There are more than 240,000 Buddhists in the UK. But none of us will grow spiritually in isolation.
We would love to get to know you better, for you to connect with the Buddha and live among our peaceful community of practitioners. Here is a link to our member information. If you’d like to make a personal visit or talk to someone individually, call or email us.
Once you have decided to be part of our family, for only £1 a month you can become a member of our centre in Ealing − a sanctuary in the busy heart of West London. You can pay your fee monthly or yearly, by PayPal (talk to us if you have difficulty paying). We use this money to be present in our community.
To learn about the cost of other activities, please read here.
It’s OK to change your mind. You can withdraw your membership and cancel your ongoing payments at any time. Just please tell us in advance. We ask you to return your installed Gohonzon at home. However, talk to us if you wish to keep it installed.
Taking refuge in the Three Treasures
Buddhists devote themselves to the practice of taking refuge in the Three Treasures.
- Buddha −our great benevolent teacher, Shakyamuni Buddha
- Dharma − the enlightened teachings of Buddha
- Sangha − the community of practitioners who follow Buddha’s teachings.
These have been the fundamental principles of Buddhism for more than 2,000 years.
We believe this makes you a better person.
Members’ Vow
We ask our members to take this vow and take steps to live out its truth.
We members of Rissho Kosei-kai
Take refuge in the Eternal Buddha Shakyamuni
And recognise in Buddhism a true way of liberation
Under the guidance of our revered founder, Nikkyo Niwano
In the spirit of lay Buddhists, we vow to perfect ourselves
Through personal discipline and leading others
And by improving our knowledge and practice of the faith
We pledge ourselves to follow the bodhisattva way
To bring peace to our families, communities, and countries
And to the world.
To learn more about our Members’ Vow, read here.
Gohonzon and Sutra recitation
What happens next?
If you are new to the ways of Buddhism, as a basic first step we encourage our members to install the Gohonzon (the focus of our devotion) at your home altar and recite the Kyoten (which contains excerpts from the Lotus Sutra that you can read every morning and evening).
If you have any difficulty installing the Gohonzon and or practising the sutra recitation, you don’t have to stick to the traditional form. Talk to us about adapting things to suit you.
You can buy a three-piece set for sutra recitation from our online shop.
