September 2019 Newsletter

Recent Trustees' Meeting

On the 24th of August we had a meeting of the charity’s trustees, with Rev. Alicia from Sitting Buddha Hermitage joining local lay Sangha trustees and Rev. Aiden for the day.

Rev. Berwyn from Throssel Hole Buddhist Abbey had also been hoping to be with us, but unfortunately his responsibilities at Throssel meant that he was unable to attend in person. He did manage to join in the whole of the meeting by a video link however, which was shown on the television screen so that all the trustees could communicate easily.

The meeting was an opportunity to discuss where we are at present with the temple, including looking at the finances and reviewing some of our policies and procedures. We also discussed the possible modifications to the property that we would like to make, and we looked as some provisional plans of the possible changes.

We had a shared lunch together sitting in the garden, and it was very nice to be able to spend the day together, quite apart from the business of the meeting. We are very grateful to the trustees for coming along to the meeting, and also for all the work that they put in to helping the temple run smoothly.

Forthcoming Events:
Festival of Great Master Bodhidharma

On Saturday the 7th of September we will be celebrating the Festival of Great Master Bodhidharma. Bodhidharma is an important figure within Zen, as he is credited with bringing the meditation school of Buddhism from India to China. His emphasis on "pure meditation", and the need to spend time "just sitting" facing a wall, are still central to our tradition. This festival is an opportunity to celebrate the life of Bodhidharma and to focus on some of his important teachings.

Great Master Bodhidharma

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.

For other events in September, please see the events calendar.

Temple Closed 17th September - 1st October

The temple will be closed from Tuesday the 17th of September to Tuesday the 1st of October inclusive, as Rev. Aiden will be travelling to Throssel Hole Buddhist Abbey for a meeting of the monastic Sangha. Many monks of the Order will be there, from across Europe and from North America, and it will be a good opportunity to meet together and discuss matters that are of importance to us as an order.

As well as the discussions it also gives us a good chance to spend time with other monks of the order who we might otherwise not meet. This is one of the important ways that we have to help the order stay as a cohesive whole, rather than drifting apart into North American and European groupings due to the large distances between us.

Monks at a previous monastic gathering at Throssel Hole Buddhist Abbey in 2011

Whilst Rev. Aiden is away it is likely that there will be no other events at the temple during this time, although there may be some House Meetings in Leicestershire for members of the Leicester group. More details will be circulated to group members by email nearer to the time.

Some photos of the temple

A rare visitor to our garden

On the 25th of July the UK had its hottest recorded temperature of 38.7C in Cambridge, with our location in Leicester getting to about 34C. That evening we were lucky to have a hedgehog come into the garden and spend some time there. Unfortunately they are not that easy to photograph, particularly in the dark, as they tend to curl up as you come close to them!

The back garden in August

Our planters at the front of the property looked good in late July and early August, with geraniums and gladioli dominating, along with a few poppies.

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.

All donations are received with gratitude.

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.

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