On Sunday, May 23, Louwellyn Jones formally received the lay Precepts from Rev. Master Oswin. She also received her Ketchimyaku, "Bloodline of the Buddhas," illustrating our tradition's lineage from Shakyamuni Buddha down to the present day. Friends and members assembled in the meditation hall for the ceremony which offered everyone an opportunity to renew their precept vows as well. Louwellyn has been associated with Shasta Abbey and various priories of the Order since the mid 80's. She has been a member of the EBP for one year. After the ceremony Louwellyn was given a private viewing of Rev. Master Oswin's Ketchimyaku silk that he received from Rev. Master Jiyu at Transmission. A showing of the Precepts master's silk to the new lay ordainee is traditional. Our congratulations and best wishes go to Louwellyn.

The Memorial Day Service on Sunday, May 30, began with a moving dedication of merit to all those who have lost their lives in the Iraq war, as well as those who have died, both known and unknown, as a result of war and violence throughout the world. Photographs and names of the coalition soldiers killed were displayed on the altar as everyone chanted scriptures and offered incense to offer merit. (See photos on members webpage.) A taped performance by the Black Watch Military Band concluded the ceremony. The military medley included "Auld Lang Syne," "Bonnie Prince Charlie's Gone Away," and the British Commonwealth equivalent of "Taps," all traditional tunes associated with departure. The performance was recorded personally by Rev. Master Jiyu-Kennett at Edinburgh Castle in Scotland in the 1950's and is another small piece of the wonderful legacy she left us. After the service Rev. Master Oswin gave a Dharma talk drawing on various Buddhist teachings on war and the law of karma. We felt privileged to have several visitors for the morning, two of whom had served in the military and came specifically for the ceremony.

The Priory was also honored to have Rev. Master Haryo Young, the head of the Order of the Buddhist Contemplatives, in attendance at the ceremony. We were delighted as he and Rev. Master Oswin offered to Bev Schenler her robes, small kesa, and c ertificate for the lay ministry. Bev, a member of the Priory since the mid 80s, was instrumental in helping build the main temple building during the 1990s. We give our heartfelt congratulations to Bev in her new role as lay minister and wish her continued success in her Buddhist practice. And, as if this were not enough, Rev. Master Haryo made a surprise announcement by naming Rev. Master Oswin as a Master of the Order. (See article and photos on members webpage.) This was a powerful day that had an affect on all as we recognized how others' training has such a significant impact on our training. The deepest congratulations go to Rev. Master Oswin.

For the June weekend Great Compassion retreat, Rev. Master Oswin offered in the evening of Saturday, June 12, a vigil ceremony called "An Invocation of Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva." The ceremony was composed by Rev. Master Eko Little, Abbot of Shasta Abbey, as part of an Avalokiteshvara retreat several years ago and is used as part of our Priory liturgy with his permission and blessing. In the ceremony retreatants recite the 108 names and forms of Avalokiteshvara, taking refuge in and paying homage to each one.

The next day the retreat continued with the Festival of Avalokiteshvara. We ended the ceremony by chanting a dedication of merit wishing that "all [may] become compassionate and wise." A formal Dharma talk followed, during which retreatants listened while sitting in meditation at their seats in the hall to a reading and commentary on Great Master Dogen's Shobogenzo chapter "Kannon, Bodhisattva of Great Compassion." Rev. Master Oswin drew extensively on Rev. Master Jiyu's commentary on the chapter, forthcoming in a second volume of Roar of the Tigress.

The other noteworthy event of June was the work day of Saturday the 19th, during which a small but strong group of members made substantial progress excavating a site for the erection of a stupa dedicated to Rev. Master Jiyu. The site is where the screen house was located and will provide a place for quiet sitting and walking meditation. This site seemed especially appropriate as it is located in the central area of temple buildings and seems hallowed by the many years of meditation and training conducted in the screen house during the construction of the main temple hall. Thanks to all who offered help with the project, which will continue through the summer.

As we send this e-newsletter out, several members have relatives or companion animals ill and possibly dying. Jerry Mohr's mother had been hospitalized in Nevada for emphysema-related conditions; she has declined the only treatment available. Angela Martinek has a cat who is seriously ill and Carol Jones' cat has passed away.

My heartfelt thanks go to all of you who have offered congratulations in the wake of my being named a Master. You and the temple are an integral part of this step, and I pray we may all have many years of fruitful and rewarding training together in the future.

I, along with Rev. Master Meiko of the Portland Priory, will be at Pine Mountain Buddhist Temple in southern California until July 7. Please take good care in your training. Call on a lay minister if there is an emergency. They know how to reach me if needed. Thanks to Mike for keeping the temple open for scheduled activities.

The temple is still missing five liturgy books and Zen Buddhism: A History: Japan by Heinrich Dumoulin. Would you please check to see if you have it at home and return them soon? Also, please return all Dharma tapes that you are not currently listening to and which do not have a catalog number on them. We wish to include them in a new index which Diana Huntington is working on. A special box near the tape shelf will be available for these unnumbered tapes. Please continue to sign in and out all tapes and books. Your cooperation in these matters makes items in our library available to others. It's a way of sharing the Dharma with others, so please help.

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 the monks hope to occupy it at the end of June.

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." For those 30 years of age and under, the Abbey also offers a Young Adults Retreat August 12-15 (this is both an introductory and advanced retreat).

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. Also, as part of our Buddhist training we always consider the impact and consequences of our actions on others. Inappropriate dress includes shorts, jeans, tights, halter tops, tank tops, low cleavage dresses, T-shirts with loud slogans, heavy fragrances, and ostentatious jewelry.

A special thanks goes to Marta Hubbard for sewing a new brown robe, kesa, and vestments for Rev. Master Oswin. Robe fabric is one of the four monastic requisites, along with alms food, dwellings, and medicine. We thank all who provide for these needs in all the many and diverse ways which you so generously and kindly do.

Three Needs: 1) If anyone has business in Portland on July 7 and could give Rev M Oswin a ride home, please let Mike at the Priory know. 2) We need two strong people to pick up 3-4 loads of concrete pavers from Willamette Graystone in Springfield before the work day on July 17. You would need to unload and possibly load the pavers (they'll help you at the yard if they can). The Priory truck is available, and the trips need to be made in one or two consecutive days. Please contact the Priory. 3) If anyone would like to continue our Dillard Road frontage thinning project from last summer, let Rev M Oswin know. This could be done by oneself or with a friend. Any day we're open is fine.

"The two kinds of alms, material and spiritual, have the endowment of boundless merit:
Now that they have been fulfilled in these acts of charity, both self and others gain pleasure therefrom."
Thank you for all your kindness and sincere training.

Credits & Feedback:Thanks go to Sally Meadow, Mike Running and Talbot Bielefeldt for their help with this calendar and news. Thanks as well go to Jerry Mohr, who maintains the Priory website and posts our calendar, news, photos and articles here.

Let us know if this webpage of our calendar and news is providing you with information and updates about the Priory in an easily accessible manner. Any thoughts or suggestions regarding format, design, articles, graphics, mailing, web access etc. would be appreciated. We also welcome contributions of articles or questions about meditation and Buddhist practice, as well as artwork, graphics, and digital photographs with a Buddhist theme.