August 2019 Newsletter
Forthcoming Events:
Festival of Great Master Dōgen
On Saturday the 10th of August we will be celebrating the Festival of Great Master Dōgen. Dōgen was a thirteenth century Japanese monk, and he has a very important place in our tradition, as he brought the Sōtō Zen school of Buddhism from China to Japan. This festival is an opportunity to celebrate his life and teaching.
Great Master Dōgen
The day will start at 10am with a meditation period, followed by the ceremony. After the ceremony there will be a Dharma talk, and at about 1pm there will be a bring-and-share vegetarian lunch. In the afternoon there will be two periods of meditation from 2pm, followed by a Dharma discussion and tea. You are welcome to come for any part of the day.
A quote from Great Master Dōgen, from
Shushōgi: What is Truly Meant by Training and Enlightenment
Time flies quicker than an arrow and life passes with greater transience than dew. However skilful you may be, how can you ever recall a single day of the past?
Should you live for a hundred years just wasting your time, every day and month will be filled with sorrow; should you drift as the slave of your senses for a hundred years and yet live truly for only so much as a single day, you will, in that one day, not only live a hundred years of life, but also save a hundred years of your future life.
The life of this one day, to-day, is absolutely vital life; your body is deeply significant. Both your life and your body deserve love and respect, for it is by their agency that Truth is practised and the Buddha's power exhibited. The seed of all Buddhist activity, and of all Buddhahood, is the true practice of Preceptual Truth.
Trustees' Meeting
On Saturday the 24th of August we will be having a meeting of the Turning Wheel Buddhist Temple charity's trustees at the temple. As a result the temple will be closed on Saturday the 24th, and there will not be any other events at the temple that day.
For other events in August, please see the events calendar.
Some photos from the garden
The border in front of the temple, next to our parking area, was full of gravel and concrete when we moved here. Last Autumn we started working on it, to take out the gravel and concrete and replace it with compost and manure, and then to put a selection of plants in.
Many of the plants are still quite small and are continuing to develop, but already it looks a lot better than when we started, as you can see from the comparison below.
Many thanks to Max for helping with much of the heavy work.
The front border in November last year and July this year
Poppies in the front border
Alms Bowl Requests
Thank you to all those who have donated items to the temple. We are very grateful for donations of any household or other items that the temple might be able to use. Please contact Rev. Aiden if you have an item to offer but are not sure whether it would be useful.
Donations of Food
Offering food is a traditional way to support a monk, and all donations of vegetarian food are most welcome. In particular:
- porridge oats
- peanut butter
- peanuts or other nuts
- fresh fruit and vegetables (except garlic or peppers)
- dried herbs
- yoghurt and eggs
- brown rice and pasta
Any other suitable items would also be appreciated.
Donations
The temple is dependent on donations for its continued existence, and any financial support you are able to offer is greatly appreciated. Details of how to offer support can be found on the Donations page of the website.