July 2023
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Services - Summer 2023 SCHEDULE
TEMPLE SERVICES Via ZOOM
SATURDAY Morning Service & Meditation 8:30am - 10am
8:30-9:00 Check-in; Service starts at 9:00
MONDAY - FRIDAY Morning Meditation 6:30am - 7:30am
M,W,F Evening Meditation 5:30pm - 6:30pm
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IN PERSON SERVICES
SATURDAY Morning Service & Meditation 8:30am - 10am
8:30-9:00 Check-in; Service starts at 9:00
MONDAY - FRIDAY Morning Meditation at 6:30am - 7:30am
M,W,F Evening Meditation 5:30pm - 6:30pm
all above at Temple Building 46 Stoller Rd. Trout Lake WA
TUESDAY at 11:00 am - 12:00 noon IN PERSON - not on ZOOM
1412 13th Street, Suite 200. Hood River, OR 97031
Last SUNDAY of month Meditation & Dharma Talk at 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Buu – Hung Buddhist Monastery 17808 NE 18th St, Vancouver, WA
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Intended act of kindness leads to death |
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Dear ones,
Recently in Yellowstone National Park, a well meaning visitor saw a young buffalo calf left behind by her mother who had crossed a river. With the best of intent, the visitor picked up the crying and wailing calf and took it to a park ranger. The calf was euthanized (killed) by the park rangers to preserve the natural order.
The news article reads "A Hawaii man pleaded May 31 guilty to intentionally disturbing wildlife after he interfered with a bison calf trying to cross the Lamar River in Yellowstone National Park. See link to story below.
Our intent is to live a life filled with virtue and in accordance with the Buddha's teaching. However it doesn't always end up as we intended. The gift of Buddha's teachings is the knowledge that we can only do our best, with the best intent, and then whatever happens happens. It is a gift of no right or wrong, good or bad, only acceptance.
Our historical teacher, the Buddha, gave us the 5 Remembrances as part of his teachings.
The Five Remembrances
- I am of the nature to grow old. There is no way to escape growing old.
- I am of the nature to have ill health. There is no way to escape ill health.
- I am of the nature to die. There is no way to escape death.
- All that is dear to me and everyone I love are of the nature to change. There is no way to escape being separated from them.
- My actions are my only true belongings. I cannot escape the consequences of my actions. My actions are the ground upon which I stand.
Each time we drive to the store, plan a dinner, set up a meeting, take a walk, or any other action - it might or might not happen as we think it "should". Everything and everyone are of the nature to change. Let us celebrate the moment now - right now - and live our best life with the brightest of intentions and virtue, right here and right now.
Living in gratitude for the great and small gifts brings our hearts closer to happiness.
May we all be well and healthy. May we all know love and peace. in metta, Thay Kozen
Local meditators needed to help adults and juveniles practice meditation
at NORCOR in The Dalles. contact Thay kozen
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JULY 1 Volunteer Day - Grounds cleanup
JULY 8 Zen Archery with Dave Martin
JULY 14-16 Yoga Retreat with Michelle Loew
AUGUST 5 Volunteer Day - Grounds cleanup
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SEPTEMBER 2 Volunteer Day - Grounds cleanup
SEPTEMBER 16-17 - STATUE WELCOMING CELEBRATION
SEPTEMBER 21-24 Insight Retreat with August Jensen
SEPTEMBER 29 - OCT 1 Yoga Retreat with Laurie Van Cott
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I encourage everyone to do a 1 week retreat and 2 additional 1-2 day retreats every year. Recommended retreat centers are Cloud Mountain in Castle Rock WA, Great Vow Monastery in Clatskanie OR, Deer Park in Escondido CA............Thay Kozen |
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VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES WITH THE TEMPLE |
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Our preschool kids enjoy the prayer flag pavilion renewed by volunteers on the June 3rd Volunteer Day for Saga Dawa Duchen, the annual Tibetan festival celebrating the Buddha's birth, enlightenment, and entry into Nirvana upon death |
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Mindful Gardening and Cleaning
Looking for a way to serve the Mt. Adams Buddhist Temple and Trout Lake Abbey? Want to spend a mindful day in the shadow of Mount Adams? Work side by side with fellow practitioners and make new friends?
Work is one way to practice dharma mindfulness and sangha.
"Zen is not some kind of excitement, but concentration on our usual everyday routine.” – Shunryu Suzuki
Join us the first Saturday of every month to help keep the lovely grounds of the Abbey beautiful and under control. We'll be sprucing up the outside and cleaning the temple. Work gloves recommended!
Mark your calendar:
July 1
August 5
September 2
No experience or RSVP necessary. The workday starts at 10:30am and ends at 3:30pm.
46 Stoller Rd Trout Lake WA
Share Meditation and Mindfulness
Do you feel the desire to share your peace and loving kindness with those in distress?
Local meditators are needed to help adults and juveniles practice meditation at NORCOR in The Dalles. If you are within driving distance, available Tues or Thurs afternoons (possible weekend time in the works), and looking for a way to perform right action, this is an opportunity for you. No experience necessary and you will be trained.
Current volunteers consistently state they gain more than they give!
Contact Thay Kozen for more info.
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Thich Minh Thien, (Thay Z) Abbot of Budding Dharma
Arlington, Texas thayzzen@gmail.com
Bodhidharma
Looking around Budding Dharma Temple, one can see statuaries symbolizing a range of Buddhas and bodhisattvas, or enlightened beings and images, each a personification of particular enlightened qualities. These are not only of the Buddha himself but others famous in Buddhist culture and traditions. I thought it might be of interest if I offer some commentary on some of my favorites. For this month, I chose my carved statue of Bodhidharma which was gifted to me by a dear Vietnamese monk.
Bodhidharma is a revered figure in Chinese Buddhism and his teachings continue to influence the practice of Buddhism around the globe, especially in China. He is often depicted in art as carrying a bundle of buddhist scriptures and is revered as a wise and holy teacher who brought the teachings of the Shakyamuni Buddha to the Chinese people.
He was an Indian monk who travelled to China during the 6th century and is regarded as a legendary figure in the history of Buddhism. He is revered as the 28th Patriarch in a lineage of Buddhist teachers and the First Patriarch of China. He was born in South India and at a young age joined a Buddhist monastery to study. He became known as a well educated individual who had attained a deep knowledge of Buddhist scriptures. He later became a monk and devoted his life to his practice. It is believed that he arrived in China by crossing the Himalayan Mountains where he stayed for a time in a Shaolin Temple in the Henan Province.
Bodhidharma is famous for his teachings which emphasized the importance of meditation and mindfulness. He believed that true understanding of the nature of reality could only be achieved through direct experience. He encouraged his followers to meditate in order to connect with their inner selves and eventually achieve enlightenment. His teachings had a profound impact on Chinese buddhist culture, frequently referred to as Chan Buddhism. In Japan it is called Zen Buddhism and in Vietnam it is called Thien Buddhism.
Bodhidharma is credited with introducing the concept of “sudden enlightenment” which is described as a transformative experience where one might achieve full understanding of the nature of reality in a moment of insight. He is accredited for the practice called “wall-gazing” meditation technique which is a form of intense concentration meant to help achieve a state of enlightenment. One story is that he meditated for nine years facing a wall. He is respected as a visionary and an inspiration to all who seek to understand the nature of reality, achieve enlightenment and live a life of peace and meaning. There are many stories about Bodhidharma which you might find interesting and they are easily found on the internet. I encourage you to do some research on your own and discover more about this interesting man.
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
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NEW TEMPLE VISION!
Check out these architect renderings of the new temple Dharma Hall to help you visualize the future.
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The side view shows how the new Dharma Hall will connect with the finished enclosed patio, the clerestory windows that will let light in at the top of the wall, and the porch facing Mt. Adams. |
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The front view shows the large bank of windows looking at Mt. Adams and the covered side walkways around the Dharma Hall. |
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The back view shows the entrance to the Dharma Hall from the finished enclosed patio. More windows and large doors allow these spaces to merge for larger gatherings. |
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We are also putting in a Memorial Garden. It will house a columbarium to hold the ashes of departed Sangha members.
Suco Hue Huong, of Buu Hung Monastery in Vancouver WA
was the driving force behind the decision to build a new temple.
We all remain grateful to her insistence to spread the Buddha's Dharma.
Thank you for all your kind & generous donations.
We've been saving for over 10 years and can now begin on phase 2 of 3 phases of building.
We have a $100,000 matching grant - every dollar you donate will be matched up to $100,000.
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CONSTRUCTION UPDATES
There has been lots of activity around the new Temple site this month.
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The Patio and Temple Entrance (Phase One) are complete! The current patio now has lighting and the handicapped access ramp is poured.
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We're digging the foundation for the temple (Phase Two) in July. The footings for the Temple building are laid out.
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- Statues from donors in Vietnam now have surrounding tiled platforms and decorative tile on their bases.
- A new parking area is finished.
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Sardinia; Ikaria, Greece; Okinawa, Japan; Nicoya, Costa Rica; and Loma Linda, California are not just nice places to visit.
All over the world, there are populations of individuals who lead exceptionally long healthy lives. This article delves into the similarities between them.
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Guided Meditation by Rev. Miles |
At a recent Saturday morning Sangha, Rev. Miles of Open Gate Zendo led us in a beautiful guided meditation, suitable for practitioners of any level. Click below to view him teaching, close your eyes, and become the mountain. It's ok to fast forward to 3 minutes if you already have a daily meditation practice. Watch it all if you don't.
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Cat Williams, Sangha member, Standing Rock Sioux Tribal member, and Indigenous spirit cousin of Thay Kozen, is the Managing Editor of the newspaper The Circle The Circle covers language and culture, business, Native artists and authors, Native athletes/sports, health, and political issues that affect our communities, including the columns "Political Matters" and "Lt Gov Peggy Flanagan" (Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota and a member of the White Earth Ojibwe Nation.) Native people face environmental racism, the highest rates of incarceration and police brutality, threats against our sovereignty status, high rates of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW), food scarcity, attacks on tribal voting rights, and other pressing issues.
Cat says, "Despite the many ongoing threats to our lands, tribal status, and culture, we do have a lot to celebrate as well. The Circle is situated in the Twin Cities, one of the most organized urban Native communities in the country. Having been the birthplace of AIM (American Indian Movement), Native people in Minnesota have learned to organize and demand a seat at the table. The Native community in Minnesota is filled with Native non-profits, artists, entrepreneurs, culture and language carriers, and environmental activists working to save Mother Earth, Turtle Island, and our tribal homelands. Minnesota also has 3 Native Americans in the Senate/House: Sen. Mary Kunesh, Rep. Heather Keeler, and Rep. Jamie Becker-Finn, with Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan adding a 4th powerful voice for our communities. We have a lot to be thankful for."
"Our overall goal at The Circle is to educate our people and all allies about the issues we still face, so we can work toward change, while also covering the positive things that Native people are doing; from The Sioux Chef (Sean Sherman) winning awards nationally such as the Julia Child Award 2023, to artist exhibitions and new books published by Native authors, to the Bison coming home to tribal lands. And we hope to continue publishing monthly for another 40 years and more.."
Cat is also the artist behind the wonderful Buddha Metta poster that begins our newsletter this month, created using the AI art program MidJourney.
Thanks to Cat for bringing light into our world.
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· This training is for:
- Those being called to this sacred community service
- Those already working in these fields
- Those who care for, or will care for a dying loved one
- Anyone who may die one day
- Learn how to show up for your community as a resource for families and professionals.
- Learn what dying well entails and what spiritual care for the dying asks of us.
This is a journey for a Bodhisattva. I highly recommend this program... in metta. Thay Kozen
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Our temple invests in people by making micro loans via KIVA
Fatu's story
Fatu is 45 years old and married, with six kids. All of her children are presently attending school while living at home. She never had the opportunity to attend school. She owns a business selling plantains, bananas, cocoyam and other items. She has been a strong businesswoman for the past 20 years. She started the business with her savings and sells Monday through Saturday. She uses a car or bike to transport supplies to her business site. She has applied for a loan with BRAC Liberia. The loan will be used to buy more plantains, bananas, cocoyam, and other items to sell to her good clients.
Kiva is a U.S. 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded in 2005, and based in San Francisco, with offices in Bangkok, Nairobi, Portland and staff around the globe. https://www.kiva.org/ When the loans are paid back we re-loan the money to other people.
Helping others without seeking a reward is a metta (loving kindness) step along the Bodhisattva path. Please consider looking for ways to share metta, it makes our lives and the world a kinder way of living.
We envision a financially inclusive world
where all people hold the power to improve their lives.
Our temple supports Kiva with money for micro loans to individuals. So far we have helped with loans for education, sanitation, farming, small village stores, women's health, and rural communication. Our average loan is $25.00 and recipients pay it back in small increments. Such a wonderful way to practice the Bodhisattva path of compassion.......Thay Kozen
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Recovery Dharma--Transforming Addictions
and Other Harmful Habits
From the book 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. [Download or order a copy at recoverydharma.org]
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Notable Days in July
Seven countries celebrate their independence days in July, including
- Canada Day - July 1
- Independence Day (USA) - July 4
- Bastille Day (France) - July 14
- Colombian Independence Day - July 20
Other notable dates include opportunities to bring loving kindness into the world
- Cheer Up the Lonely Day - July 11
- International Friendship Day - July 30
- and National Talk in an Elevator Day - July 31 or any day of the year!
And enjoy the sounds of nature by just listening.
- World Listening Day - July 18
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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 Zen Buddhist Temple 46 Stoller Rd., Trout Lake WA 98650 509.395.2030 www.Mtadamszen.org
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