vegetarian and vegan-friendly. We endeavor to reduce our impact on the environmental, locally and internationally.
Our spiritual community was founded by Sangharakshita as a ‘free association of individuals.’ While respecting this principle, Triratna community members should not misuse their trusted position or authority – real or perceived— for their own benefit or to influence others inappropriately.
As a free association of individuals, we rejoice in each person’s unique contribution, expression and path, and commit to giving voice to all. We are therefore committed to cultivating ever more inclusive and diverse contexts for practice. We resolve to make and to keep our Centers welcoming to people of all races, classes, sexual orientations, gender identities, ages, abilities, cultures and ethnicities.
2) I undertake the training principle of abstention from taking the not given.
With open-handed generosity, I purify my body.
We wish to offer the Buddha’s teachings in a spirit of generosity, making them accessible to all, without regard to financial ability to pay. This is reflected by our use of dana (i.e., donation) and sliding scale fees for activities.
We aspire to express generosity by caring for our community and those who work and practice within it, finding ways to support those who undertake particular responsibilities in teaching and administration.
Those handling money, property or other resources for Nagaloka will take care of them and avoid their deliberate misuse or misappropriation.
3) I undertake the training principle of abstention from sexual misconduct.
With stillness, simplicity and contentment, I purify my body.
Triratna is a community of people practicing the Buddha’s teachings together with a strong emphasis on spiritual friendship. It is natural that close relationships should develop between us, and that some of these may become romantic or sexual relationships. We encourage all members of our community to conduct their relationships ethically, with awareness and kindness.
Teachers and others in positions of responsibility within the sangha have a particular responsibility in this area, especially to those new to Triratna (see our Teacher Agreement for detailed expectations).
Anyone who feels they have received unwanted, uncomfortable, or inappropriate sexual or romantic attention from a teacher/leader at Nagaloka is invited to contact us, either directly or through another person (see our Grievance Reporting Policy).
4). I undertake the training principle of abstention from false speech.
With truthful communication, I purify my speech.
We wish to create a safe atmosphere of friendliness, openness, co-operation, and trust.
Community members are expected not to share information about others without permission. However, when motivated by desire for the wellbeing and spiritual progress of those involved, we will share information carefully, sensitive to privacy concerns.
We will encourage ethical reflection and disclosure in our community, taking care to emphasize that this happens in its own time and pace.
We note that disclosures or Buddhist confessions of seriously harmful behaviors against adults or children, historic or recent (e.g., sexual and violent criminal offenses, including the viewing of indecent images of children online, domestic violence and stalking) are not granted confidentiality by US law and may be passed on to authorities.
5). I undertake the training principle of abstention from intoxication.
With mindfulness clear and radiant, I purify my mind.
The Triratna Buddhist Community aims to support the development of wisdom and compassion through deepening awareness. We aspire to engage with our practice and with each other mindfully. 
To provide a supportive environment for those wishing to live without intoxicants, we will not serve alcohol or other intoxicants at Nagaloka events. People participating in Nagaloka events are asked to neither possess nor be under the influence of non-medical drugs or intoxicants.
Smoking and e-cigarettes/vaping are not permitted on our premises.
IF YOU HAVE CONCERNS:
If you have any concerns about risks to persons at Nagaloka, please contact us. We will consider carefully whether an orally-communicated concern should be treated as a matter through the grievance process or a matter that can be addressed informally on an administrative basis. Written grievances are handled through our Grievance Reporting Policy.
Please be aware that we cannot offer absolute confidentiality, although we are sensitive to privacy concerns and attempt to limit information sharing to only those few who need to know to address the matter effectively and keep you and others safe from harm. If we believe we have a duty to report to social services or the police about risk of harm to children or adults, we will do so, ideally obtaining consent from adults.
This document is to be made public. Nagaloka’s Chair is responsible for directing teachers’ attention to the document.
Approved by the Nagaloka Executive Council on 3/9/24
Nagaloka aspires to meet the spirit of all safeguarding guidance (2023) recommended for the worldwide Triratna Buddhist Community, including Triratna’s Child Protection Code of Conduct, Child Protection Policy, Adult Safeguarding Policy, ‘Caring for teenagers in Triratna’ ,’Managing those who pose a risk’ , ‘Online safety in Triratna”: https://thebuddhistcentre.com/resources/triratna-model-safeguarding-policies-and-ethical-guidelines-2023-0
Sabbe satta sukhi hontu
May all beings be well and happy!