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What Is MITRA?

MITRA is a network of youth Buddhist societies with connections to many youth Buddhist groups and the greater Buddhist community. It was inspired by the Intervarsity Buddhist Convention held at UTS in July 2002. At the convention, artificial it was identified that formal links between University Buddhist Societies would help to ensure the continued growth of each society.

Representatives from UTS Buddhist Society, Unibodhi, MacBuddhi and a few past executive committee members from MacBuddhi formed the initiating team of MITRA.

MITRA, a Sanskrit word meaning friend, was selected as the name for the network as it represented MITRA’s relationship with its affiliated societies. MITRA can be thought of as a helping hand for youth Buddhist Societies.

MITRA aims to provide support for existing youth Buddhist societies and assistance for new ones who are striving to grow. Regardless of whether it is moral support, physical assistance or ideas, we hope that we will be able to help youth Buddhist societies to achieve their goals in propagating the Dharma.

The objectives of MITRA

  1. To assist in establishing, sustaining and developing Buddhist youth organisations, especially at tertiary education institutions
  2. To provide material resources, human resources, guidance and advice to Buddhist youth organisation
  3. To facilitate collaboration, sharing and networking between Buddhist youth organisations
  4. To actively foster a network of alumni from Buddhist youth organisations which actively supports Buddhist youth
  5. To provide the Buddhist community in Australia a means of understanding and supporting Buddhist youth
  6. To represent the voice of Buddhist youth in Australia to other faith groups as well as to the wider community

How will MITRA operate?

MITRA will operate in accordance with the Buddha?s Dharma. In particular, the following passage on the propagation of Dharma (Anguttara Nikaya III:183; Gradual Sayings III:136) will guide MITRA.

The Buddha said to Ananda: ?In propagating the Dharma to others, establish well five things:

  1. “Propagate the Dharma in a gradual way;
  2. Propagate the Dharma with the goal in mind;
  3. Propagate the Dharma with kindliness;
  4. Do not Propagate the Dharma as a means of gain;
  5. Propagate the Dharma without harm to anybody ?
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