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Home » January 2024 Newsletter

January 2024 Newsletter

Turning Wheel Buddhist Temple, Leicester Posted on by December 31, 2023

Thank you to everyone who has shared their practice,
and supported the temple in so many different ways,
during the past year.

Wishing you all a healthy and peaceful 2024.
Let us offer the merit of our practice to all beings;
may all beings be able to realise the truth.

Turning Wheel Buddhist Temple Logo

On New Year’s Eve we will be holding the traditional New Year’s Eve Festival, starting with meditation from 7pm. People will be able to take part in the ceremony either in person or via zoom, and details have been sent out to lay Sangha members.

During the ceremony we recite the Scripture of Great Wisdom, and a ceremonial copy of the scripture arranged in a fanfold design is “revolved”, symbolically showing it and offering it in all directions. After this we all drink a glass of celebratory New Year juice together, making a wish for the peace and prosperity of the temple and the Sangha, and all beings, during the coming year.

After the ceremony we will have a chance to meet and talk together, and the evening will end at about 9pm or so.

Then on New Year’s Day we will be celebrating the Festival of Maitreya Bodhisattva. Maitreya is known as “the Buddha who is yet to come”. It is said that Maitreya will appear when the teaching of Shakyamuni Buddha has completely disappeared and been forgotten. Associated with new beginnings, the Festival of Maitreya is often celebrated on New Year’s Day.

A Japanese statue of Maitreya Bodhisattva
A Japanese statue of Maitreya Bodhisattva

This year the ceremony will have added resonance, as January the 1st will also be the 100th anniversary of the birth of the Founder of our Order, Rev. Master Jiyu-Kennett. She was born on New Year’s Day 1924, and our festival this year will also be a celebration of this significant anniversary.

In addition to welcoming visitors to the temple for the festival (please book in advance), we will also be holding the festival over zoom so that Lay Sangha members can join in from where they are. We hope you will be able to join us, and details have been sent out to Lay Sangha members.

This festival day will run from 10am to 4pm, with the Festival and Dharma Talk both in the morning so that people can come just for those if they would prefer. There will then be the option to stay on for a bring-and-share lunch and an afternoon of meditation, followed by tea and biscuits and an opportunity to ask questions.

The temple will be closed to visitors for just over a week in the first half of January, from the 5th to the 14th inclusive, to allow Rev. Aiden to have some retreat time.

There won’t be any events at the temple during that time; after the evening meeting on Thursday the 4th of January, the next events will be the visit to the Nottingham group on Monday the 15th, and then morning meditation and service on Tuesday the 16th of January. You will still be able to contact the temple by email during this period, but not by phone or text.

It was lovely to be able to celebrate the Festival of the Buddha’s Enlightenment on Saturday the 9th of December, and to have people taking part both in person and via zoom. The photo below shows a close-up of the main altar, set up for the festival, with a picture of the Buddha seated beneath the Bodhi tree, and a bowl of rice pudding as a food offering at the front on the left-hand side. The picture also shows the festive lights which were put up around the Meditation Hall and on the altar.

Enlightenment Altar 2023
The main altar set up for the Festival of the Buddha’s Enlightenment

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
  • peanuts or other nuts
  • peanut butter
  • fresh fruit and vegetables (except garlic or peppers)
  • dried herbs
  • cheese, eggs and yoghurt

Any other suitable items would also be appreciated.

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.

All donations are received with gratitude

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