September 2022 Buddhist Newsletter |
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In this newsletter:
Services and classes
Thay Kozen's message
New Temple Building
Suchness - Thich Thien An
Sa Di Minh Tam (Ted's) journey
Recovery Dharma
Thich Minh Thien (Thay Z)
Health Corner
Milarepa by Khenpo Karten Rinpoche
Thus-ness + domino video
Amitabha Tibetan Retreat
Khenpo Karten Rinpoche
Rumi Class
Family & Children Forest Bathing
Dragonfly Preschool
Yoga - Lori Van Cott
Temple Happenings Photos
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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
46 Stoller Rd. Trout Lake WA
THURSDAY at 11:30 am - 12:30 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
SEPTEMBER\
Sept 16-18 Tibetan Amitābha Retreat with Khenpo Karten Rinpoche retreat
23-24 Sept Rumi Class with Pouria
23-25 Autumn Equinox Druid Ritual (Indo-European Practices/ not Buddhist)
Sept 25 Shinrin-Yoku for Kids with Stephanie & Laurie
Sept. 30 - 2 October Yoga Retreat with Laurie VanCott
OCTOBER
Oct 4-9 Fall Meditation Retreat (+ Shinrin-Yoku)
Oct 9 Shinrin-Yoku
Oct 12-19 Chinese Medicine Retreat with Ed Neal
Oct 21-23 NUNM Retreat
Oct 29 Samhain Ritual (Indo-European Practices/ not Buddhist)
NOVEMBER
12,19,26 Classes for Taking Refuge (+ZOOM)
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,
There are so very many people who have so much wisdom about life, science, technology, biology etc. The Buddha taught us that he knows many things, but that he only teaches the cessation of suffering. He is the physician, monks and nuns are the nurses, the Dharma is the medicine. May we all find peace.
At this time and at this place, I know a song that speaks my hopes.
Imagine by John Lennon
Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today,
Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace.
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one.
Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world.
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one.
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The 3 monks living at our temple have had Covid. Gratefully we're all healing well and are almost over it. Everyday practice of "breath in and breath out" has been a wonderful practice as our bodies wrestled with a nasty and debilitating virus. Thay Z in Texas is suffering a bit from long Covid.
A special thanks to Rev. Scott See who has temporarily moved in to take care of us, cook, and clean. Also thank you to the many well wishers who have offered metta and have been willing to do errands etc.
We have had many visitors - we all remain masked and socially distant. It is with deep gratitude and humility that we continue our journey back to health.
May all beings be well and healthy......In metta and hope.......Thay Kozen
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NEW TEMPLE PROGRESS
The new temple construction is ongoing and we are making slow progress. It has taken far longer than we expected. We are almost done with phase 1 and hope to start on the new Dharma Hall
by the end of this year.
We were blessed by the first group use of our new space, a gathering of Sufis led by Rev Bodhi Be and Leila. We laid down carpets in the space to make it a special home for our practice.
May all who use the new temple find peace.
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There are many YouTube.com videos teaching us about ethics, values, and tolerance. One such video speaks of a mistake and then a forgiveness. Maybe all of our TV viewing and news obsessing might be tempered a bit by more videos like this one. I like the "What Would You Do" videos a lot....Thay Kozen |
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SUCHNESS
Tathata, which means "suchness" or "thusness," is a word sometimes used primarily in Mahayana Buddhism to mean "reality," or the way things really are. It's understood that the true nature of reality is ineffable, beyond description and conceptualization. "Suchness," then, is deliberately vague to keep us from conceptualizing it. We perceive the world through words, through ideas. This obsession with cameras and photography now, is just wanting to capture things, capture moments on film, petrify them in time, and make them fixed because everything is moving and changing. But Suchness, or Tathata, the Tathagata, is right now. This is the way it is.
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A year in the life of an Aspirant
by Sadi Minh Tam
I arrived at the Mt. Adams Buddhist Temple after a two-day drive from Missouri. I was an unhappy man looking for a new start, and the temple was a great place to start. My plan was to work for the summer and then move back to Salem, Oregon. Funny thing about making plans, they don’t always come to fruition, or as Thay Kozen would say “If you want to make the universe laugh just make a plan.” The following events brought hilarity to the universe.
After thirty days I passed the trial phase. There were no major problems, and everyone got along very nicely. This was very encouraging as I had become very enchanted with the valley, the farm, and the people here. This was very encouraging as I planned to stay for another couple of months, maybe more if things worked out. (And the Universe kept laughing.)
After ninety days had passed we decided I would enter the Lay Ministerial Program. I would shave my head and start wearing monk’s robes, after all, we are a monastery. The Ministerial Program, at the time, was a program to be certified as a Minister instead of becoming a Novice Monk. I studied and practiced in this manner for many months. Different ideas were discussed about my future here at the Temple. We would wait to see how things went. (And the Universe kept laughing.)
After six months it was decided I would become a Novice Monk, eventually. There was more training involved and I was ready. But, shortly before my six-month trial period something happened that changed everything. The universe roared with laughter. I broke my ankle and had to have reconstructive surgery. There went my plans to go snowboarding. Well, I had plenty of time for my reading, studies, and meditation. But, that’s right, the universe kept laughing.
Six more months later I reached the one-year plateau. There were many trials and tribulations over the long winter months. Patience was stretched thin and feelings got hurt. The funny thing about having a strong Buddhist practice is having the Buddha Dharma as a guide and a strong sense of loving kindness, (Metta), and meditation. Thay Kozen has been a wonderful teacher and a skillful mentor throughout the year. Whats next? My plan is to become a fully ordained monk. I hesitate to make too many plans. The Universe is watching.
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A Way of Freedom from Alcohol/Substance use and Attachments |
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Columbia Gorge Recovery Dharma
Columbia Gorge Recovery Dharma meets online:
Sundays at 6:15 pm and Tuesdays at 6:00 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 together.
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Thich Minh Thien, (Thay Z) Abbot of Budding Dharma
Acceptance and Non-Attachment
A few months ago, I was visited by Covid; something many who are reading this have also experienced over the last two and a half years and which I believe all will eventually be caught by. Fortunately, my symptoms were relatively mild and only lasted about 3-4 days. The fear of this virus was most definitely more concerning than the actually disease itself; or so I thought. A few weeks later, I began to experience symptoms associated with what is now known as Long Term Covid. For me, this included dizziness, extreme fatigue, body aches and brain fog. Though the symptoms of this Long Covid have diminished, some continue to visit; namely the fatigue and brain fog.
I am a human being so I must admit to falling prey to the “poor me”, “why me” and “when will this be over” syndrome. Applying the practice of Buddhist principles did move me along emotionally; especially the concept of Impermanence where the wish for this to end was my focus. But the truth is that Impermanence isn’t necessarily about an “end”. It is more accurate to say that all things are subject to “change” which may be an end to one thing and the beginning of another. It was time to add the practice of “acceptance and non-attachment” to this new wrinkle in my life.
Buddhism teaches that one of the main paths to spiritual growth and, ultimately awakening or enlightenment, is the acceptance of all things as they are in this moment. This means cultivating equanimity and the wisdom of acknowledging that, “it is the way it is”.
It is attributed to the Buddha that he said, “Serenity comes when you trade expectations for acceptance” and, “A wise man, recognizing that the world is but an illusion, does not act as if it is real, so he escapes the suffering.”
The practices of acceptance and non-attachment are critical to Zen and Buddhist practice, but they are easily misunderstood. It can sound like we’re being asked not to care about things, or not to try to change things for the better. Fortunately, this is not what Zen means by acceptance or non-attachment, because it’s impossible not to care, and trying to change things for the better is the bodhisattva path itself. So what does it mean to practice acceptance and non-attachment?
Essentially, it means we stop resisting the way things are, and then act in the world without tying everything back to our sense of self. It has nothing to do with twisting the experience around and pretending that all the misery in the world is actually beautiful or deny or sanitize or reinterpret the experience. It doesn’t say anything about what you’re going to do next. It’s entirely about being fully present right now. And it is about reacquainting our thinking to the wisdom found in the Five Remembrances.
Just allow and lead your thoughts with, “…I am of the nature to…” and, “…there is no way to avoid…”. In the case of Covid, this certainly seems to apply to my situation. It may already have visited you or will sometime in the future. No matter what challenges you, Acceptance and Non-Attachment hopefully will be useful for you as it has been for me.
May we all learn that Acceptance and Non-Attachment to an outcome is a path to the reduction of suffering. May we all be well and happy and know love and peace.
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
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Health Corner -
To keep the body in good health is a duty… otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear. Your body is precious. It is your vehicle for awakening. Treat it with care.” Siddhartha Gautama
We Live Longer If We Physically Exercise
A longer life may mean scheduling in even more than the recommended amount of weekly exercise, according to a new study. Adults should get 150 to 300 minutes of moderate physical activity or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous physical activity a week, according to the World Health Organization. But people who surpass those levels live longer than those who don't.
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Reduce Dementia Risk With These Food and Activity Choices
Eating more natural, unprocessed food, keeping active and having a good social life are all ways you can fight off dementia as you age, according to two new studies published Wednesday in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
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Cognitive decline linked to ultraprocessed food, study finds
Eating ultraprocessed foods for more than 20% of your daily calorie intake every day could set you on the road to cognitive decline, a new study revealed...Studies have found they can raise our risk of obesity, heart and circulation problems, diabetes and cancer. They may even shorten our lives.
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It also appears we are more content, happier and live longer if we eat a vegetarian diet, practice Metta (Loving Kindness), and have a spiritual practice....Thay Kozen |
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Milarepa, The King of Great Yogis
by Khenpo Karten Rinpoche
Milarepa, the king of great yogis of Tibet was not only a follower of Tibetan Buddhism, but as a Buddhist, his life story is known to many. He had many followers, but of his so-called sun, moon and star followers, his best and sun-like student was Gampopa. For many years, Milarepa bestowed on Gampopa all the empowerments, transmissions and instructions of Dhakpo Kagyu that he himself received from a succession of his teachers, from Dorjee Chang, Tilopa, Naropa to Marpa. Not only this, he also gave Gampopa the view of Mahamudra and the meditations of the Six Yogas of Naropa, the highest Kagyu teachings in their most absolute form, as if water poured from one vase to another.
One day Milarepa said to Gampopa, “You have lived with me for many years and made progress in your practice with a discerning edge. Now, son, with your recognition of the nature of emptiness and progress in your experience, it is time for you to benefit others. There is no need to stay with this old man. Go south to the Gampo mountains and be of benefit to beings. However, my son, before you leave, I will give you a pith instruction, that I have never given to anyone before.” Gampopa thought to himself. “For all these years, not only have I received the complete view, practice and conduct instructions of Mahamudra, but also received many empowerments, transmissions and teachings. For a yogi like myself, who has gained instant recognition of the nature of emptiness, made the spontaneous decision and sought conviction in it, what could this instruction be?”
When the day came for Gampopa to return home, Milarepa accompanied him to see him off. The separation of teacher and student was an unbearable moment for both. Milarepa saw him off at the bank of the river. As Gampopa reached the other side of the river, he suddenly remembered the last pith instruction that his teacher was to give him. From the other side of the river, Gampopa shouted, “Aye, old father Milarepa, I forgot about the last important instruction that you were going to give me. I am coming over.” Milarepa answered, “Aye, my son, no need to come here. My last pith instruction is this.” Milarepa raised the rag he wore and showed Gampopa his bottom. He asked, “did you see it, did you really see it?” Gampopa said he did and replied, “now, I really saw it”. Milarapa’s bottom was hardened with callouses from his prolonged sitting in meditation. The message in showing his bottom was that even though Gampopa had recognized the nature of emptiness, it was important for him to follow his recognition with meditation to attain the final goal of enlightenment.
Both teacher and student coming together by the river signified that the secret Kagyu teachings would thrive like the continuity of the flow of water. The symbolism of both being on either side of the river was that they would never meet again.
Khenpo Karten Rinpoche will give a monthly Dharma talk during our Saturday morning services.
He is a dear friend and a good teacher.
Do think of joining his retreat here Sept 16-18 Tibetan Amitābha Retreat ....Thay Kozen
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The Buddha taught that "this exists because that exists"
Everything is related to all and connected with all other things. This being one with the moment now. Acceptance of "what is" is thus-ness. I can feel that however, I still like to have things the way I want, and end up laughing at myself.
Think of it like a row of dominoes standing in a row on end about 1/2 inch apart. Each tile is separate yet when one falls it starts a chain reaction to cause all others to fall. All of our world is part of a whole. Everything, every act, every word matters and impacts everything else. The video below is a joyful example of inter-connectedness. 1 small push can change so many things.
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Rumi
a workshop to explore and experience
by
Pouria Montazeri
Friday, September 23, 2022
(6:00-8:00 PM)
The Perennial Wisdom of Rumi's Teachings
An evening introductory talk exploring how the 13th-century Persian Sufi poet Rumi's teachings continue to permeate the heart realms over 750 years after his passing. The evening will include questions and responses from the participants and will hint at the next day's workshop. Suggested donation $25.00
Saturday, September 24, 2022 (9:00 AM - 3:00 PM)
Rumi's poetry is an invaluable map of the heart and the spiritual realm. This daylong workshop
will focus on turning such sacred poetry and teachings into portals for spiritual awakening and
transformation. The workshop will revolve around a major theme taught by Rumi. Suggested donations $50.00
What to expect:
Heart-Centered Meditations
Intentional and focused Movements
Body/Mind Relaxation Methods
Chanting
Discourse
Journaling
Group Contemplations
Questions and Responses
We would rather have you than your donations so do not let finances prevent you from attending.
About Rumi
Jalāl ad-Dīn Mohammad Balkhī Rumi is greatly appreciated in the West. Still, few understand
the depth of his spiritual and cultural context and the Persian language or know the many
layers of meaning lost in translations and renditions. It will be difficult to grasp Rumi's poetry
without understanding his mystical language and background.
Rumi was a saint and a mystic. He was not a poet in the traditional sense where one sits and
composes poetry, and he did not utter poetry before meeting Shams of Tabriz - over thirty-
seven years of his life. His poems are considered sacred verses to those on the Path of Love. He
uttered these verses spontaneously in ecstasy beyond mind and reason as his students wrote
them down.
About Pouria
Pouria Montazeri is the founder of In the Footprints of Rumi, through which he uses his privileges as someone familiar with the language, culture, and religious/spiritual background of Rumi to support individuals in understanding what Rumi said and taught which has been ignored, erased, or misinterpreted through translations and renditions in the West.
Pouria supports individuals in embodying and tasting the transformative depth and beauty of these practices and language inside their hearts through these teachings and providing key translations and contexts.
Pouria trusts the brilliancy of each individual and their spiritual paths to take Rumi's perennial
teachings and marinate in and implement them in their lives. Learn more about Pouria here.
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Yoga classes and privates continue in person or through zoom.
Classes are donation based. I hope all will participate, no matter your current financial situation. Prior to COVID people who attended my classes paid $10 a class and $15 drop in rate. I can be flexible on methods to contribute to yoga.
Some have treated yoga as a monthly membership, others pay class by class, and other creative ways include; helping with a project, art, potery, bringing veggies from your garden, a home cooked meal, even local honey and eggs! Just come and join in community!
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Temple Happenings, Photos, and Visitors
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Beautiful flowers for the Buddha |
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Ven Suco Hue Hung, Thay Kozen, and Ven. Thich Tam Hoan look at the new temple building |
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The Mannatt family reunion held at The Abbey |
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Our dear Sanga Member, Pat Johnson, and daughter Sherri terrorized the poor sick monks. It was a wonderful & safe visit. |
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Fritz Buckman and family visited and took drone photos of our temple. |
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Chris Lewis, the adopted son of Thay Kozen, having breakfast with Thay during a recent road trip. |
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A couple of red tail hawks perch next to our property |
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Echinacea flowers brighten the drive on Warner Rd. to our temple
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Max and Ven. Bhante Patthago wash-up breakfast dishes |
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Buddhists led by Ven. Suco Hue Huong joined the temple to live strictly by the Cardinal Precepts for 24 hours. Shown here with their certificates of attendance. It was a wonderful event. |
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Ven. Thich Van Hai led several wonderful and exciting Dharma talks for attendees. We had over 43 attendees who committed to living the precepts. It was a wonderful retreat. |
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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.
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Mt Adams Buddhist Temple
46 Stoller Rd., Trout Lake WA 98650 509.395.2030 https://www.mtadamsbuddhisttemple.com/
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