Buddhist Priory
Eugene, Oregon
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Eugene Buddhist Priory Newsletter |
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Eugene Buddhist Priory Eugene, Oregon |
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In Western cultures this time of year seems connected with the dead and dying. The natural world is either dying or going into deep sleep for the winter. The leaves are falling, the days grow shorter, the nights colder. These changes in our natural environment seem to trigger these same themes within us. This weekend the temple offers a transfer of merit ceremony called Feeding the Hungry Ghosts. The ceremony focuses on assisting "ghosts", both externally and internally. Ghosts are unresolved karmic energy. They are shadows, yet they seem real. They motivate us to act in accord with their perception of reality, if we believe them. They are longings and cravings which need not our fear and rejection, but our love and kindness, in order to convert into their True Form, that of the Unborn. We could use help Saturday afternoon setting up for the ceremony. Come any time after 2:00. We will also need help on Sunday beginning at 8:30 am to prepare the altar and food offerings. This year we wish to rely on all of you to bring the various food offerings that go on the altar. They need to be of a wide variety of tastes, colors, textures, sources (mountains, fields & ocean), and types (dry, wet, liquid) — though all vegetarian. The five tastes are: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and moist. Small individual serving size dishes are best. We have some suitable dishes here if you want to bring an offering and do not have an appropriate dish. The most important thing in preparing the offering is that it is done with love, care, and respect. The ceremony begins at 10:15 am after meditation at 9:30 am. All the doors and windows will be open for the ceremony, so dress warmly and bring an extra sweater. If you have anyone you would like remembered in the ceremony, call the Priory with their name. Anyone who has had a transfer of merit requested for them in the past year is already on the list. These names are read during the ceremony. Paper tombstones will also be available for inscribing on Sunday for the Wednesday bonfire. On Wednesday, November 3, we will have the follow-up ceremony when we burn the paper tombstones (Segaki Toro) at a bonfire outside near the handicap parking slab. We'll gather at 7:00 pm for a short meditation, and then process to the site. I'd like to start the procession by 7:30, which is earlier than stated in last month's newsletter, so please arrive by 7:15 if you're coming just for the ceremony. We'll have tea afterwards. Both of these ceremonies are intended to assist recently deceased relatives and friends, as well as those who have died in disturbing, unsettled, or tragic circumstances. We can trace this ceremony directly to the historical Buddha Shakyamuni, who described such an offering of food and scripture recitation as a way to help the mother of Moggallana, one of his chief disciples who had discovered his mother suffering terribly first in hell and then in the realm of the hungry ghosts. Let's all remember that "hell" and "hungry ghosts" are not "places" in the way we usually think of such. They are states of mind or energy, and can exist anywhere--within us, within the space between atoms and molecules, at the other end of the universe. They actually do not have a spatial location or existence: they are states of mind. Do not spend time fretting or worrying about whether you can believe in such things. My master would never say much more than to quote the line from Shakespeare's Hamlet, "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy." And then she celebrated these ceremonies with great confidence and faith as if her life depended on them. The most helpful attitude to have toward such teachings is to keep an open mind, don't reject them outright, and get on with your practice doing something about the things we can — our own "ghosts" and "demons" of greed, hate, and delusion. Lastly, don't forget the Priory trip to Shasta Abbey the next weekend, November 5-7, when we'll be going down to help celebrate the annual memorial for Rev. Master Jiyu. We'll combine the Founder's Ceremony for her here with the Thanksgiving Ceremony on November 21, followed by Dharma talk and potluck.
The two day retreat on September 11 and 12 was related to Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, the Compassion aspect of the Unborn. The previous Wednesday night vigil ceremony — the invocation of the 108 names and forms of Avalokiteshvara — began our focus that week on Great Compassion. The retreat closed with the Festival of Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva and a formal Dharma talk on Sunday. A delightful ceremony took place on Sunday, September 19, with the Festival of Kshtigarbha Bodhisattva, often better known as "Jizo," his name in Japanese. The children themselves serving as Precentor, Chaplain and Chaplain's Assistant orchestrated this festival. The Litany of Kshtigarbha Bodhisattva was recited while the children as well as the adults made offerings to the Bodhisattva. After the ceremony Rev. Master Oswin read a short story about Jizo to the children (see members site for an expanded version). Tea and yummy cookies were served afterwards. The level of presentation given by the children was an inspiration to the adults and a true source of joy. On September 22, the Priory was happy to welcome Rev. Master Jisho Perry for Wednesday night meditation and the Festival of Great Master Bodhidharma on the following Sunday. Rev. Master Jisho gave a Dharma talk and answered questions on Bodhidharma's teachings. A rich and full month of training, as well as several work projects, was completed during this period, including the breakdown, relocation, and reassembly of the storage building. This project took a great deal of work, and much gratitude goes to all who helped with it. The tools are now re-housed in their new and improved tool shed. On Wednesday, October 6th, the special occasion of Rev. Master Oswin's 20th ordination anniversary offered an opportunity for congregation members to demonstrate their gratitude to Rev. Master for his becoming a monk and the teaching he offers all of us in both example and the gift of the Dharma. On behalf of everyone and in congratulations for his being named a Master last spring, Ernie Rimerman presented Rev. Master Oswin with a donation to cover the cost of two alms round hats which a friend of Rev. Clairissa of the Portland Priory procured in Japan. As a token of appreciation for his ordination anniversary, Priory members presented him with a copy of the recently published Dogen's Extensive Record, a translation of the Eihei Koroku by Taigen Dan Leighton and Shohaku Okumura. It is the first complete English translation of the later works of Dogen, founder of Soto Zen in Japan. Rev. Master also received a new DVD player so the temple can keep up with Dharma materials in this new format, in addition to a very special plaque signed by all of the monks at Shasta Abbey expressing their joy & gratitude for Rev. Master Oswin and his training. He also received a beautiful signed card from Throssel Hole Abbey monks. After the presentation of gifts we enjoyed a specially baked peach pie and stories from Rev. Master Oswin's days at Shasta Abbey. The two day intensive meditation retreat on October 8 and 9 was well attended and offered yet another opportunity for members to deepen their training through extended meditation, formal mealtime ceremony and formal Dharma talks, as well as the very useful private Dharma questions. The mealtime ceremony continues to be perfected as all learn more about this opportunity to show gratitude, share responsibility, and deepen their meditation and mindfulness practice. The Dharma talk on Sunday revolved around the topic of attachment and the obstacles that can get in the way of our letting go of attachments. The following weekend, October 15-17, Rev. Master Oswin offered a retreat for the lay ministers. Drivers Still Needed:
Third Refuge Assistance Coordinators:
Shasta Abbey cookbook available Respectful Dress at the Priory 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, and highly-scented lotions and perfumes.
Alms & Offerings. We are very grateful to all who have made offerings in the past month. All offerings--large or small, material or spiritual, tangible or in service--enable the temple to exist as a place of teaching and refuge for those who wish to practice in the Serene Reflection tradition transmitted by Rev. Master Jiyu. Our support of the Priory is another way we show our gratitude for all that she gave us. Some of the items donated this last month include: a new red satin bowing seat for the meditation hall; crocus & daffodil bulbs; DVD tour of a Taiwanese monastery and a CD Dharma talk by the abbot; 60-minute cassette tapes; printing of calendars, Dharma articles, & e-books for the library; surprise driveway maintenance by Tom of Bladeworks; an air pot for the kitchen; scrap lumber; a first aid box & book for the cats; paper towels; SOS pads; and a wide variety of food: breads, fall vegetables & fruits, margarine, honey, teas, eggs, soy & dairy milk, tofu, grain & bean dishes, cheese, granola, soups, salads, nuts & nut butters, and desserts. Rev. Master Oswin also wishes to express his appreciation of hospitality provided by Rev. Master Meiko of the Portland Priory during a weekend conference in early October, and by Rev. Master Hugh of the Fugen Hermitage for a three-day visit later in October. Rev. Master Hugh also kindly gave the Priory some hermitage apples and lupine plants for erosion control. Alms Bowl RequestsKind offerings to the temple would be: olive oil, 37-cent stamps, poly-fill pillows, clumping cat litter, fireplace/woodstove implements (poker, shovel, etc.), and a carpet sweeper. We could also use help with outdoor work: raking leaves, spreading gravel and wood chips, sawing & stacking small firewood, finishing up the stupa site, and loading & transporting a pile of brush to recycling (Priory truck available). "The two kinds of alms, material and spiritual, have the endowment of boundless merit: Credits & Feedback:Thanks go to Sally Meadow and Jerry Mohr for their help with this calendar and news. Thanks go to Jerry as well for maintaining the Priory public and members website. Let us know if this webpage of the calendar and news provides you with information and updates about the Priory in an easily accessible and timely manner. Any thoughts or suggestions regarding format, design, articles, graphics, mailing, web access etc. are 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. Eugene Buddhist Priory Members' Photo Gallery Copyright © 2004 The Eugene Buddhist Priory
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