Contemplation: Open Up and Serve

After reviewing the guidelines for practice, take this as your object of contemplation:

Open up and serve.

This is the motto for the Red Maple Sangha in Renfrew, Ontario, Canada.

Bowling Night!

Yes, that's right: bowling night for a Buddhist group. The great master Chih-i taught the importance of meditation in all postures and at all times. Why not in the most American of situations, the bowling lane? Let it be an experiment in mindfulness and group practice.

Since our group is growing, this also represents a time for us to get to know each other better in an informal, ordinary environment, so we can learn from each other in times of need and during formal practice too*.

In the words of historian and avid bowler Walter Sobchak: "Calmer than you, Dude..."


Find us at Annandale Lanes, 4245 Markham Street Annandale, VA, on June 10 2011 at 7:30pm.

***

At the risk of sounding too wonky, the rationale behind this and similar activities is given in Peter Hershock's essay, Family Matters: Dramatic Interdependence and the Intimate Realization of Buddhist Liberation. This is a valuable article.

Programming Notice

With apologies for the short notice, I am happy to announce a scheduling change for our regular meetings.

Beginning 7 June, our next sangha meeting, we will practice together on the first and third Tuesdays of each month. With this time shift comes a bend in space: we are moving to a larger room as well, the Walden Room at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington.

In a sense this is a homecoming for our group, which has something of a nomadic history.

I look forward to seeing you now on Tuesdays. Thank you for your patience and support.

Contemplation: One Vehicle

After reviewing the guidelines for practice, take this as your object of contemplation:

There is only one teaching, that is, the One Vehicle
In the Buddha-worlds of the ten quarters.
There is not a second or a third vehicle
Except when the Buddhas teach expediently.

The Buddhas lead all living beings
By tentative names [of vehicles]
In order to expound their wisdom.
They appear in the worlds
Only for the One Vehicle.

The Lotus Sutra, trans. Senchu Murano, p. 36

Jikan's Office Hour: James River Outreach Edition

I will be hosting an office hour on 4 June 2011 at Black Hand Coffee Company in Richmond, Virginia. It has come to my attention that people are interested in these teachings in Richmond and points south. So, this event is in support of Great River Ekayana's James River Dharma Auxiliary, may they live long and prosper.

The idea for this ongoing event is to give a venue for Dharma discussion beyond what we have time or space for during our Wednesday night sangha meetings. Everyone is welcome. Here is the format:

I will meet with whomever shows up and has an earnest question about Buddhism, and offer whatever help I can, on a first-come, first-served basis. Students, if you are interested in this, please come prepared with at least one good question. It might help to review this thing.

Practically speaking, if only one person is around, then I will work with that person until time is up or I am out of coffee. But I would really prefer to make sure everyone with a question gets heard. The format should be dialogic. If you feel you need to speak with me privately, that can be arranged at another time and in another venue. If you need help understanding something you are reading, please email me in advance what you would like to ask me about, so I can come prepared.

I'll be waiting for you at 2:00pm at Black Hand Coffee, 606 N. Sheppard St, Richmond, Virgina, to finish up around 4pm. Cash donations for fuel and other sangha expenses are warmly accepted but not expected at this event.

Contemplation: Mind Only

After reviewing the guidelines for practice, take this as your object of contemplation:

It should be understood that [the conception of] the entire world of objects can be held only on the basis of man's deluded mind of ignorance. All things, therefore, are just like the images in a mirror which are devoid of any objectivity that one can get hold of; the are of the mind only and are unreal.

from The Awakening of Faith, p. 48-49.

Jikan's Office Hour: 28 May 2011

I will be hosting an office hour on 28 May, at 4:00pm (to finish up around 5:30pm, at a Caribou Coffee in Springfield. This event is in support of Great River Ekayana's Fairfax County Dharma Auxiliary, long may they run.

The idea for this ongoing event is to give a venue for Dharma discussion beyond what we have time or space for during our Wednesday night sangha meetings. Here is the format:

I will meet with whomever shows up and has an earnest question about Buddhism, and offer whatever help I can, on a first-come, first-served basis. Students, if you are interested in this, please come prepared with at least one good question. It might help to review this thing.

Practically speaking, if only one person is around, then I will work with that person until time is up or I am out of coffee. But I would really prefer to make sure everyone with a question gets heard. The format should be dialogic. If you feel you need to speak with me privately, that can be arranged at another time and in another venue. If you need help understanding something you are reading, please email me in advance what you would like to ask me about, so I can come prepared.

I'll be waiting for you at 4:00pm at Caribou Coffee, Kings Park Shopping Center, 8938 Burke Lake Rd., Springfield, VA 22151. Cash donations to cover the sangha's expenses are warmly accepted but not expected at this event.