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Hi , Here's your weekly Buddha Post! Thanks for subscribing!
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| Our Next Shin Buddhist Service |
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9:45 AM – 10:15 AM: Zen Shin Sangha Meditation:
Summer and long sunny days... may we not let this slip away from us; may we use our time to be aware and enjoy them. Let us take a moment of contemplation and self-reflection by quiet sitting and guided meditation. We will chant the Heart Sutra, and recite sutras. We sit to calm our mind and body in order to focus on the present moment revealing our profound connection to all beings. With this calmness we are more prepared to hear the Buddha Dharma in the Shin Buddhist service to follow. All levels, including beginners, and families with children are welcome.
(Check out our Children’s Table, complete with coloring books)
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10:30 AM: Cleveland Buddhist Temple:
- Shin Buddhist Service
- Shin Buddhist Memorial Service to express gratitude to ancestors who passed away in the month of July. Those attending may include the name of a loved one in our Memorial Service. Please provide names on clipboard by 10:15 AM.
Sangha Sharing:
- Following coffee and our Birthday cake for our Sangha’s July birthdays, we will share time and thoughts by reading and discussing a short passage of a Buddhist text. Handouts of text provided. This is a time for experiencing the 3rd Jewel of Buddhism, the Sangha.
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Dhammapada
Dhammapada, a collection of verses of Shakyamuni Buddha
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Text of the Perfection of Wisdom (Mahaprajñaparamita) Sutra, c. 700s-800s China, Tang dynasty (618-907) Cleveland Museum of Art
XI: Miscellany 290
If, by forsaking
a limited case,
he would see
an abundance of ease,
the enlightened man
would forsake
the limited case
for the sake
of the abundant
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The signers of the Declaration of Independence were traitors, guilty of treason against their country. They were terrorists. If they lost the war, they would be hung until dead. The 13 colonies paid a horrific price to remove the colonial power subjecting them to biased and unequal law and justice.
The American Revolution lasted 8 years. One estimate calculates 25,500 deaths from battle, from wounds from battle and in British prison camps. “About one percent of the population died in the war,”… “that would be the equivalent of losing three-and-a-half-million people in a war today.” 1
Former Bishop of the Buddhist Churches of America, Rev. Kodo Umezu, once told me that the Dharma is everywhere; we just have to be willing to see it. “Willing to see it.” That, to me is the key message. What am I willing to see? What am I willing to see, to acknowledge as I experience this life and what am I not willing to see?
What I am willing to see is that unless I understand how to live my life peacefully, both with myself and with others, why do I expect peace in the world? What I am willing to see, but do not understand, is why I do not walk the path to liberation from dukkha
as fearlessly as others march off to war.
The Cleveland Buddhist Temple hands out a small lapel button, with a Buddhist message - a different button each month – to those attending. One asks “Could I be wrong?” Could I? If, when I stand on my soap box telling others what to believe, what to do, could I actually be wrong? Being willing to question if I could be wrong may for some of us be a way to understanding the path to liberation. This is liberation from the making of our own imperial colonial power, our ego-self.
Living in peace with one’s self and with others is a treasure that may be had without violence. We put one foot on the path, then the next, remaining vigilant to how our ego-self, our own imperial power, wants us to fall off. May we walk on this Buddhist path to liberation from dukkha. One song reminds us that if we want peace in the world, “let it begin with me.” 2
Namo Amida Butsu
Namo Amida Butsu
Namo Amida Butsu
Rev. Anita
1 https://www.history.com/articles/revolutionary-war-deaths
2 https://www.firstchurchfv.org/news-let-there-be-peace-on-earth-lyrics-060720
This post was written by a human.
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The Prince and Sticky Hair
Relax, be very still and listen – listen carefully to this tale about a young prince called Hector who discovered something very important about his own strength. Would you like to know what happened? Let’s see if we can find out!
Now… It was a beautiful sunny afternoon with the boat carrying Prince Hector back from overseas came into the harbor. And before the young prince left the vessel, the captain warned him, “Your Highness, while you have been away training to be a warrior, an evil monster called Sticky Hair has come to live in the forest so I advise you not to take that route to the palace. Instead, go the long way home around the mountains.”
“Thank you for your advice,” replied Hector, “but I’ll be fine. I want to get home before sunset. And I have my weapons if I need them.” “After all”, he thought, “I’m a trained warrior. I’m not afraid of the silly old monster.” And the young prince strode boldly on, into the woods.
Just as Prince Hector was beginning to think that the monster didn’t exist, he reached the clearing in the forest and there stood the most gigantic, ugly creature he had ever seen. The monster was as big as a house and completely covered in matted hair. He looked like a living, breathing – but very horrible – haystack! The creature had a huge head and he stared at the Prince with eyes as big as dinner plates. Two big orange tusks stuck out of his enormous mouth and his teeth were green and revolting. His belly was big and round like a beach ball and covered in large pale orange spots.
“Grrrrrrrrr!” roared Sticking Hair. “What do you think you are doing in my wood, little man? You look like a tasty morsel and I’m going to eat you for dinner!” “Pah! I am not frightened of you, you horrible old monster,” replied Hector. “I am a warrior. I can easily defeat you with my sword. I dare you to fight me.” Swiftly as the wind, the Prince leapt forward and thrust his sword at the monster. To his surprise, it just stuck in the creature’s sticky hair.
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So the prince left his sword there, quickly rolled out of the way, got to his feet and grabbed his bow. Ptwang! Ptwang! Ptwang! He shot the arrow after arrow at the monster, but, like the sword, each one just became tangled in his sticky hair. The prince was astonished. “Ha, ha, ha!” boomed Sticky Hair, you’re very funny, little man! You’ll never beat me!” Then he shook himself from his ugly head down to his big smelly toes and all the prince’s arrows dropped down to the ground.
Hector now had only his club left for protection, so he swung it at Sticky Hair with all his might, but it too became caught in the monster’s hair and was pulled from the prince’s strong grip. “I’m not defeated yet!” he shouted. “My weapons may be useless, but I’m young and strong and I’ll fight you with my fists,” he cried as he ran and leapt on the monster – and got firmly stuck!
Even now as Prince Hector dangled from the creature’s sticky hair, he continued to act fearlessly. So much so, that the monster started to wonder exactly what gave him such courage. “Why are you not frightened of me little man? I could gobble you up in a snap and a crack!” He threatened fearlessly. Still hanging from the monster’s tangled hair Hector was busy thinking about what to do next. All of a sudden, it came to him. He realized that he would have to use his brains to outwit the creature, instead of his weapons. So he shouted up to Sticky Hair, “I’ll tell you why I’m not afraid of you! My skin is coated in poison, so if you eat me you’ll die. I dare you to eat me!”
Sticky Hair didn’t believe Hector at first, but the more the prince insisted, the more worried the monster became. “Hmmm… I like to eat him, but I can’t risk getting poisoned,” he muttered. Reluctantly, he pulled the prince from his matted coat and set him on the ground unharmed. “Well, fearless little man, you convinced me you’re telling the truth and I don’t want to die, so I suppose I’ll have to let you go,” he said grudgingly.
Hector was delighted. Not only had he outwitted the monster and saved his own life, but he had also learned an important lesson that the most powerful defense had been inside him all along – his intelligence! Not his strength or his weapons!
Looking up into the monster’s big eyes the young prince said: “I’m very grateful to you, Sticky Hair – not just for releasing me, but also for teaching me that I don’t have to fight to be brave, strong and clever. Would you like to know my secret? If you promise not to eat me, I’ll tell you as a reward for sparing my life.” Surprised, Sticky Hair agreed. Although the monster had never been defeated until that day, he had always been frightened of people. In fact, he had only attacked people to stop them from attacking him. But now, the creature was eager to learn to be fearless, like Hector, so the young Prince become his teacher and friend.
And the strangest thing happened: the more Sticky Hair learned how to use his brain, the less he felt the need to harm others. Using his intelligence brought the creature great happiness and gradually, he was transformed from a scary, lonely monster into a friendly forest giant.
Prince Hector let all the local people know that the “monster” had completely changed. And gradually they became his trusted friends, bringing him food and living with him in peace and harmony. In the new eager-to-please Sticky Hair repaid their kindness by protecting them and guiding travelers safely through the forest.
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Sometimes it feels like there is no option but to fight our way out of a difficult situation. A wise person knows that it’s their intelligence, not their physical strength that will help them to win in the end
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Excerpt in gratitude from: Dharmachan Nagaraja, Buddha at Bedtime (London, Watkins 2008)
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The New Colossus
Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips.
"Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
Emma Lazarus
November 2, 1883
Excerpt in gratitude from: National Park Service https://www.nps.gov/stli/learn/historyculture/colossus.htm
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As Buddhists, death is a time of transformation from this life of samsara. It is also a time for the family and friends of the deceased to hear the teachings of the Buddha on impermanence. The minister’s message and the sutra chanting form the core of the funeral service. Funeral gatherings are for the sake of the living and attendance by family and friends is encouraged.
Understanding death is necessary to understand life.
As Rennyo writes in his Letter on White Ashes:
"The fragile nature of human life underlies both the young and old."
The Funeral Services may be conducted at the funeral home, Temple or another location chosen by the family and coordinated with the Resident Minister. A Homyo, Buddhist name, which reflects the life of the deceased, is chosen by the Supervising Minister and presented by the Resident Minister at the service. This Homyo accompanies the deceased as she or he passes on to Buddhahood.
Please contact Rev. Anita to discuss your preferred arrangements and service at: rev.anita.cbt@outlook.com
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Live Zoom Service
Midwest Buddhist Temple
If you would like to virtually attend services with zoom at Midwest Buddhist Temple in Chicago, please contact office@mbtchicago.org to request the weekly email newsletter with information about upcoming services and Zoom links. Sunday services are held at 10:30 AM, Central Time Zone (11:30 AM Eastern Time Zone).
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This year, on August 6, 2025
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This August marks the 80th Anniversary of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. To commemorate this unprecedented violence and the horror of Atomic warfare, to remind ourselves of “Never Again,” please consider joining this Silent Peace Walk.
On August 6, 2025, the Cleveland Buddhist Temple will join other groups to commemorate this day with a Silent Peace Walk through downtown Cleveland.
Eighty people dressed in white, the color of mourning in Japan, will solemnly and meditatively proceed from St. John’s Cathedral, down E. 9th St. to Lake Erie, as the Hibakusha, the “bomb-affected people,” sought water to ease their suffering.
At sunset, we will light candle lanterns in remembrance of them. We will declare our intention that there will never be another nuclear war.
No more Hiroshimas! No more Nagasakis! No More Hibakusha!
We are invited to join in the Silent Peace Walk as one of the 80 dressed in white - or help with planning – or, most important, walking. Their next meeting is Wednesday, July 25, 2025 at 7:30 PM EDT. Zoom link https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88558510045
Our Cleveland Buddhist Temple contact is John Barnes at: marchwithcbt@mail.com
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