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Foundations of Social Harmony The Four Wisdoms, charity, tenderness, benevolence and sympathy, are the means we have of helping others and represent the Bodhisattva’s aspirations. Great Master Dogen, Shushogi As we contemplate strengthening sangha, the Buddhist community, it is good to turn for guidance to the teachings of the great masters of our Serene Reflection…

1. Understanding 2. Thought A certain amount of understanding of things-as-they-are is the beginning of the Eightfold Path. Indeed, unless there is some degree of awareness of how things really are in this world, there is no reason for a person to seek truth generally, nor to undertake the remainder of the Path of Buddhist…

Growing up, our family always had a big Sunday dinner – roast beef and gravy, baked potatoes and all the trimmings, that sort of thing. After I became a vegetarian I found I was nostalgic for that kind of Sunday meal, particularly on rainy winter days. There is a restaurant in Vancouver famous for its…

Buddhist Winter Holiday Decorations Buddhist winter holiday decorations represent in visual form what the world and universe looked like when Shakyamuni Buddha realized enlightenment. These decorations also are derived from descriptions of various Pure Lands presided over by a celestial or transcendental Buddha such as Amitabha (Amida), which are again, from our tradition’s point of…

“The most important question for all Buddhists is how to understand birth and death completely for then, should you be able to find the Buddha within birth and death, they both vanish. All you have to do is realize that birth and death, as such, should not be avoided and they will cease to exist…

Someone died the other day. It was unexpected. She had been my patient for less than a day. My first reaction was “Did I do something wrong?” And then the blame, guilt and general queasy stomach began. Often in situations like this it is easy to respond from fear and other old habits. Somehow I…

The Body of the Buddha permeates the universe; it manifests itself in front of all of us; there is no place where it does not so manifest itself; it does so for every relationship and in all need yet it is still in its own true place; the seas of its merit cannot be counted.1…

Rosaries come in three forms: l08 beads, 54 beads, and 27 beads. All have at their base either a manji, representing the primal movement of the spirit within the heart; or a pagoda, representing the storehouse of the scriptures, which the turning of the rosary causes to be revolved; or a fish biting an iron…

The fifth law of the Universe is that an intuitive knowledge of the Buddha nature occurs to all people.1 When we meditate, we are beckoning to that still small voice to speak to us. Responding to this is our way of accepting our spiritual adulthood. We have all listened to this voice from time to…

We had an Open House last Sunday at the Priory, look who came! Bella the budgie accompanied by her ‘person’, a friend of a congregation member. All those present were completely charmed and a good time was had by all, especially me. The little bird tweeted and chattered on my shoulder, nibbled daintily on cheese…