Welcome
Every Wednesday
Weekly Meditation Services (WMS) are on Wednesday evenings. They begin at 6 PM with a discussion or talk (see below for this month's discussion topics). At about 7 PM there is a meditation service followed at 8 PM by a potluck dinner. All of Wednesday evening's events are open to the public. There is no fee and reservations are not required.
June Wednesday Meditations and Discussions
King Asoka, was a monarch of the Indian Mauryan dynasty. He is regarded as one of the most exemplary rulers in world history. Asoka's edicts are to be found scattered in more than thirty places throughout India, Nepal, Pakistan and Afghanistan. His Empire was the first Buddhist domain and his works are seminal to the development of Buddhism.
14 Lotus Sutra as Integral to Tien Tai Philosophy –
This discussion is taken from chapter Five of Brook Ziporyn's book, Emptiness and Omnipresence: An Essential Introduction to Tiantai Buddhism. Indiana University Press (2016).
21 100-temple Kannon pilgrimage, Part II – The Chichibu, Bando and Saigoku pilgrimages is one of the most famous pilgrimages in Japan. Shingaku, Soryo and leader of the Winding Path Tendai Sangha in Springfield, Massachusetts, completed the Saigoku pilgrimage last year and the Chichibu and Bando pilgrimages earlier this spring. Shingaku will share her experiences of completing this extraordinary religious journey.
28 Sangha as Essential to Buddhist Practice – The Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, the Three Jewels of Buddhism, were established by Shakyamuni Buddha. In the West, we usually concentrate on the Buddha and Dharma and do not put the same emphasis on Sangha. We will explore the ways in which sangha is of equal value in our Buddhist practice.
Other Events in June:
3 Sutra Class and Morning Service, 8:30 – 10:30 AM – The Maha Prajna Paramita Hridaya Sutra (Heart Sutra) is the most often chanted, cited and best known sutras in the Mahayana canon. We will read and discuss two different translations and commentaries (Mu Soeng's and Red Pine's) as a set throughout the classes.
18-28 Doshu/Soryo Gyo – will take place during this period. At this time the Tendai Buddhist Institute becomes a monastic training center, while at the same time serving the temple sangha. The Wednesday evening activities will take place and there will be a morning meditation each day of the gyo, see below. However, on Wednesday the 21st there will not be a pot luck dinner, but on the 28th there will be a pot-luck, with all the gyoja attending.
19-28 Morning Meditation 7-8 AM. – Each morning during the gyo there will be an open mediation. There will be no service at this time only the meditation. Join us each day to inspire your practice and join the gyo participants for this daily meditation, usually led my Monshin.
24 Goma Fire Ceremony – Rev. Ito Kenei, a Kaihogyo monk will be performing this powerful ritual which alleviates defilements for all who attend. The Goma will begin at 2 PM, people should arrive around 1:30 PM. This ceremony is appropriate for all family members.
Notes and Upcoming Events:
Food Pantry at Jiunzan Tendai-ji – The need is ongoing and does not diminish in the spring. Please bring non-perishable food items to the Tendai Buddhist Institute on Wednesday's. We contribute these items to the Chatham Silent Food Pantry.
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Jushokus’ Thoughts
Karma! A word, a concept, that is misunderstood, misused, popularized, and commercialized. Karma is a Sanskrit term that means 'action'. Specifically, it refers to action motivated by intention which leads to future results. There is both a meta-physical and the metaphoric understanding. What I wish to address works in either reading.
We live in a time of disorder and uncertainty, and we are entering an authoritarian era in our country. This can be blamed on our president in conjunction with a complicit congress. However, I assert, the events which resulted in this situation have been in play for as long as our country has been an independent republic. The current government is a result not a cause. That does not change the feeling that we are going down a rabbit hole with the Mad Hatter welcoming us.
We see our current predicament in the context of our recent election. This election comes at a time when people have lost faith in societies institutions; government, the press, education, religions, science, medicine, law, and law enforcement. Interestingly, the Pew Research Center reports, "Americans continue to hold the military in high regard, with more than three-quarters of U.S. adults (78%) saying that members of the armed services contribute "a lot" to society's well-being. That's a modest decline from 84% four years ago." Overall, our families, friends, and neighbors hold our non-military leaders in exceptionally low esteem.
However, from a Buddhist perspective this situation had its origins in America's original sin, slavery, and its complement, racism. It was exacerbated by our wars of imperialism, such as the almost total eradication and subjection of the Native Americans and their cultures, the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War, the Spanish American War, the Banana Wars (including Cuba, Panama Honduras, Nicaragua, Mexico, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic), the War with Viet Nam, the War with Grenada, and the Iraq War. Keep in mind this is an incomplete and summary list. These negative 'actions' were mitigated by various positive remedies; the American Civil War, constructive foreign policy, including the Marshal Plan, development of the U.N., etc.
As a society America has for the most part been a militarist, aggressive, agent that has acted with greed, animosity, and delusion (the Three Poisons). We are now experiencing the karmic retribution from these actions that have spanned our history. The Fourth of the Noble Eightfold Path is Right Action (the Five Precepts: refraining from physical misdeeds such as killing and stealing) and the Second of the Six Paramitas, sila (ethics and morality) are decidedly missing from the American experiment. These are not simply codes of conduct, they are means by which we avoid negative karma. As a society, each constituent to the whole, each person, is a contributor to its karma. Individuals can perform good works, mitigating the negative, but, the totality of the actions are visited upon the whole, even those whose intentions and actions are admirable. My opinion is that our situation will continue in a decline until we can garner the societal courage to erase the current and past malfeasance.
Recognizing the nature of the negative karma we have perpetuated, is a first useful step. But, here is the good news - karma is not destiny. Karma is action, negative and positive intention and actions. We can through our beneficent efforts make a difference in outcomes.
Following the election in the fall of 2016, there was a great uproar and resistance. Marches, demonstrations, and protests, seemed to take place almost every day. With the inauguration, there was another flurry of resistance activities. Now, well now, fatigue has set in. We are tired, we are psychologically and emotionally drained. We have already begun to make accommodations and a sense of 'let's wait and see'.
No, that is not an option. It is now the time to respond with a constant, consistent, effort to restore our karmic stream to one of purity. The forces of autocracy thrive on accommodation. We must use the spirit of Kannon Bosatsu (Avalokitesvara) to respond to the suffering of all sentient beings. Do not permit concessions. It requires vigilance, diligence, and positive actions. If, as I suspect, we are to be tried further before we can turn the corner on hundreds of years of greed, hatred and ignorance, we must have faith in the redemptive power of positive karma. We must be adroit and purposeful in our actions.
Our intentions and actions must be absent of hatred, greed, and delusion. Use confident, encouraging, intentions and actions to subdue the negative around us. Join with our community to provide actions with clarity and resolve.
Love and Gassho... Monshin
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