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Mid-America
Buddhist Association
(MABA)
Join us every Sunday
for meditation, chanting, and study
in-person at MABA
(299 Heger Lane, Augusta, MO)
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Hello Friends!
May has come and gone, and as spring is coming closer to an end, we prepare for summer! Venerable KongYan has come back for summer break and Master JiRu has gone to Chicago most weekends to give teachings at IBFA. See his schedule for IBFA and plan your visit here.
MABA will be closed on June 9th. Please join us at Fo Guang Shan for Vesak Day celebration.
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Admission to the 2024-2026 Diploma in Buddhist Studies is still open. Apply now!
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Sunday Morning at MABA schedule:
9:30 - Silent Meditation
10:10 - Dharma Talk by Master Ji Ru (if there is no dharma talk, then we will continue silent meditation)
10:45 - Chanting
11:10 - group discussion at the Manjushri Hall
11:45 - Vegetarian Lunch at Blue Lotus House
Event Calendar
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Buddhist Teaching of the Month
The wise are controlled in bodily action, controlled in speech, and controlled in thought.
They are truly well-controlled.
-Dhp 234 Kodhavagga: Anger by
Acharya Buddharakkhita
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VOLUNTEERS ARE WELCOME!
SOW THE SEEDS
OF GOOD DEEDS
| The spring season is here! Our monastery is happy to receive any help in cleaning the Chan Hall, yard work and gardening. Join us on Saturdays, we provide a vegetarian lunch. Please let us know if you are willing to come and help. | |
Vladimir cutting back the 2 rows of overgrown junipers in front of the Chan Hall. | |
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MABA is still in deep reflection, so events will be fewer and far between, if you would like to see us before then visit us on Sundays or volunteer on Saturday
June 9th
Vesak Day
Hosted by Fo Guang Shan St. Louis Buddhist Center
Organized by the Buddhist Council of Greater St. Louis, MO
MABA will be closed on June 9th. Please join us at Fo Guang Shan for Vesak Day celebration.
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Master Ji Ru's Upcoming Teaching Events | |
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6/2-23/24 -Sundays ONLY - Dharma Teaching at IBFA Chicago (in Chinese)
https://www.ibfachicagotemple.org/events
9/15/24 -Teaching at BAUS, New York, in Memory of Dr. CT Shen
https://www.baus.org/en/activities/chuang-yen-monastery activities/diamond-sutra-study-retreat-series-2-ven-ji-ru-9-15-9am-3pm/
10/16 /24- 11/13/24 - Teachings in Malaysia
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Keep Up With the Latest News at MABA!
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Teachers and long time supporters of MABA having a day of learning, practice, and dharma discussions. | |
Venerable KongShi and Venerable KongYan went to a health summit in Jefferson City on May 2-3 and learned about Senior healthcare. Here is a list of resources they shared at the Faith and Health Summit. Faith and Health Summit Resources. | |
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After the rain come the beautiful array of flowers and berries! The peonies are in full bloom and it is time for the strawberries to be picked. We are hard at work tending to the garden! | |
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After Sunday Morning service, we head down to the Blue Lotus house for tea time and Dharma discussion with the master.
If you miss Sunday Dharma Talks, you can always listen to them on MABA's YouTube.
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2024 is a special year for periodical cicadas:
- For the first time since 2015 a 13-year brood emerged in the same year as a 17-year brood.
Read more about them here.
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Monastic "Deep Reflection" Retreat
This year from October 2023 till September 2024 MABA monastic community will take time to have a deep reflection retreat, dedicated to studying Samyutta Nikaya and Samyukta Agama. During that time few changes will happen, including:
- MABA is open to the public on Sundays only.
- Events that MABA will organize during this period are Sunday Mornings, Qingming Blessing and Dizang Blessing. New events and retreats after October will be announced later.
- MABA will begin accepting overnights requests on October 1, 2024.
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From October 2023 till September 2024 MABA monastic community will be in a deep reflection retreat dedicated to studying Samyutta Nikaya and Samyukta Agama. During that time MABA will not accept applications for the monastic training program. But if you are interested to know more about this program and would like to apply later, please do not hesitate to reach out. | |
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Dana
is the virtue of giving. The monastic community is fully dependent on the lay community's support. For now MABA relies almost fully on the support of traditional Asian community. It is very important for us to help the Western community develop the six paramitas (perfections), the first of which is the virtue of giving. The importance of practicing Dana is known through its benefit for overcoming lower fetters, such as greed and ignorance, and as the way to accumulate merits that will support the practice of meditation. Without preliminary effort to establish virtuous actions, the practice of meditation often becomes fruitless. Do not hesitate to seize any opportunity to develop this virtue.
Thank you for your ongoing support!
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Check Out DBS
Video of the Month
| Learn about the two-year program in Buddhist studies, taught by experienced Buddhist teachers. | |
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Volunteer of the Month
Mak
The original architect of MABA, he has designed The Blue Lotus House, Dizang Hall, Chan Hall, Buffalo Lodge, Guan Yin Pavilion, the Kong Hut and so much more! He has always lent a helping hand. After his retirement, Mak enjoyed coming to the Sunday Morning Services with his wife Christina, and sister-in-law, Winnie, to meditate and listen to Dharma Talks. He has frequently volunteered after every Sunday morning service.
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Introducing Herbal Plants at MABA | |
Wild Chamomile growing everywhere at MABA! The flowers can be picked and dried for making tea. For how to harvest, dry, and store, you could check online for more information and its medicinal uses. | | |
Honeysuckle (Lonicera caprifolia) is a flowering shrubs or vine growing very wild at MABA. It has many potential medicinal uses. However, mostly flowers from vine are picked and dried for medicinal uses. You could check more of its uses online. | | |
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Interfaith
MABA accepts invitations from schools, educational institutes and other religious organizations to introduce Buddhism and mindfulness practice, as well as to join interfaith dialogues that promote mutual understanding between practices.
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Lanterns
For our Dharma friends and supporters who wish to make a dedicated lantern offering, we will engrave a tablet in your name (or any name you wish) and place it at the pavilion.
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Funeral services
Reservation of the niches, ordering the urns, placing the urns, relocating the urns, chanting service for transference of merits, funeral services, placement of name tablet of ancestors, and visiting dying patients.
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Mid America Buddhist Association | +1-636-4824O37 | https://maba-usa.org/
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