ABSTRACT
The essence of Buddhist ethics is the attempt to act on the basis of awareness, respect and kindness. Borrowing a phrase from the psychologist, Erich Fromm, Sangharakshita calls this way of acting 'the love mode'. The commitment implied in becoming a member of the Western Buddhist Order is to act ethically and according to the love mode. So Friends of the Western Buddhist Order (FWBO) Centres are founded on the principle of operating through co-operation and consensus. Decisions within FWBO Councils are always made by consensus, never by edict or by voting. This means that issues have to be talked through until there is mutual harmony and understanding, rather than dissenters being silenced through a vote. Whilst FWBO centres follow generally the same teachings and practices, there is also a place for experiment. The FWBO is a creative endeavour, a collective attempt to explore how the Buddhist path can best be followed in the modern world.
