2009 December Announcements Dae Yen Sa International Buddhist Temple and Meditation Center
Lotus Lanterns Two great symbols come together, the lantern and the lotus. The lotus symbolizes purity and the lantern for good fortune. Happy holidays from Santabul. Contents: 1. Upcoming Events Upcoming Events Nonviolent Communication Workshop Learn how to live more peacefully and compassionately practicing Right Speech and Right Action. Scheduled for January 18, 2010, 6:30 - 9:30 PM in celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The snow date is January 19, 2010. Teachings presented with guest NVC teacher Joe Brummer! Joe spent years exploring why people commit acts of violence against others. He studied nonviolence, conflict resolution and worked with the Institute for Study and Practice of Nonviolence to bring teaching to schools, and serves on the Community Mediation Center of Rhode Islands Juvenile Restorative Justice Advisory Board. He has recently attended International Intensive Training on Nonviolent Communication. Joe is the Connecticut representative for New England NVC. Visit the link http://www.cnvc.org for more information on the course. In this course you will learn how to:
This important course is free to the general public. Please share the information with your friends! The Dharma School Series
For those with Books please read Chapter 12: The Self For those without books please read Chapter 12: The Self The Self In Buddhism there is no one (not even the Buddha himself) that can enlighten you, or any external evil that can defile you. It is up to each one of us to work with our selves. Each person is totally responsible for his/her behavior and the karmic consequences that arise from that behavior.
Nobody is condemned in Buddhism, for greatness is latent even in the seemingly lowliest, just as lotuses spring from muddy ponds. Invite someone new to experience the warmth of the sangha. Buddha Thought Flapping flag Four monks were meditating in a monastery. All of a sudden the prayer flag on the roof started flapping. The younger monk came out of his meditation and said: "Flag is flapping" A more experienced monk said: "Wind is flapping" A third monk who had been there for more than 20 years said: "Mind is flapping." The fourth monk who was the eldest said: "Mouths are flapping!" ---Old Buddhist joke found on the web. Volunteer Requests Assistance with preparation for special events, weekends and teaching nights is always greatly appreciated. This includes assistance in the kitchen, setting up, taking down and any other donation of talent or effort that can assist the temple. You are always greatly appreciated! The temple does have some special requests from time to time as well. Sati Meditation Recently, a small group from Dae Yen Sa enjoyed a field trip to Chuang Yen Temple in Carmel, NY. We participated in a retreat day, where we learned a new form of meditation practice called Sati. In Sati Meditation the practitioner uses mindful movements of the hands to bring about greater awareness.This practice was introduced by Luangpor Teean Jittasubho (1911-1988) of Thailand and taught to us by Dr. Dwight Chien. It is our intention to make Sati meditation sessions available at DaeYen Sa. If any member who participated in our Sati retreat in NY is interested in leading Sati meditation please see Eduardo. For those wishing to experience the Sati retreat day at Chuang Yen, the next session is December 12, 2009. Calling all TV Techies!
The East gives us thousands upon thousands of Buddhist sacred texts. And here in the West we have access to many books and articles from teachers like Jack Kornfield, Pema Chodron and other well-known teachers. It is our goal to begin a small lending library of Buddhist texts that would be open to Sangha members. The idea has been approved by Su Yen Sunim and Master, so we'll keep you posted on the logistics. In the meantime consider donating your books of wisdom to the temple. Make it a practice in letting go! Talks and Workshops While we have the Wisdom of the Triple Gem we also recognize the network of members and friends with wisdom to share with Dae Yen Sa. If you, or anyone you know, has an interest in presenting a workshop/lecture/training that is relevant and appropriate to Buddhist principles and practice, please speak with Eduardo. At present, the Temple does not have funds for lecturers. Any presentation would be considered a donation would be very much appreciated. Thank you in advance. SPECIAL MENTION! Nirvana Juice Bar, Torrington One of our Sangha members, Rosie, invites us to visit her juice bar in Downtown Torrington. Rosie offers many wonderful health and energy drinks and foods as well as aromatic incenses and products sangha members would appreciate. In addition Rosie hosts guest lectures and open mike nights. Visit her website for more information and then visit her store for some "chill" time. http://nirvanahealthbar.com/ Nirvana is a healthy, fun and informative place to visit! Saturday Temple Regular Schedule: 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM Yoga The first Saturday of each month, Dae Yen Sa has a retreat day with a revised schedule. Call or contact the temple for the schedule and activities for that day. January 2, 2010 Retreat Program: 9 AM to 10 AM Qi Chong 10 AM to 10:20 AM Tea Break 10:20 AM to 11 AM Silent Meditation 11 AM to 11:10 AM Walking Meditation 11:10 AM to 11:30 AM Chanting 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM Lunch 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM Chanting 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM Discussion 2:30 PM to 3:30 PM Yoga 3:30 PM to 4:00 PM Silent meditation and Review of the day You may stay for the day or join in and leave at the time convenient to you. For more information please call. Sacred Art Tea Puja Gomang Monastery Monk Leader, Geshe Lobzang Samdup, performing the Tea Puja Ceremony including the use of the bell. 19 Kinsey Road Donations greatly appreciated! VISIT DAE YEN SA ON FACEBOOK! |
Monday, December 28, 2009
2009 December Announcements
Monday, December 14, 2009
2009 December Announcements
2009 December Announcements Dae Yen Sa International Buddhist Temple and Meditation Center
Sue Yen Sunim's Mandala Sue Yen Sunim worked on a beaded lotus mandala for 30 days and it can be viewed at the temple. The mandala has the symbols for Om written on it. It also has the words for peace, Dae Yen Sa, and Om Mani Padmi Hum. This creation is part of her meditative practice and came to her via meditation. The art piece is also made possible by generous donations of beads! Mandalas are geometric patterns symbolically representing the universe or sacred landscape used for meditation purposes. Several examples of mandalas can be viewed at the temple. Contents: 1. Upcoming Events Upcoming Events
Sunday, December 20th, 7 pm-9 pm. Evening Candlelight Walking Meditation and Chanting for an End to Violence is planned as an evening of mindful walking and chanting for peace within us and within the world. This evening service will take place in the Main Hall. As part of the service we are asking Sangha members, friends and guests to offer a short written or impromptu prayer for peace. A tea reception will follow. Nonviolent Communication Workshop Learn how to live more peacefully and compassionately practicing Right Speech and Right Action. Scheduled for January 18, 2010, 6:30 - 9:30 PM in celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The snow date is January 19, 2010. Teachings presented with guest NVC teacher Joe Brummer! Joe spent years exploring why people commit acts of violence against others. He studied nonviolence, conflict resolution and worked with the Institute for Study and Practice of Nonviolence to bring teaching to schools, and serves on the Community Mediation Center of Rhode Islands Juvenile Restorative Justice Advisory Board. He has recently attended International Intensive Training on Nonviolent Communication. Joe is the Connecticut representative for New England NVC. Visit the link http://www.cnvc.org for more information on the course. In this course you will learn how to:
This important course is free to the general public. Please share the information with your friends! The Dharma School Series
For those with Books please read Chapter 9: The Rod or Punishment For those without books please read Chapter 9: The Rod We all know about punishment. We all have experienced some form or corporal punishment and unfortunately different degrees of abuse at the hands of others. But what would happen if those who inflicted punishment realized the principle of Exchanging Self for Other"? That none of us wants pain and suffering. What if those individuals, for an instant, could have put themselves in the place of the punish-ee, maybe they would have chosen a nonviolent means of expression. And what about us? What "rods" do we use to correct and control people and situations? We may not be inflicting corporal punishment, but if we are honest, we might find that we wield subtle forms of punishment usually out of our unskillful speech. Each day we have the opportunity to cultivate peace, but because of anger, stress, misunderstanding, impatience, we can easily lose our mindfulness and reactively pick up the rod of harsh speech. The Buddha reminds us that no amount of almsgiving, prostrations, recitations or offerings can clear away the harmful consequences of our speech and actions. Look at your own life experience when you have hurt someone and apologized. While the apology is an important step for healing, the karmic imprint is still left upon the relationship and it takes time and trust to rebuild goodwill. It is through meditative introspection, in the study of dharma virtue, and by practicing mindfulness with our brothers and sisters in the sangha and in the larger world that we become free of the need to use punishment as a means of control. Once we begin a path of liberation we can no longer pick up the rod, certainly we know it is hurtful, but it is simply ineffective, working against its intended short-term result and producing karmic consequences that last. (DHAMMAch.10v.13) Buddha is very clear in his instruction that we "- one should neither strike, nor cause to strike."(DHAMMAch.10v.1), and I add in body, speech and mind. And what are the consequences of using the rod? The saying, "an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind" says it best. We don't want spiritual blindness, we want to see clearly with eyes of truth. Maybe we could use the practice Buddhist nun Pema Chodron calls, "Just like me". She uses this when she's sitting in traffic, looking at the faces of other frustrated drivers she says, "just like me he/she doesn't want to be here. " "Just like me that woman wants to be home and take her shoes off", etc. You see we are all the same this way. Time to put down the rod. Namu.Nobody is condemned in Buddhism, for greatness is latent even in the seemingly lowliest, just as lotuses spring from muddy ponds. Invite someone new to experience the warmth of the sangha. Buddha Thought It Will Pass A student went to his meditation teacher and said, "My meditation is horrible! I feel so distracted, or my legs ache, or I'm constantly falling asleep. It's just horrible!"
---Old Buddhist joke found on the web. Volunteer Requests Assistance with preparation for special events, weekends and teaching nights is always greatly appreciated. This includes assistance in the kitchen, setting up, taking down and any other donation of talent or effort that can assist the temple. You are always greatly appreciated! The temple does have some special requests from time to time as well. Sati Meditation Recently, a small group from Dae Yen Sa enjoyed a field trip to Chuang Yen Temple in Carmel, NY. We participated in a retreat day, where we learned a new form of meditation practice called Sati. In Sati Meditation the practitioner uses mindful movements of the hands to bring about greater awareness.This practice was introduced by Luangpor Teean Jittasubho (1911-1988) of Thailand and taught to us by Dr. Dwight Chien. It is our intention to make Sati meditation sessions available at DaeYen Sa. If any member who participated in our Sati retreat in NY is interested in leading Sati meditation please see Eduardo. For those wishing to experience the Sati retreat day at Chuang Yen, the next session is December 12, 2009. Calling all TV Techies!
The East gives us thousands upon thousands of Buddhist sacred texts. And here in the West we have access to many books and articles from teachers like Jack Kornfield, Pema Chodron and other well-known teachers. It is our goal to begin a small lending library of Buddhist texts that would be open to Sangha members. The idea has been approved by Su Yen Sunim and Master, so we'll keep you posted on the logistics. In the meantime consider donating your books of wisdom to the temple. Make it a practice in letting go! Talks and Workshops While we have the Wisdom of the Triple Gem we also recognize the network of members and friends with wisdom to share with Dae Yen Sa. If you, or anyone you know, has an interest in presenting a workshop/lecture/training that is relevant and appropriate to Buddhist principles and practice, please speak with Eduardo. At present, the Temple does not have funds for lecturers. Any presentation would be considered a donation would be very much appreciated. Thank you in advance. SPECIAL MENTION! Nirvana Juice Bar, Torrington One of our Sangha members, Rosie, invites us to visit her juice bar in Downtown Torrington. Rosie offers many wonderful health and energy drinks and foods as well as aromatic incenses and products sangha members would appreciate. In addition Rosie hosts guest lectures and open mike nights. Visit her website for more information and then visit her store for some "chill" time. http://nirvanahealthbar.com/ Nirvana is a healthy, fun and informative place to visit! Saturday Temple Regular Schedule: 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM Yoga The first Saturday of each month, Dae Yen Sa has a retreat day with a revised schedule. Call or contact the temple for the schedule and activities for that day. Starting the Mandala Deconstruction Geshe Lobzang Samdup starting the deconstruction process of the Medicine Mandala by making lines in the sands with the Dorje. The deconstruction of the Mandala symbolizes impermanence. 19 Kinsey Road Donations greatly appreciated! VISIT DAE YEN SA ON FACEBOOK! |
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
2009 December Announcements
2009 December Announcements Dae Yen Sa International Buddhist Temple and Meditation Center
The snake in the sand mandala. Contents: 1. Upcoming Events Upcoming Events
Nonviolent Communication Workshop Learn how to live more peacefully and compassionately practicing Right Speech and Right Action. Scheduled for January 18, 2010, 6:30 - 9:30 PM in celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The snow date is January 19, 2010. Teachings presented with guest NVC teacher Joe Brummer! Joe spent years exploring why people commit acts of violence against others. He studied nonviolence, conflict resolution and worked with the Institute for Study and Practice of Nonviolence to bring teaching to schools, and serves on the Community Mediation Center of Rhode Islands Juvenile Restorative Justice Advisory Board. He has recently attended International Intensive Training on Nonviolent Communication. Joe is the Connecticut representative for New England NVC. Visit the link http://www.cnvc.org for more information on the course. In this course you will learn how to:
This important course is free to the general public. Please share the information with your friends! The Dharma School Series
For those with Books please read Chapter 9: Evil For those without books please read Chapter 9: Evil Remember that phrase, "It must have been my evil twin....". We've all said it, thought or heard it from others, usually in jest. But there always is a bit of truth to it, because it emerges often when we become aware of our own non-virtuous words or actions. What is evil? The opposite of mindfulness and compassion. Evil is extreme attachment and even devotion to greed, anger and ignorance. One who practices evil relishes in the seeming joy that comes from causing extreme pain and suffering to others. Evil separates rather than unites. The disconcerting aspect is, that as humans, we are all capable of evil. None of us is exempt. And the Buddha warns that we can become evil little by little. Evil is insidious. If we go mindlessly through life, we can accumulate this energy, like drops of water in a bucket, until we are full and spilling over. This is why the Buddha exhorts us to "Make haste in doing good; check your mind from evil..." Dhammapada ch9 v.1. Now is the time to transform our non-virtuous inclinations, into virtuous intentions. The karmic principle teaches that our actions, and even our intentions, will ultimately bear fruit. We reap what we sow. So what will be your harvest? Namu.Nobody is condemned in Buddhism, for greatness is latent even in the seemingly lowliest, just as lotuses spring from muddy ponds. Invite someone new to experience the warmth of the sangha. Buddha Thought The Elephant Parable:
Maybe it was a white elephant. Volunteer Requests Assistance with preparation for special events, weekends and teaching nights is always greatly appreciated. This includes assistance in the kitchen, setting up, taking down and any other donation of talent or effort that can assist the temple. You are always greatly appreciated! The temple does have some special requests from time to time as well. Sati Meditation Recently, a small group from Dae Yen Sa enjoyed a field trip to Chuang Yen Temple in Carmel, NY. We participated in a retreat day, where we learned a new form of meditation practice called Sati. In Sati Meditation the practitioner uses mindful movements of the hands to bring about greater awareness.This practice was introduced by Luangpor Teean Jittasubho (1911-1988) of Thailand and taught to us by Dr. Dwight Chien. It is our intention to make Sati meditation sessions available at DaeYen Sa. If any member who participated in our Sati retreat in NY is interested in leading Sati meditation please see Eduardo. For those wishing to experience the Sati retreat day at Chuang Yen, the next session is December 12, 2009. Calling all TV Techies!
The East gives us thousands upon thousands of Buddhist sacred texts. And here in the West we have access to many books and articles from teachers like Jack Kornfield, Pema Chodron and other well-known teachers. It is our goal to begin a small lending library of Buddhist texts that would be open to Sangha members. The idea has been approved by Su Yen Sunim and Master, so we'll keep you posted on the logistics. In the meantime consider donating your books of wisdom to the temple. Make it a practice in letting go! Talks and Workshops While we have the Wisdom of the Triple Gem we also recognize the network of members and friends with wisdom to share with Dae Yen Sa. If you, or anyone you know, has an interest in presenting a workshop/lecture/training that is relevant and appropriate to Buddhist principles and practice, please speak with Eduardo. At present, the Temple does not have funds for lecturers. Any presentation would be considered a donation would be very much appreciated. Thank you in advance. SPECIAL MENTION! Nirvana Juice Bar, Torrington One of our Sangha members, Rosie, invites us to visit her juice bar in Downtown Torrington. Rosie offers many wonderful health and energy drinks and foods as well as aromatic incenses and products sangha members would appreciate. In addition Rosie hosts guest lectures and open mike nights. Visit her website for more information and then visit her store for some "chill" time. http://nirvanahealthbar.com/ Nirvana is a healthy, fun and informative place to visit! Saturday Temple Regular Schedule: 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM Yoga The first Saturday of each month, Dae Yen Sa has a retreat day with a revised schedule. Call or contact the temple for the schedule and activities for that day. Attachments Tinder to the Fiery Flames Edwardo reading from The Way of the Bodhisattva by Shantideva. 19 Kinsey Road Donations greatly appreciated! VISIT DAE YEN SA ON FACEBOOK! |
Monday, November 30, 2009
2009 December Announcements
2009 November Announcements Dae Yen Sa International Buddhist Temple and Meditation Center
The vast array of complexity and beauty found in nature is impossible to quantify. No snowflake is exactly like another. Contents: 1. Upcoming Events Upcoming Events
Nonviolent Communication Workshop Scheduled for January 18, 2010, 6:30 - 9:30 PM in celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.. Snow date is January 19, 2010. Teachings presented with guest NVC teacher Joe Brummer! Joe spent years exploring why people commit acts of violence against others. He studied nonviolence, conflict resolution and worked with the Institute for Study and Practice of Nonviolence to bring teaching to schools, and serves on the Community Mediation Center of Rhode Islands Juvenile Restorative Justice Advisory Board. He has recently attended International Intensive Training on Nonviolent Communication. Joe is the Connecticut representative for New England NVC. Visit the link http://www.cnvc.org for more information on the course. In this course you will learn how to:
This important course is free to the general public. The Dharma School Series
For those with Books please read Chapter 8: Thousands For those without books please read Chapter 8: Thousands Did you ever find yourself working really, really hard to master something? Trying with all your might to know everything about a subject, situation, or relationship. Did you, or do you find yourself pouring over books and texts trying to know all there is to know in order to gather a thousand jewels of wisdom? What if instead you were to let go of the striving, what would this feel like? In the chapter called thousands the Buddha reminds us that is not necessarily more knowledge that is needed for an enlightened life, but rather only essential knowledge. He goes on to say that not even the most fervent recitations are as effective as one simple mantra recited with love and compassion. On the path of liberation, grand gestures are not wrong, but paradoxically, may not be needed in order to touch the truth. We can read a thousand stories about kindness and even chant one thousand om mani padme hums, but we all know to our core the power of giving a simple cup of cold water to a thirsty brother or sister. The Buddha challenges us to activate this essential wisdom in the present moment. Right now is the time for love, not tomorrow. In the end, no one can teach us about love for we have the seed of enlightenment and deep compassion within us. Be the master of yourself. Study and meditate, but remember to focus on the essential. The path to enlightenment is by no means simplistic, yet there are simple truths — that we are all connected, that we all suffer, that we all feel pain and fear, that we all seek relief and compassion through awareness and truth. Namu. Nobody is condemned in Buddhism, for greatness is latent even in the seemingly lowliest, just as lotuses spring from muddy ponds. Invite someone new to experience the warmth of the sangha. Buddha Thought
One day a student came to Moon and said, "I understand how to make a better garbage collector. We must keep a reference count of the pointers to each of the cans." Moon patiently told the student the following story: "One day a student came to Moon and said, "I understand how to make a better garbage collector... In the days when Sussman was a novice Minsky once came to him as he sat hacking at the PDP-6. "What are you doing?", asked Minsky. "I am training a randomly wired neural net to play Tic-Tac-Toe." "Why is the net wired randomly?", asked Minsky. "I do not want it to have any preconceptions of how to play." Minsky shut his eyes. "Why do you close your eyes?", Sussman asked his teacher. "So the room will be empty." At that moment, Sussman was enlightened. A student, in hopes of understanding the Lambda-nature, came to Greenblatt. As they spoke a Multics system hacker walked by. "Is it true," asked the student, "that PL-1 has many of the same data types as Lisp?" Almost before the student had finished his question, Greenblatt shouted, "FOO!", and hit the student with a stick. A disciple of another sect once came to Drescher as he was eating his morning meal. "I would like to give you this personality test," said the outsider, "because I want you to be happy." Drescher took the paper that was offered him and put it into the toaster: "I wish the toaster to be happy, too." A man from AI walked across the mountains to SAIL to see the Master, Knuth. When he arrived, the Master was nowhere to be found. "Where is the wise one named Knuth?", he asked a passing student. "Ah," said the student, "you have not heard. He has gone on a pilgrimage across the mountains to the temple of AI to seek out new disciples." Hearing this, the man was Enlightened. A famous Lisp Hacker noticed an Undergraduate sitting in front of a Xerox 1108, trying to edit a complex Klone network via a browser. Wanting to help, the Hacker clicked one of the nodes in the network with the mouse, and asked "what do you see?" Very earnestly, the Undergraduate replied "I see a cursor." The Hacker then quickly pressed the boot toggle at the back of the keyboard, while simultaneously hitting the Undergraduate over the head with a thick Interlisp Manual. The Undergraduate was then Enlightened. Volunteer Requests Assistance with preparation for special events, weekends and teaching nights is always greatly appreciated. This includes assistance in the kitchen, setting up, taking down and any other donation of talent or effort that can assist the temple. You are always greatly appreciated! The temple does have some special requests from time to time as well. Sati Meditation Recently, a small group from Dae Yen Sa enjoyed a field trip to Chuang Yen Temple in Carmel, NY. We participated in a retreat day, where we learned a new form of meditation practice called Sati. In Sati Meditation the practitioner uses mindful movements of the hands to bring about greater awareness.This practice was introduced by Luangpor Teean Jittasubho (1911-1988) of Thailand and taught to us by Dr. Dwight Chien. It is our intention to make Sati meditation sessions available at DaeYen Sa. If any member who participated in our Sati retreat in NY is interested in leading Sati meditation please see Eduardo. For those wishing to experience the Sati retreat day at Chuang Yen, the next session is December 12, 2009. Calling all TV Techies!
The East gives us thousands upon thousands of Buddhist sacred texts. And here in the West we have access to many books and articles from teachers like Jack Kornfield, Pema Chodron and other well-known teachers. It is our goal to begin a small lending library of Buddhist texts that would be open to Sangha members. The idea has been approved by Su Yen Sunim and Master, so we'll keep you posted on the logistics. In the meantime consider donating your books of wisdom to the temple. Make it a practice in letting go! Talks and Workshops While we have the Wisdom of the Triple Gem we also recognize the network of members and friends with wisdom to share with Dae Yen Sa. If you, or anyone you know, has an interest in presenting a workshop/lecture/training that is relevant and appropriate to Buddhist principles and practice, please speak with Eduardo. At present, the Temple does not have funds for lecturers. Any presentation would be considered a donation would be very much appreciated. Thank you in advance. SPECIAL MENTION! Nirvana Juice Bar, Torrington One of our Sangha members, Rosie, invites us to visit her juice bar in Downtown Torrington. Rosie offers many wonderful health and energy drinks and foods as well as aromatic incenses and products sangha members would appreciate. In addition Rosie hosts guest lectures and open mike nights. Visit her website for more information and then visit her store for some "chill" time. http://nirvanahealthbar.com/ Nirvana is a healthy, fun and informative place to visit! Saturday Temple Regular Schedule: 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM Yoga The first Saturday of each month, Dae Yen Sa has a retreat day with a revised schedule. Call or contact the temple for the schedule and activities for that day. Chanting with Prayer Beads and Moktok
19 Kinsey Road Donations greatly appreciated! VISIT DAE YEN SA ON FACEBOOK! |
Monday, November 23, 2009
2009 November Announcements
2009 November Announcements Dae Yen Sa International Buddhist Temple and Meditation Center
Wisdom of fresh, whole foods. Contents: 1. Upcoming Events Upcoming Events
Nonviolent Communication Workshop Sangha members Aaron Doyle and Eduardo Barrios are working on scheduling a non-violent communication workshop in the coming months. See more info at http://www.cnvc.org and stay tuned for more information in the future! The Dharma School Series
For those with Books please read Chapter 7: The Worthy For those without books please read Chapter 7: The Worthy This this translation chapter 7 is entitled The Worthy. In other translations the title varies, as in, The Arahant (In early Buddhist scriptures, the word arahant refers to an enlightened being. ), for example, or The Saint. At Dae Yen Sa Temple we have a beautiful mural of the Buddhist Saints from the Korean tradition. At first one notices the brilliant colors and gold leaf that shines out to the viewer. Then, upon more careful observance we begin to see a myriad of people, in all different shapes, sizes, colors and moods. At this point I have a confession to make. Once while in a 2-hour Korean liturgy at the temple, I made the mistake at looking over at the mural only to see the contorted face of one of those saints staring me down! At once it struck me as being incredibly hilarious — it was all I could do not to break up laughing! It was like getting the giggles in church, and biting the bottom of my lip was the only thing that got me through! The point is, arahants and saints come in all shapes and sizes. Saints were, and are, people like us — with feelings and emotions, as depicted in our mural. They are worthy of our respect because they commit their lives to the proactice of mindfulness, renunciation, loving detatchment in order to transcend the cycle of samsara and allow more peace and compassion to blossom. But the job of enlightenment does not rest solely on these. Each one of us is called to a life of Sainthood, or Arahanship. That's because we know that the seed of enlightenment is within us. Each of us has experienced movements from illusion to truth in our hearts and minds. Transformation means moving forward in wisdom, like birds that leave no trace of their tracks in the sky. Namu and Happy Thanksgiving! Nobody is condemned in Buddhism, for greatness is latent even in the seemingly lowliest, just as lotuses spring from muddy ponds. Invite someone new to experience the warmth of the sangha. Buddha Thought There's this wonderful story about the first meeting between Kalu Rinpoche and Zen master Seung Sahn. The two monks entered with swirling robes - maroon and yellow for the Tibetan, austere gray and black for the Korean - and were followed by retinues of younger monks and translators with shaven heads ... The Tibetan lama sat very still, fingering a wooden rosary (mala) with one hand while murmuring, 'Om mani padme hung,' continuously under his breath. The Zen master, who was already gaining renown for his method of hurling questions at his students until they were forced to admit their ignorance and then bellowing, 'Keep that don't know mind!' at them, reached deep inside his robes and drew out an orange. 'What is this?' he demanded of the lama. 'What is this?' This was a typical opening question, and we could feel him ready to pounce on whatever response he was given. The Tibetan sat quietly fingering his mala and made no move to respond. 'What is this?' the Zen master insisted, holding the orange up to the Tibetan's nose. Kalu Rinpoche bent very slowly to the Tibetan monk next to him who was serving as the translator, and they whispered back and forth for several minutes. Finally the translator addressed the room: 'Rinpoche says, What is the matter with him? Don't they have oranges where he comes from?' A classic Buddhist story found on the net. Volunteer Requests Assistance with preparation for special events, weekends and teaching nights is always greatly appreciated. This includes assistance in the kitchen, setting up, taking down and any other donation of talent or effort that can assist the temple. You are always greatly appreciated! The temple does have some special requests from time to time as well. Sati Meditation Recently, a small group from Dae Yen Sa enjoyed a field trip to Chuang Yen Temple in Carmel, NY. We participated in a retreat day, where we learned a new form of meditation practice called Sati. In Sati Meditation the practitioner uses mindful movements of the hands to bring about greater awareness.This practice was introduced by Luangpor Teean Jittasubho (1911-1988) of Thailand and taught to us by Dr. Dwight Chien. It is our intention to make Sati meditation sessions available at DaeYen Sa. If any member who participated in our Sati retreat in NY is interested in leading Sati meditation please see Eduardo. For those wishing to experience the Sati retreat day at Chuang Yen, the next session is December 12, 2009. Calling all TV Techies!
The East gives us thousands upon thousands of Buddhist sacred texts. And here in the West we have access to many books and articles from teachers like Jack Kornfield, Pema Chodron and other well-known teachers. It is our goal to begin a small lending library of Buddhist texts that would be open to Sangha members. The idea has been approved by Su Yen Sunim and Master, so we'll keep you posted on the logistics. In the meantime consider donating your books of wisdom to the temple. Make it a practice in letting go! Talks and Workshops While we have the Wisdom of the Triple Gem we also recognize the network of members and friends with wisdom to share with Dae Yen Sa. If you, or anyone you know, has an interest in presenting a workshop/lecture/training that is relevant and appropriate to Buddhist principles and practice, please speak with Eduardo. At present, the Temple does not have funds for lecturers. Any presentation would be considered a donation would be very much appreciated. Thank you in advance. SPECIAL MENTION! Nirvana Juice Bar, Torrington One of our Sangha members, Rosie, invites us to visit her juice bar in Downtown Torrington. Rosie offers many wonderful health and energy drinks and foods as well as aromatic incenses and products sangha members would appreciate. In addition Rosie hosts guest lectures and open mike nights. Visit her website for more information and then visit her store for some "chill" time. http://nirvanahealthbar.com/ Nirvana is a healthy, fun and informative place to visit! Saturday Temple Regular Schedule: 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM Yoga The first Saturday of each month, Dae Yen Sa has a retreat day with a revised schedule. Call or contact the temple for the schedule and activities for that day. Buddhist Food Blessing
MEAL PRAYERS 19 Kinsey Road Donations greatly appreciated! VISIT DAE YEN SA ON FACEBOOK! |
Posts
