Padmaloka means the 'Lotus Realm', the name given to it by Sangharakshita, the founder of the Triratna Buddhist Community, upon its establishment.

The History of Padmaloka

Padmaloka Buddhist Retreat Centre was first established at Lesingham House in 1976 by Sangharakshita.

For over 40 years Padmaloka has stood at the heart of the men’s wing of the Triratna Buddhist Order. At the heart of Padmaloka itself, informing everything we do here, are the Three Jewels: the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.

Above all, Padmaloka exists to support and inspire men to deepen their Going for Refuge to the Three Jewels. Padmaloka is more than just a retreat centre, it is, in essence, a Buddhist seminary, a semi-monastic religious community of men striving to place the Buddha's teachings at the heart of their lives and helping others to do the same.

All who come here join the Padmaloka community in an ongoing exploration of the great treasury of Buddhist tradition, as elucidated by Urgyen Sangharakshita, working out its relevance to our lives today.

The Padmaloka Shrine Room

At the heart of Padmaloka is the shrine room, where we come together to practice and deepen our Going for Refuge.

The shrine room is unique in that it is covered in iconography, watch this video to find out more: