tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6457197866649483032024-02-18T23:34:33.685-05:00The Red Maple LeafletThis is the blog for the Red Maple Sangha and the Heart of Whitewater Buddhist Practice group located in Renfrew County Ontario. It contains current practice session details, news and photos.The Padakun Centre for Contemplative Walkinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09817780114861006457noreply@blogger.comBlogger201125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-645719786664948303.post-83925620538301157162018-12-05T15:36:00.003-05:002018-12-05T15:42:18.685-05:00RMS HAS MOVED - TWICE<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Hi Sangha and Friends, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Hi there,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">If you should come across this blog in search of the <i>Red Maple Sangha </i>or Buddha-dharma in Renfrew County, please jump to our brand new site and blog.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://redmaplesangha.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">https://redmaplesangha.wordpress.com/</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We are now practicing in Pembroke. <a href="https://redmaplesangha.wordpress.com/schedule/" target="_blank">Check our schedule out.</a> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Also note:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The former Tendai Canada and RMS websites are no longer active.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">in the Dharma, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>Innen, doshu</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">and</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>Jiho, doshu-in-training</i></span>The Padakun Centre for Contemplative Walkinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09817780114861006457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-645719786664948303.post-17649935242667088982018-03-14T19:59:00.004-04:002018-03-14T19:59:30.771-04:00MARCH ANNOUNCEMENTS<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Hi Sangha and Friends,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Our next practice is scheduled for this weekend in Renfrew. We will discuss the final of our 8 Precepts.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The text of the February dharma talk, Precept 7 - Difficult Emotions - is now available as a text document <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/75c1z6fxwc41des/DHARMA%20TALK%20FEB%20%202018.pdf?dl=0">https://www.dropbox.com/s/75c1z6fxwc41des/DHARMA%20TALK%20FEB%20%202018.pdf?dl=0</a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">and a podcast. here</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">in the Dharma, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Innen, doshu and </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Jiho, doshu-in-training</span>The Padakun Centre for Contemplative Walkinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09817780114861006457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-645719786664948303.post-38272183823244481152018-02-11T15:38:00.002-05:002018-02-11T15:38:28.268-05:00NEWS AND FEBRUARY EVENTS AT RMTS<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Hi Sangha and Friends, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<ul>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We
are very pleased to announce that we have a new practice site in
Pembroke. Finding and securing this space proved to be a bigger
challenge than we imagined, after so many simple years at the
Marguerite Centre (no longer available). We will be establishing a
second monthly practice session on the 1<sup>st</sup> Saturday of
the month, beginning Saturday, March 3, 9.00 am-10.30am.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Our
new location is at the Pembroke Heritage Manor, at <span style="color: #222222;">1111
Pembroke St W. Which is just East of Valu Village.</span></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We
recently offered our 2016 text of the Visualization Sutra talks to
the broader Tendai community and were pleased to be able to share
this with several other sanghas, including the Templo Budista Tendai
de Puerto Rico</span></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Plans
are in process for Innen to offer a set of 8-10 introductory talks
on Buddhist teaching, Monday evenings at the Heritage Manor
location. Dates will likely be mid-March to mid-April with details
to come later.</span></span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">and don't forget to reserve your place for our new slideshow...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGTplJ2Arpi336JGuvGkTbkuCfEW8m-oq01mIM7dbwvU-1PSahitgzCizQKgYCliFwRFNCxG2UAWNEzMDqa5TjTs9s8jr-iqKPLJFG4H2SMB0tdG_9nLhnw0ZzUr6eU4egrr8qangBDmEc/s1600/poster2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="599" data-original-width="947" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGTplJ2Arpi336JGuvGkTbkuCfEW8m-oq01mIM7dbwvU-1PSahitgzCizQKgYCliFwRFNCxG2UAWNEzMDqa5TjTs9s8jr-iqKPLJFG4H2SMB0tdG_9nLhnw0ZzUr6eU4egrr8qangBDmEc/s640/poster2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">....
in the Dharma,
Innen, doshu</span>The Padakun Centre for Contemplative Walkinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09817780114861006457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-645719786664948303.post-52937070576080182742018-01-20T15:55:00.000-05:002018-01-20T15:55:46.861-05:00 A GIFT FOR OUR PRACTICE HALL<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Hi Sangha and Friends,
.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhItIKwltUqlmu12zCeRJjYxa-jsiYP_C8wyusvsWkm_IRmpmcBXbl-uy7UGpEanSS1hcCxvQT1ijeRgEP2Dnfv9JL1ziQgnyP-w_E7fPC-aLI5pWRh9VsPs0bYf_xpQkCBTuVy5axxUp57/s1600/koshins+o-fuda.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="775" data-original-width="497" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhItIKwltUqlmu12zCeRJjYxa-jsiYP_C8wyusvsWkm_IRmpmcBXbl-uy7UGpEanSS1hcCxvQT1ijeRgEP2Dnfv9JL1ziQgnyP-w_E7fPC-aLI5pWRh9VsPs0bYf_xpQkCBTuVy5axxUp57/s320/koshins+o-fuda.jpg" width="205" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We held our Annual Intentions service this morning. The details are posted on the Intentions link above.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We were additionally supported by this new gift from our Dharma-brother, Koshin Bower.This wooden plaque, shown here, beside our altar KwanYin is a meritorious presence. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">He writes:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>This is an o-fuda. At the completion of my Shido-kegyo (advanced clerical training in Japan) I hand wrote several of these. They are talismans meant to inspire and protect. They are manifestations of Fudo-myo-o </i>(see link below)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We bow in thanks to Koshin and appreciate his support.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">for more on Fudo read here: <a href="http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/fudo.html" target="_blank">http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/fudo.html</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">in the Dharma, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Innen, doshu</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Jiho, doshu-in-training</span>The Padakun Centre for Contemplative Walkinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09817780114861006457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-645719786664948303.post-71061533250999843042018-01-04T13:46:00.001-05:002018-01-04T13:46:26.501-05:00HAPPY NEW YEAR 2018<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG8SMbZgLc4wljUbZs_1QG9RBWyrLg_V2kk13N3xgTex4kw765R7XcUi_LLK-GGceZc1zbI9gzoDhneUfP0-4Q4dYWfLvOCMH27GxV0zX0AlEU26WNQ7LiFS4HTuH2JCre2diXTJNYbHeg/s1600/new+year+image2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="333" data-original-width="800" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG8SMbZgLc4wljUbZs_1QG9RBWyrLg_V2kk13N3xgTex4kw765R7XcUi_LLK-GGceZc1zbI9gzoDhneUfP0-4Q4dYWfLvOCMH27GxV0zX0AlEU26WNQ7LiFS4HTuH2JCre2diXTJNYbHeg/s400/new+year+image2018.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , "geneva" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">On behalf of myself, Jiho and our families ,</span><br />
<div align="center" style="background-color: white; color: maroon; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: center;">
<div align="left" style="color: black; font-size: 10pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="color: black; font-size: 10pt; text-align: left;">
We all have our reasons to celebrate the passing year and we all have our challenges as we move into the New Year. The Buddha-dharma offers us an unparalleled resource to accompany us into the coming year,and may we wish you and your families all the very best .</div>
<div align="left" style="color: black; font-size: 10pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="color: black; font-size: 10pt; text-align: left;">
<div>
The great Japanese teacher, Nichiren, writes:</div>
<div style="margin-left: 30px;">
<em>making offerings at the beginning of the New Year is like cherry blossoms blooming from the trees, a lotus unfolding in a pond, sandalwood leaves in the Snow Mountains or the new moon beginning to rise.</em></div>
</div>
<div align="left" style="color: black; font-size: 10pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="color: black; font-size: 10pt; text-align: left;">
We wish you all the best as this new year, like a new moon, rises over your lives, and blossoms like the cherry trees.</div>
<div align="left" style="color: black; font-size: 10pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" style="color: black; font-size: 10pt; text-align: left;">
May you find joy and wisdom in this coming year,</div>
<div align="left" style="color: black; font-size: 10pt; text-align: left;">
Innen and Jiho</div>
<div align="left" style="color: black; font-size: 10pt; text-align: left;">
Red Maple Tendai Sangha</div>
<div align="left" style="color: black; font-size: 10pt; text-align: left;">
Renfrew, Ontario</div>
<div align="left" style="color: black; font-size: 10pt; text-align: left;">
January 1, 2018</div>
</div>
<em style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">om namu amida butsu</em>The Padakun Centre for Contemplative Walkinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09817780114861006457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-645719786664948303.post-57379486345506655922017-11-26T10:42:00.001-05:002017-11-26T10:42:09.456-05:00Hi Sangha and Friends,<br />
This is our segaki-dan (Hungry Ghost Altar) from yesterday's service. It was a touching , impactful and funny event. Thanks to all for joining in the celebration.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLfGHTqnEGiaTTfA_V_dtpBCEdZuwM0FwxsFWXXfnD9E4qgJu4tjXZqjvm01uOjBQckq8-OrhT5bMv4SYKW9jXa34avr8z6dCXIssB-DhYCjia29RwoBaJOYOBFMCI3MZ2_QUyYhaT16RI/s1600/segaki-dan+2017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLfGHTqnEGiaTTfA_V_dtpBCEdZuwM0FwxsFWXXfnD9E4qgJu4tjXZqjvm01uOjBQckq8-OrhT5bMv4SYKW9jXa34avr8z6dCXIssB-DhYCjia29RwoBaJOYOBFMCI3MZ2_QUyYhaT16RI/s320/segaki-dan+2017.jpg" width="237" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
.... in the Dharma, Innen, doshu</div>
The Padakun Centre for Contemplative Walkinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09817780114861006457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-645719786664948303.post-57323322597106813842017-11-22T18:10:00.002-05:002017-11-22T18:11:14.057-05:00SEGAKI-E AND O-HIGAN THIS WEEKENDHi Sangha and Friends,
....
in the Dharma,
Innen, doshu<br />
<br />
We are hosting our o-Higan and Segaki-e event this weekend.<br />
These are wonderful events, full of personal meaning, where we both acknowledge those who have impacted our lives and passed recently and make a symbolic statement about the afterlife, with Segaki-e, the celebration for Hungry Ghosts.<br />
<br />
We are mounting the special Segaki-dan, the altar for Ghosts and we will perform the temple circumambulation-chanting ceremony.<br />
<br />
If you would like to participate, contact us,<br />
Innen, doshuThe Padakun Centre for Contemplative Walkinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09817780114861006457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-645719786664948303.post-60051292041951270192016-10-22T16:35:00.003-04:002016-10-22T16:36:10.157-04:00SYMPOSIUM IN SAN DIEGO<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Hi Sangha and Friends, </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I will be presenting a poster entitled <i>Two Feet, Deep: Theory and Forms of Contemplative Walking</i> at this year's International Symposium for Consciousness Studies. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.mindandlife.org/international-symposium-contemplative-studies/">https://www.mindandlife.org/international-symposium-contemplative-studies/</a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This is a wonderful opportunity and major honour for me and us, who will be one of the few Canadians presenting.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There are many leading speakers presenting. For more details, check the link. He will share his experience, source paper and reflections on his return. I expect video and text will be available over the next few months.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">in the Dharma, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Innen, doshu</span>The Padakun Centre for Contemplative Walkinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09817780114861006457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-645719786664948303.post-88598092797355094562016-07-09T10:47:00.004-04:002016-07-09T10:47:45.333-04:00WALKING EVENT<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Hi Sangha and Friends,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">SPECIAL
WALKING EVENT</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><ul>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">On
Saturday July 16 we will switch our schedule to allow sangha members
to join Judy as she does the ALS fun run at the Mateway Activity
Centre in Renfrew to raise funds for ALS!</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">There
are 3km and 5km runs for $15. Registration: 8:30AM Start Time:
9:00AM </span>
</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Judy
will be running ; Innen and the RMS “fast-puppy”, Josh, will
pole-walk the 3 k circuit</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">FYI
– a 3 km walk takes about 45 minutes at a brisk pace.</span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Check the Shedule page for other changes. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> ....
in the Dharma, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Innen, doshu</span>The Padakun Centre for Contemplative Walkinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09817780114861006457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-645719786664948303.post-25833835316727448072016-06-21T19:39:00.001-04:002016-06-21T19:39:04.860-04:00<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Hi Sangha and Friends,</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Thank you to everyone for your understanding and patience as I recover from my health challenges. The latest tests show that I am clear of the pneumonia and am welcoming us all back to resume practice on June 18.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">in the Dharma, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Innen, doshu</span>The Padakun Centre for Contemplative Walkinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09817780114861006457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-645719786664948303.post-46708631021085279912016-03-26T15:20:00.002-04:002016-03-26T15:20:44.566-04:00CHURCH AND STATE
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div lang="en-US" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">My
current readings have been a mix of deepening my knowledge of the
history of South Eastern Europe, especially Portugal, and a biography
of Honen, the Tendai priest who launched the Pure Land School
(Jodo-shu) in Japan. Coincidentally, they overlap in time. Honen
lived between 1133 and 1212 CE, and the period I am at in my study is
the transition from Moorish dominance to the early formation of the
state called 'Portu-Cale' which occurred in the late 1100's as well.</span></span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div lang="en-US" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">What
I found curiously coincidental was that both the mainstream Buddhists
in Japan (primarily Tendai) and the King, as head of Catholicism in
the new Portuguese state sought the same validation. In Japan, the
hierarchy on Mt. Hiei, had enjoyed primacy in the emperor's court for
centuries. They had established a kind of agreement whereby they were
left alone to preach salvation as long as they did not interfere in
state matters. In Europe, the new Portuguese king sought similar
approval for his realm through the Pope in Rome. </span></span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div lang="en-US" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">In
Japan, the monks of Mt. Hiei stuck by this agreement and, when Honen
started to win over more and more converts to his practice style, a
style which effectively undercut monastic monopoly of faith, they
arranged for Honen to be exiled. The Portuguese king needed to link
his feudal tax system to a regular donation scheme to Rome, thus
securing approval and support for his kingdom, which existed in a
region of a dozen or more other small-scale kingdoms. </span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div lang="en-US" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Its
interesting how religious movements have to negotiate this
church-state boundary. Contrastingly, many Islamic states and Tibet
solved the issue by assigning state power to the clergy. As we well
know this can be a mixed solution too. It gives us the Dalai Lama but
also the ayatollahs of Iran and figures like those scheming priests
in 16<sup>th</sup> century Europe.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div lang="en-US" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Yours
in the Dharma,<span style="text-decoration: none;"> </span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: maroon;"><b>Innen</b></span><span style="color: maroon;">,
</span><span style="color: maroon;"><i>doshu</i></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="color: maroon;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="en-US"><i>om
namo amida butsu</i></span></span></span></span><span style="color: maroon;"><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="en-US"><i><span style="text-decoration: none;"> </span></i></span></span></span></span></div>
The Padakun Centre for Contemplative Walkinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09817780114861006457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-645719786664948303.post-16320399310192705432016-03-19T14:27:00.000-04:002016-03-19T14:27:31.864-04:00TOWARD A CONTEMPORARY UNDERSTANDING OF PURE LAND BUDDHISM
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">NEW
BOOK: <i>Toward A Contemporary Understanding of Pure Land Buddhism</i></span></span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Sometimes
a new book can be an introduction to the landscape, a summary of
familiar material, a personal scan on a topic or some other “good
reads”. And then there are books like this. <i>Toward A
Contemporary Understanding of Pure Land Buddhism </i><span style="font-weight: normal;">is
subtitled </span><i><span style="font-weight: normal;">Creating a Shin
Buddhist Theology in a Religiously Plural World, </span></i><span style="font-weight: normal;">
and is edited by Dennis Hirota, a Professor of Asian Studies at
Chikushi Jogakuen University in Japan. He is a brilliant writer on
Pure Land in his own right, a world authority on Shinran.</span></span></span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">This
book is a very engaging format in that it presents a set of three
“contemporary interpretations” of Pure Land, by Hirota and two
other equally erudite Pure Land academics. Then follows a set of
commentaries by two giants of contemporary western religious thought,
George Kaufman, (</span><i><span style="font-weight: normal;">God-Mystery-Diversity:
Christian Theology in a Pluralistic World </span></i><span style="font-weight: normal;">)
and John B Cobb Jr. ( </span><i><span style="font-weight: normal;">Beyond
Dialogue: Toward a Mutual Transformation of Christianity and
Buddhism)</span></i><span style="font-weight: normal;"> The book
concludes with a response to those two by the three opening writers.</span></span></span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The
initial three chapters offer three separate approaches to the Pure
Land path, which the authors call the hermeneutical, the process and
the buddhological. The first is a familiar approach which centres on
a coherent understanding of oneself and one's place in the world. The
second, Process Theology, is relatively new and comes from recent
Christian thought, notably the writings of people like John Cobb Jr.
The final piece introduces what it calls a “buddhological”
approach, that is using the language and concepts of esoteric
Buddhist writing to explain Pure Land practice, especially mandala
visualization. What follows are the back and forth commentary of the
five writers.</span></span></span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">There
is insufficient space here for any kind of expanded remarks on this
book. After my first read-through, I have to confess there is so much
to consider and examine that I probably have little to say at this
point. I found this title most provocative with its underlying theme
of how we are to express Pure Land practice in addressing
contemporary concerns. All note that Pure Land has succeeded in
providing a potent and profound theory and practice which explains
the universe and our means to salvation. It has not similarly
provided guidance for everyday life. It would seem that this was not
a concern for teachers like Shinran.</span></span></span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">This
book is far from an introduction to Pure Land. Those new to it are
better of with Suzuki's </span><i><span style="font-weight: normal;">Buddha
of Infinite Light</span></i><span style="font-weight: normal;">or
Unno's </span><i><span style="font-weight: normal;">River of Fire,
River of Water</span></i><span style="font-weight: normal;">. This
book will take us far beyond those opening doors.</span></span></span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Yours
in the Dharma,<span style="text-decoration: none;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: maroon;"><b>Innen</b></span><span style="color: maroon;">,
</span><span style="color: maroon;"><i>doshu</i></span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: maroon;"><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="en-US"><i>om
namo amida butsu</i></span></span></span></span><span style="color: maroon;"><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="en-US"><i><span style="text-decoration: none;"> </span></i></span></span></span></span></div>
<br />The Padakun Centre for Contemplative Walkinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09817780114861006457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-645719786664948303.post-39837221370053229592016-03-10T17:01:00.002-05:002016-03-10T17:01:29.982-05:00TRAVELS WITH BASHO<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Hi Sangha and Friends,</span><br />
<br />
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">I
pulled my copy of the collected poetry and writing of Matsuo Basho
off the bookshelf recently and started to re-read it. This time I
approached it a new way. </span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Basho
is probably the greatest poet of the Japanese <i>haiku</i> style,
which is characterized by a delightful and ironic styles compacted
into just over a dozen syllables in a three stanza structure. Some
call him the Japanese Thoreau because, in addition to being the
acknowledged master of this poetic form, he exemplified a peripatetic
lifestyle that forms the backdrop of his life and work. His poetry
emerges from the travels he takes back and forth across the Japanese
landscape in the middle of the 1600's. Alone, accompanied by younger
poets, on foot or on horseback, he visits shrines, old friends and
sites of rare natural beauty.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51YqxBgTd0L.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" class="image-stretch-vertical" height="400" id="igImage" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51YqxBgTd0L.jpg" style="max-height: 500px; max-width: 325px;" width="260" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">I
had read through his poems and travelogues several times before, but
this time I decided to follow them with maps and pictures. I kept my
tablet open as I read and whenever he mentions where he is, I tracked
it on the map and photo software. Of course the landscape is
radically different from his experience. Now there are skyscrapers,
power lines and paved multi-lane freeways all across the landscape.
Nevertheless, many of the natural sites and temples have changed
little, so I can view something of what inspired his poems.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Basho
may have been a Buddhist priest or at least presented himself as one,
and his style has deeply influenced the aesthetic and subject matter
of later Zen poetry. </span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51YqxBgTd0L._SX323_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="productTitle"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="title"></a>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="en-US">I
am currently </span><span lang="en-US">using
</span><i><b>The Narrow Road
to the Deep North and Other Travel Sketches</b></i></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><b> </b></i>
</span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">You
can read most of Basho's greatest works here:
<a href="http://www.poemhunter.com/matsuo-basho/">http://www.poemhunter.com/matsuo-basho/</a>
</span></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Yours
in the Dharma,<span style="text-decoration: none;"> </span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: maroon;"><b>Innen</b></span><span style="color: maroon;">,
</span><span style="color: maroon;"><i>doshu</i></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="color: maroon;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="en-US"><i>om
namo amida butsu</i></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="color: maroon;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="en-US"><i> </i></span></span></span></span><span style="color: maroon;"><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="en-US"><i><span style="text-decoration: none;"> </span></i></span></span></span></span></div>
The Padakun Centre for Contemplative Walkinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09817780114861006457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-645719786664948303.post-81550988338569203742016-03-03T15:55:00.006-05:002016-03-03T15:55:54.375-05:00CHANGE AND CONTROL PART 2<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Hi Sangha and Friends, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Here is a follow-up conversation </span><br />
<br />
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">DIALOGUE
ON CHANGE AND CONTROL, PART 2</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div lang="en-US">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">From
the Dharma perspective the quality of feelings are indicators of
state of mind and images of right/wrong and burden/relief point to
what is happening in your mind. Such mental activity points us to the
fundamental orientation we have to our lives.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In
his first-ever talk, the Buddha said “I come to teach the truth of
suffering and its relief”, so, if you feel some relief, then the
presentation of Dharma has resonated with something in you. In
essence, what the Buddha taught was we are not (spoiler alert!) the
centre of the universe. OMG! What he proposed is that we are located
in an incomprehensible network of cause-and-effect relationships (for
future reading, this is called <i>pratitya samutpada, </i><span style="font-style: normal;">or
conditioned arising). Our Awakening is to understand that location,
to understand its momentum or purpose and to direct our lives to it.
The amount of control you can experience is determined by how you
understand who this “I” to be.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Q.
.. I've been in a canoe on rapid waters and I appreciate the
challenge of it. </i></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">A.
It seems to me that the only place we have much choice or control is
how we lean towards or away from wholesome thoughts, intentions and
actions. The lure and appeal of self-desires is potent, so, yes, it
takes effort and determination. </span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Q.
However, it also makes me sort of disheartened to think that I can't
have an effective role in changing things I wish to see differently,
particularly the suffering of others. But is that not a major
intention - relief of suffering?</i> </span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">A.
Quite the contrary, you have a decisive part to play in the relief of
dukkha. You are not a passive receptor, nor are you just a cog in a
wheel. The understanding of our true nature as children of the Buddha
is also our awareness that we can express every breath and action for
the relief of suffering beings. Once we start to see that
responsibility and accept that, then we easily trim off all the
wasted effort we make to protect the ego, to hide from truth, pain
and maturity and to delude ourselves that we can live forever in
lives of self-indulgence. Instead of clinging and grasping, life
activities become rich with purpose and focus. What changes is the
knowledge that the context of our every breath is the boundary-less
expanse of the Buddha's loving kindness and compassion. We come to
find the canoe is capsized and we swim in an ocean of compassion.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Q.
And if we are unwholesome, do we not experience dukkha? So in that
way do we not have some form of control?</i> </span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">A.
Yes, unwholesome action (and thought and intention) are causes of
dukkha. Always remember dukkha is not something limited to personal
experience. The Buddha's first teaching was “sarvam dukkham” -
meaning <u>all this</u> is incapable of providing satisfaction. He
points to our identification of who we are as being located in the
endless cycle of birth and death (that cycle of conditioned arising
mentioned above) as the the reason we feel empty or lacking. Dukkha
is not ours, it is the flavour of human experience.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This
question of choice and control is not entirely clear to me. I know it
is different from the current Western obsession with
choice/control/autonomy/self. What I understand so far, and from my
limited perspective of what is known as Pure Land teaching, is that
choice is a perception of the presence of the liberative impulse of
the Buddhas. There is no 'me' and even to the extent that there seems
to be, that 'me' relies on the power of the Buddhas to direct 'me' to
awareness. </span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Q.
At the same time, though, there seems to be a certain level of
"letting go" that must need to happen in order to focus our
intentions on our movement with the momentum as opposed to working
towards change.</i></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">A.
The momentum is always about change anyway. The second teaching of
the Buddha is <i>anicca,</i> <span style="font-style: normal;">impermanence.
The critical detail is that it is not someone making change happen.
Change is the form of reality. It is directed at openness, compassion
and thorough self-awareness. What we can do is align ourselves with
that momentum of change (i.e. wholesome activity) or struggle to
maintain our deluded sense of individual autonomy (i.e. un-wholesome
activity, that which generates more dukkha). The letting go is not
abandoning a commitment to change, but of realizing that we are not
isolated, individually-willed selves but are part of the
compassionate activity of the Buddhas.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Yours
in the Dharma,<span style="text-decoration: none;"> </span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: maroon;"><b>Innen</b></span><span style="color: maroon;">,
</span><span style="color: maroon;"><i>doshu</i></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="color: maroon;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="en-US"><i>om
namo amida butsu</i></span></span></span></span><span style="color: maroon;"><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="en-US"><i><span style="text-decoration: none;"> </span></i></span></span></span></span></div>
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The Padakun Centre for Contemplative Walkinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09817780114861006457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-645719786664948303.post-74837206227441572012016-02-28T12:41:00.000-05:002016-02-28T12:41:09.268-05:00CHANGE<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Hi Sangha and Friends,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Here is an exchange I had with a friend recently.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Q: When you say we are never the
agents of change - do you mean ever? </span></span>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">A: </span>What I propose is spoken
from my understanding of Buddha-dharma (the teachings of the Buddhas)
and it is not so present in the secular-psych approaches which remain
married to the 20th century existentialist philosophy that emphasizes
individual identity and personal choice. It is inconsistent with
mainstream Christian thought too, which likewise emphasizes
individual identity and will. The biggest differences are the
doctrine of "karma" (cause and effect) and the initial "3
Stains" Buddhist teaching, which asserts : </span><br />
<blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">1. "Anatta"-
there is no separate eternal self or soul (yes, there are transient
spirit-selves but none that survive death) <br />2. "Anicca"
- there is nothing in the realm of time/space which possesses
permanence, - everything is transient and changing, and <br />3.
"Dukkha" - this realm of our normal experience can not
provide us full satisfaction or fulfillment </span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The second point
is the crucial one here for this discussion. It asserts that all
there is is a causally interconnected net of continuously shifting
and changing phenomena within which we we seem to experience
ourselves as unique. In short, everything is already changing all the
time. That is its nature. We do not cause the change, nor can we.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">What we experience as our "self" is a temporary
presentation that is causally linked with the momentum that precedes
us. The causes that lead to "me" are not limited to what I
have done, but are the results of previous karmic force which may
include individuals like my parents and grandparents, but may also
include higher level karma, such as social and cultural forces. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I
use that image of canoeing on a fast flowing river, but the more
accurate Buddhist metaphor, which would scare off most people, is
that we are not in a canoe but we are actually the peaks of those
moving waves. We cannot change the ocean or the waves. We can only
attend to the momentum and align ourselves with it. Our purpose is to
recognize our true "wave-ness" and fulfill that as
completely as we can. We experience "Dukkha" (existential
lack) when we try to set ourselves against or separate ourselves out
from the momentum of the wave and the ocean. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The concept of
"will" which so dominates Western thought is not much of an
issue for Buddhist teaching. Instead we use the term "vedana"
which roughly equates to intention. It is the directionality of our
thoughts, desires and, ultimately our actions. When our thoughts,
intentions and actions are "wholesome (Kusala, that is, directed
at realizing our true nature) then we flow with the flow. When they
are unwholesome (a-kusala, self-obsessed) then we experience that
dissatisfaction that characterizes human life - ie. Dukkha. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The
challenge for us is not to cause change but to discover the flow of
change and how to best align ourselves with it.We are more
collaborators than agents. This remains a moral and positive purpose.<span style="color: black;">If that's the case, why do we
reflect, pay attention to our values, set our own intentions and
facilitate our own attentive action? When we took your pups for the
walk earlier this winter I really heard you when you talked about
being aware of the already existing momentum. But do we not act as
agents of change on some level? </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"> </span>
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Only in a relative sense, that is, to the extent that we hold to
the idea of a separate self. The value of meditation, value
clarification and intention setting is that it permits us to see
through the delusion of individual selfhood, at least momentarily, so
we can release the self-obsession that drives our lives and
suffering. They permit us to step outside of the narrowness of "my"
experience, and allows enough perception of our location in the flow
that we broaden or value system to encompass all beings. It promotes
a larger, non-self-obsessed desire for the Awakening of all beings
from their suffering. Meditative practices are one of the eight tools
(Buddhist cal the the Eight-fold Path) recommended to us so we can
grow beyond the compressed and sorrowful states of individual being.
<br />This has lead to an accusation of determinism, fatalism and
nihilism being targeted at Buddha-dharma by those whose understanding
is immature. The teachings, practices and ethics of Buddhist teaching
are not life-denying or passive. On the contrary, we are called in
each moment to discover how we are ever the expression of universal
wisdom and compassion. The question raised for us is how will we act
to demonstrate or "realize" that.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">in the Dharma, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Innen, doshu</span>The Padakun Centre for Contemplative Walkinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09817780114861006457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-645719786664948303.post-46993926220320673882016-02-20T17:04:00.004-05:002016-02-20T17:04:47.341-05:00SECULAR BUDDHISM<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">We have been emphasizing the<i> jodo </i>or devotional tradition through our study of the Visualization Sutra. (For more on this<a href="http://redmaplesangha.blogspot.ca/p/blog-page.html" target="_blank"> see this month's Dharma talk</a>) This stresses a personal relationship that can exist between ordinary humans and a trans-human presence, such as Amitabha, Jizo Kwan Yin or many others.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Within the phenomenon of Western Buddhist culture there is a form of Buddhism called secular Buddhism or Buddhist atheism or a number of other things. Prominent proponents of this position are Stephen Batchelor and Rick Harris. The American Stephen Batchelor, author of <i>After Buddhism: Rethinking Dharma for A Secular Age</i> ; <i>Buddhism Without Beliefs</i> and <i>Confessions of A Buddhist Atheist</i> is a controversial figure who explores the ideas that bridge conventional Buddhist teaching and the views of modern atheism. Harris another American mindfulness teacher is author of <em>Secular Meditation: 32 Practices for Cultivating Inner Peace, Compassion, and Joy.</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">There is an excellent blog which acts as a base-camp for <a href="http://secularbuddhism.org/" target="_blank">Secular Buddhism</a>. It offers a distinction between traditional and secular Buddhism :<em><br /></em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><i>Much of secular Buddhist practice is the same as traditional, but there
are some differences, which are noted where appropriate.The bottom line
in Buddhism is to eliminate suffering for yourself and others. All the
teachings strive to that end. The difference with secular Buddhism is
that <b>the focus is on this lifetime, in this world</b>, whereas some
traditions believe the practice takes many life times, and their goal is
to end the cycle of rebirth. </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The Secular Buddhism site features some instruction in this approach. More valuably, it is full of book reviews and great podcasts with significant teachers in modern Dharma. One I especially enjoyed is the podcast interview with David McMahan. His book <i>The Making of Buddhist Modernism</i> is an excellent examination of
the causes and conditions which have contributed to the overall
landscape of contemporary Buddhism. McMahan is
Professor of Religious Studies at Franklin and Marshall College, having
earned his Ph.D. at the University of California, Santa Barbara. His
research focuses on Buddhism and modernity, South Asian Buddhism, and
the effects of globalization. He has published a number of journal
articles about these topics, and has presented lectures all over the
world, most recently by invitation at Minzu University in Beijing,
China. This hour-long interview explores his ideas from the Buddhist Modernism book.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">in the Dharma, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Innen, doshu</span>The Padakun Centre for Contemplative Walkinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09817780114861006457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-645719786664948303.post-33804910439823654552016-02-06T16:14:00.003-05:002016-02-06T16:14:35.651-05:00PRECEPTS
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">This
morning we recited the <b><i>Eight Lay Precepts</i></b>, as we do from time to
time. This lead to a vigourous discussion about the repetitive use of
the phrase “<i>I vow.</i>.” What are vows? How responsible are we
for them? What happens when we fail?</span></span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Precepts
or vows refers to the <i>shila</i> components of Buddhist teaching.
<i>Shila</i> is the third component of the three which also includes wisdom
(<i>prajna</i>) and practice (<i>samadhi</i>). This term can mean morality, ethics
or values. These represent behavioural standards, rather than some
independent moral code, like the Ten Commandments. Traditionally,
monks, priests and nuns take a more elaborated set of precepts, while
laypeople or <i>upasakas </i>have a smaller and simpler set, such as the
Eight referred to above.</span></span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">There
are forms of Buddhism which treat moral choices as “commandments”
and, similar to Christian teaching ,depicts <i>shila</i>-violation as a
punishable act, with the consequence being any number of terrible
hell-realms. This view treats karma as a code-and-judgment
phenomenon.</span></span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">I
prefer to view vows as personal statements of intention, motivated by
the desire for Awakening (<i>bodaishin</i>). They are like flight plans we
make, for ourselves and as proclamations before our peers. As with a
pilot, we do not control the whole flight route and we may indeed
fail or be required to alter our plans as circumstances arise. We are
responsible for how we act on these intentions, but are never
accountable for outcomes (because we do not control the wider context
of our actions).</span></span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">We
make intentions to guide our efforts to serve the Dharma. We
understand , as we make them, that we may fail. We further understand
that vow-taking or intention-setting is a step taken on a path which
leads beyond this immediate lifetime. Our actions have karmic value
which will certainly impact beyond this present life, as well as
impact on lives adjacent to ours in this context. </span></span>
</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Finally,
we also understand that the completion of any precept or vow is not
the assignment of any act to ourselves alone. We make vows in
awareness of the karmic momentum from other lives, other people and
events. We recognize this life is interdependent on other lives, so
we accept that we can only effect a small part of the momentum of any
moment. We take a vow knowing our role is partial. Further, we
incorporate in our vows and practice the resonance of our efforts
with those of countless Buddhas and bodhisattvas who have made
concurrent vows to contribute to our lives. The success of any vow is
never ours alone, just as the failure cannot ever be ours alone.</span></span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Yours
in the Dharma,<span style="text-decoration: none;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: maroon;"><b>Innen</b></span><span style="color: maroon;">,
</span><span style="color: maroon;"><i>doshu</i></span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: maroon;"><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="en-US"><i>om
namo amida butsu</i></span></span></span></span><span style="color: maroon;"><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="en-US"><i><span style="text-decoration: none;"> </span></i></span></span></span></span></div>
The Padakun Centre for Contemplative Walkinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09817780114861006457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-645719786664948303.post-28625625126810967272016-01-09T16:03:00.000-05:002016-02-04T15:15:53.936-05:00JEWEL COLOURS FROM SUTRAS<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">As we study sutras, like the Visualization Sutra, we run across references to colours and jewels from which they derive. Below is a quick reference guide to assist your study.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If you look at your copy of the Mandala, you will see the predominance of the orange-gold colours, but the presence of the whole range too. </span><br />
<pre><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></pre>
<pre><i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">imagine that the beryl ground shines brilliantly, inside and out, and that this ground </span></span></i></pre>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<pre><i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">is supported from below by columns that are made of diamond and the seven kinds</span></span></i></pre>
<pre><i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">of jewels and hung with golden banners. These columns have eight sides and eight </span></span></i></pre>
<pre><i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">corners, each side being adorned with a hundred kinds of jewels. Each jewel emits </span></span></i></pre>
<pre><i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">a thousand rays of light, each ray in turn having eighty-four thousand colors. </span></span></i></pre>
<pre><i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">As they are reflected on the beryl ground, </span></span></i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>they look like a thousand kotis of suns, </i></span></span></pre>
<pre><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>so dazzling that it is impossible to see them in detail.</i> </span></span></pre>
<pre><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0IJFgG8mYSVN03yVyQAVyGazuKEFWUUqWOWpwuCrn0PY6k2wPuWVc2O_wHR8MyyQrH5tzOVX3G3Hl8n3_5vffAlINtn3-7EyYhgZHsMJbDnP9ll8_z6fk2ujVrOGavY79B1vy4mWiVSrc/s1600/SUTRA+COLOURS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0IJFgG8mYSVN03yVyQAVyGazuKEFWUUqWOWpwuCrn0PY6k2wPuWVc2O_wHR8MyyQrH5tzOVX3G3Hl8n3_5vffAlINtn3-7EyYhgZHsMJbDnP9ll8_z6fk2ujVrOGavY79B1vy4mWiVSrc/s640/SUTRA+COLOURS.jpg" width="492" /></a></pre>
<pre><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></pre>
<pre><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">L<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">astly, we include beryl<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">, which has a wide variety of natural colour versions. </span></span></span></span></pre>
<pre><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The green one is what we call emerald</span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih2sgioYzpbNa3XnTleyDDRCKTsBvaxIqVf05v9zNnrsQmmSQs9_al4twSHuEPZbs-aC_N33nmny2Gduz-luAX4nZmVW-SNE_bP64G6GXKzkN8C0iqmqGlFx8yEDSCJU2WkHnccCPDGJon/s1600/beryl+images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih2sgioYzpbNa3XnTleyDDRCKTsBvaxIqVf05v9zNnrsQmmSQs9_al4twSHuEPZbs-aC_N33nmny2Gduz-luAX4nZmVW-SNE_bP64G6GXKzkN8C0iqmqGlFx8yEDSCJU2WkHnccCPDGJon/s320/beryl+images.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The Padakun Centre for Contemplative Walkinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09817780114861006457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-645719786664948303.post-44891311186272640942015-12-30T12:39:00.000-05:002015-12-30T12:39:31.200-05:00SEASONAL READING: HOUSE IN THE SKY<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><img align="middle" alt="Image result for house in the sky book" border="0" class="iuth" data-deferred="1" height="400" id="uid_7" src="data:image/jpeg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAkGBwgHBgkIBwgKCgkLDRYPDQwMDRsUFRAWIB0iIiAdHx8kKDQsJCYxJx8fLT0tMTU3Ojo6Iys/RD84QzQ5OjcBCgoKDQwNGg8PGjclHyU3Nzc3Nzc3Nzc3Nzc3Nzc3Nzc3Nzc3Nzc3Nzc3Nzc3Nzc3Nzc3Nzc3Nzc3Nzc3Nzc3N//AABEIAKAAagMBIgACEQEDEQH/xAAbAAEAAgMBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAFAwQAAgYBB//EAEcQAAEDAwIEAgMMBgkEAwAAAAECAwQABRESIQYTMUEiURQyYRUjNkJVcXKBlbKz4xZSYpOUoQckJjWRkrHB0TOChfBDdIT/xAAYAQEBAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIDBP/EACYRAAIBAwMEAQUAAAAAAAAAAAABEQIhQTFR8BJhgaGxIjJxkfH/2gAMAwEAAhEDEQA/APldqtzEyPNky5aozEQIKlIY5pUVK0jbUKmEPh/vfZY/8X+bXtrGeHb/APNG/FoehBf0Ph8H+/Zf2X+bXvofD3y9L+y/zaHrKQBf0Lh/5el/Zf5tZ6Hw/wDLsz7L/MoisoBf0OwfLkz7L/NrPQ+H/l2Z9l/m0RWUgC/ofD/a+zD/AOL/ADK89DsPy5L+y/zKJrygGPQ7D8uTPsv8ys9DsPy5M+y/zKIQkuK0tgqVvskZNZQki8i1wFWuVNt9zdkGMttK23IfK2WSBvrPl5UPimLd8Gr59OL99dEURWL2w44ev2P1Y34tEUxa/g7f/oxvxaHogZWVlZVIZWVlSMx35BUI7DrpSMqDaCrA8zigI6yp4bsZp3VLjLkt49VD3L/ng0peplkCG2rDBLRcby+uQoulKjjwtlQGAO6sZPbbrJKB5pqDwzcLgzzLaqJNWEha2WJCS42k91A4wPPc4zUZscl63tT4ID0deUqCnEpWhY6ggkZ8wR2I71Babdcrk8uPaWXHnVJKVttrCSpPcYyMjbpQE8u4XOHFds0ppLC21aXApgIeAHxCob6T19u2+KKqea7JW9ypi1qdj+84c3UgA+qT7Dn5qgqojF7d8Gb59OL99dD0xbvg1fPpxfvqoeoijFsP9nr99GN+LRFL2zH6O37PXTGx+9oiiyDK3ZQlxwJWsNpOfGe2xx/j0+utKtQbZcLiHDb4MmUGsaywypenPnjpVBN6FC5ZV7qtA4B0llW5xnH+31Vc4cuSuH+Jo0mFPaQhJ0OPraUpGhQ8WUjc4/1A7VvaEWVNyTbb7BUhQcUy5LZmFsIIJBUQoEHp7Pmrf3Kt065uWrhiNOurqk+9yVuctI81aNPqjzJH/OW1oypbFviy/wBhvD8hu02Fth194L9MUsIUpR2J0YOkHr1HXJrw3OTwxY7lwzdLE2JUo60vOndIOMKGPWG2xBHTvXs+3yuEpEa38TwYs+C9lehOrU2nPi5bmE4PcgEjzxXQ8cQYdys/D8aHeFPSUMq9FjSEEvvJXgo1Y9TATjUdqxKsloavds+fxbLLnxFyoLAkpbVpdS2Mrb22Kh+qex8xVx+6W9u42yTBtrkQw20h1LUjSp11PxgrB079f/TTln4csN05lkYu8w3T/qOSG29ULwjxDruB+uSBnp7dBAsVst06dAlt3oRJCW5MWSwEIW2okJU2oEqBz8Ybb9MYzrqUwSHqQTOLWeIESGuJLfGLriVFibEa0uML6jIz4k9M9/nrkhkgV392sPCaLQzfFLnwWJJSG4Ud1t85wSd8nAPtO3l2rkLrLgyHAi2W/wBDjJORzHC66r6Sz/oAB89KGsEqTyWLdvw1fPpxfvqoil7d8Gr59OL99VD1pEGLWM8PX72Jjfi0RS9sOOHr99GN+LRFRasGVfs91m2yQFw5amM6hvqKMlJTnSO+DscbYFUmlJS4lS2w4gHJQSQFezI3rrpvCsW4cKx77w1HnuqW6W5MMqDvJxnJBACiMgeeyqVNLUJN6Bw4fblwZEqBeY8yUyCt6KUqbeOASpSQvBXjBzjfrUduXOtbMa5Wq5pZSo6nAl9vmNqTsctk+Ib5G3Q00p623F+2XCHcnmr8iOPSA3AW42paBjxADOojYkAjY+dUuF3LW3EuETiF2IiGptTTK1sa5DLvZaAAVAdc52zipNjUXF7h7t3bhZEebLtVztzakqaujkrQuMr9VerCjtkadJPtOK519hx+Yi5X2RcJNuK0tqnoZUA6AMaUKV2wDvjt0pxqyPQls2mVEXdrXJJkMyYMpalFvoVttBekqT1IKT7etQruk6I/Jb4bduhmSTyH405ouPt6dwUADTpI23SCntsc1ldisk4ja4Yk2hMvgx/0V2MotyI61lDjzRONeVHKh0JHTHXGK5yVY7pDtzc1TQVDknQlxh5LqVY3wdBOOnfypeU1Dv0qcbitq23VtxCiU++h46Ako0JydWRnw+ZB3FSRLhxBw4PcW1f1cqPNdL7YSJGrYHQ8BpTjboM4yaqlKERw9Snb7NBvFpZRBdjtX1SyEMc/PpSMbDc4QvPYkZ8q51QKVFKgQQcEEYINdneLYZVxttyusNuxRZBKJMyEpLsfmJ6LRyydJPl7Nu9clO3mySHucC6o80//ACb+t9fWrS5IxC3fBq9/Ti/fVRFL274NXv6cX766IrSyQYtYzw9f/oxvxaHpe2HHD1+9qY34tEYqLVhllVunJiNTFQ3/AEZ04bd5ZKFnOMA/7V1THE86G0x7h3CUZJXhNtahIaaaAxqKkJyF53HY9zUvBM7iFHDs+Hw1aVvuuP6nZmvwo8IwEpJA1989tvZR8mFBsb4tvEypPMXFTJ5kcJU6xIUfVBJ3BSPFv139tZlNwzaUKULXsSUzLRxXZ7S7bnQSJaTEUltpxOMqIA3SoKO47Dzq9xvLtkhiXJc4dAlLbCHJ7riY2pQ+M22vKlA774ycAZqtwKu+uy5T/DsqTLhNtlCVXR8tsocPQFIKtRx2GPbion49z4bv1vul5gN3W83FcjXGUoEAeAI0nBGfW7YArGTWJKVissriDhp1dmXOTcLW8FtsBwaFa8aloUQCk+HJTq7e2rU+98ScT25uDb0racj6m5UdqUTIdPmoKwoj2AkeddIz/R8XrZrZuYVclhUiI0xLUmPFyc+9gHOATjV0rlZkC58SXeNJvDIivR3kW6bJDiUnn78teOud0ZI642oq6amOlpFl+3xYPB0662phyDOabEG5Q5bOsJKynJTr3SdwQR2NR2G5T75FMBq1xLjBtsVKlsSjl9xAO+lzGx32HTApWRxVcrDw5IgX/wBBm3cPiM2w5pUpKEpyHHBjxDONOeu1G8EXV+1omcQt21+cs5EtURbaENo29doJ23GcjA/mKn1Q20HEqAqyW28ToN0TYIb0y0PBSA0t5vWgg6kKKNWdQI6gb71z0iFLittOSozrKHdXLLidOrScHAPkdq6+DNtlluvu7aLfdUREMEBCjy087VgtrJ2Keuw8ugxXOcR3yXxDdFz52hKykIQ2gbIQM4A/xP8AjXWmZ7GGlBJbvg1fPpxfvroel7f8G739OL99VE1pZM4FbYkmwX09gmPn97UNgktQ7zEkyIInttryqKRnmbH2Hp16dqmtysWC+J/WTH/Epr+jM3Bu9vSLdDRJUlgghxZQBuOisEBXz9gaxU+mmpmqVLR0liszySvjS0KZjLKXnEWzUhTZSeidYUAnPU7DB8qJ4PZuV/n3B9ziCTbrkoJdbeKUnWjOTlWoLKMdMeGlZMZ1dmvC37x6LclSXB7lNY5aypWyQgjUvVjOfLp3pC9szbtdrdG4hcZtUTkvN82NI/6vqeArKQEpV2HXANcOpqef069JzUi3XHiK7QLhc2YkdtTpbj3CSweTNGrLYUgdNW+CSAQds1pf+Gb/AHXjgwZbrK5clr0lRQVlqO0SRpG3QBIHbOcUs7G4o9AQqyPRptntDilRXCj3x0NI8Gw9cb4BT1xvUc20KcuVmesV6fusxkqkOJdkDcAhR8YHgCiNODt/OtKqCOkr3/hpy0SYMeDDeduz6+TDcROUG0AblbaPXSNzkKVhOfjUdxbwpe2Ljbk3WaZs2Yjlh94FKAseq1zCdye2QO1dI+JL0u83a8X1dsvcVPLiR46ho5elKkpSFDK9Ssp26kfVQ0fhq9MSmE8SXVbNquLv9YWHsjJSVgqChhBKglOTg5O1Ka3aXzsR07Iev3EkFTEWLKsGXkMBqU/coTiyzgA6SpO6txueh60XaLbcU3AXzhm88PSXGWyDHTllEZs750dcbdT/ADqxNtF1vFwnct836zxVhtJelrbVgNhR0Fvwqwcp6E5FU2rFYJyWIVtm3JLsxYU5aG5SFBlSQclxYScAdNwTk/4E6VSVyw6NCuV4fU9JUviHmNkKDrhZCFfF5brmD1xskbj6q5i8QpFvuDsaVCVCdQd2FK1FP19/nrsf0btVjiz2OJ32ITj3LVEWlRekMrAzkFKBqTuAcbAj21znEElyRFiB9cmQWluJjzXkKHpDBwRurclJJ/zV1pql20OdSsR24E8N3s9tcX766JpW35/R29Y6a42f86qKrayZwK27HuDeyeoTHx+8pn+jUXVy9Ps2l9hoqYUVmRqLaRlPi0DGT237E0PbADw/fieyY2P3tXeA02tV+SbzcFwWUtKKHEvqZ1K8isbgYz3H+1c6vtqNU6o7GbqFpuzk2zPLvSX3NNwjnwNFJwCl3VlATkDT1Oeh3pW4G7t3m3I4mhx7nELLzqY8NtS9Cho3U2o++ac7HGfEdqNYuk1jhS4C3xTKs7ankNTlFvJRn1uWR4wN8kjJ9tSwpcRi9Q2uD5bl3dchqDrT0gKDYGnSorUMoG5ykezavO5vbfnY7ojDt+YsfELlqaYt9vYW+lMZ9S+cyA2MhCkkhGn1gBtk42q1qKrxaWeGrUuzS1tuJedlo0trASMghJ99I1Agnbfr1oi5XKGWr/Juk5yBd23ToglxOnUkZb1NgaXcnqTq2x0pq83ZcmVaWOKIqrRFWsrEht5IK1BPhSVp3bOc50nGMb0c7cj2Lc5YoS1vBriRy+Woz57ClBuZFGptkJZSsaVKOpvTnX23JAyauy/d4t8PjiCJGuMB5wa40YKLiyGFkasnDgGnWfanGDVaBdZDNsvgsMRdytkd13ly1OIyMtpPQjLhCiSSrqnuarwZkCNJsR4ZuTt0uDwUhyI44MBPLUpR8Qw0AoDZONh0NL7cj0QuwPdr0i/GwRGbfBZcSpMSWFJWklpKiEpB97zq1+eT0Hao06pTXDhstqXFuTjiQ5KlDSh7U0pR1LScuBWNffpvg15OnQJFxvY4nluWuawhCERmnhhSdCSFZSMO5V0Cs7EbCprjc5cqzWFPEcM26A+41zZ6XEFWOWT0A97yrBBHQZ6dKsPn49l5zYnUh5d2uUbiK0G8PtstJbXGb1NpSoK+KpXvZVpJJG3h69K5TiSBxArgOyS7i/HXbmUI5LbaCFJCkjQSe+23b666+yTHGrnd2uGW13m3oU2tTxko1JWQrWkLVu6fVxkkdd643iJ2yyuDbfIYvDr90WpKnYfMIQhSh4/ex4UAHpgDPtq0TP6+PRmrQDt4/s3ez+3F++qiaWtwP6N3sjAGuLkf966Jr1LVnDCFbZ/cF8HmmN+LVS12+RdrlHt8NKVyJC9CAo4GcdzVq2/3De/ox/xKm4QmxbZexPmHwRmHlpQF6S4soKQkHB38Xl2qLVjY8t9zvS7bIsMWYpEQodecYVgeFCFLWAcZ6JOwO5q/bbRxBYnp8+C6zHet5U25h0EuYSFrCQRhQCcE1DHmRYXGNxlsuMLihM8sKWnU25radDYwRvkqSMGuiuV5tclN7fRcGAedMU0ju+HoyWk6Nt8KBz5CkIss5+Zw3e5tydcuL0cvOlxb8h+QAkaEtlSlHGww6gfXXvEjl/mWmJIvtwZdZbcWywyp1JcKknSpWEjxYIxqz0robldor9wgu269W9CiH3VJkpKmVoW2wjkvDHhzoXkb9B5iheI37a9w5Fj2h+J6PFmSdDKz/WQ2p0lvGd9OnBO/lVhArWRfETNmej2qSW4M5uS4tpJGVBlALpG2QdOBt1qta4N0t/FbFvhvtRboh7lNuKXhAWRgDOO4Onp3pfhq9xLXDtbi30c6KmepTXclSUaE/wDdgiq02fBV/SUm4syEm3i6MuB7ty0qSdXzYFSEJZXvFqvM1ci5znmZRUHFreS4CFBtxDRxt0ClpA9lbcQv33XG4cuFxRN9GWG22GHAsJcBKAhRwMqHTfpS3u3B/RN+3h+PzVtyDuj3zUZbK0gKxkApClY/Z9lE8XuMyuK5EpqZC9HkSStD8AZ5aCs4UoADx43Pc0hCRCz2/iqzPToVmnxkJUhBkKZfSpABKk6gSNinQvJ2wB81c7MskyDb2Jz6WxHfDfKUleSrUjUNvYOvka7tq72Zt+5sTLhCW9c4bUebLjDCHHFLdCnhtjOktqVj9r21x12uKZfDfD8PnJW5ERIDrY6oKnMjP1YqpKQyO3DPDl7Oei4v31UOVb9KXt4H6OXo5xhcXbz8aqKotWTCFbaoCwXwHumP+JUFrcc53IZt0aY66cpS8gqIwM7YUO3+lTW7HuBe/ox/xKpwp71udW7HUhDqk6QtSQSkZGcZ27YqZY2L7Ml2Q0FsWO3rQpRSFJjrIyE6iPX/AFd61RIdW204iy28odc5TauQrCl7bDxddxWRr7NQtSIiGgXXi7obRklZIJwPbgpwOxI715GuM1TDcdlpksQ9LoQUAaClWdRJ3ySSMZ+MdqQUmQqSpZR7h21KsLyHGygDScKySsYwa0VJdQH1KsVuAjKCXtUdfgJOAD4vMGvUT7hJLAdjIfQ4w4hHMGkON58RKgR009c9q1Vc7kGZqFtp5alqEvLQ9ZYwAT1GNO2MdKA8TcgpDi02W1FLYBWeQrwgkAH1/MipUSH1t60WC2qRoDmQwo4QVaQfX6atqowVOtx5Tno6Ho6kaHOYopAwQoYwQSdhsM1eju3iK422yxocSylCc49VK84O+M5Vgg+eMb0Bsp59DC3lWC1aGyoLPKORpOFba84BI3xivObI5mj3AtmvmcvHJVjVjVgnX5b+VaKfuL8cYhozIddS26B4suE60gZwM6VDOOmd62duV1dbcefCHWG3VcxKnAUp1JKSjGroRnp846UBvzpBd5Y4ftWoqQgFLRIUV504OvBzg7jbaq8h5xduD/uXa22XcpQ60PGDt0GskEZHUd62duEyA8nmxY7fhbWyjJIb0Z0KGFHPrE7k5zRYkkxm4wKdCFqWnHXJCQfuikASgfB28n9uL99VFUrbz/Zy9DzXF++qiqqyTCFLcoCwXtP6yY/4lVIk+TDCxHcSkK3OWkL+8DUluntxGpLL8RMpmQEhSFOKRjScggipvT7V8hI/jXajzYFUz5RnNzS4n0hvBSoNpAGPYBj+VeRZjsZ515sIK3UqSrI2weuw2+o7eyrnuhavkBv+NdrYXG0Y34da/jnv+aX2HkgTeJqQzoWhJYSUslLYBbBTpOD16Y653Fae6cjkyGRyktyFKW4kNjcqx36jGNvKrJuFp7cPtj/9ztYLhacb8Pt/P6a7/wA1JexfIe2+pEZUfQ2pJVqSVA5QSACUnPsHXPQVbTeZjbvNZLbSzqKihGNSlKSpRO/U6E57Yrf061/ISP412tk3C0gb8Ptk/wD3nasvYnkhau8ppqO23ywmO7zWxg7HJPn+0em/tqo48txLyTgJdcS4obncasbkk/GNIGfau1gR/Gu1np9q+QG/412pL2+C+Q511bq2lrI1NoShOB2SMCrb93nPsraddbKFjCgI7Y2+cJzU3uhavkBv+NdrPT7V8gt/xrtWXsTyZAz+j95ONtcb7yqLpR+7RzbZEKHbG4qZCm1OLD63CdBJHrdOpoqqgz//2Q==" style="margin: 0px;" title="http://books.google.com/books/about/A_House_in_the_Sky.html?id=X8mLhVwuwDAC&source=kp_cover" width="265" /> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The book which has been occupying my interest over the holidays is a autobiographical piece called <b><i>A House in the Sky</i></b>. The author is a Canadian writer, Amanda Lindhout, who was very much in the news a few years ago when she was kidnapped and held for ransom for over a year by some petty bandits in Somalia. The book covers her early life in part, but the majority is a description of her time in captivity.<br /><br />Her writing style is crisp and straightforward, with comments and imagery that complements the story, without turning it into a literary exercise. The writing is never a distraction from the events which are gripping, terrifying and, at times shocking. One could not say whether she was always as insightful and honest as the character presented in the book. My guess is the experience cultivated this self-awareness far beyond the levels anyone would expect in normal life.<br /><br />The story is fascinating at a number of levels. For an understanding of the tragic political and social environment of Africa her narrative describes, in detail, the horror and desperation experienced by the people of Somalia, which can easily stand in for most of the other struggling nations of that continent. As a travel book, this is, no doubt, a cautionary tale for those who would set off with romance in their minds and little understanding of the current political situation in their destinations. What moved me very much in the reading has been her spiritual journey. From someone who, like most Western travellers, lacks much of a commitment to any religious tradition, we witness the writer coming to terms with all of the most crucial religious issues in human life. She investigates Islam, partly as a survival strategy, and learns how she can respect much of the mainstream message. She clearly understands the distortions that rule her captors' minds, but this does not deny her an understanding of civilians outside of her prison. She describes a number of incidents that relate somewhat or considerably to practices of both mindfulness and broader meditation. Some of the moments of insight and strength represent familiar experiences for long time meditators. Her description of near death awareness and a profound compassion for her captors situations are among the most moving of the entire book. All in all, a highly recommended read. Apparently, and not surprisingly, there is a film adaptation on the way. There are also several disturbing news video of Lindhout, from that time, on YouTube.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">in the Dharma,</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Innen </span></span>The Padakun Centre for Contemplative Walkinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09817780114861006457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-645719786664948303.post-66031856641827174282015-12-18T14:46:00.003-05:002015-12-18T14:48:06.731-05:00PREPARING FOR PURPOSE<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">We
recently completed our December reflection which was intended to look
back at the past year and consider the ways in which we have
contributed to our respective purposes. We are now shifting into
looking ahead, looking into the coming year through the lens of our
purposes. I will comment on that each week for the next month or so,
until we arrive at our workshop in late January.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">This
process brought me back to a book which I read several years ago and
am finding as valuable now as it was then. The book is called "The
Power of Purpose; Find Meaning, Live Longer, Better" by the
American writer Richard J Leider. I highly recommend this book since
it is written so clearly and contains many personally moving stories
from the authors experience. One section that I would like to
highlight here is what Leider calls purpose myths. He lists lists
four common myths that we believe about purpose and does his best to
dispel them.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Myth
1: <i>to have purpose means I must do something completely original</i></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Reality:
Can you think of anything that is totally new. The paradox of purpose
is that, in order to address new solutions, we must first familiarize
ourselves with the ideas of others to form a base for launching our
own ideas.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Myth
2: <i>only a few special people have true purpose in their lives.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Reality:
This is the most commonly rationalized of all myths. There is no
denying that often we have relied on others to solve many of our
problems however, being a novice is often an asset because we aren't
hemmed in by traditional views. It's the passion to make a difference
that counts most so we must carefully tend our passion</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Myth
3:<i> true purpose comes as inspiration or revelation until that time
comes I must I might as well keep</i> <i>plotting ahead</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Reality:
this “pop-in” motivation theory would have us believe that new
directions are flashes of brilliance which descends on the lucky few.
Inspiration in fact, comes to those who seek it. First we must begin,
then purpose moments appear.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">Myth
4: </span><span style="color: black;"><i>purpose is
nice but impractical. I need money! </i></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">Reality:
Many times we become so caught in day-to-day survival that we lose
sight of what were doing. Our activity becomes a false end in itself
rather than a means to an end. People often say: "how on earth
can you expect me to find the time?" For most of us time is
indeed the biggest barrier. But waiting until we have the time is as
futile as trying to save money by putting away what we don't happen
to spend. The only way to commit time to purpose is to steal it from
some other activity. This is what the power of purpose is all about –
aligning our energies around true priorities</span></span></div>
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</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">Understanding
how we become trapped in these myths is an important step to
preparing ourselves to build a life designed to fulfill our personal
purpose.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">in the Dharma,</span></span></i></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><i>Innen, doshu </i></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><i> </i></span></span></div>
The Padakun Centre for Contemplative Walkinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09817780114861006457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-645719786664948303.post-91209102563030523102015-11-30T20:32:00.001-05:002015-11-30T20:32:11.003-05:00THE LIFE CYCLE EXERCISE<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Here is the Life Cycle exercise, with directions below</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8FDI0BHGt8_eELRArguXzLNV2BKBQY3lu_YQaZeZBFdmrvT_USckBK5omGzExkNCYQeCqBthlHqjdNoDbY1HmpVo2dWuJg24__E_Vi3Nzd05nnQjCBF9KErfvTaDDRxdlD3Lh9-3L5Q37/s1600/life+space.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8FDI0BHGt8_eELRArguXzLNV2BKBQY3lu_YQaZeZBFdmrvT_USckBK5omGzExkNCYQeCqBthlHqjdNoDbY1HmpVo2dWuJg24__E_Vi3Nzd05nnQjCBF9KErfvTaDDRxdlD3Lh9-3L5Q37/s1600/life+space.JPG" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> <span><span style="color: black; display: inline ! important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">For the Life Cycle exercise, we begin by selecting the appropriate time frame, which in this case is checking the <i>Past</i> box and the duration of <i>one year</i>.</span><br style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><br style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="color: black; display: inline ! important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">The Life Cycle exercise display is divided into eight boxes. It takes the form of three on top, three on the bottom, and two in the middle. The three on the top represents the<u> inner</u> aspect of our life: body, mind and spirit. The two on the bottom represents the<u> external </u>aspects of our life: intimates, community and world. The boxes for knowledge and insight represent the<u> bridging </u>between inner and outer.</span><br style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><br style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="color: black; display: inline ! important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Body, mind and spirit are self-explanatory. Knowledge refers more to acquired learning. Insight might be seen as identical with intuition or instinct. In the bottom row, intimates refers to those people who are our most immediate sources of personal and emotional support [ family and closest friends]. Community is deliberately meant to be vague so that it can include community of neighbourhood, groups such as churches or other informal collectivities. The box for world is even more vague and is open to your interpretation, so it can include the larger community, the natural world, the nation or the planet.</span><br style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><br style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="color: black; display: inline ! important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">The main question that we're asking with each one of these boxes for this exercise is <b>"In what ways have I contributed to this aspect of my life?"</b>. You will find it easy for some boxes and more difficult for others. That is precisely the purpose of the exercise, namely to indicate areas of your life where you may be paying less attention than is called for. The point is to view your life as a whole and to recognize that all eight boxes need your attention.</span></span></span></span>
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The Padakun Centre for Contemplative Walkinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09817780114861006457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-645719786664948303.post-78083698061568071842015-11-29T15:35:00.002-05:002015-11-29T15:35:15.696-05:00BUDDHISM IN PORTUGAL
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; display: inline ! important; float: none; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Recent vacation was an entirely Christian Catholic experience. It's almost a traveller's cliché to pass every day inside yet another church, chapel, monastery or convent . From previous travel experience Europe these Portuguese churches seemed like minor variations on church architecture seen elsewhere, everywhere. The artwork and statuary would always be beautiful but not really unique .</span></span><br />
<div style="color: black; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: black; display: inline ! important; float: none; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Then without warning we would find we would find ourselves in places like Remedios where there lies a small but celebrated church at the top of the hill overlooking the town. For some reason the interior of this particular church struck me as especially moving. It may have been the presence of one or two older women on their knees but I think it was rather the simplicity of the interior. This church had no specialty corners or alleys or aisles. It was no cathedral. It was simply one room with a magnificent statue at the front depicting a mother and child.</span><div style="color: black; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: black; display: inline ! important; float: none; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">There was nothing about Portugal that suggested a Buddhist presence, no posters or advertisements that I could see. I did check online for active groups, and there are less than 10 groups in the whole country according to a major European Buddhist directory. These groups seemed equally divided between the usual Tibetan, they Pasanda, end then communities. And is in communities is in Zen . The search I did of population data shows that the percentage of Portuguese population who would self-described as Buddhist is roughly the same as in Canada, that is about .5% or about 50,000 people. Given the tremendous difference in population this represents a small number of actual practitioners. With the serious drainage of population through emigration, these numbers will only decline. </span><div style="color: black; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: black; display: inline ! important; float: none; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">There are very few Buddhist texts in Portuguese. Most of them are created by the Buddhist centres in Brazil (which has a significant Japanese presence). Unfortunately these are in Brazilian Portuguese a version of the language with major differences from Portugal. There is some effort to translate a few books, but in general they have very little access to the majority of any sect literature.</span>
The Padakun Centre for Contemplative Walkinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09817780114861006457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-645719786664948303.post-21243180835324345412015-11-02T15:20:00.000-05:002015-11-02T15:20:01.133-05:00THE RED MAPLE CHAPEL
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEionuyQOQUFASh-q2tXHGIVoy-2dB3lq7sKx4kKO5f_WeFT0KeIgiSgyrL5_r4sHpYti-FAHz4yW5vo2nyyELLzSrBbOW4XXzHBxfKmDyOmdOsAaNrCdlp3GY6rTziP-Fky3kwqWG579zuq/s1600/Red+Maple+chapel+2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEionuyQOQUFASh-q2tXHGIVoy-2dB3lq7sKx4kKO5f_WeFT0KeIgiSgyrL5_r4sHpYti-FAHz4yW5vo2nyyELLzSrBbOW4XXzHBxfKmDyOmdOsAaNrCdlp3GY6rTziP-Fky3kwqWG579zuq/s400/Red+Maple+chapel+2015.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">THE RED MAPLE BUTSUDAN OR ALTAR</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Since
we relocated back to the town of Renfrew, we have been developing a
new practice space in the lower level of the house. This has gone
through a number of iterations, and we are proud to have the final
version complete and open for practice. The central point of the
practice space is of course the altar or <i>butsu-dan</i>, and that is focused
on our temple Buddha, Amitabha. Sharing the altar is Quan Yin, one of
the two traditional manifestations of Amitabha. The other altar
figure is Jizo, who we have selected instead of the usual Seishi,
because that bodhisattva has always been of special importance to our
community. Our altar is located on the western wall, as is
appropriate for this Buddha who is traditionally located in that
direction, based on the association with his Western Pure Land.</span>
</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">The
walls of our space are finished with burlap which gives it a warm and
welcoming feel. Before entering the formal practice space
participants will pass through a <i>genkan</i>, or foyer. In the foyer one
will find images of Amitabha, Quan Yin, Seishi, Jizo and Kokuzo. The
connection with the foyer allows us to perform circum-ambulation or
walking practice in an extended space, and it allows us to perform
the Earth and Sky Energy Series (EASE) of movements which we perform
at the opening of every session.</span></span></span></div>
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</span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Adjacent
to the spaces is the Red Maple office which includes our extensive
collection of Dharma literature which participants may borrow from
for their personal study.</span><span lang="en-US">
</span><span lang="en-US"><span style="text-decoration: none;"> </span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span></span><div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span></span><div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"></span></span><div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Yours
in the Dharma,<span style="text-decoration: none;"> </span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span></span><div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="color: maroon;"><b>Innen</b></span><span style="color: maroon;">,
</span><span style="color: maroon;"><i>doshu</i></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">
</span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="color: maroon;"><span lang="en-US"><i>om
namo amida butsu</i></span></span></span></span><span style="color: maroon;"><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="en-US"><i><span style="text-decoration: none;"> </span></i></span></span></span></span></div>
The Padakun Centre for Contemplative Walkinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09817780114861006457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-645719786664948303.post-4221203924099111642015-10-24T11:18:00.003-04:002015-10-27T16:45:47.960-04:00RED MAPLE PODCAST<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">We
now have the first of our bi-monthly podcasts available for listening
and download. The first of these are the September and October Dharma
talks on the Visualization Sutra. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Coming months will offer you the
ongoing series which explores scripture and the associated mandala. Each
month we will also post the text of that talk for those who would like to
follow along that way. Older talks can be requested from Red Maple.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Once
we have that series in place we will begin to upload audio versions
of some of the more pertinent topics in our older <i>Ask the Religion
Experts </i>series. That was a weekly newspaper column which we
participated in along with a half dozen representatives from other
religious traditions. The topics varied, some were of the moment,
some had longer-term relevance. It is that second group which we will
reproduce as talks.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">If
we are able to strong-arm some other friends of Red Maple, we will
add some other talks related to mindfulness or Buddhist commentary.
If you have topics to recommend or would like to deliver some of
these recordings, please contact Ray.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Our
podcasts are available here:</span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><a href="http://cyberpsych.podomatic.com/"><span lang="en-US">http://cyberpsych.podomatic.com/</span></a></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">ps. Special thanks to Podcast-master Dave O. who has coached me through some hiccups with the software.</span></span>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Yours
in the Dharma,<span style="text-decoration: none;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="color: maroon;"><b>Innen</b></span><span style="color: maroon;">,
</span><span style="color: maroon;"><i>doshu</i></span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="color: maroon;"><span lang="en-US"><i>om
namo amida butsu</i></span></span></span></span><span style="color: maroon;"><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="en-US"><i><span style="text-decoration: none;"> </span></i></span></span></span></span></div>
The Padakun Centre for Contemplative Walkinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09817780114861006457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-645719786664948303.post-33903522230548962312015-10-09T15:28:00.000-04:002015-10-09T15:28:03.088-04:00WHO IS A BUDDHIST?<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I regularly get articles from mainstream Buddhist magazines. The latest one showed the lamentable state of Dharma dialogue in the West. Supposedly reputable senior teachers describing what qualifies Dharma practitioners as Buddhists. It took the form of "if you accept this...and if you don't accept this..." then you are either in the club or out.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The dharma was taught to free us from the dukkha which characterizes our lives, not to invite us to sign up from some specialness. Surely our Shakyamuni did not "launch" a religious movement with membership and screening processes. The dharma does not have any Platinum Memberships.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I understand that our traditions describe certain people/actions which will have terrible consequences - trying to murder a Buddha, for example. Nonetheless, how many sutras proclaim the potency of calling out to various Buddhas or Bodhisattvas, no matter what or when, and they assure our future Buddhahood.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">It is sad when we are more concerned about being "Buddhists" than realizing the Dharma through our thoughts and actions. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span><img alt="http://33.media.tumblr.com/B0IqOxznJ66kk540mne4GLCM_500.gif" height="322" src="http://33.media.tumblr.com/B0IqOxznJ66kk540mne4GLCM_500.gif" width="400" />The Padakun Centre for Contemplative Walkinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09817780114861006457noreply@blogger.com0