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?

It is an honor to be the person who thanks you for your help, on behalf of a world of people who seek wisdom and happiness.

Is there a mountain lodge that can help us with a pilot project? With or without mountain pods?

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.

The Buddhist Society of Norway (DNBF) is an society rooted in a forest tradition that goes back to early Buddhism and its practices − where Ajahn Chah from Thailand was a great role model. We actively work to spread the wisdom and values of this tradition, and we want to grow as a community.

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?

Every morning, Johann Forfang does the same. Before he eats or exercises, before he checks his mobile phone and before the dog Ringo gets his walk. One of Norway's best ski jumpers hand-brews coffee. In silence.

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

At her mother's home in Ørsta, the Norwegian Bhikkhu is back where he grew up. "My family has been very supportive of the change in my life. Over a cup of tea, I am reminiscing about the time when Ajahn Nitho was Bjørge Berg.

Many of us avoid silence because we don't want to be in touch with our own thoughts and feelings. But silence is more important than we might think.

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.