Second annual Mindfulness Day set for Wednesday, September 12
Second annual Mindfulness Day set for Wednesday, September 12 |
- Second annual Mindfulness Day set for Wednesday, September 12
- Tibetan Youth Congress hunger strike enters fifth day
- Tulku Thondup Rinpoche offers online teachings
- January Retreat Month at Karma Triyana Dharmachakra – Practice for a Day, a Week, or a Month
- His Holiness the Dalai Lama Commences Teachings To Southeast Asian Devotees
- Ancient Buddha statue and eighth-century monastery unearthed in India
- Remembering late Zen pioneer Issan Dorsey
- Layman Pang: Ultimate Attainment
- Remembering Issan Dorsey, founder of Maitri Hospice
| Second annual Mindfulness Day set for Wednesday, September 12 Posted: 07 Sep 2012 08:00 AM PDT
According to the Mindfulness Day website, "Mindfulness has already gone beyond the Buddhist and 'spiritual culture' and is being appreciated by practitioners of psychotherapy, general medicine, education, and even the military is finding benefit in its application. Mindfulness Day will raise awareness in the general population about the value and benefit mindfulness brings." Mindfulness Day was started by Wisdom Publications, the 501(c)3 nonprofit Buddhist book publisher based in Massachusetts. Tim McNeill, president and publisher at Wisdom, says "the hope is that by creating and offering a social-network forum in support of Mindfulness Day, folks will have the freedom and opportunity to promote mindfulness in all its manifestations and share their own experiences. The overall plan is to inspire people to be mindful and to encourage the general public to initiate their own ways of observing this first annual Mindfulness Day." The website has some suggestions for how to celebrate, like participating in a meditation flash mob or organizing an event in your neighborhood — click here to read them. And for even more information, please visit the Twitter and Facebook pages for Mindfulness Day 2012. And from September 9 – 15, Wisdom is making 10 of its most popular ebooks about mindfulness available for only 99 cents each in the Amazon Kindle, Barnes and Noble Nook and iTunes stores. The discounted books are: Read More @ Source 
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| Tibetan Youth Congress hunger strike enters fifth day Posted: 07 Sep 2012 08:00 AM PDT  Photo via thetibetpost.com On September 3 in New Delhi, India, three executive members of the Tibetan Youth Congress began an indefinite hunger strike to demonstrate "solidarity with the self-immolators inside Tibet and to appeal for immediate international intervention." That next day the three strikers, TYC Cultural Secretary Jigme Sholpa, Vice-President Dhondup Lhadar, and Organizational Secretary Penpa Tsering, were detained by police (along with some 30 or so activists) for, according to phayul.com, protesting against the Chinese Defense Minister. The three were said to have been injured during a "mishap" on their way to the police station in Jihar. The three men, along with the 30 or so activists, were released from jail last night and spoke to a crowd of supporters in the exile community of Majnu Ka Tilla. One of the strikers, TYC Cultural Secretary Jigme Sholpa, explained how the ordeal was difficult for all three of them, but that they are determined to continue, saying: "But our determination and our willingness to continue has not been reduced by even an ounce," he said. "We will continue our hunger strike till our demands are met." Although reportedly weakened, the men have refused medical treatment, stating that it would violate the oath they had taken to not consume any food products until their demands are met. in February of this year, three Tibetans staged a hunger strike at the United Nations building in New York. That strike lasted for about a month. Read More @ Source
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| Tulku Thondup Rinpoche offers online teachings Posted: 07 Sep 2012 07:00 AM PDT  Tulku Thondup Rinpoche, a longtime contributor to Buddhadharma and the Shambhala Sun, has created a free email list to offer occasional teachings for those interested in Tibetan Buddhist wisdom. The teachings include original writings, videos, and quotes from his publications. You can see his recent teachings and sign up to receive them through email at http://tulkuthondup.com. You can also view them on Facebook at facebook.com/TulkuThondup and on Twitter at @TulkuThondup.. Tulku Thondup Rinpoche, born in Eastern Tibet, has published more than a dozen books on Tibetan Meditation. He has traveled throughout North America, Europe and many parts of Asia teaching on his books and holding workshops. Read More @ Source 
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| January Retreat Month at Karma Triyana Dharmachakra – Practice for a Day, a Week, or a Month Posted: 06 Sep 2012 04:00 PM PDT
Qualified Lamas will be in residence to discuss your practice, progress, and obstacles. May All Beings Benefit! Karma Triyana Dharmachakra is located at 335 Meads Mountain Road, Woodstock, NY 12498, in the Catskills. To register, call 845-679-5906 ext. 3, or e-mail office@kagyu.org, or visit online at kagyu.org. Read More @ Source
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| His Holiness the Dalai Lama Commences Teachings To Southeast Asian Devotees Posted: 06 Sep 2012 02:00 PM PDT September 5th 2012 Dharamsala, HP, India, 4 September 2012 (By Samuel Ivor, Tibet Post International) - At the request of a group of Southeast Asian devotees, His Holiness the Dalai Lama of Tibet continued teachings today (September 4th) on Shantideva's 'A Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life'. Warmly greeting a vast audience of visitors from around the world, as well as local residents, His Holiness led the first of three days of teachings in the Main Temple (Tsuklakang) in Dharamshala, North India. Drawing upon a mixture of His own past experiences and wisdom, as well as Dharma teachings and
the Shantideva's guide itself, His Holiness enthralled a rapt audience with His vast knowledge, patience and humour to the gathering. Continuing from previous teachings of the Buddhist script, His Holiness commenced from Chapter Five from Shantideva's 'A Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life'. However, for the new visitors, and those unfamiliar with Buddhism itself, the Dalai Lama gave a brief, engaging introduction into Buddhism and religion itself; a masterful stroke by one the most revered spiritual leaders on earth. His Holiness reiterated to the audience His message that: "We are all the same human beings", urging the audience to look past the boundaries of race, religion, gender and nationality. He also addressed the need to re-examine the system of education we learn by, highlighting the need to encourage a motivation of compassion rather than greed. Drawing upon the Buddhist scriptures, His Holiness addressed the audience for both a morning and afternoon session, discussing the chapter thoroughly to verse 58. During the teachings, His Holiness stated: "Religion can become hypocrisy when religious people say something nice, but think something different. That is hypocrisy" Adding: "Religion should be sincere".
"As practitioners of religion, you have to show restraint, and refrain from selfish behaviour and from harming others. You have to show mindfulness and vigilance". In a quote directed particularly at students, His Holiness stated: "You have to show mindfulness and vigilance", due to the nature of the mind. He re-iterated that if you are not mindful, you will forget what you have studied. He added that even if you have kept what you have studied in your mind, such learning will become defaulted. "We make a lot of mistakes because of not being alert and vigilant of what we are doing". Amid a climate of global financial troubles, His Holiness also gave comfort and wisdom regarding family, wealth and comradeship: "I think [a] poor family maybe more trust each other, ready to share each other's problems…With economic improvement often comes jealousy, suspicion, distrust, anger; these things are more easy to come…more education, better facilities, should help to increase these [family] values". The inspiring teachings drew to a close during an afternoon of rain and thunder in the exile community of Dharamshala. However little could dampen the spirits of the buoyant audience as His Holiness drew the speech to a close, and the ocean of umbrellas wound their way along the narrow streets of the Tibetan community in exile. The Southeast Asian guests certainly seemed impressed, having been treated to a typical Tibetan breakfast, tea and monetary offerings to monks and nuns of the audience. The second in the series of three teachings continue on September 5th in the main temple, for which the visitors will certainly be eagerly anticipating. A live webcast, in English, Chinese, Tibetan and Russian languages as well as a video link to the teachings, is available on: dalailama.com/liveweb    Read More @ Source 
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| Ancient Buddha statue and eighth-century monastery unearthed in India Posted: 06 Sep 2012 01:00 PM PDT  Entrance to a monastery in nearby Lalitgiri In India, drainage ditch diggers have accidentally unearthed a Buddha statue believed to be of the post-Gupta period (500 — 750 AD), as well as a 30 x 30 meter vihara (Buddhist monastery) thought to be from the 8th century. The discoveries, sure to be of interest to archaeologists, were made three days ago in the Kesharaipur-Hatikhol village. Local historian and Buddhist.researcher Harischandra Prusty said the four-room monastery is about 30 meters on each side, and was made from large stones. "The Buddhist monastery has been probably built in the eighth century under the patronage and propagation of a king of the Bhaumakara dynasty that flourished between eighth and the 11th century in the state," Prusty said. Read the full story here. (Photo via Wikimedia Commons by user Tessarman under a CC-BY-SA license.) Read More @ Source
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| Remembering late Zen pioneer Issan Dorsey Posted: 06 Sep 2012 12:00 PM PDT
As Adam Tebbe writes at Buddhadharma News, Dorsey is an inspirational figure to many people because of his difficult life and his ability to accept other people as they were, though some who knew him worry that these idealized remembrances have obscured who Dorsey really was. You can read more about his life and legacy at Buddhadharma News, and in "The Lone Mountain Path: The Example of Issan Dorsey," a 1998 article from the Shambhala Sun. Read More @ Source
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| Layman Pang: Ultimate Attainment Posted: 06 Sep 2012 11:00 AM PDT "The past is already past - Don't try to regain it. The present does not stay, Don't try to touch it from moment to moment. The future is not come, Don't think about it beforehand. With the three-times non-existent, Mind is the same as Buddha-mind. To silently function relying on Emptiness, This is profundity of action. Not the least dharma exists - Whatsoever comes to eye leave it be. There are no commandments to be kept, There is no filth to be cleansed. With empty mind really penetrated, The dharmas have no life. When you can be like this, You've completed the ultimate attainment." Poem by Layman Pang (740-80! 8), translated by Ruth Fuller Sasaki, Yoshitaka Iriya, and Dana Fraser. Taken from 'Zen Sourcebook' (p.59), edited by Stephen Addiss, with Stanley Lombardo and Judith Roitman. For a review of this book, please click here: Review: Zen Sourcebook  
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| Remembering Issan Dorsey, founder of Maitri Hospice Posted: 06 Sep 2012 10:00 AM PDT
Today marks the 22nd anniversary of the death of Issan Tommy Dorsey, the Soto Zen priest who passed away of complications due to HIV/AIDS. A former drag queen who struggled with drug addiction for many years, the openly gay Dorsey was the first abbot of the Hartford Street Zen Center (HSZC) in San Francisco's Castro District (est. 1981). In 1987, Issan would go on to establish the first Buddhist hospice for those suffering with HIV/AIDS at the HSZC — Maitri Hospice (which has since relocated). Dorsey remains an inspirational figure to many more than two decades since his passing. He was the kind of person who, due to life experiences, could accept everyone as the person they were. That said, some worry hagiography and idealized projections have obscured who Dorsey actually was in the years since his death. "I am sometimes frustrated when people portray Issan as a saint–as a totally enlightened being that never had a problem. Issan was a flawed, wise, realized, complex, inspiring human being. It is interesting to me that people need to put him on a pedestal or make him into something he is not now that he is gone. They project all kinds of things on to him that aren't true and this actually alienates him–it separates him–from who he really was; he was somebody that was complex and therefore able to be with anybody–fearlessly–and to support anybody in their practice. He was not perfect." – Daijaku Judith Kinst, Abbot at Ocean Gate Zen Center, Sweeping Zen interview Flawed and complex, Dorsey was a role model of sorts for others coming to Zen practice from the LGBT community. "Issan was an unassuming, gentle and earthy kind of guy who was extremely accepting of all sorts of people, regardless of their background, quirks or what-have-you. His past as a drag performer and drug addict is already well-documented, so I don't really need to go in to all that. But, he was certainly important to me when I had begun fulltime residential Zen training in 1982 at San Francisco Zen Center. He was an obviously gay man whom was well established in the practice himself. It was very helpful and very encouraging for me to have a role model like that." – Myo Denis Lahey, Abbot at Hartford Street Zen Center, Sweeping Zen interview For a more exhaustive feature on Issan Dorsey, you can read The Lone Mountain Path: The Example of Issan Dorsey from the March 1998 edition of the Shambhala Sun. 
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Mindfulness Day, which offers individuals and communities a chance to start becoming more mindful in day-to-day life, is coming up on Wednesday, September 12.
Today is the 22nd anniversary of the death of Issan Tommy Dorsey, a Soto Zen priest, from complications of HIV/AIDS. The openly gay Dorsey was a former drag queen who struggled with drug addiction for years. Dorsey was the first abbot of the 
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