Do not adjust your computer. Rather look at it the picture the right way. What it is, is different from what you see, but that being such, what you see is correct-for you. Ah, just another tease from Sangaku-sensei, you say. From April 28-30 April, the Falmouth Soto Zen Sangha (FSZS) held it's very first Sesshin, or multi-day retreat, at a lake side home of a member of our Sangha. We practiced being together for 36 hours "In-Practice." That is we were practicing Zen in dependent co-arising of ourselves as others too arose each moment at the crossroad of our here and now. Hour by hour we developed the "almost perfect" harmony of Sangha. We were in refuge.
In Soto Zen, we chant the Three Refuges referring to "... the wonder of the full enlightenment of Buddha, the compassionate teachings of Buddha (Dharma) and the opportunity to unfold the harmony of people in common effort called Sangha (congregation)." We see this as a gift in the busy-world to step into refuge. In doing this each moment begins to unfold more deeply, walking becoming more than walking, eating becoming more than eating, bowing fully becoming bowing, and Zazen unfolding, well, new folds! All senses in harmony reflect each other giving us multiple experiences each moment. In short the Universe is the Sangha which is the Universe.
Zen is unfolding deep awareness moment by moment. One example is eating. Ingesting stuff. However when a meal becomes life giving. It is offered by the hands and heart of dedicated sharing by people who care deeply about others and know the role of the sun, rain, tiles and stones play in the meal, Therefore the meal is more than a meal. It is living in Sangha through Zen. I was asked once what it was like to be Buddhist and I said join me in what I do and see for yourself...
MARK YOUR CALENDAR:
May 2, service will be on Sangha.
Our Beach sitting on the Bike-Path at Oyster Pond and Surf Drive begins April 4, 2017, from 6:30AM until 7:00AM then we all go to PIE-IN-THE SKY in Woods Hole for coffee.
1. During May, we will explore The Six Perfections, or paramitas that are guides for Mahayana Buddhist practice. They are virtues to be cultivated to strengthen practice and bring one to enlightenment. The Six Perfections describe the true nature of an enlightened being, which, in Mahayana practice, is to say they are our own true buddha-nature. If they don't seem to be our true nature, it is because the perfections are obscured by our delusion, anger, greed, and fear. By cultivating these perfections, we bring this true nature into expression. For an excellent overview go to: https://www.thoughtco.com/the-six-perfections-449611
2. Like String for Beads, is a compilation of my Dharma talks, notes, poems and Facebook comments I have produced over the last five years. Special thanks to Enjitsu-san Chris Charyk for pulling the pieces together in this book! There will be copies available every Tuesday night, or let me know if you want me to mail you a copy. The book is $15 per copy.
3. Visit our new library named for Diane “Yugen” Tucker. The cart was a donation to the Sangha by Kyoshin Elin Kinney as Dana for her Jukai on November 5, 2016…many bows! The books will be added over the next few weeks and Kyoshin-ni has agreed to be our Librarian. A donation of $1 is recommend to check out books and magazines for up to three weeks. It really is a cute cart drop-by and see it soon. Oh, we wheel it out each Tuesdays and for zazenkai and sesshin, or if you would like to see if we have a book you want, get in touch with Elin <elinkinney@gmail.com>.
4. Meditation is also held each TUESDAY at 10:00AM at the Falmouth Senior Center.
5, Our next book selection for the Buddhism Book Bunch is a wonderful treatise on The Bodhisattva Precepts. We will read this for both April and May, 2017 discussing the first half of the book, chapters 9-23 on May 21. Remember we'll select a book for our summer reading (June-September) at our BBB May 2017 meeting.
6. Our Zendo is open at 6:30PM (good time for newcomers to get aquatinted) at the UUFF, 840 Sandwich Road, for our weekly service which starts at 7:00PM.
Silent Thunder Order (STO) ACTIVITIES: See our website for details
