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Mt Adams Zen Buddhist Temple

 

September 2013 Newsletter

Dear Dharma Friends,
I am reminded that there are several approaches to living our life.

"Life and death are of supreme importance. Time swiftly passes by and opportunity is lost.  Each of us should strive to awaken. Awaken. Take heed, do not squander your life." Dogen

 

Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury

Signifying nothing.  

Macbeth, Act 5, Scene 5, Shakespeare

Many of us seem to be caught in Macbeth's vision of life, each day just another one of suffering.  The Buddha tells us that to live is to suffer due to our attachment to our desires.  We have a choice - to live our lives fully - counting each moment as real and being alive in the "now".  Many folks seem to live "a near life experience" 

What is your choice?  How will you live your life?   

How will you experience living? 

The Northwest Dharma Association,
Open Gate Zendo,
& Mt Adams Zen Buddhist Temple

Invite you to join us for
 
Fall Retreat,
a 3-day live-in meditation intensive

October 18 - 20
(Friday - Sunday)

We are limited to 20 attendees so please register early.

 
We will practice several forms of meditation, and develop metta, loving kindness practices for ourselves and others.
Vegetarian meals will be served.

Please contact Abby for reservations at 509-637-4511,  
or e-mail her at abgale@embarqmail.com.

  Lord Buddha

 
If you are able to arrive early on Friday, 18 October, please come for our 6:30 am temple service and stay for the rest of the day if you like.
 
We are asking for a $120.00 donation, but we would rather have you here than your money, so don't let finances stop you from coming.

The event will be held at Mt Adams Zen Buddhist Temple at the base of Mount Adams;
  46 Stoller Rd., Trout Lake WA 98650   509.395.2030   www.mtadamszen.org 
Hope to see you here at the Abbey!           
 

 
Monks and nuns making alms rounds at Co Lam Pagoda in Seattle
Ven. Kozen on alms rounds

In Buddhism, alms or almsgiving is the respect given by a lay Buddhist to a Buddhist monk, nun, spiritually-developed person, or other sentient being. It is not charity as presumed by Western interpreters. It is closer to a symbolic connection to the spiritual realm and to show humility and respect in the presence of the secular society. The act of alms giving assists in connecting the lay person to the monk or nun and what he/she represents. As the Buddha has stated:

Householders & the homeless or charity [monastics]
in mutual dependence

both reach the true Dhamma....-Itivuttaka

We are a small Thien (Zen) Buddhist Temple practicing  "laughing farmer zen" - living our practice, sitting zazen, being here - right now!

Calendar


SEPTEMBER

9 Kozen to CRCC
12 - 16 Mama bear retreat
30 Kozen to CRCC

 

OCTOBER
5 Bodhi Dharma Day
18-20 Fall Meditation Intensive
21 Kozen to CRCC

 

NOVEMBER
8 renewal of our financial pledge to Tibet Aid
16 One day meditation Intensive
18 Kozen to CRCC
 
More Words of Wisdom 
by Gandi-ji

"Let the first act of every morning be to make the following resolve for the day:

- I shall not fear anyone on Earth.
- I shall fear only God.
- I shall not bear ill will toward anyone.
- I shall not submit to injustice from anyone.
- I shall conquer untruth by truth. And in resisting untruth, I shall put up with all suffering."  

 

"You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is like an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty."    

"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated."

"Each night, when I go to sleep, I die. And the next morning, when I wake up, I am reborn."

"To believe in something, and not to live it, is dishonest."

"What difference does it make to the dead, the orphans and the homeless, whether the mad destruction is wrought under the name of totalitarianism or in the holy name of liberty or democracy?"

"Whatever you do will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it."

"There are people in the world so hungry, that God cannot appear to them except in the form of bread."
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 sanga you can still donate dana (money).  The are a clearing house for Buddhist Activity in the Northwest and need our support. 
 
read more about the NWDA at http://www.northwestdharma.org/ 

 


You are perfect just the way you are...and you could use a little help.  Suzuki Roshi

Buddha Walk
We have 8 Buddha statues in shrines surrounding our farm.  You can walk from statue to statue offering incense at each one.  We'll soon have signage up to tell the story of Buddha's teachings of the 8 fold path and a description of each Buddha and what the mudra (hand position) means.  You can come and do the Buddha walk at any time - see the information kiosk in front of the main entrance for details.
Hiking at Bird Creek Meadows
Each week we try to hike somewhere up on Mt. Adams.  Our usual hikes have been put on hold due to Kozen's injured shoulder but we hope to resume them shortly.
  This photo shows one of the many waterfalls and wildflowers up on Patoh (Mt Adams).  You can access this hike by paying a fee to the Yakima Nation.  It is quite a bumpy ride getting to the site but once you get there it is wonderful! 

Handicapped Ramp
Our new ADA (handicapped accessible) retreat cabin has a newly completed wheelchair ramp and an adjacent cement parking pad.  We are very happy to offer this to our practitioners who are wheelchair bound.  We also have a handicapped shower and toilet.  We hope to add ADA rooms to our B&B within the next 5 years. 


Meditation Boardwalk
Stuart, our carpenter, is working on making a raised boardwalk for walking meditation.  We are excited to be competing this project and to be starting on the landscaping.  We currently have 6 meditation huts completed and will be able to start landscaping in September.  We will also be putting in tumbled cement paving stones to make walkways to the huts, and there will be heaters in each hut for winter use.   Note the small shrines along the right side of the photo in between the covered sitting benches.  
Just for your information.
There are 2 stores in Portland that have metal and stone Buddha Statues for sale.
The Monkey King at 2215 NW Quimby Street
Cargo 380 NW 13th Ave.
We've bought Buddha statues there for our goal of 1,000 Buddha shrines.

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

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