21600 Shaker Blvd, Shaker Heights, OH 44122

Next Shin Buddhist Service
November 20, 2022

Sunday, November 20 Service:

• 9:45 AM: Sitting mediation, all levels, including beginners
• 10:30 AM: Shin Buddhist Sangha Gathering and Service: Rev. Anita Tokuzen Kazarian, November Memorial Service

Following the Service: Coffee and gathering with Prof. Chaudhary

Please join Prof. Suraj in our informal discussion gathering, with Q&A, to consider the role of generosity. Generosity will be explored from a Buddhist perspective, one that is universal along with the “how and why” generosity works. We will see if a particular state of mind is necessary for this practice. This is not your IRS definition of generosity, but one that just may deduct some dukkha. Handouts will be provided. All are welcome to attend.

Dhammapada

Dhammapada, a collection of verses of Shakyamuni Buddha

This is the importance of Sangha.  There are the 3 Treasures of Buddhism:  the Buddha – the teacher, the Dharma – the teachings, and the Sangha – the group of fellow travelers. Shin Buddhism has always been clear that we need the Sangha as well as the Buddha and the Dharma.  We often think we can be individual Buddhist follower.  It is certainly possible in theory, but it is really difficult.  To have others around you who we can call “fellow travelers” makes everything so much easier.  To have support and friendship of others makes life easier and simple. 

And I like simple, so to have Sangha is what makes me happy.

The “fellow travelers” is part of what makes Shin Buddhism unique.  In the historical past, the Sangha referred only to the monks and nuns who dedicated their lives working for their own Enlightenment.  It was Shinran, the founder of our sect, who clearly saw that one does not have to be a monk or a nun.  We only have to be aware or awakened.  I am not sure of the correct words.  Like the Buddha, we discover or become awakened to what is already there and has always been there:  Enlightenment.

Enlightenment, or to become a Buddha, is available to us all.  Thus, we all are part of the Sangha.  To be an ordinary person, the technical term is to be a householder or lay person.  We only have to be awakened to the gift of Wisdom and Compassion that Amida Buddha has vowed, or promised, to everyone. 

I know this is really a difficult concept for those of us in the west because we like to think of ourselves as self-made or rugged individuals.  We might have equal opportunity, but we think we need to excel.  And most other religions and sects cater to the choses few or to the elite. 

Shin Buddhism is the religion of the chosen all.  We are all equal and no one is left behind.

Shin Buddhism shows us that we are all equal, and we all will become a Buddha, without exception.  Thus, we are all part of the Sangha.

So, we live our normal and everyday lives.  Thus, I use the phrase, “Come as you are” because this is who and what we are.  There are no expectations, and there are no requirements, just be yourself. Be part of the Sangha and share our lives together.  We experience the ups and downs of daily living.  And, we all hope to leave this world a better place than we found it.  We do things that help us today and in the future. 

We are all inter-connected and inter-dependent, we have to rely on others to survive.  And we rely on the Sangha to thrive.

Namu Amida Butsu

 …. with gratitude and kindness beyond words.

Rev. Ron Miyamura

Excerpts of Buddhist voices across teachings, across continents, across time.

Thich Nhat Hanh Answers Question on Animal Suffering

May 29, 2014 - Plum Village

Question 4:

It hurts me when I hear about animal suffering. I just don’t understand how to get past it. I try to help but feel helpless at times. What can I do?

Thich Nhat Hanh:

First of all, we should stop eating animals, and we should learn how to cook vegetarian because vegetarian food can be very good. If you can cook well vegetarian and then it’s very easy for you to stop eating the flesh of animals.

In the Sutra of the Son’s Flesh* the Buddha said we should eat in such a way to preserve compassion in our heart; otherwise, you will be eating the flesh of your own sons and daughters. There is a story told by the Buddha to his monks. There is a young couple who tried to flee their country but halfway through the desert they ran out of food and they knew that they are going to die, three of them – the couple and the little boy (their son). So after much reflection they decided to kill the little boy and eat a piece of dead flesh every day to survive.

It is a very terrible decision.

But finally they got out of the desert and were accepted by the other country as refugees. So after the Buddha finished the story he asked the monks whether people can enjoy eating the flesh of their own sons and daughters and the monks said no. So the Buddha said in that case, we should eat in such a way that can help preserve compassion in our heart otherwise we will be eating the flesh of our sons and daughters.

So many people, many children die because of a starvation, a lack of nutrition every day and if we continue to eat meat and drink alcohol, it is like eating their flesh and drinking their blood. This is because the amount of grain used for feeding animals and making alcohol is huge.

So not only you have to show compassion to animals but also human beings because we might also be eating their flesh. And we have to learn how to eat – there are ways to be that can preserve compassion and preserve our beautiful planet and help living beings suffer less. That is the object of our five contemplations before eating. In every home, before eating, the five contemplations may be read so that we can learn how to reduce the suffering not only of animals but also of living beings. There are organizations that are protecting animals everywhere. You can join one of them in order to help, to show your compassion, and help to heal ourselves.

Compassion is the kind of energy that has power to heal. When you’re full of anger and hatred for you to heal, it’s a kind of fire burning always in you, preventing you from healing. But once you have compassion in your heart, the healing takes place very easily so cultivating compassion is not only for the sake of other people, but also for your own sake.

When compassion is boarding your heart, you’re not angry anymore at him, at her. So you heal yourself and you hope that person heal himself/herself. Compassion has a great power of healing. That’s why all of this should learn how to cultivate compassion and compassion is very mighty, very powerful and not something weak like people used to think.

With the energy of compassion in yourself, you can do many things to help the world.

*Puttamansa Sutta

Excerpted, with gratitude from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78qgek8GJ9k

Photo by Jonathan Borba on Unsplash

Supervising Minister

Rev. Ron Miyamura

Resident Tokudo Minister

Rev. Anita Tokuzen Kazarian - rev.anita.cbt@outlook.com

Buddha Post is published by the Cleveland Buddhist Temple, 21600 Shaker Blvd, Shaker Heights, OH 44122 

The Cleveland Buddhist Temple is an affiliate of the Buddhist Churches of America, founded in 1899: 

https://www.buddhistchurchesofamerica.org/