2010 December Announcements Dae Yen Sa International Buddhist Temple and Meditation Center
Center Buddha The central Buddha of the Buddha Triad has hands over the heart area representing the joining of heaven and earth. The placement between the other Buddhas is also symbolic within the triad. 1. Events and Announcements Events and Announcements Compassionate Communication: Creating Communities of Good Karma Dae Yen Sa International Buddhist Temple is happy to welcome back Joe Brummer to present an expanded intensive workshop, open to the public:Saturday, January 15, 2011 from 12:30 - 5:30 PM There is no cost to attend this workshop; donations to support temple efforts are welcome and appreciated. Many remember Joe's engaging and interactive workshop from last January, which introduced the principles and practices of communicating compassionately and empathetically in honor of Martin Luther King Jr's legacy of non-violence. This workshop again takes place in close proximity to MLK Day and so will serve the same dual-purpose. Joe is now the Associate Executive Director of Community Mediation, Inc. of New Haven (http://www.community-mediation.org/). He is fortunate to have made his job match his passion for peacemaking, and we are grateful to be able to share in the wisdom he brings. Whether you took part in the last workshop or not, you won't want to miss this return engagement, expanded to 5 intensive hours. If you come for regularly scheduled yoga/meditation in the morning (see schedule below and on the flier), you can make a full day of mindful practice and learning including this workshop. This is an extremely rare opportunity! Please forward this invitation and distribute the flyer to family and friends; the more people who practice mindful listening and speaking, the more peaceful and caring our home and communities will be.  Yoga Announcement Thursday evening yoga is being canceled until further notice. It may be resumed in the spring if there is enough interest. You may still attend our Saturday morning Yoga / Qi Gong at 9:00 AM every Saturday, followed by meditation, chanting and Korean vegetarian lunch. Thanks for understanding. Namu! Wednesday evening dharma school! This 20-week "Introduction to Buddhism" dharma study series is designed to provide a broad overview of Buddhism and Zen. Check the schedule of classes and share the brochure with your friends! Click this link to see the online form. The Dharma School Series Chanting & Meditation 7 pm - 7:45 pm Dae Yen Sa Dharma School 7:45 pm - 8:30 pm Please join us on Wednesday, December 15 at 7PM for meditation, dharma study, tea and fruit party. Individuals of all paths and beliefs are welcome; the only requirement is an open heart and mind. Dharma study is free; donations supporting temple efforts are appreciated. This week's topic is The Heart Sutra, the most revered and recited sutra in Mahayana Buddhism. It is one of about forty sutras in the collection known as the Prajnaparamita (Perfection of Wisdom), and even though the words are not the Buddha's, it is said to contain the essence of the Buddha's entire teaching condensed into roughly forty lines of text. The Heart Sutra is an astonishingly profound work of pedagogy and poetry that does not lend itself to direct and clear explanation. Its maximum value is widely accepted to be its use as a recitation tool -- a complement to the practice of the dharma in general and meditation in particular. Its potency is revealed through mindful regular use, evolving both practice and practitioner. This implies the meaning of the Heart Sutra is to be grasped experientially, not conceptually or intellectually. This has not, however, discouraged countless Buddhist monastics and scholars from doing their best to help beginners and experienced practitioners get a better idea of what the perfection of wisdom is and how to practice it based on Avalokiteshvara's concise teaching. An excellent introduction to the Heart Sutra can be found at http://www.westernchanfellowship.org/heart-sutra-intro.html. Please read the text in advance of the next gathering to provide a common foundation for sharing a deeper understanding of this treasured teaching. If planning to attend the dharma study group on 12/15 topic: The Heart Sutra, please take 9 minutes to watch the classic perspective-stretching video "Powers of Ten": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fKBhvDjuy0&feature=related The video will be referenced in the dharma talk and having watched it will be very helpful (but not absolutely necessary). Thanks and Namu! Upcoming topics: 12/22 Chanting 12/29 Korean Buddhism Much Metta. Buddhist Thought: Excerpts from Open SecretIII. The Burden of the Heart Sutra - I A Chinese Master said to me, "All sutras are to teach people to 'empty.' . . . You cannot understand how to 'empty' before you understand the Heart Sutra." "To empty" is a Chinese way of saying "to see non-objectively whereby all things whatsoever, both objects and their subject, are devoid of any nature of their own," or "to rid 'seeing' of both subject and objects, whereby the mind remains in its eternal purity." Let me say it again in another form of words: The question is not what things are or are not - as usually seems to be assumed to the subject of this sutra, but how things are perceived by a bodhisattva (who sees as he should see). The aim of the sutra, as appears evident on analysis, is to induce people to see correctly, instead of arguing about objects seen. It is the seeing, and only the seeing, that matters: the emptiness or non-emptiness of the objects themselves is incidental, since that in any case depends exclusively on the seeing of them. Hitherto interpretations of the Heart Sutra have tended to be concerned almost entirely with what objects are or are not, but it is evident that this is not the aim of the sutra, and that this preoccupation conceals its true message... In short: the burden of the Heart Sutra is not the nature of objects as such, but the seeing of them - which is what they are, and the only nature they have... Excerpt from the link: Schedule Reminders! Wednesday Dharma School 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM Yoga or Qi Gong Dae Yen Sa offers retreat days throughout the year. Contact the temple to find out about upcoming retreat days, schedules, and activities for those days. Watch the newsletter for announcements! Dae Yen Sa Video The life of the Buddha - 4. The Middle WaySubtitles and music.Support your local temple and meditation center! A special thanks goes out to volunteers and supporters of the temple! There are many ways to support your temple including donations. If you have something special to contribute, please let us know! Volunteer Your Skills! 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. Thank you to all the people who make the wonderful experience at the temple possible for everyone!
The East gives us thousands upon thousands of Buddhist sacred texts. 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! Offer a talk or workshop! 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.
Buy a special book! Aerim Kim, the author of this lovely book of poetry is a frequent visitor at Dae Yen Sa Temple. Her poetry style is free, fresh, heartfelt, and full of a joyful sparkle of emotion. The late Zen Master Seung Shang described Aerim's poetry as "zen poems". The Kim's have supplied the temple with many copies of this book in order to help support the printing needs of the temple. Please contact Sue Yen Sunim to purchase copies of the book for your personal library. You can help build an important network! Please let the temple and the Kim's know of any valuable networking connections to continue keeping this wonderful book in the public's eyes and hearts! Special Mentions! A very special thanks goes out to Ms. Grace Kim of Blooming Ridgefield who provides many of the beautiful flower arrangements at the temple. Please visit her site at http://bloomingridgefield.com/ A big thank you to Eduardo and Aaron leading the Dharma talks on Wednesday night at Dae Yen Sa. Also thanks to Robin for the Thursday night Yoga class! Please consider donating to the temple! Your assistance, no matter what amount, is greatly appreciated! 19 Kinsey Road Donations greatly appreciated! VISIT DAE YEN SA ON FACEBOOK! Mission Statement: Dae Yen Sa International Buddhist Temple and Meditation Center is a non-profit religious organization serving the spiritual needs of a diverse and dedicated community of lay practitioners. We offer instruction and participation in Buddhist religion, meditation forms, devotional chanting and worship, dharma principles and practices, yoga and other relevant programs. We welcome all who seek enlightenment of mind and freedom from suffering caused by human greed, hatred and delusion. Dae Yen Sa International Buddhist Temple and Meditation Center is a non-profit 501(c)(3) religious organization. Charitable contributions are tax exempt. Thank you in advance for your generosity. Namu. |
Sunday, December 12, 2010
2010 December Announcements
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