PERSONAL EXPERIENCE OF DIALOGUE
SARUM COLLEGE CONFERENCE, SALISBURY, SEPTEMBER 2006

 THE LOTUS AND THE CROSS was the title of a Buddhist-Christian one day conference at Sarum College in Salisbury. Two Christian monks gave a talk each, on the Prologue to the Rule of St Benedict. The other document used as a basis for the conference was any similar document by the Dalai Lama of comparable length, on the subject of moral discipline.

 Dom Christopher Greener, Douai Abbey writes: ‘The monastic interfaith day at Salisbury gave us the opportunity to sample Buddhist life and culture. The day was well organised, and the time-table was kept – this probably being more of an English cultural need than a reflection of our counterpart Buddhists’. The day finished with evensong at Salisbury cathedral; it was certainly a curious experience seeing six robed Buddhist monks in choir”.

 Abbot Aldhelm Cameron-Browne adds: ‘I decided I could best comment on the two subject-documents for the day by talking of our experiences of Buddhism in India. (See Articles)

 There were 8 or 9 Tibetan monks there, from Tashi Lunpho monastery. One of them spoke at some length on their monastic vows. They also showed us some of the music used in Tibetan services, starting with the vocal chants in which they seem to be singing from the bottom of their stomachs! Then they displayed various instruments including those extraordinary horns, perhaps seven feel long. When they blew them, in that rather small hall, the sound was truly amazing, almost deafening to ears unused to that kind of sound!’