I have long felt warm towards Buddhism. That may at first have been the result of coming across the lama in Kim, but there are other reasons. Even if recent events do not wholly bear this out, I suspect that religions with no god or many gods are inherently less aggressive than monotheistic ones.
So the sign in Kelmarsh, a few miles south of Market Harborough, pointing to a Buddhist centre only a quarter of a mile away and promising refreshments intrigues me every time I pass it.
Today I tried to visit the Nagarjuna Kadampa Meditation Centre, but found its cafe closed.
I was ready to reconsider my view of the Buddhist faith - at least you get a cup of tea from time to time with the Church of England - until I got home and found that the closure was clearly mentioned on the centre's website (even if a different reason is given).
Besides, I found plenty of points of interest in Kelmarsh even though the Hall was closed to the public for a wedding. No doubt I shall share them with you in coming days.
I shall go back to the Buddhist cafe one day when it is open. It is housed in a modern outbuilding close to the village's rather elephantine old rectory, which is now home to the centre.
Do you know what tradition they are?
ReplyDeletethere are many, my friends tradition would have given you tea, of course with no milk if served after main meal. His tradition permits cheese in the afternoon?
"religions with no god or many gods" - like Marxism?
ReplyDeleteI once stayed in an Ashram in Glastonbury (it was quite cheap) where caffeine was not allowed on the premises. Not even in the afternoon!