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Welcome to Oxford Buddha Vihara

The Oxford Buddha Vihara, OBV, is a newly established Buddhist centre in Oxford. The Vihara was founded in 2003 by Venerable Dhammasami, who did his doctoral study on Buddhist education at St. Anne's College, University of Oxford.

You may wish to know why a Vihara, “Buddhist temple”, in Oxford and why not in London or Birmingham. Indeed, there have been some people, even those close to the founder, Venerable Dhammasami, who often ask this question.

Dhamma thought for Today

An escape or a question!

Being irritated by someone at work is not a small incident, if it happens day in and day out. Our immediate response is to get rid of that irritation. Somehow, the mind links irritation with the person we feel irritated with. Indeed, more energy is directed towards the person outside rather than the uncomfortable feeling within us.

If you feel just like this. I want you to know that I and many others often feel like that, too.

What do we do then? I do not have the answer myself.

But if we ever see the image of the Buddha during those irritating moments, what would we ask him about irritation.

One thing I have observed is that as irritation gets stronger, it compells us to to look for an escape.

An escape we all do look for. Changing a job is one of such a measure; Instigating someone to lose their job is another action often taking place at work. Or, not knowing what to do, just being depressed, hopeless is also not uncommon.

I believe the peaceful face we witness in all Buddha statues tells us one thing: instead of looking for an escape, the Buddha, even before his enlightenment, asked a deeply reflective question: what is the meaning of irritation? If irritation makes you suffer and therefore irritation is suffering, then, what is the meaning of suffering?

It takes a secure, stable and strong heart to even ask this question.

With THREE minutes set aside for yourself each day, your heart may just become strong enough one day to pose that practical question directly to the nature itself: what is the meaning of suffering?

A Dhamma gift of the day!

"Suppose, at work, sometime, we are not stressed out; however, people around us may be. Their stress can affect us.  Stress does not have to start with us. Stress is all around at work.

The best way to cope with it is to expect stress to always be there at work. This expectation takes away a surprise factor from stress. It is a Buddhist psychological pre-emptive measure. Heart attack usually involves a surprise factor. In other words, to face stress before we are stressed.

If, for some reason, stress is all over you, then take a break for about three minutes, judging nothing and doing nothing, but counting your breathing. This can be done at work.

At home, before going to bed, you may do, if you like, a quiet sitting for about THREE minutes, watching your breath, flowing deeply and slowly. At that time, the mind is given an opportunity to re-display its emotional functions during the day. As you recognise each one that comes up, you make a great leap forwards in building up emotional immunity.

This is all for today."