In our spiritual communities we often focus on the leaders of these groups. In the Buddhist sangha we hope to support all the sangha members in their contributions to community. Leadership, both clerical and laity, are important in organizing and maintaining the sangha. However, it is the consistent participants who make the sangha successful.
So it is with gratitude that I acknowledge the contributions that Doshun (Matt) who coordinated and directed about a dozen members in painting the dorm recently. As of this writing there is a little more to be done, but it is effectively finished. Thank you everyone for sacrificing several days to complete this job. Thank you Doshun for seeing the need and volunteering to see that it was completed.
This month we will be hosting a Upekṣā (Equanimity) weekend retreat from the 27th to 29th of September (see the events section above). Before the COVID pandemic we tried to host several retreats a year because there was a demand for it. Though the number of people attending those retreats had decreased compared to earlier years.
Retreats are an important sangha activity. We have had people travel from Europe and all-over North America to attend. On one hand these retreats give people an opportunity to participate in longer meditation periods than a Wednesday gathering and encounter practices other than meditation, such as calligraphy, learn some shomyo, etc. The intention is to learn about the breadth of practices while going more deeply into specific practices.
On the other hand, there is the occasion to spend both group time and personal time with other sangha members which, hopefully, becomes less about the self and more about the communal nature of sangha. Participants are given more detailed instruction on meditations, hondo etiquette, and other important procedures. The meals are vegetarian, with no exceptions, except physician documented allergies to food. We follow the guidelines of vinaya that a śramaṇa eats whatever is offered.
Each retreat has a different focus, the practices correspond to the focus. This September retreat’s focus is approaching Upekṣā. As a result, the focus will be on examining what that means and how do we work toward it. Having written that, Tendai Buddhist Institute retreats are a process that is larger than the topical focus. They are a means of enhancing the sangha as a mechanism of following śāsana, the Buddha Path.
Gassho and Love . . . Monshin