Season’s Greetings 2023
Season’s Greetings.
Wishing you all a very merry festive season and best wishes for 2024.
Thank you all for your support throughout the year, which is very much appreciated.
Category Archives: Newsletters 2023
December 2023 Newsletter
Forthcoming Events:
Festival of the Buddha’s Enlightenment
The understanding that the Buddha came to during his enlightenment is the basis for the whole of Buddhist practice, and on Saturday the 9th of December we will be celebrating the Festival of the Buddha’s Enlightenment to mark this important event in the life of the Buddha.
In the story of the enlightenment, the Buddha had spent many years following ascetic practices in his search for the truth. Close to death as a result of these hardships, he realised that this was not the way, and after eating a meal decided to sit in meditation as he had done naturally as a child. As he sat in meditation, many thoughts, feelings and memories arose which could have distracted him from his purpose, but the Buddha continued to sit. As the morning star arose he gained a deep insight into the nature of existence.
Continue reading →November 2023 Newsletter
Ceremony of Interment of Ashes
for Rev. Saidō
On Sunday the 8th of October a Ceremony of Interment of Rev. Saidō’s Ashes was held at Telford Buddhist Priory. The day went very well, with nearly 60 people there in person. The ceremony started in the meditation hall where Rev. Mugō (who was the celebrant) made a dedication and we recited a number of scriptures. The photo below shows the main altar in the Meditation Hall at Telford.
October 2023 Newsletter
Monastic Gathering at
Throssel Hole Buddhist Abbey
As many of you know, Turning Wheel Buddhist Temple is part of a larger organisation, the Order of Buddhist Contemplatives (OBC), which is an umbrella organisation for monks and temples in the lineage of Rev. Master Jiyu Kennett. The order has temples in the US, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands and Latvia, as well as here in the UK. With such a wide geographic spread it is important that we meet together regularly, and we currently have monastic gatherings every other year, with the venue alternating between the UK and the US. The gathering this year was at Throssel Hole Buddhist Abbey in Northumberland.
September 2023 Newsletter
Forthcoming Events:
The Festival of Avalokiteshwara Bodhisattva
On Saturday the 9th of September we will be celebrating the Festival of Avalokiteshwara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion. The name Avalokiteshwara is Sanskrit (Japanese: Kanzeon, Chinese: Kwan Yin, Tibetan: Chenrezig), and means “The one who hears the cries of the world”. To live with compassion is to hear the cries of suffering within ourselves and within all beings, and to be willing to respond, and the festival will focus on this centrally important aspect of Buddhist practice.
August 2023 Newsletter
Visit from Rev. Master Daishin
It was lovely to be able to welcome Rev. Master Daishin to the temple for a visit in mid-July. Rev. Master is the former abbot of Throssel Hole Buddhist Abbey in Northumberland, and Rev. Aiden is one of his monastic disciples. This was Rev. Master’s first visit to the temple since we moved to the new property, and we had an event on Saturday the 15th of July so that members of the local lay Sangha could come and meet him. Rev. Master gave a Dharma talk and answered questions, and then joined us for the bring-and share lunch.
July 2023 Newsletter
Forthcoming Events:
Visit from Rev. Master Daishin
On Saturday the 15th of July, Rev. Master Daishin will be visiting the temple. Rev. Master is the former abbot of Throssel Hole Buddhist Abbey in Northumberland, and Rev. Aiden is one of his monastic disciples. This will be Rev. Master’s first visit to the temple since we moved to the new property, and he will be giving a Dharma talk and answering questions at an event on the Saturday morning. This event will just be for existing lay Sangha members, as we don’t have room to accommodate all those who might wish to come along. The event is now booked up for attendance in person, but there won’t be any limit on how many can join via zoom, so if you have the zoom details you are very welcome to join that way.
June 2023 Newsletter
Celebrating the Festival of the Buddha’s Birth
The highlight of our calendar in May is always Wesak, the Festival of the Buddha’s Birth, which this year we celebrated on Saturday the 13th. It was very nice to have ten people here in person at the temple (including Rev. Aiden and Rev. Alicia from Sitting Buddha Hermitage) to celebrate Wesak together. Another 13 people joined via zoom, including six members of the Leeds group who were meeting together in person in Leeds. The photo below shows those who were at the temple in person (except for one who left just before it was taken).
May 2023 Newsletter
The Festival of the Buddha’s Birth
The highlight of our calendar in May is always Wesak, the Festival of the Buddha’s Birth, and this year we will be celebrating Wesak on Saturday the 13th of May.
Wesak will be a full day event, from 10am to 4pm. The festival and Dharma talk will both be in the morning, so you can come just for those if you would prefer. There will then be the option to stay on for a bring-and-share lunch and a social afternoon, which will include a meditation period at some point, followed by tea and biscuits. Rev. Alicia from Sitting Buddha Hermitage in Derbyshire is planning to join us for the day.
Continue reading →April 2023 Newsletter
Sad news of the death of Rev. Saidō
We were very sad to hear that Rev. Master Saidō, who was based at Telford Buddhist Priory in Shropshire, died on the 3rd of March, not long after having been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Rev. Saidō was a great friend to the temple, and his steady presence and wise council will be greatly missed.
Rev. Saidō’s funeral was held in Telford on Saturday the 18th of March, and the text of an “In Memoriam” article written by one of the senior monks of our order, Rev. Master Mokugen, is included below.