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Mt Adams Zen Buddhist Temple

 

August 2016 Newsletter
Dear Dharma Family,
   We have had a busy month or two.  An ordination, a retreat, monk and nun guests, visits to other temples, and many visitors to our temple.  I am happy about all the activity and also glad to take a bit of space this week to rest and catch up on much needed tasks.  I am getting busy at the hospital, doing chaplain support and sharing loving kindness with those in need.
   A fun BBC Documentary was recently brought to my attention, "Jesus was a Buddhist Monk" is on Youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAaW6BYhfNM  Is this true?  I don't know, but it is interesting.
   Trout Lake Farm Fest - Aug 20th, 2-10PM a benefit for Cascade Mountain School join us at Treebird Organics Farm.   https://www.facebook.com/events/789666764499179/
May we all live in peace.                   Thay Kozen
Thay Z's and Su Co Thich Nu Hanh Minh's Ordination
Both candidates have served a period of time under a qualified Master,
have attended retreats, lived in temples, and followed the rules for monks and nuns
for over 2 years, in addition to special training.


A procession of monks under the direction of the most venerable HT Thich An Giao, walk to the ordination ceremony. 


Christian, Jewish, and Buddhist Clergy Unite in practicing
Loving Kindness during the ordination


Newly fully ordained monk and nun accepting the robes of liberation


Thay Z (Thich Minh Thien) and Suco Thich Nu Hanh Minh reciting vows.

A gathering of attendees for a group photo. 

You can see videos of the ceremony at  
 
We Are Building a Temple 
Our plans are being drawn up by a local builder and we hope to start with the foundation by mid September. 
Recently, two families have stated that they have added Mt. Adams Zen Buddhist Temple
to their will, so that we might inherit some money after their death. 
What a thoughtful and beautiful gift.
  
Many people attended the ground breaking ceremony and stood at the new temple site.


Su Co Hue Hung shovels dirt at the ground breaking for the new temple foundation.  

 
Debbie Nelson starts digging the foundation layout for our new temple. 
Volunteers

A mother daughter volunteer couple take a well deserved rest.  Erica and Katen Rench spent the night camping out and happily sharing volunteer activities.

********
Pilgrimage in the Gorge 

A group of pilgrims started their walk at the Ice Caves in Trout Lake and spent the night at our temple then on to walk for 5 days ending up in Lyle.  The journey was one of learning of the Gorge, spirituality, and wonderful fellowship. 
You can find out more at:   http://pilgrimageinthegorge.org/ 

********

Prison Ministry

Thay Minh, Su Co Bao, and Thay An visited 2 prisons while they were in the US. 
They provided dharma Talks and meditation instructions.

  Left to right: Thay Minh, a prisoner, Thay An, Su Co Bao at the prison in Walla Walla 
 Memorial Service for Thich Giac Nhien at Ngoc Son Temple

Ngoc Son Temple mourners
      
Ven. Thich Minh Thien, Abbot at Ngoc Son Temple invited Thay Kozen to visit his temple and celebrate the anniversary of Thich Giac Nhien's death. 

Left: Thay Kozen participates in Alms Rounds, where lay people offer food to monks and nuns.

Right:  Thich Minh Thien inspects Mt. Adams Meditation huts with Thay Kozen.

Visiting monks and nuns pose for a photo with Thay Kozen and Ven. Thich Minh Thien.
Thich Nhat Hanh continues to slowly recover
Per the latest news release from Plum Village in France: 8 January 2016
Since the dawn of the New Year, Thay has very clearly communicated to us a wish to return to his hermitage in Plum Village, France. Thay is satisfied with the progress he has made so far, thanks to the phenomenal care and attention of the doctors at UCSF, as well as all the many wonderful therapists treating him in the past six months. Thay would now like to return home to benefit from the healing collective energy there and to be with his Plum Village family. The doctors approved of Thay's decision and assured us that Thay could make the journey without risk. The attendant team will continue to care for our teacher around the clock and to find the most appropriate therapies.
 
We are very happy to announce that Thay arrived safely at Bergerac airport in France this afternoon (Friday 8th January), and returned to his hermitage in Plum Village, to a warm welcome of songs and smiles from his monastic disciples.

DONATE TO SUPPORT HIS RECOVERY at:
https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/weblink.aspx?name=tnh&id=6
We are a small Thien (Zen) Buddhist Temple practicing  "laughing farmer zen" - living our practice, sitting zazen, being here - right now!
Services & Meditation  
Hood River, OR
Monday at Noon
Trinity Natural Medicine
1808 Belmont Ave., Hood River
-----
Vancouver WA
first Sunday of the month
at 3pm
Buu Hung Monastery
17808 NE 18th St.
Vancouver WA


August
3 Grief group - The Dalles 
10 PEACE CAMP
September
10 Retreat - one day Meditation - please register +
10 - 18  Red Cedar Zen hike 
24 Autumn Equinox - Druid Event
30-Oct 2 NCNM Qigong Retreat - Private
October  
3 Grief group - The Dalles

7-9 NCNM Qigong Retreat -
  Private  
10 - Nov 3 Taiwan Retreat
14-16 NCNM Qigong Retreat - Private
29 Samhain - Druid Event
November
18-20  FALL RETREAT
December
8 Bodhi Day - meditation 12/7 at 11:30pm to 12:30am 12/8
Please Register   +
17 Winter Solstice - Druid Event
30 Midnight Meditation - 12/30 at 11:30pm to 12:30am 1/1 Please Register +
Is your group part of the Northwest Dharma Association? 
If not, it is time to join!  If you are a solitary practitioner or without a sangha, you can still donate dana (money).  They are a clearing house for Buddhist Activity in the Northwest and need our support. 
 
read more about the NWDA at  http://www.northwestdharma.org/

Needs our financial help
Sponsor a:
Child
Monk
Nun
the organization
at
 www.tibetaid.org 
Thich Minh Thien's Column
Liberation

The Buddhist Path is often described in terms of freedom and liberation.  It was the Gautama Shakyamuni's original intention, as he set out on his spiritual path, to free living beings from suffering.  Upon his awakening as the Buddha, his first teachings on the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path gave every sentient being the opportunity to live in such a way that our suffering is relieved and thus, our hearts and lives open to freedom and liberation.  The Buddha saw that people's ignorance of the nature of change was the cause of suffering.  Because we desire to hold on to what we value, we suffer when life's inevitable process of change separates us from those things.  Liberation from suffering comes, the Buddha taught, when we are able to sever our attachments to the transient things of this world.  One might argue that it is impossible to live in the world without attachments, or indeed to eradicate them.  Our affections for others, the desire to succeed in our endeavors, our interests and passions, our love of life itself - all of these are attachments and potential sources of disappointment or suffering.  They are however, the substance of our humanity and the elements of engaged and fulfilled lives.  The challenge is not to rid oneself of attachments, but to become enlightened concerning them.  It is in the transformation rather than the total elimination of desire that reduces our suffering and brings about liberation.

From and article I recently read, it stated: "...Early Buddhist teachings focused on the impermanence of all things.  In this perspective, the practice was oriented away from the world:  life is suffering, the world is a place of uncertainty; liberation lies in freeing oneself from the attachment to worldly things and concerns, attaining a transcendent enlightenment...".  This focus regarded enlightenment, or the final liberation of Buddahood as a goal to be obtained at some future point in time.  A revision of this focus however, found in the Lotus Sutra, teaches that each person is inherently and originally a Buddha.  Through our Buddhist practice, we develop our enlightened qualities and exercise them in the world here and now for the sake of others and for the purpose of positively transforming society.  That allows the true nature of our lives, our inherent Buddha nature, to realize the expansive freedom and liberation in each moment.

In their proper perspective, when we can see them clearly and master them rather than being mastered by them, desires and attachments enable us to live interesting and significant lives.  Consider that it is our "small ego" or "lesser self" that makes us slaves to our desires and causes us to suffer.  Our Buddhist practice enables us to break out of the shell of our lesser self and awaken to the "greater self" of our Buddha nature.  This expanded sense of self is based on a clear awareness of the interconnected fabric of life which we are part of and which sustains us.  When awakened to the reality off our relatedness to all life, we can overcome the fear of change and experience the deeper continuities beyond and beneath the ceaseless flow of change.

The basic character of our greater self is compassion.  Ultimate freedom is experienced when we develop the ability to channel the full energy of our attachments into compassionate concern and action on behalf of others.

And so consider the following from the Prajnaparamita:
"How amazing.  All living beings have the Buddha nature of awakening and freedom, yet they do not realize this.  Unknowingly they wander on the ocean of suffering for lifetimes.  It is time to realize your own Buddha nature."

Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
Kozen's grandson, Sebastian, has moved to Olympia Washington to attend the Evergreen State College.  We all miss him.
Goodbye Dear Friends

Front row left to right: Thay An, Thay Minh, Thay Kozen, Debbie, Thay Z
Back row left to right:  Su Co Minh, Su Co Bao
This photo was taken in Hood River overlooking the Columbia River and Gorge.  All of our guest monks and nuns have gone home for now but will return in the Spring.
 
May the Infinite Light of Wisdom and Compassion so shine within us that the errors and vanities of self may be dispelled; so shall we understand the changing nature of existence and awaken into spiritual peace.

What We think we become.
Buddha
Travel to Taiwan
Our travel to Taiwan is scheduled for October 2016.  Do you want to join us for a 2 week tour of temples and ceremonies?
Master Nguyen Kim
is at home now in Co Lam Pagoda.  He has caregivers with him 24 hours a day and is on hospice.  He seems at peace with his life, faithful and content knowing the Amitābha Buddha. 
Nam Mô A Di Đà Phật
Signs in Limbini on the path to visit the Buddha's birthplace 
We took these photos as we walked to the site of Buddha's birth in Lambini, Nepal several years ago.  There were recent archeological digs going on there - tracing the history of Buddhist building sites. 
We published these photos last year in this newsletter and I think the message is still very valid.  Kozen
Sign at Buddha's birthplace


PO Box 487, Trout Lake WA 98650     www.MtAdamsZen.org

509.395.2030  (e-mail -put in the @ sign) kozen1 at embarqmail.com