Upcoming Local
Events
CBT holds
fundraising Japanese food sale this weekend
The venerable
Cleveland Buddhist
Temple is holding a fundraising Japanese food sale on Saturday,
March 27 and Sunday March 28. Chicken Teriyaki, Vegetable Sushi,
Fruit Salad and Fruit and Seafood Salad will be sold from 1:00
to 7:00 PM on Saturday and Noon to 6:00 PM on Sunday. In addition,
there will be a bakery sale.
The food will
be packaged for carryout only. However, for those who wish to
eat at the Temple, the upstairs hondo will be set up for self-serve
picnic-style dining, with tea and soft drinks available.
Temple members
and friends are invited to come help work on this essential fundraising
project -- check
the schedule to see when help is needed. The Cleveland Buddhist
Temple is located at the corner of East 214th Street and Euclid
Avenue in Euclid, Ohio. Free parking is available.
Jennie McMullen
offers meditation workshop on March 27
Jennie McMullen
is offering a practical introduction to meditation on Saturday,
March 27, 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. The workshop will be at the Namaste
Yoga Studio in Richfield (map).
The cost is $20.
McMullen is
certified as a yoga teacher with TRY for Life and registered with
the Yoga Alliance. She combines 10 years of meditation practice
in the Buddhist tradition with more than three years of yoga meditation
practice. For more information or to register, call (216) 939-9117
or e-mail Jennie@PeacefulWarriorYoga.com.
Kent's Tim
McCarthy holds Intro to Buddhism class at CBT on April 4
Tim McCarthy,
founder of the Kent Zendo (Soto), will hold an Introduction to
Buddhism course for students of all levels at the Cleveland
Buddhist Temple on Sunday, April 4 at 10:00 am. The program
will include sitting meditation and instruction. McCarthy will
gear his presentation to the needs and interests of the attendees.
Buddhapalooza
benefit for Cleveland Shambhala comes to Beachland Ballroom April
15
The Cleveland
Shambhala Meditation Group's third annual Buddhapalooza
III, fundraising event comes to the Beachland Ballroom April
15. The even features local artists Connor
O'Brien (pop oriented rock); American
Rockstar (hard- edged rock band with a new CD coming out);
Jonah Koslen (the Michael
Stanley Band and Breathless guitarist) will be doing an Island
Music set; and Second Shade.
Tickets are $8. Doors open at 7:00 PM; music starts at 8:00 PM
BCA leaders
meet and greet at CBT in April; BCA prez will give a public Dharma
talk
Delegates
from the Buddhist
Churches of America (BCA) Eastern District will hold their
annual spring meeting at the Cleveland
Buddhist Temple (CBT) April 16-18. CBT is an affiliate of
BCA. The delegates will join CBT for its Hanamatsuri service and
luncheon on Sunday, April 18.
On Friday,
April 16 at 7:30 PM, Dr. Gordon Bermant, president-elect of BCA
will give a public Dharma talk. Refreshments will be served afterwards.
CBT plans
Buddha Day (Hanamatsuri) Service on Sunday, April 18
On Sunday,
April 18, the Cleveland Buddhist Temple welcomes everyone to its
Hanamatsuri Service to commemorate Gautama Siddhartha's birthday.
(In the Mahayana tradition, Siddhartha's birthday is held to be
April 8.)
The service
will begin at 10:00 am with a Japanese Dharmatalk by Rev. Naoki
Kono of the Seabrook Buddhist Temple (NJ). The English service
will begin at 10:30 am. There will be an English Dharma talk for
children by Rev. Kenjitsu Nakagaki of the New
York Buddhist Church. Finally, there will be an English Dharma
talk for adults by Socho (Bishop) Koshin Ogui of the Buddhist
Churches of America.
Following
Socho Ogui's talk, there will be an offering of sweet tea to an
image of the baby Buddha enshrined in an altar garlanded with
flowers. The Hanamatsuri luncheon will follow after the service.
Everyone is welcome.
Does your
group have events planned around Buddha's birthday in April? E-mail
me and Ill collect them for the next issue of NEO Sangham.
Jewel Heart
members will exhibit at May ArtWalk
Jewel
Heart Cleveland [Tibetan, Gelupa] will be having a show of
Cleveland JH members' art that is inspired in some way by Buddhist
practice. Opening of the show will be Friday May 14 during the
Tremont ArtWalk. JH Cleveland is at 2670 W14th Street in Tremont
(map).
Phone: 440-576-1190 or e-mail: aewarren@apk.net.
Vesak, Wesak,
Visakh -- pick a name, pick a day...
 I'm
throwing in the towel on identifying an "official" date for this
year's Vesak holy day (aka Vesakha, Visakh Puja, Wesak, Buddha
Day). This is the festival when many Buddhists celebrate the birth,
enlightenment and death of the Buddha. Just as there are many
names, there appear to be many dates depending on the culture
and tradition one belongs to.
According
to the Singapore
Hotel Guide: "Primarily a Theravada Buddhist holiday, Vesak
Day is celebrated most energetically in Thailand, India, Sri Lanka,
Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar (Burma), Vietnam, Laos and by Buddhists
in some Western countries. Vesak Day is usually a public holiday
in these Southeast Asian countries. "
Surfing the
'Net, I'm seeing dates for Vesak ranging from May 30 to June 6.
According to Buddhamind.info,
the Visakah Pujah aka Buddha Day is celebrated on the first full
moon day in May -- EXCEPT in a leap year (like 2004) when the
festival is held in June. According to the Old
Farmers Almanac, there are two full moon days -- May 4 (too
early I think) and June 3. So it looks like June 3 may be the
official day. Works for me...
If your group
is planning Vesak events, please e-mail
me the details.
Coming up
after Vesak: Asalha
Puja or Dharma Day (aka Rainy Season Retreat) , the commemoration
of Buddha's first sermon. I believe the official day will be the
full moon of July 31. If anyone can clarify this for me, I'd be
very grateful.
Fun link:
How
to make a Vesak Lantern.
Local News
NEO Zen Sangha
changes Sunday meeting time to 5:30 PM
The Northeast
Ohio Soto Zen Group recently changed its Sunday meditation
time to 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM The group meets at Namaste Yoga Studio,
4183 Streetsboro (at the corner of Rt. 21 & Rt. 303) in Richfield
(map).
The routine includes a period of sitting meditation, walking meditation,
sitting meditation then a short service. Please arrive a few minutes
early so you can set up your seat before the first meditation
period.
Insight Meditation
of Cleveland has a new Web site
Insight Meditation
of Cleveland's new Web site is www.insightmeditationofcleveland.org/.
The site has the following schedule:
|
What
|
When
|
Description
|
| Novice
Practitioner Sangha |
Tuesdays
7:15 PM until 9:15 PM |
Begins
with a brief time of centering, followed by personal introduction
and check-in of each practitioner. Practice opportunity
consists of a 20-minute sit, followed by a 10-minute walking
meditation, followed by another 20-minute sit. A Dharma
talk or reading is offered, followed by a discussion period.
This group is facilitated by Paul Gellman. Paul is available
at 6:45 PM for questions or meditation instructions |
| Experienced
Practitioner Sangha |
Thursday
7:30 PM until 9:30 PM |
Begins
with a 15-minute walking meditation, followed by a 45-minute
sit. The second hour consists of discussion and study
of the Dharma. Currently, this group is working with the
book "Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness" by Bhante
Gunaratana. Facilitation of this group rotates among the sangha
member |
| Additional
Practice Opportunities |
First
Saturday of Each Month |
Meditation
from 9:00 am until 12:00 noon Alternating 30-minute periods
of sitting and walking meditation. A bell is rung every
30 minutes, but the practitioners are free to sit or walk as
they choose. There is no reading or discussion associated
with this practice opportunity.
Facilitation of this group is rotated among the sangha members |
| All
practice opportunities are held in the Baker Room on the main
floor of the First Unitarian Church of Cleveland. The
church is located at 21600 Shaker Blvd., Shaker Heights.
For more info, contact Paul
Gellman at 216/691-0711. |
Next CBT
Toban service opportunity is Sunday, April 4
Cleveland
Buddhist Temple announced the next Toban or temple cleaning will
be Sunday, April 4 at 12:30 PM Temple cleaning has been done by
the aging members of the Japanese American community who founded
the Temple. CBT now invites the many members of the community
who value the temple's contribution to our community to participate
in this practice. To volunteer or to obtain further information,
please phone Craig Horton, the Resident Temple Coodinator, at
216/287-9524.
Jewel Heart
holds White Tara courses starting April 10
Jewel
Heart of Cleveland's Julie Thomas will begin a a four-session
series on The Healing Practice of White Tara beginning April 10,
1:30 pm to 3:00 PM The announcement states: "Tara is the mother
goddess of Tibetan Buddhism, known for her quick and compassionate
activity, particularly associated with healing and longevity.
This course uses visualization techniques relying on the feminine
energy of White Tara to overcome physical, mental and emotional
suffering."
For more info,
call Jewel Heart Cleveland, phone 216.687-1617.
Insight Meditation
of Cleveland plans three-day retreat April 16-18
Insight
Meditation of Cleveland is holding a retreat t the Cedar Hills
Retreat Center in Painesville, OH over the weekend of April 16-18.
The retreat
will be lead by Amy Schmidt, who is a resident teacher at the
Insight Meditation Society
in Barre, Massachusetts. She has been practicing Vipassana meditation
for 20 years and teaching for 10 years.She is the author of Knee
Deep in Grace: The Extraordinary Life and Teaching of Dipa Ma.
CloudWater's
"The Wheel and the Cross" series continues on Sunday, April 18
CloudWater
Zendo's Buddhist-Christian dialogue series, "The Wheel and
the Cross," began on Sunday, March 21, with the topic, "Jesus
and the Buddha as Teachers." This series seeks to promote understanding
between followers of two of the world's great faith traditions.
There is a discussion period after each presentation and the events
are open to the public.
On March 21,
the presenters were Father Joseph Hilinski, Interfaith Coordinator
for the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland, and Ven. Shih Ying-Fa.
The next session
in the series is Sunday, April 18 at 6:30 PM The subject will
be, "The In-Dwelling Spirit" with Rev. Gena Thornton, Pastor of
St. Paul AME Church, Cleveland.
Other scheduled
guests for the series:
- September
19, Rev. Steve Coates, Pastor of Brunswick United Church of
Christ
- October
17, Rev. Warren Campbell-Gaston, Pastor of Willoughby United
Methodist Church
Watch the
CloudWater
events calendar for the dates of the other events in this
series..
Jijuyu-ji
Zen Center welcomes Taigen Dan Leighton August 13-15
The Jijuyu-ji
Zen Center of Cleveland (JZCC) (formerly the Cleveland Zen Group)
announced that it has confirmed the visit of Taigen
Dan Leighton August 13-15. Taigen founded the Mountain
Source Sangha meditation groups in California in 1994. He
received Dharma Transmission in 2000 from Reb Anderson, a direct
student of San Francisco Zen Center's Suzuki Roshi.
Tentative
plans call for Taigen to give the Dharma talk at JZCC's regular
Thursday sitting on August 12. On Friday, August 13 he will give
a public talk. An all-day retreat on Saturday, August 14 will
be followed by a half-day seminar on Sunday, August 15.
Also, JZCC
will be holding a series of lay ordination classes in the Soto
Zen tradition beginning in April. The classes will be alternate
Saturdays at 10:00 am. Contact Dean
Williams for full details on date and location.
Regional News
Death row
prisoner seeks correspondence with Buddhist practitioners
Dean Williams
of the Jijuyu-ji Zen Center of Cleveland has begun working with
Arthur Tyler, a prisoner on death row at the Mansfield Correctional
Institution. Dean writes:
"This individual
has been engaged in Buddhist studies for some six years now, but
has never formally studied with anyone. In my first letter to
him I asked if he would be willing to have his contact information
shared with members of the sanghas in both Cleveland and Mansfield
so that anyone else from these groups who wished to communicate
with him could do so. He said that would be fine."
If you are
interested in corresponding with Mr. Tyler about Buddhist practice,
please contact Dean Williams.
International
News
Midwestern
activists plan Peace Ride on bikes from Washington DC to Toronto
in April
Several Midwestern
activist groups are organizing a marathon bike ride in advance
of the Dalai Lama's visit to Toronto for the Kalachakra teaching
on April 25.
The International
Tibet Independence Movement (ITIM) based in Fishers, Indiana,
Peace for Tibet (Minneapolis, Minnesota) and Tibetan Cultural
Center (Bloomington, Indiana) are organizing the Peace
Ride for Tibet's Independence.
The ride will
begin on April 10 and end on April 24, right before His Holiness
The Dalai Lama offers the Kalachakra Teaching on April 25. April
25 is also the 15th birthday of Gendhun Choekyi Nyima, the missing
Panchen Lama.
Riders will
start at the People's Republic of China Embassy in Washington,
D.C. and end at the People's Republic of China Embassy in Toronto,
Ontario. The distance of the journey is more than 600 miles or
950 kilometers.
ITIM was asked
to coordinate this Bike Ride by Jigme Norbu (president, Tibetan
Cultural Center) and Tibetans affiliated with "Peace for Tibet"
in Minnesota. These Tibetans plan to ride the entire time and
ITIM members intend to help them make this 600+ mile, strenuous,
long journey through Maryland and the mountains of Pennsylvania
and New York a big success. Jigme Norbu, the son of Taktser Tulku
(Oldest Brother of His Holiness The Dalai Lama) will co-lead this
Bike Ride as a way to further His father's lifelong effort to
regain Tibet's independence.
For more details,
visit
the Web site.
Reference Shelf
Missed Robert
Thurman's Columbus lecture? You've got another chance in April
Tibetan scholar Robert Thurman will be in Ann Arbor, MI on Friday,
April 16 at 7:00 pm for a lecture and book signing of his new
book Infinite
Life.
A few of us
enjoyed his lecture in Columbus immensely. He's very entertaining
as well as very deep. Kind of the Robin Williams of Buddhist professors...
The event
is sponsored by Ann Arbor's Jewel Heart Center and takes place
at the Rackham Amphitheater. Admission is $5. For More Information
call 994-3387 ext. 2 or visit www.jewelheart.org.
Culture &
the Arts
Ancient Chinese
sculptures are on view at the Smithsonian through August 8
Got a trip to Washington DC planned between now and August 8?
Be sure to stop at the Smithsonian to catch a unique exhibit:
"Return
of the Buddha: The Qingzhou Discoveries."
In 1996, Chinese
workers excavating for a school discovered a cache of broken statues
that had apparently been buried under a temple. After excavation,
nearly 400 images were recovered. There are 35 images from the
6th century on view at the Smithsonian's Arthur M. Sackler gallery
until August 8. Here are links to two of the rave reviews:
The Buddhist
statues of the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery's "Return of the Buddha:
The Qingzhou Discoveries" radiate an intense spirituality comparable
to that of Gothic-era Christian saints in French cathedrals.
"Spirit
of the Buddhas," Washington Times, March 19, 2004.
"The exhibition,
which opens Saturday and was a huge success in Hong Kong and then
in Europe, will have you smiling, too. It is one of the great
Asian shows of recent years, and a near-perfect thing: ideally
scaled, masterfully shaped, with objects as mysterious as they
are beautiful."
"The
Undying Smile of Enlightenment," New York Times, March
19, 2004.
Circle of
Bliss Tibetan art show continues in Columbus until May 9; Jewel
Heart organizes a field trip for Sunday, April 18
A few of us
trekked down to Columbus earlier this month to hear Tibetan scholar
Robert Thurman address a sold-out crowd of more than 600 people.
His appearance
was associated with the Circle
of Bliss: Buddhist Meditational Art exhibit the Columbus
Museum of Art.
IMHO, this
exhibit is well worth a day trip to cow town. Unlike most art
exhibits, it strives to put the Nepalese and Tibetan master works
in the context of their ritual use. Even if you are not following
that lineage, the exhibit is well worth the time for any serious
student of Buddhism.
The exhibit
is in Columbus until May 9. Admission costs $6 and to park in
their lot is $3 -- although there is street parking around the
museum. Another plus: it's very easy to find. Exit 71S at exit
108B (Broad St.) and go west. The museum is just blocks away on
the right.
Need a ride?
Jewel Heart of Cleveland announced it is organizing a group that
will leave from it's Tremont center on Sunday, April 18 at 10:00
am. If you are interested in joining the car pool as a driver
or passenger please e-mail Katrinlya@hotmail.com.
In search
of: Buddhist calendar authority
NEO Sangham
editor Lynne Brakeman is seeking an authoritative reference calendar
of Buddhist holy days for the next two years or so. I've located
an authority for Theravadin Uposatha
Observance Days, but I'm still chasing an authoritative, comprehensive
source. Preferably, the source would include sacred dates for
all of the major Buddhist lineges (Theravdin, Tibetan, Pure Land,
Soto, etc.) and, if possible, for different ethnic groups (eg.
Thai, Korean). Important: the calendar should show the
actual dates based on the western calendar (not just the lunar
dates). Several evenings of exhaustive Internet search have produced
very little result. Please e-mail
me if you can point me in the right direction.
Also, a quick
apology for missing the February issue. Too much business travel,
too little time. Hope this long issue makes up for it.
|