Usual Weekly Schedule: (check below on specific dates)

Thank you for all your efforts in training over the past three months of the new year. I have been pleased with your response to the day and a half retreats with formal sanzen. I hope you are getting as much out of it as I am. Also, a special thanks to all who have been helping with the wood splitting. The temple cannot exist without your offerings of time and service.

Lately I've been reflecting on "cherishing living beings." Years ago I remember Rev. Master Jiyu teaching that the appropriate attitude of parents toward their children is "to cherish them." Parents in Buddhism are viewed as bodhisattvas who give up their own lives in order to bring up and teach new beings about life in this world, in particular the laws of karma, the prevailing of good, and the existence of Buddha Nature in all things.

This teaching on cherishing, of holding dear, arose again several years ago while I was still living at the monastery. I had asked a visiting Theravada monk who had spent time in Thailand how they took care of their elder monks as they aged. The answer he quickly shot back was, "They cherish them." Buddhism has always viewed as a central responsibility of lay trainees the care of their parents as they age. While it's sometimes rudely suggested that this "filial piety" was "added on" to Buddhism in China, this is not correct. The Buddha himself made this responsibility clear, and archeological findings in India from early Buddhism bear this out: there are many surviving artifacts showing the dedication of the merit of constructing a stupa, a monastery, etc. to parents.

Recently I was reading a book on Tibetan Buddhism loaned to me by a fellow monk. There it was explained that "cherishing living beings" was the first thing taught to practitioners, even before meditation and the Precepts. This can explain the great kindness we often experience with people from Buddhist cultures such as Tibet and Thailand. In our lineage we begin this emphasis on loving kindness and respect for all life with our Dharma school children. Each time they meet at the temple, they offer incense to the Kshtigarbha (Jizo) altar and then recite a verse together while holding up small brooms which will be used for sweeping: "O Lord Buddha, we pray that all that shall perish throughout the day as a result of our breathing, walking, sitting or lying down shall be reborn to a higher life so that all may reach Nirvana." Then we all sweep the porch and sidewalk outside, being especially careful not to step on or harm insects with our brooms.

At our next members' meeting on April 17, I'd like to hear, particularly from our newer members, how we might better support each other's practice when we are away from the temple. The sangha is a Treasure and worth our careful cherishing.

Speaking of sangha, I will be traveling with Rev. Master Meiko at the end of May to Pine Mountain Temple in southern California for a visit. Rev. Master Jiyu taught us that as disciples of a common master we constitute a "Dharma family." Like any family, the relationships with each other depend on good communication, sharing of concerns and ideas, and practice together. I trust you understand this need for me to be away from the temple at times.

Please take good care in your training. Thank you for all you do.

An enthusiastic team of Sangha members and friends came together Saturday, February 21, to work on several Priory tasks comprised of cutting, chopping, sorting and stacking wood from the large fallen oak tree, as well as other post storm clean-up jobs. Others worked on various indoor tasks and preparation for lunch, which was shared together before work resumed for those who could stay. This was a very successful work day and an opportunity to share time with other Sangha members. Special thanks go to Rick Movsky, father of Dharma school kids Noah and Jonah, for offering use of a wood splitter which greatly facilitated in the wood splitting process.

On Sunday, February 29, for the Festival of Avalokiteshwara Bodhisattva, members of the Priory recited the Scripture of Avalokiteshwara Bodhisattva, the Litany of the Great Compassionate One, and the Dedication of Merit. Given that Rev. Oswin was at Shasta Abbey on Order business, members listened to part of Rev. Master Eko's taped lectures on "The Teaching of the Unborn." Mention was made that no matter how often one hears a Dharma lecture, there is always a valuable teaching to be taken home.

The Priory members were very grateful for a visit on Wednesday, March 3rd from Rev. Master Daishin Yalon, who led the evening meditation and, in keeping with the upcoming Jukai retreat, gave a talk on the Keeping of the Precepts encouraging people to look into the deeper meaning behind each of the Precepts.

This was followed by a public talk on Thursday, March 4, at the Wesley Center. Nancy Fletcher introduced Rev. Master Daishin, who served as Chief Cook at Shasta Abbey for 22 years and the the last 8 years as Treasurer and Chief Monastic Instructor.

The theme of Rev. Master Daishin's talk was appropriately given on Dogen's Instructions for the Chief Cook, an important teaching of our Serene Reflection tradition, and as Rev. Master Daishin indicated, a recipe for life. This lecture was very well received by everyone and drew a large crowd of nearly 50 people. After the lecture the group enjoyed cookies, refreshments and lively interaction. This was followed by a question and answer period. There was much interest in the available literature as well as in the new Shasta Abbey cookbook, Cooking with a Gentle Heart. Again thanks goes to Rev. Master Daishin for both the lecture on Thursday and for the Dharma talk on Wednesday. And thanks to all who helped with publicity and set-up.

Rev.Oswin returned from Shasta Abbey on March 8 and the temple returned to its normal pace. On March 13 we had another work day to split wood. We have also been doing other grounds cleanup work. It seems good to take such care of our forest, as it provides us with a safe and quiet place to practice.

On Saturday, March 20 and Sunday March 21, the temple's monthly retreat was held beginning with meditation at 9:30 a.m. On Saturday and continuing through out the day with meditation and silent meals. The retreat began with a small but close group and continued to grow to full capacity by Sunday's meditations and formal sanzen (private Dharma questions) with the Prior. The retreat was a great success, seamless from beginning to end, with two days of beautiful sunshine. Everyone seemed to appreciate the extra meditation on Saturday and the opportunity to present their training question to the Prior. Rev. Oswin also finds it helpful to engage with members in this private setting, as it gives him a chance to get to know people better and what spiritual issues they are training with.

Congratulations to Bev Schenler, who has been invited by our Order to be a lay minister. Bev has been training with our Order since 1984, and we are glad to see her offered this opportunity. Bev will be receiving her vestments (robe and small kesa) at the lay ministers' retreat in June at Shasta Abbey.

As March rolls to an end, Rev. Oswin and several Priory members are driving to Shasta Abbey for the Ten Precepts retreat. The week of meditation, ceremonies, and lectures provide the opportunity for trainees to become Buddhists through formally committing themselves to the Precepts. We are delighted to have a number of people connected with the temple participating in the retreat this year: Marta Hubbard, Jane Iwahashi, David Wagar, Chris Withrow, and Pamela Wright. May their commitment to the Buddhist Way gladden and bless the lives of all those around them.

Wedding congratulations go to two couples this season. On February 26 Rev. Oswin was the celebrant for the marriage of Peony Maeda and Sodnamdarjaa Bharkus at the Priory. Peony moved to Eugene with her three children several years ago; Darjaa is a yogic practitioner and teacher from Mongolia. Then in March we received the cheery news that Naomi Knoble and Rebecca Wolfe had been married. Naomi and Rebecca are students at the University of Oregon; Naomi received the Precepts several years ago. May both couple's training together make each of them a success and benefit all beings.

The temple is missing five liturgy books which we will need for the Wesak Ceremony on May 16. If you have borrowed one, would you please return it by then. If you wish to borrow one again, please check with Rev. Oswin. We are also missing from the temple research library Zen Buddhism: A History: Japan by Heinrich Dumoulin. Would you please check to see if you have it at home?

The long awaited cookbook from Shasta Abbey is here! Entitled Cooking with Gentle Heart it features almost 400 recipes, two hundred of which come directly from the kitchen of Shasta Abbey.  A number of the other recipes were offered by our Priory members. Copies are available at the Priory cost $22, or you may order directly from Shasta Abbey Buddhist Supplies (supplies@BuddhistSupplies.com). All proceeds go to help the Abbey finance the construction the Bodhidharma Hall, a residents for monks at the monastery. The building is nearing completion and they hope it can be occupied by summer.

A week-long retreat is offered May 23-30 at the Abbey by Rev. Master Koten Benson of Lions Gate Buddhist Priory in Vancouver, BC. The theme is Female Buddhas: The Equality of Buddha Nature and will focus on "The Mandala of the Buddha-Mothers: Refuge of All Beings." Rev. Master Koten has expertise in both Buddhist iconography and the contribution of women to Buddhist practice, and is particularly skilled at showing how to draw meaning from Buddhist iconography and apply those teachings to our daily life training.

During the summer two longer retreats are offered: one is an introductory retreat on July 13-18. The other is week-long retreat offered by Rev. Master Meian Elbert, the Vice-Abbess. The topic of study for her retreat is Great Master Dogen's Gyakudo Yojinshu, "Important Aspects of Zazen/Meditation."

In keeping with our intent to restrain the senses and cultivate a pure heart, please wear clothing at the temple that is both comfortable for meditation and at the same time respectful and neat. Body and mind being one, how we treat and regard our physical form can have a significant impact on our spiritual practice. Inappropriate dress includes shorts, jeans, tights, halter tops, tank tops, low cleavage dresses, T-shirts with loud slogans, heavy fragrances, and ostentatious jewelry

Alms Bowl

Offerings Received and Requested

Volunteers Needed

May you all be blessed with fruitful practice during the coming months.