There is no teaching of the bodhisattva ideal in early Buddhism, writes Professor Analayo. This idea only became an ideal 500 years after the Buddha's passing, so it is not the Buddha's teachings. But why did this ideal come about? Bhikkhu Analayo has written a small booklet on the subject, which can be downloaded here. Is it a myth?

Jon Endre Mørk (b. 1967) is a film editor based in Oslo. Since the mid-1990s, he has worked on a wide range of feature films, documentaries, short films, and commercials. Alongside his editing career, he is currently a research fellow at the The University of Inland Norway.

Mona is retired, but still works a little as a marine biologist and consultant in her own company. She likes to be out trekking and just returned from the DNT mountain cabin at Finse with hikes to Klemsbu and Hardangerjøkulen and bicycled Rallarvegen to Flåm. She meditates daily, does yoga and spinning and enjoys good food and drink. She has previously been on the board of DNBF and has now become a DNBF ambassador.

Erlend Neergaard was born in 1975, lives in Sandnessjøen and works as an IT coordinator at Mowi. He has been a board member of the Buddhist Society of Norway and a board member of the DNT branch of Sandnessjøen and surrounding Trekking Association. His favorite activities are outdoor activities, meditation, exercise, traveling.

We will run a 7-days retreat for beginners and experienced, where teaching is mostly aimed at participants with little experience, but with an equal participant distribution of beginners and experienced. English-speaking independent participants are also welcome. Teaching, guiding, private interview, Q/A. Single room with bathroom and shower for everyone.

In April 2026, there will be a 7-day meditation retreat at Venabu for the fourth time. Venerable Canda and Nitho will be instructors. Welcome!

We plan to set up an intensive course in the Buddhist Pali language during 2025/2026. The course will run full-time for 9 days.

DNBF's former chairman Jon Endre Mørk and Nitho had to go to Oxford to meet and congratulate Venarable Canda, which has just established the first place for fully ordained women in the UK. There was both retreat teaching, BBC interviews, a walk along the Themes river and the opportunity to get to know the new center.

The spiritual training is like aircon for your mind.

We had more than 50 registered for the Venabu retreat in the spring of 2025, and since spring came early and Venabu was free of snow, there was also the opportunity for a trip and practice out in nature. You can also find the teaching here.

One way of looking at the training is called the gradual training, which is a gradual refinement of wholesome happiness and freedom.

Lumbini, Bodh Gaya, Sarnath and Kusinara are four places in India for inspiration and motivation, and in 2024 DNBF made its first trip to India.

This talk is about the process the Buddha went through learning to meditate, starting with an experiences he had as a child, which teachers he met and learned from and how he was conditioned by other schools.

Early Buddhism is the Buddha's teachings that all traditions have in common − and which are not connected to a particular tradition. What is this doctrine, and what has come later?

Etter et retrett, hvordan kan vi fortsette vår praksis, hvordan kan vi overføre ferdighetene våre til hverdagen?

We have collected key and recommended books about Buddhism - in English and Norwegian, as well as the forest tradition to which the society belongs.

An introduction to the basic principles of Buddhism - the four noble truths, the eightfold path, our own responsibility, our actions, democracy and equality.

Answers to questions on many different topics − negative people, bhikkhuni, nimitta, meditation, hindrances, war, pain, an-atman, rebirth.