Nanaimo Buddhist Meditation Group
  • Home
  • Contact and Directions
  • Links
  • Newcomer Information
  • Teachers
  • Events
  • Photos

May 28th, 2015

5/28/2015

0 Comments

 
Buddha House is open for meditation Saturday mornings. Please arrive with time to get seated by 10:00. Newcomers to meditation are very welcome to join us.
Please visit our website at:nanaimobuddhistmeditationgroup.org

Upcoming TeachingsWe will have a visiting monk from California that has agreed to teach us Dharma on Saturday June 6, 2015, followed by a pot luck lunch.

Upcoming EventsPlease join us for a 90 minute Mindfulness Yoga practice that embodies the principles of physical and mindfulness yoga into a learning experience at all levels. Principles of Yoga (Asana) and mindfulness meditation.
Please bring your own mat.

Date : Wednesdays at 6:30 pm, beginning April 29th
Cost : DANA (by donation according to one's means)
Location: Buddha House - 587 Seventh St. Nanaimo, BC

Last Week's ReadingElder Discourse from 'Plum Village Chanting and Recitation Book' compiled by Tich Nhat Hanh

I heard these towards of Buddha one time when the Lord was staying at the monastery on the Jeta Grove, n the town of Shravasti. AT the time there was a monk named Thera IElderO, who always preferred to be alone, Whenever he could he praised the practice of living alone, HE sought aims alone an sat in meditation alone.

One time a group bhikshus came to the Lord, paid their respects by prostrating at his feet, stepped to one side, sat down at a distance, and said, "Blessed One, there is an elder by the name of Thera who only wants to be alone, He always praises the practice of living alone, He goes into the village alone to seeks alms, returns home the village alone, and sits in meditation alone."

The Lord Buddha told one of the bhikshus, "Please go to the place where the monk Thera lives and tell him I wish to see him."

The bhikshus obeyed. When the monk Thera heard the Buddha's wish, he came without delay, prostrated at the feet of the Buddha, stepped to one side, and sat down at a distance, Then the Blessed One asked the monk Thera, "IS it true that you prefer to be alone, praise the life of solitude, go for alms alone, come back from the village alone, and sit in meditation alone?"

The monk Thera replied, "It is true, Blessed One."

Buddha asked the monk Thera, "How do you live alone?"

The Monk Thera replied, "I live alone; no one else lives with me. I praise the practice of being alone. I go for alms alone, and I come back from the village alone. I sit in meditation alone. That is all."

The Buddha taught the monk as follows, "IT is obvious that you like the practice of living alone. I do not want to deny that, but want to tell you that there is a more wonderful and profound way to be alone, It is the way of deep observation in order to see that the past no longer exists and the future has not yet come, and to dwell at ease in the present moment, free from desire. When a person lives in this way, he has no hesitation in his heart. He gives up all anxieties and regrets, lets go of all binding desires, and cuts the fetters which prevent him from being free. This is called 'the better way to live alone,' There is no more more wonderful way of being alone than this."

Then the Blessed One recited this gatha:

"Observing life deeply,
it is possible to clearly see all that is.
Not enslaved by anything,
it is possible to put aside all craving,
resulting in a life of peace an joy.
This is truly to live alone."

Hearing the Lord's words. the monk Thera was delighted, He prostrated respectfully to the Buddha and departed.

0 Comments

Thu, May 14, 2015

5/14/2015

0 Comments

 

Buddha House is open for meditation Saturday mornings. Please arrive with time to get seated by 10:00. Newcomers to meditation are very welcome to join us.

***

Upcoming Teachings

We will have a visiting monk from California that has agreed to teach us Dharma on Saturday June 6, 2015, followed by a pot luck lunch.

***

Upcoming Events

Please join us for a 90 minute Mindfulness Yoga practice that embodies the principles of physical and mindfulness yoga into a learning experience at all levels. Principles of Yoga (Asana) and mindfulness meditation.

Please bring your own mat.

Date : Wednesdays at 6:30 pm, beginning April 29th (there will be no class May 20th)

Cost : DANA (by donation according to one's means)

Location: Buddha House - 587 Seventh St. Nanaimo, BC

***

Every year during the month of May, Buddhists around the world get together to celebrate Vesak (commemoration of the Buddha’s Birth, Enlightenment and Passing). This year for the first time in B.C., the United Saṅgha (community of Buddhist monks and nuns from the different traditions) will celebrate the Vesak together. It is our hope that the United Saṅgha will bring peace and harmony to the Buddhist Community and the Canadian society at large by introducing Canadians to the richness of Buddhist philosophy and practices. May 16th. 1:00-7:00pm at the Italian cultural center Vancouver.

http://www.unitedsangha.org/vesak2015/vesak/

***

Last Week's Reading

From 'Plum Village Chanting and Recitation Book' compiled by Tich Nhat Hanh

Discourse on the Middle Way

I heard these words of the Buddha one time when the Lord was staying at the guest house in a forest of the district of Nala. At that time, the venerable Kaccayana came to visit him and asked, "The Tathagata has spoken of Right View, How would the Tathagata describe Right View?"

The Buddha told the venerable monk, "People in the world tend to believe in one of two views: the view of being or the view of nonbeing. That is because they are bound to wrong perception. IT is wrong perception that leads to the concepts of being and nonbeing. Kaccayana, most people are bound to the internal formations of discrimination and preference, grasping and attachment. Those who are not bound to the internal knots of grasping and attachment no longer imagine an clint to the idea of a self. They understand, for example, that suffering comes to be when conditions are favourable, and that it fades away when conditions =are no longer favourable, They no longer have any doubts. Their understanding has not come to them through others; it is their own insight, This insight is called Right View, and this is the way the Tathagata would describe Right View.

"How is this so? When a person who has correct insight observes the coming to be of the world, the idea of nonbeing does not arise in her, and when she observed the fading away of the viewing the world as being in extreme; viewing it as nonbeing is another extreme, The Tathagata avoids these two extreme me sand teachers the Dharma dwelling in the Middle Way.

"The Middle Way says that this is because that is; this is not, because that is not, Because there is ignorance, there are impulse; because there are impulse, there is consciousness; because there is consciousness, there is the psyche-soma; because there is the psyche-soma there are the six senses, there is contact; because there is contact, there is feeling; because there is feeling, there is craving; because there is craving, there is grasping; because there is grasping, there is becoming; because there is becoming, there is birth; because there is birth, there is old age, death, grief, and sorrow. That is how this entire ass of suffering arises. But with the fading away of ignorance, impulse ceases; with the fading away of impulse, consciousness ceases; ...and finally birth, old age, death, grief and sorrow will fade away. That is how the entire mass of suffering ceases."

After listening to the /buddha, the Venerable Kaccayana was enlightened and liberated from sorrow he was able to untie all of his internal knots and attain Arhatship.

***

Thanks for everyone's support in keeping the Buddha house open for meditation practice

***

0 Comments

Meditation Practice at Buddha House

5/13/2015

0 Comments

 

Meditation Practice at Buddha House

Buddha House is open for meditation Saturday mornings. Please arrive with time to get seated by 10:00. Newcomers to meditation are very welcome to join us.

Please visit our website at:nanaimobuddhistmeditationgroup.org

***

Upcoming Teachings

We will have a visiting monk from California that has agreed to teach us Dharma on Saturday June 6, 2015, followed by a pot luck lunch.

***

Upcoming Events

Please join us for a 90 minute Mindfulness Yoga practice that embodies the principles of physical and mindfulness yoga into a learning experience at all levels. Principles of Yoga (Asana) and mindfulness meditation.

Please bring your own mat.

Date : Wednesdays at 6:30 pm, beginning April 29th

Cost : DANA (by donation according to one's means)

Location: Buddha House - 587 Seventh St. Nanaimo, BC

***

Every year during the month of May, Buddhists around the world get together to celebrate Vesak (commemoration of the Buddha’s Birth, Enlightenment and Passing). This year for the first time in B.C., the United Saṅgha (community of Buddhist monks and nuns from the different traditions) will celebrate the Vesak together. It is our hope that the United Saṅgha will bring peace and harmony to the Buddhist Community and the Canadian society at large by introducing Canadians to the richness of Buddhist philosophy and practices. May 16th. 1:00-7:00pm at the Italian cultural center Vancouver

***

Last Week's Reading

Discourse on Love

“He or she who wants to attain peace should practice being upright

, humble ,and capable of using loving speech. He or she will

know how to live simply and happy, with senses calmed, without

being covetous and carried away by the emotions of the majority.

Let him or her not do anything that will be disapproved of by the wise ones.

“(And this is what he or she contemplates):

“May everyone be happy and safe, and may their hearts be

filled with joy.

“May all being live in security and in peace- being who are

frail or strong, tall or short, big or small, visible or nor visible,

near or faraway, already born, or yet to be born. May all of them

dwell in perfect tranquillity.

“Let no one do harm to anyone. let no one put the life of

anyone in danger, Let no one, out of anger or ill will , wish anyone

any harm.

“Just as a mother loves and protects her only child at the risk

of her own life. we should cultivate boundless love to offer to all

living beings in the entire cosmos.We should let our boundless

love pervade the whole universe, above, below, and across.Our

love will know no obstacles. Our heart will be absolutely free

from hatred and enmity. Whether standing or walking, sitting or

lying , as long as we are awake, we should maintain this mindfulness

of love in our heart. This is the noblest way of living.

“Free from wrong views, greed, and sensual desires, living in

beauty and realizing Perfect understanding, those who practice

boundless love will certainly transcend birth and death.”

Metta Suttra, Sutta Nipata I “

***

Thanks for everyone's support in keeping the Buddha house open for meditation practice

***

For information about teachings and retreats with Dr. Cheryl Fraser please subscribe to the Islanwsletter by emailing: IslandDharma@shaw.ca

0 Comments

    Archives

    October 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    September 2014
    January 2014
    November 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011

    Categories

    All
    Buddha House
    Dharma
    Drcheryl
    Dr. Cheryl
    Dr Cheryl Fraser
    Dr. Cheryl Fraser
    Geshe Yong Dong
    Meditation
    Nanaimo

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    October 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    September 2014
    January 2014
    November 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.