The Two Great Times of Life
The late Master Nguyen Kim, who passed away several years ago, said that Fall is a special time of change. It is like our age as we approach winter, the "Great Time of Death". Then, we experience the "Great Time of Rebirth" again in the Spring.
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October 2022
This is a long newsletter with many photos near the end.
Be sure to enable photos and the full newsletter.
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Services via ZOOM - SUMMER & FALL SCHEDULE
TEMPLE SERVICES Via ZOOM
MONDAY - FRIDAY at 6:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. via ZOOM
MONDAY at 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. via ZOOM
SATURDAY 8:30 a.m. - service + meditation via ZOOM & in person
Special Vajrayana and Theravada education from March - September 2022
1st and 2nd Saturdays - Mahayana teaching
3rd Saturday - Vajrayana teachings Khenpo Karten Rinpoche
4th Saturday - Theravāda teachings Ven. Bhante Patthago
SUNDAY LGBTQ+ Group 7:30 p.m.
IN PERSON MEETINGS
SATURDAY MORNING SERVICE at 8:30 am
M-F AM Meditation 6:30am - 7:30am
M-F PM Meditation 5:30pm - 6:30pm
46 Stoller Rd. Trout Lake WA
THURSDAY at 10:30 am - 11:30 p.m. IN PERSON
1412 13th Street, Suite 200. Hood River, OR 97031
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Thich Nhat Hanh study group on the 2nd & 4th Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m.
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UPCOMING IN-PERSON CLASSES (some on zoom) at our temple
OCTOBER
Fall Meditation Retreat CANCELLED
Oct 8 - Ordination 10:30AM - noon
Oct 9 Shinrin-Yoku
Oct 12-19 Chinese Medicine Retreat with Ed Neal
Oct 21-23 NUNM Retreat
30 Day Retreat with August Jensen “Freeing the Mind”
Already Free—the mind we are searching for is also the mind we already have.
NOVEMBER
12,19,26 Classes for Taking Refuge (+ZOOM) at 10:30 AM after Morning Service
DECEMBER
Dec 3 Taking Refuge Ceremony (+ZOOM)
Dec 8 Midnight meditation
Dec 17 Winter Solstice Ritual (Indo-European Practices/ not Buddhist)
Dec 31 Midnight Meditation (ring the great bell 108 times)
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Dear ones,
We had a theft of over $3,000 from Thay Kozen's desk. It was money saved for the upcoming ordination and temple expenses. In reacting to it we realize that we all have been caught in desire, anger, and ignorance. This theft was expensive yet no different from a young child stealing a candy bar from a store. The ever present ego overrides our knowledge that we are all one.
A good motto to live with: "If you lose, I lose. If you win I win"
We are all truly one - we cannot be separated from all other life. We all do the best we can with what we have. Some us remain caught in the web of desire, anger, and ignorance for all of our lives. Others of us find freedom and peace in the Buddha's teachings.
The great Zen teacher Dogan Zenji warns us to "not squander your life".
The devastating hurricane, Ian, the war in Ukraine, the high cost of food & gas, the middle east unrest, poverty and hunger, the migration of people towards a better life, illness, old age, and death are all causes for unhappiness and sorrow. Let us send out well wishing and metta to all who suffer. A lifetime may be either too short or too long for some of us. Any action to decrease suffering makes the world a better place for all of us.
Our historical teacher, The Buddha, tells us that we life lives filled with dissatisfaction due to our attachments. May the peace of the Dharma be in each of us and may we offer support for all who suffer.
To our Jewish and Jewish Buddhists (JewBoos) brothers and sisters - May you have a good Day of Atonement. Yom Kippur, which is one of the two components of the "High Holy Days" of Judaism.
in metta, Thay Kozen
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Our dear Thay Z found this and sent it to me with a note: "Thought this was nicely done".
Yes indeed - so many of us are turning to metta. May we all find ways to practice metta in our lives.
Thank you "Mindfulness Man",,....Thay Kozen
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Thich Minh Thien, (Thay Z)
Abbot of Budding Dharma
Arlington, Texas
Waiting On The Moment
Have you ever waited for something? I would think it is a safe bet that this experience of waiting for something to be or to end is common to us all. My first remembrance of such an experience was waiting for my parents to return home. At about the age of 8, my parents would trust me to babysit my younger brother occasionally when they went out for a bit in the evening. I can still remember waking up around midnight or so and going into a panic because they had not returned home yet when they said they would be home around 11. I remember quite vividly the panic and fear I felt. I was sure something terrible had happened to them and that they would not be returning. I remember calling our neighbors around 1230, getting them out of bed and crying over the phone that my parents had not returned from their evening out and I was sure some disaster had befallen them. They would try to comfort me saying all would be well and of course, it always was.
There are those other moments of waiting that we all experience like starting school, waiting to be old enough to drive or drink, waiting on that call of acceptance on that new job or waiting for love to enter our lives. You can fill in the blanks for all of your experiences waiting on the moment. Can you distinguish the differing emotions you experienced from each waiting moment? My recollection of emotions ranged from suffering from fear, being impatient or apprehensive or sinking into anger, rage or hatred.
One thing to look at is what we do with the time spent while waiting. Many times we choose to do something to distract ourselves from the discomfort or angst of waiting. We turn on the tv, call or text someone on the phone, or sometimes, just sit and let the emotions arise. It is in these moments that we can choose different thoughts or actions more inline with what we have been learning on this buddhist path. Spiritual practice is not just sitting and meditating. Practice is looking, thinking, touching, drinking, eating, and talking. It is every act, every breath, every step, and yes, even waiting can become part of our practice and can help us to be our better selves.
Practicing mindfulness with patience while waiting can help us find many small moments in the day that bring the thread of awareness up from where it lies hiding in the complex fabric of our lives. Any event including waiting can be a common event that may produce negative emotions. All can be transformed into a gift we give ourselves or others. The mind benefits doubly: first, by abandoning negative states of mind and second, by gaining the beneficial effects of even a few extra minutes of practice woven into the day.
In Buddhism, patience is referred to as one of the “perfections" that a bodhisattva practices to realize perfect enlightenment. The Buddhist concept of patience is distinct from the English definition of the word. In Buddhism, patience refers to not returning harm to self or others when negative emotions arise. It is the ability to control one's emotions even when being criticized or attacked. In verse 184 of the Dhammapada it is written, “…enduring patience is the highest austerity”.
So the next time you are challenged by waiting on some moment to arrive, see it as an opportunity to be deeply in your practice and observe the emotions rather than be triggered by them. Being anxious, angry, apprehensive or afraid waiting on the moment to arrive doesn’t make it happen any sooner.
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
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The Eightfold Path is composed of eight primary teachings that Buddhists follow
and use in their everyday lives.
Think of this path as a clear and concise map
to go from Saṃsāra to Awakening.
1. Right View or Right Understanding: Insight into the true nature of reality
2. Right Intention: The unselfish desire to realize enlightenment
3. Right Speech: Using speech compassionately
4. Right Action: Using ethical conduct to manifest compassion
5. Right Livelihood: Making a living through ethical and nonharmful means
6. Right Effort: Cultivating wholesome qualities and releasing unwholesome qualities
7. Right Mindfulness: Whole body-and-mind awareness
8. Right Concentration: Meditation or some other dedicated, concentrated practice
The word translated as "right" is samyanc (Sanskrit) or samma (Pali), which means "wise," "wholesome," "skillful," "harmonious" and "ideal." It also describes something that is complete and coherent. The word "right" should not be taken as a commandment, as in "do this, or you are wrong if you don't do it this way."
Another way to think of "right" in this case is in the sense of equilibrium,
like a boat riding the waves and remaining "upright."
While we use the word suffering, it may be though of as dissatisfaction with our life.
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Charles Eisenstein, A Man Worth Knowing About
Charles Eisenstein is an American public speaker and author. His work covers a wide range of topics, including the history of human civilization, economics, spirituality, and the ecology movement. Key themes explored include anti-consumerism, interdependence, and how myth and narrative influence culture.
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Naga
Part of my practice is to honor the tradition of the Naga. In metta, Thay Kozen
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Ted Fontaine has disrobed and moved. He decided to move in with a dear, longtime, older, disabled friend who's wife just died. What a sweet action on Ted's part, may he be a comfort and support to a dear friend. Per Ted, he will continue attending Zoom meetings and practicing Buddhism. Ted has several interests. One of his hobbies is wood carving - may he have more time for hobbies now. He took great care of our hallway of plants.
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Health Corner
All The Convincing You'll Need To Ditch Bottled Water For Good
The plastic packaging of your beloved bottled water may pose certain health risks. There’s some evidence that shows bottled water may contain potentially harmful chemicals in its packaging.
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Risks Of Not Getting the Flu Vaccine
Make sure you know the basics about the flu vaccine so you can decide how best to keep you and your family safe this season.
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Night Owls At High Risk Of Certain Chronic Diseases, Study Says
If you prefer to go to bed and get up later -- a sleep chronotype known as being a night owl -- you may be at higher risk for type 2 diabetes and heart disease, a new study found.
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Coffee Lowers Risk of Heart Problems and Early Death,
study says, especially ground and caffeinated
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Columbia Gorge Recovery Dharma
Columbia Gorge Recovery Dharma meets online:
Sundays at 6:15 pm (Pacific Time)
Facebook Group (private): "Columbia Gorge Recovery Dharma"
Recovery Dharma is a peer led movement and a community that is unified by the potential in each of us to recover and find freedom from the suffering of addiction. This book uses the Buddhist practices of meditation, self inquiry, wisdom, compassion, and community as tools for recovery and healing. We welcome anyone who is looking to find freedom from suffering, whether it’s caused by substance use or process addictions like codependency, sex, gambling, eating disorders, shopping, work, technology, or any obsessive or habitual pattern. We approach recovery from a place of individual and collective empowerment and we support each other as we walk this path of recovery
NORCOR (Northern Oregon Regional Correctional Facility) could use more copies of the Recovery Dharma book in the library; contact Richard for more details.
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New Statues For Our Temple
Beautiful new stone carvings from Vietnam are on the way to our temple. We're busy building altars for them now. The tall statue requires an engineered base as it weighs 120,000 lbs. Many people have donated funds to bring this beautiful statue here. May all who see them find their hearts opening to great peace and kindness.
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The Happy Buddha, Phat De Lac will arrive soon at our temple. He is thought of as an incarnation of the Maitreya Buddha of the future
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Kṣitigarbha, Địa Tạng Bồ Tát has been carved and is awaiting shipment to our temple.
Kṣitigarbha is a bodhisattva primarily revered in East Asian Buddhism and usually depicted as a Buddhist monk. His name may be translated as
"Earth Treasury",
"Earth Store",
"Earth Matrix",
or "Earth Womb
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3 stone incensories are also carved and on the way. T Incense is mentioned frequently in the Pali Canon, scriptures that date to the life of the Buddha
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A Wedding For Thay Kozen's Niece |
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Left to right, Rev. Kirk Thomas, Bill Andrew, Ryan Sampson, Thay Kozen and Ven celebrate Thay's niece's wedding |
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Bill and Ryan's wedding was attended by about 100 people with delicious catered food, a DJ and dancing |
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Thay Kozen's other niece, Shey Sampson, prepared Buck Eyes, an Ohio cookie treat. |
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Tashi delek
Khenpo Karten Rinpoche from the Manjushri Dharma Center
was the lead presenter at a Tibetan practice weekend retreat. Khenpo Karten Rinpoche was born in 1965 in Eastern Tibet, Kham, Nangchen, Zalmogang. He tells us, "We are temporary guests who have gathered together in the world of humankind due to karma. If we think and act badly while we are living in this beautiful world, creating only negative karma, the day we die we will be oppressed by heavy non-virtue and strong regret. At that time it will be too late. Therefore it is better to live now in such a way that we do not have regret at the time of death".
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Chanting and metta filled the new temple patio |
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Prayer flags were put up with great fun and fanfare |
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Tashi delek is a Tibetan expression used in greeting, congratulation, and good-luck wishes.
Traditionally, prayer flags come in sets of five. The five colors represent the five elements and the Five Pure Lights. Different elements are associated with different colors for specific traditions, purposes and sadhana. Blue symbolizes the sky and space, white symbolizes the air and wind, red symbolizes fire, green symbolizes water, and yellow symbolizes earth. According to Traditional Tibetan medicine, health and harmony are produced through the balance of the five elements. Prayer flags, some of which are called wind horses, send messages of well wishing, peace, metta, and encouragement throughout the world carried on the breezes.
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Ned, Ted, and Tiffany - thank you for the lovely homemade bread |
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The as of yet unfinished patio (phase I) of our new temple now has electricity. Above you can see the glow of lights as dusk appears and the sun leaves us for another day. We had a rainstorm and the roof did not leak - a most wonderful finding. |
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Paul Sampson, Thay's brother, joined in the family festivities of his daughter's wedding. |
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Deer come by in the morning to graze a bit and have a cool drink. Elk wander through later in the year. Such a joy! |
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Ven. Bhante talks with Scott and visitors from Germany. Visitors seem to find us. |
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Our tree lined driveway has Spring flowers and fall color. As it gets cooler the color change is magnificent. |
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In this time of change from Summer to Fall we can experience the great circle of seasons. This song of Joni Mitchell's speak to the changes in all of our lives. The verse: "And they tell him take your time it won't be long now Till you drag your feet to slow the circles down" becomes more real as I get older.
...Thay Kozen
Circle Game
by Joni Mitchell
Yesterday a child came out to wonder, Caught a dragonfly inside a jar
Fearful when the sky was full of thunder And tearful at the falling of a star
Then the child moved ten times round the seasons, Skated over ten clear frozen streams
Words like when you're older must appease him And promises of someday make his dreams
And the seasons they go round and round And the painted ponies go up and down
We're captive on the carousel of time We can't return we can only look
Behind from where we came And go round and round and round In the circle game
Sixteen springs and sixteen summers gone now Cartwheels turn to car wheels thru the town
And they tell him take your time it won't be long now Till you drag your feet to slow the circles down
And the seasons they go round and round And the painted ponies go up and down
We're captive on the carousel of time We can't return we can only look
Behind from where we came And go round and round and round In the circle game
So the years spin by and now the boy is twenty Though his dreams have lost some grandeur coming true
There'll be new dreams maybe better dreams and plenty Before the last revolving year is through
And the seasons they go round and round And the painted ponies go up and down
We're captive on the carousel of time We can't return we can only look
Behind from where we came And go round and round and round In the circle game
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Buddhist Terms
Dharma or Dhamma = In Buddhism, dharma means "cosmic law and order" as expressed by the teachings of the Buddha. In Buddhist philosophy, dhamma/dharma is also the term for "phenomena". It can also be thought of as the teachings of our historical teacher, The Buddha, or Buddhist Masters down through the ages.
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