Spring 2009 - Birmingham Buddhist Vihara

lotus
Journal of the Birmingham Buddhist Vihara
Issue No. 28, Spring 2009
Letter of Thanks and Report from the Desk of
Venerable Ashin Nyanissara (Sitagu Sayadaw)
December 28, 2008
Dear Donors, Friends in the Dhamma & to those who are interested in putting
their “Compassion into Action:
First of all, I would like to pay my deepest gratitude and highest honour for your
benevolent donations throughout 2008 to the victims of Cyclone Nargis, in the
Irrawaddy Delta of Myanmar (Burma).
We, the Sitagu Missionary Association volunteers, have worked ardently as
“Compassionate Workers” since May 9, 2008 up-to now, and will continue with our long term endeavours
for Health, Education and Religion in the future. Within this period we’ve received donations of money
and goods from all corners of our country as well as the rest of the World. Particularly, we’d like to
mention our special thanks to the donors from Australia, Germany, Japan, Korea, Macau, Malaysia,
Netherlands, Singapore, Thailand, U.K. and U.S.A.
We have received over 370 trucks/containers containing many different kinds of clothing, food, medicine
and other vital necessities from many different religious and social associations, and from individuals in
Myanmar and abroad that truly cared in rebuilding the lives of those afflicted. We personally delivered
these goods directly reaching over 1,500 villages and 2,264 monasteries; including donations of 245,800
zinc roofing sheets, over 2000 tons of rice, and many other goods and equipments. We re-paired and reequipped twelve hospitals with new modern equipment. We selected twenty-five monastic and
government primary schools from ten townships to reconstruct since they were totally destroyed. We
already have donors for these; the donors are from Myanmar associations, Mahayana Buddhist
associations, Christian associations, musical associations, and other Non-Government organizations
and individuals. Three primary schools construction have been completed, and twenty-two are currently
under-construction. We will build more.
Other special arrangements include: a water-treatment system within the Bogalay Township where
we’ve treated twenty-five lakes, constructing a water-purification system in Kadonkani to produce
drinking water, donating fifty language labs and computers to five high schools, and are preparing and
making sixty-six golden umbrellas for sixty-six pagodas in and around the Hai Gyi Island.
So, within the past eight months all of the donations totalled over 6.17 billion kyats, or USD $5.14 million.
Noting, some of the donations from the primary schools have not been included. Therefore, I humbly
express my deepest appreciation and congratulations to all donors and well wishers. I also must express
my special thanks to all voluntary workers and the members of my Sitagu association.
May such Noble Spirit, Metta, Karuna and Khanti spread to every corner of the World!
May all human beings walk on a “Common Highway” working together for the welfare of others.
Venerable Dr. Ashin Nyanissara (D.Litt; PhD)
Sassanadhajadhammacariya, Mahadhammakathikabahujanahitadhara
Aggamahasaddamajotikadhaja, Aggamahaganthavacakapandita
Aggamahapandita
Sitagu International Buddhist Missionary Center
Email: [email protected] Web: www.sitagu.org
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"Letter from Guernsey"
I meditate once a week with a Zen Buddhist group here in Guernsey, which is affiliated to the London
Buddhist Society. Closely linked to the Society is the Zen centre Shobo-an, which is headed up by a
monk called Venerable Sochu.
Venerable Sochu made it over for a weekend in early July. That weekend - my first meeting with him turned out to be a mini turning-point in my practice and I wanted to share it with the readers of Lotus.
A few months ago, I was having a telephone conversation with Bill Strongman. I was banging on about
my perennial problem, a seeming inability to discipline myself to do meditation every day. After I had
finished my moan, I began to talk about another problem, one which is actually bigger but which I think
about less often (probably because I don’t want to). This problem was the fact that although I could
achieve some rather nice states of mind during meditation, a more permanent sense of peace or
equanimity did not seem to be pervading the other 23 hours of my day! What was interesting was what
Bill said in response: “Don’t worry. Insight will come, but I don’t think it will be during the meditation.”
This comment planted itself in my mind and eventually became very relevant indeed. Fast forward eight
weeks or so, to a time when I’m in a bit of a meditation lapse. Because I hadn’t done any sitting
meditation for a while, the mind was quite agitated. The usual frenetic, neurotic to-and-fro was
strengthening as I chose, day after day, to distract myself from how I felt rather than face it in formal
practice.
And yet I began to notice that there was some way in which the path of mindfulness was not going to
move out of sight completely. Sure, I wasn’t staying on the path all the time, but there was a momentum
there that I began to realize would never go away - even if I did not do sitting meditation.
This experience of the mind inexorably tending toward focus was in the background during Sochu’s visit.
While here in Guernsey, one of the things he emphasized was that what he calls the Daily Life Practice
(being mindful during your day-to-day activities) is the hub and centre of the Buddhist path. Not a nice
addition, but the most important part - even more than ‘actual’ meditation itself. All of the meditation,
retreats and reading in the world will not help you if the Daily Life Practice is not done, he said. People
who come to his classes are even told to stop meditating, in fact, if they seem to be attaching too heavily
to it.
All of this pushed me to realize that sitting meditation was not be the be-all and end-all of practice. Here I
was beating myself up for not having the discipline to sit regularly when really there is a far bigger and
subtler discipline to be trained in - that of really being willing to give up the self in the moment-to-moment
flow of life.
So, there's always room for us to attach that little bit less to things, including even the meditation practice
itself. That was the lesson I learned during Venerable Sochu's visit.
---Duncan Rathband was a regular at the Vihara's Thursday night beginners' meditation classes, taught
by the much-loved Bill Strongman. In Summer 2007, he moved to Guernsey in the Channel Islands,
where he works as an apprentice plumber doing eco-friendly installations.---
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Intellect + Realization = Nibbana
I am filled with admiration and not a little envy toward my friends who are able to assimilate and retain all
the information in the Abhidhamma and other Buddhist writings in the form of lists and formulas; you
know the sort of things I mean there are four of these, eight of those, twelve of something else and so
on.
This obviously is a very good way to present the Buddha’s teaching but it seems to me (and this is
probably a touch of sour grapes in my part) that there is a possibility that this learning will remain on the
intellectual level and if this is confused with true realization of the truth then it may delay the process.
I am reminded of the story told by Ajahn Sumedho of the man who was sitting under a roadside sign
saying London with a finger pointing in that direction. When asked “What are you doing?” the man
replied “I always wanted to go to London and now I am there.” When told that this was just a sign
pointing to London, which was still many miles away, he said “No look at it, it says London and here I
am.” Ven. Dr. Rewatadhamma wrote a book in which he describes the Buddha’s teaching as a
prescription which of course it is, a medicine that if taken regularly will cure all our suffering but if we are
content to read the label and understand what all the ingredients are without actually taking the medicine
then we are unlikely to get better, well not in this lifetime anyway. It is possible that at first the medicine
may not be exactly to your taste but if you persist and take the medicine as prescribed then you will find
the taste gets a lot better and with the passage of time becomes a joy to take. The medicine will cure
doubt, despair, ignorance, anger, ill will, hatred, fear and anxiety. The ingredients are peace, happiness,
love, compassion, gentleness, kindness, understanding and generosity.
So, keep taking the medicine and perhaps you would like from time to time to try Dr Bill’s therapy it’s
called smiling.
Bill Strongman
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Pavarana (Invitation)
It has long been a tradition that the New Year heralds our “turning over a new leaf”, as having
acknowledge to ourselves that there are things about us that could be better we resolve to achieve an
improvement by changing our actions and/or thinking. This requires us to first look at ourselves honestly
after which we often turn for inspiration to those who appear to have the qualities we seek.
Unfortunately, the culture around us appears to be slowly robbing us of this responsibility as the state
responds with more and more legislation whenever a “new problem” occurs. Added to this we hear more
and more people complain it was not their fault it went wrong, it was always someone else. With this
atmosphere of “it’s not my fault” it becomes increasingly hard to hold up others as an example of good
behaviour to aspire to as this also requires an acceptance by us that we could do better. From this
background, rather than acknowledge the achievements of others it becomes preferable to undermine
their success by finding faults in whatever they have done. Further to this we hear people saying what
others are doing or thinking is wrong because it is not what I do or think. Consequently, rather than
having a culture constantly striving to improve itself we have one that equally demeans the actions and
success of others, whether good or bad, and therefore aspires to nothing.
In his teachings the Buddha told us about those who were good and those who were bad. He told us of
good actions so that we might aspire to equal them, he told us of bad actions so as to avoid them and to
understand the consequences of both. He never held up those who did wrong so that we could feel
superior to them and therefore become complacent about our own actions. Theravada Buddhism is not a
religion but a lifestyle designed to improve the individual through the following of the Eightfold Path of
right behaviour. Therefore, as Buddhists it is our responsibility to improve ourselves and not spend our
time telling others how we think they should behave. If by such actions we inspire others to improve
themselves this is an added bonus. This is not saying that others around us can not be wrong, the
Buddha warned of such beings calling them mittapatirupaka (false friends). In his teachings he was quite
clear that we should avoid such people or become like them, which is best summed up in an old Thai
proverb: “Always keep a safe distance – give a hound an arms length, give a monkey six feet but for a
fool a hundred thousand miles may not be enough.”
If we want to lead by example then in future we could not go far wrong by adopting the Pavarana
(Invitation) for our New Year’s resolutions, as practiced at the end of the Vassa (Rains Retreat), by
simply turning to our neighbours and saying “If you have heard me do wrong, seen me do wrong or think
I have done wrong then tell me and I will change my ways.” It is harder than criticising others but
ultimately more beneficial to us.
Robert Black
Diary Dates
Buddha Day (Visakha)
Buddha Day (BM&AG)
Dhammacakka Day & Pagoda Anniversary
Group Ordinations
10-day Meditation Retreat
Abhidhamma (Pavarana) Day
Kathina Day
English Heritage Open Days
Sun. 3 May 10:30am
Sat. 9 May 12:45pm
Sun. 5 July 10:30am
Sun. 9 Aug
Fri. 14 Aug – Sun. 23 Aug
Sat. 3 Oct 7:00pm
Sun. 4 Oct 10:30am
Thurs 10th – Sun 13th Sept, 10:00am – 5:00pm
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THERAVĀDA BUDDHIST PRECEPTS TAKEN BY
ATTENDEES OF Buddhist Group of Kendal (Theravāda)
Theravāda Buddhism offers several different sets of Precepts for its adherents.
Attendees of the Buddhist Group of Kendal (Theravāda) have taken the Precepts described below.
Ājīvatthamaka Sīla (The Eight Precepts with Right Livelihood as the Eighth)
The Ājīvatthamaka Sīla builds upon the framework of Pañca Sīla (The Five Precepts). It expands the
Fourth Precept of the Pañca Sīla (The Five Precepts) to specify the four types of wrong speech from
which a lay disciple should abstain. The Ājīvatthamaka Sīla also requires abstention from wrong
livelihood, including trading in arms; in living beings (slavery, prostitution); meat; alcohol; and poison.
“The three constituents of the Morality Group of the Eightfold Path when considered in detail become the
Ājīvatthamaka Sīla.” (Ledi Sayādaw, Wheel 171-174 page 10)
“The perfect moral conduct or character can be categorised under the Eight Precepts called the
Ājīvatthamaka Sīla.” (Venerable Balangoda Ānanda Maitreya, 1995, page 16)
1) Pānātipātā veramani sikkhāpadam samādiyāmi
I undertake the Precept to refrain from killing and injuring living beings
2) Adinnādānā veramani sikkhāpadam samādiyāmi
I undertake the Precept to refrain from taking that which is not given
3) Kāmesu micchācarā veramani sikkhāpadam samādiyāmi
I undertake the Precept to refrain from sexual misconduct and excessive sensuality
4) Musāvādā veramani sikkhāpadam samādiyāmi
I undertake the Precept to refrain from false and harmful speech
5) Pisunavācā veramani sikkhāpadam samādiyāmi
I undertake the Precept to refrain from backbiting
6) Pharusavācā veramani sikkhāpadam samādiyāmi
I undertake the Precept to refrain from using harsh or abusive speech
7) Samphapalāpavācā veramani sikkhāpadam samādiyāmi
I undertake the Precept to refrain from useless or meaningless conversation
8) Micchājīvā veramani sikkhāpadam samādiyāmi
I undertake the Precept to refrain from wrong means of livelihood
Venerable Pidiville Piyatissa Mahā Thera has administered Ājīvatthamaka Sīla for life to Upāsakas
Sumedha and Mahinda in 2000 and Upāsaka Puñña in 2002.
If you have a story or article you would like to share with other readers please e-mail it to our new address
[email protected] or post it to the editor at the Birmingham Buddhist Vihara.
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Knowledge & Wisdom
In the north of China there once lived a celebrated Confucian scholar. He was very old and had no equal
in his knowledge and understanding of the teachings of his great master, Kung Fu Tzu. Then stories
started to be heard in the town that in the barbarian south a new doctrine had taken hold that was even
deeper than his. The old scholar was annoyed to think that anyone would believe that there could be
teachings greater than those of Master Kung but he felt the matter needed to be settled properly. As
there was nobody with as great an understanding as he had he decided to make the journey to the south
himself. After several months on the road he arrived at a small house where a humble Zen monk lived.
He introduced himself and explained that he had come to determine whose teachings were the most
profound. He suggested that they should each explain in turn their teachings and understanding of them
so that they could decide between themselves who’s were the more profound. The monk agreed and
suggested that his guest should go first. The Confucian scholar first spent several hours outlining the
teachings of Master Kung and then proceeded to explain the various points that he had covered. The
monk sat and listened carefully without interrupting once. At last the old scholar finished and asked the
monk would he like to make a start on expounding the teachings of his master.
The monk smiled and said “To avoid doing evil, to do as much good as possible is the teaching of all
Buddhas.”
The scholar sat still for a moment but then jumped up and shouted at the monk “I have travelled for
many months and put up with much hardship despite my great years. As promised I have fully explained
the teachings of Master Kung and then elucidated all the major points. In return for all my efforts you tell
me a simple verse that every little child knows, do you think I am some kind of a fool!”
“I am not trying to make fun of you, “ said the monk, “but consider this, every child may know the verse
but even an elderly scholar fails to live up to it.”
It is not what we know but what we do with it that is a true sign of wisdom.
Vihara News
Sponsorship news
As always, our deepest thanks also go to all our regular donors and those individuals who volunteer their time and
energy without which none of this would be possible. However, in addition we would also like to thank the following
supporters for their generous sponsorship of our recent events.
th
10 Pagoda Anniversary Sponsors
1. Dr Aung Myin + Daw Thein Thein, Blackpool. (Dr A. Myin’s birthday dāna)
2. Dr. Mar Mar Lwin
Kathina Day Sponsors
U. Maun Maung Than (patron) + Daw Aye Aye Than and family
1. Debby Su Su Than + Robert Haywood. Rebecca Thida Aye
Haywood. Adam Myo Aung Haywood
2. Mandy Hla Hla Myint + Andrew West. James & Daniel
3.Robin Chithtwe Than + Kerry Than. Louise & Evie Yin Yin Aye
4. Steven Aung Lwin Than + Lindsay Mitchell. Aimee Nila Aye
Than
Ordinations
Group ordinations of both monks and novices are to be
Kathina Day
held on Sunday, 9th August 2009. Prospective novices
must be over 7 years old and monks over 20 years.
Following their ordination novices and monks may remain at the Vihara for up to 6 days, after this time
they may extend their robed time by taking part in the 10-day retreat starting on Friday, 14th August
2009. In order to apply for a place in the ordination ceremonies please complete the enclosed application
form or for further details please contact either Dr Ottaranyāna (email: [email protected] Tel:
6
0121 454 6591), Dr T.Z.Oo (email: [email protected] Tel: 01623 662744) or Robert Black (email
[email protected] Tel: 4291457) and marking your envelope “ORDINATIONS”.
Dr Ottaranyāna’s Activities
Between 27 November and 26 December 2008 Dr Ottaranyāna visited Myanmar for a variety of reasons.
On his arrival in Myanmar Dr Ottaranyāna first looked into the matter of the shipment of various items to
the UK. The items involved are a collection of wooden arts, tables and chairs and books for use in the
newly completed Dhamma Hall. The books amount to 600 copies of Pitaka literature and 500 copies of
Dr Rewata Dhamma’s biography in Burmese. On 30 November he attended the funeral of his friend,
Ven. Kosalla, in Pago (Dean of Pariyatti,Theravāda Buddhist University) and donated K.300,000.
On the 4th December he visited Thamangon to take part
in their school anniversary celebrations. During his visit
he was able to make financial awards to seven students
on behalf of Dr Mar Mar Lwin and the late Dr Rewata
Dhamma, the awards being:
2 medical students each received K.500,000
1 student awarded K.150,000 for achieving 3
distinctions in their 2008 high school exams.
2 students each awarded K.100,000 for achieving 2
distinctions in their 2008 high school exams.
2 students each awarded K.50,000 for achieving 1 distinction in their 2008 high school exam.
To each of Dr Rewata Dhamma’s two sisters a gift of K.100,000 was made. Finally, Thamangon village
was given K.200,000 to enable them to relocate their Primary School to safer ground because of a threat
of flooding by the nearby Irrawaddy River.
A few days later, on 7th December, Dr Ottaranyāna visited
his home village where he was able to make financial gifts
to several people:
To 30 people, over the age of 70, he donated K.500 each
To 5 people, over the age of 80, he donated K.5000 each
To his teacher Sayādaw, who is 88 years of age, he
donated K.100,000
To 2 university students he donated K.100,000 each
From the 9th to the 10th December he was invited to take
Ngathyinggaung Ordinations
part in the ordination ceremony held in Ngathyinggaung of
his nephews; 2 novices and 2 monks. Bhante sponsored for their ordination with K.600,000 and donated
K.100,000 for the rebuilding of Lokamarajina Cetiya.
During the 20th
& 21st
December he
travelled in the
cyclone
damaged
regions of
Pyapon and
Daydaye where
five Buddhist
Primary Schools
(over 700 students) and Kani where an Orphan School (over 150 students) were all severely damaged.
In addition to the structural damage sustained by the buildings their contents were also spoiled. It was
with these latter losses that Dr Ottaranyāna was able to help with a range of educational
donations:12,000 copy books; 2,000 ballpoint pens; 2,000 pencils; 1,000 rulers and 1,000 erasers. In
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addition to these educational donations he also donated medicines, soaps and K.200,000 to two abbot
monks.
Finally, during his stay in Myanmar he asked to deliver three lectures at the International Theravāda
Buddhist Missionary University, Yangon.
Between mid-February and early March Dr Ottaranyāna has been invited to run meditation retreats in
Brazil. After this he has been invited to run a meditation retreat in Belgium during April. Unfortunately
these trips do mean that the following Abhidhamma study dates will have to be cancelled: February 10th
and 24th and March 3rd.
Other Items
Important Information regarding the “Gift Aid Scheme”
If you have previously used a “Gift Aid envelope” but have not confirmed this by completing a “Gift
Aid Scheme” form could you please complete one of these forms as soon as possible?
If you do not currently make a regular donation to the Vihara could we please ask you to consider
making your donations by Standing Order in conjunction with a Gift Aid declaration? Such regular
payments make our budgeting for the future easier and the Gift Aid Scheme means that for every £1 you
donate the tax office will give us a further 25p at no cost to you.
Please return forms to Dr Chit Ko Ko at the Birmingham Buddhist Vihara.
U. Ghosaka
Full Moon
Children’s Class
Chanting in the Pagoda at
7:30pm except on festival
days.
Every Sunday from 1:003:00pm, except Christmas
Day and New Years Day.
Suitable for 5+ years but
all welcome with or without
children.
10 January,
9 February,
10 March,
9 April,
8 May,
7 June,
5 July,
5 August,
3 September,
3 October,
1 November,
1 December,
30 December.
For further details please
contact Ellen
mobile: 07814 972 460
e-mail: [email protected]
******************************
Abhidhamma Studies
Dr Ottaranyāna
******************************
Meditation Classes
Beginners:
Advanced:
Thurs. 7:30pm
Mon. 7:30pm
Tuesdays 2:30 – 4:00pm
Jan.
Mar.
May
Jul.
Oct.
Dec.
6, 13, 20, 27
10, 17, 24, 31
5, 12, 19
7, 14, 21
6, 13, 20
1, 18, 15
Feb.
Apr.
Jun.
Sep.
Nov.
3,
21, 28
2, 9, 16, 23, 30
8, 15, 22, 29
3, 10, 17, 24
******************************
Pagoda Opening
Summer 9am – 7pm
Winter 9am – 5pm
The Pagoda is open most days but to avoid
disappointment please call or e-mail first to ensure
there will be someone available to welcome you and
show you around
Due to unforeseen circumstances dates may be
cancelled, please telephone to confirm before
attending.
BIRMINGHAM BUDDHIST VIHARA & DHAMMATALAKA PEACE PAGODA
Tel: 0121 454 6591
29 Osler Street, Ladywood, Birmingham B16 9EU
e-mail: [email protected]
website: www.birminghambuddhistvihara.org
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