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Upcoming Events

3 June

Eight Precept Retreat in

Mandarin

16-17 June

Siddhartha the Musical (QPAC)

8 July

Great Compassion

Repentance Service

12 July

Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva

Dharma Service

16 July – 6 Aug

Intensive Meditation Classes

10 Aug

Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva

Dharma Service

19-24 Aug

Ullambana Festival Filial

Piety Buddhist Chanting

25-26 Aug

Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva’s

Service & Sanga Offering

27 Aug

Grand Offering-Disperse

Calamity Acknowledgement

Thrice Amitabha Commemorating Dharma

Function

Chung Tian Buddhist Temple

1034 Underwood Road

Priestdale QLD 4127, Australia

Website: www.chungtian.org.au

Email: ibaq@chungtian.org.au

Ph: 3841 3511 Fax: 3841 3522 Buddha’s Light International Association of Queensland, Australia

BLIAQ Newsletter

Edition 121 June 2017

Buddha Birthday Festival

BBF Setup

BBF

Selected BBF photos from Chung Tian Facebook

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The Art of Being Angry

‘Getting angry’ is inevitable in life but in anger, we have to know the ways to resolve it. It was said,

“Angry thoughts open the door to thousands of obstacles.” Anger often makes people lose their minds,

leading to unbearable consequences. A Western proverb says, “Anger is to punish the self with other

people’s fault.” ‘The Inner Canon of the Yellow Emperor’ also expressly warned, “Anger could

damage the liver”. American psychologist Irma analyzed that when angry, the body would secrete

toxins. Therefore, the following ways are suggested to reduce anger:

First, slow down breathing: in anger, breathing and speaking will be quick. As said, “Rage drives the

vital energy flow (Qi) in the wrong direction. Joy smooths down the vital energy flow.” When you find

yourself angry, quickly remind yourself to slow down and stabilize your breaths in every inhalation and

exhalation, like a temperature regulator of an air conditioner. As for the Qi of the body, we should know

how to breathe to adjust the body and mind, and to ease the rising of emotions. In this way, we would not

get angry easily.

Second, temporarily let go the ego: why are people angry? Just because their expression of the self is not

respected. When the self is not recognized and when the self is not satisfied, anger will rise and grow with

the purpose of letting others see your existence. At this time, you can temporarily let go the self and step

back to think that you can sacrifice the self for the public and dedicate the self for other people. You can

then let go the ego by broadening the mind to embrace other people’s ideas. In this way, you would not

get angry.

Third, there is no need to judge right from wrong: ‘Ch’an Master Bai Zhang’s Rules for the Monastic

’ said, “The dispute of right and wrong can be resolved by no arguing.” This is because each person

’s standpoint is different and thus views will vary widely. If we are too fussy about you and me, both

sides will lose. Master Han Shan also said, “There are a lot of drawbacks in life and the body cannot

escape impermanence. It is harmless to be taken advantage of. Why don’t we let others?” Aspiring

people would not strive just for a moment’s pleasure but rather for the ever-lasting glory. With this in

mind, there will be no anger.

Fourth, careful contemplation of thoughts: when angry, calm down and ask yourself, “What is the reason

for getting angry?” “What is the purpose of being angry?” “Can anger solve the problem?” If you

can solve the problem, why angry? If anger cannot change the facts, why angry? Reflect on whether you

have done anything wrong. If not, learn to forgive others. This is to give yourself and others an

opportunity. In this way, anger can be reduced by your empathy.

There must be tactical strategy before fighting a war; personnel management also has the tactic of

leadership management. When things are not as intended, there must be the art of being angry. In this

way, one will not be controlled by impatience and emotions when responding to dilemmas. The use of

wisdom to resolve tense and explosive atmosphere is the cleverest way in dealing with people.

The following provides four points about the art of being angry:

1. Slow down breathing 2. Temporarily let go the ego 3. No need to judge right from wrong 4. Careful contemplation of thoughts

Venerable Master Hsing Yun, Translated by Elaine Pun

Clean up Australia day album in Chung Tian Facebook page

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Paramita of Diligence

Diligence is a fundamental aspect of all human endeavor. Without diligence—the constant and steady application of effort to a task—nothing ever gets done. Though it may seem difficult to practice diligence at times, if we frequently look upon this important virtue as a burden, we will surely miss the great benefits that arise from it. There is a saying: "Though piles of gold may be washed in with the tide, still we must go forth and gather them." Nothing in this world is free—something never comes from nothing. Some effort is always called for in everything that we would like to accomplish. We reap what we sow.

In the Sutra of Bequeathed Teachings, the Buddha says to his disciples, "If you practice diligence, no task will be too difficult for you. Just as a trickle of water can wear down stone, so by your diligence you can succeed at anything."

Buddhist practice is sometimes defined as the transformation of the bad into the good, or the

conversion of bad character traits into beneficial or skillful ones. This kind of fundamental change

cannot possibly be effected if we are not diligent and constant in our application of effort. When the

paramita of diligence is applied to the other five paramitas, a very powerful engine of goodness is

brought into being. The Treatise on the Perfection of Great Wisdom says, "The dharma of diligence is

the power behind all good actions and the source of all good practice leading to complete, unsurpassed

enlightenment." The Treatise on the Sutra of Committing to the Bodhi Mind defines basic Buddhist

practice as: "Starting goodness where there is none. Increasing goodness where there is some. Not

starting evil where there is none. Ending evil where there is some." Each of these suggestions calls for

the application of constant effort, or diligence. If we merely agree with these ideas but do nothing about

them, our passivity indicates that we have not understood one of the most basic aspects of the Buddha's

teachings— applying the Dharma to life as we live it in this world right now.

Diligence overcomes laziness, sloth, and torpor. If we find ourselves becoming lazy, the right cure is to

begin emphasizing positive, beneficial activity. The Sutra on the Practice of the Bodhisattva says: "When

householders are lazy, they run out of food and clothes. When monastics are lazy, they fail to escape from

the cycle of birth and death. All good things arise from the practice of diligence."

Diligence can be understood in two basic ways—mental diligence and physical diligence. Mental

diligence is the practice of being mindful about our thoughts and behavior for the purpose of eradicating

our tendencies toward greed, anger, and ignorance. Physical diligence entails all of the activities that are

required of our bodies to perform mental diligence. These include time spent in study, meditation, helping

others, maintaining our surroundings, getting a reasonable amount of exercise, and so on. While it may be

slightly better to be physically lazy than mentally lazy, it is also true that physical laziness nearly always

leads to mental laziness. If we look down on our bodies and what they do, eventually they will no longer

support our mind's lofty opinion of itself.

Venerable Master Hsing Yun, Buddhism: Core Ideas

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Date Day Time Program

3 June 2017 Sat 8:30 am - 5:00pm Eight Precept Retreat in Mandarin

9 June 2017 Fri 11:00am Bright Light Dharma Service in Mandarin

16-17 June 2017 Fri-Sat 7:30pm Siddhartha the Musical (QPAC)

8 July 2017 Sat 9:30am - 12noon Great Compassion Repentance Service

12 July 2017 Wed 11:00am Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva Dharma Service

16 July – 6 Aug 2017 Sun 9:00am - 11:00am Intensive Meditation Classes (4 Weeks)

6 August 2017 Sun 11:00am Bright Light Dharma Service in Mandarin

10 August 2017 Sun 11:30am Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva Dharma Service

19-24 August 2017 Sat-Thur 9:00am Ullambana Festival Filial Piety Buddhist Chanting Service / Liang

Huang Repentance Sutra.

25 August 2017 Fri 9:00am Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva’s Service

26 August 2017 Sat 9:00am Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva’s Service

11:30am Sangha Offering Ceremony

27 August 2017 Sun 10:00am Grand Offering-Disperse Calamity Acknowledgement

1:00pm Thrice Amitabha Commemorating Dharma Function

Every Sunday 9:00am – 9:40am English Buddhist Chanting

Every Saturday 10:30am – 12noon Buddhist Service (in Mandarin)

2017 Term 1 - Meditation, Buddhist & Tai Chi Classes held at Chung Tian Temple

Buddha Quotes

“Greater in battle than the man who would conquer a thousand-thousand men, is he who would conquer just one — himself. Better to conquer yourself than others. When you've trained yourself, living in constant self-control, neither a deva nor gandhabba, nor a Mara banded with Brahmas, could turn that triumph back into defeat.”

“An insincere and evil friend is more to be feared than a wild beast; a wild beast may wound your body, but an evil friend will wound your mind.”

“Whatever a monk keeps pursuing with his thinking and pondering, that becomes the inclination of his awareness.”

“There is nothing more dreadful than the habit of doubt. Doubt separates people. It is a poison that disintegrates friendships and breaks up pleasant relations. It is a thorn that irritates and hurts; it is a sword that kills.”

Buddhist Book Study & Meditation Class

Level: Level 3

Day: Every Sunday Date: 14 May 2017 to 18 June 2017

Time: 10:00am - 11:00am (Meditation)

11:10am - 12:00pm (Buddhist talk)

Cost: $20 per term - Booking is required

Tai Chi Class

Day: Every Sunday

Time: 8.30am – 10.00am

Where: Chung Tian Temple

Cost: Free donation

Teenager’s Buddhist Class

Ages: 13 - 19 years

Sunday: 10.00am - 11.00am

Date: 14 May 2017 to 18 June 2017 Cost: $20 per term Every 2nd & 4th child from the same family will be

free.

The intermediate Dharma class builds on and

expands the basic foundations of Buddhist learning,

aiming for a practical approach and solutions to

challenges issues faced by young people today.

Intermediate Buddhist & Meditation Class Level: Level 2

Day: Every Sunday Date: 14 May 2017 to 18 June 2017

Time: 10:00am - 11:00am (Buddhist talk)

11:10am - 12:00pm (Meditation)

Cost: $20 per term - Booking is required

Tai Chi Class

Day: Every Wednesday Time: 9.30am – 11.00am

Where: Chung Tian Temple

Cost: Free donation

Tai Chi Class

Day: Every Saturday

Time: 9.00am – 10.30am Where: Chung Tian Temple

Cost: Free donation

Bodhi Class For Children

Ages: 3 - 12 years

Sunday: 10.00am - 11.00am

Date: 14 May 2017 to 18 June 2017

Cost: $20 per term

Every 2nd & 4th child from the same family will be free.

Children are taught Buddhist morals and ethics

in a nurturing environment. Lessons are backed by

fun activities which include: simple meditation,

children’s tai chi, Buddhist stories and virtues,

craft activities and team-building games.

Basic Buddhist & Meditation Class Level: Level 1 Day: Every Sunday

Date: 14 May 2017 to 18 June 2017

Time: 9:00am - 10:00am (Meditation)

10:10am -11:00am (Buddhist talk)

Cost: $20 per term - Booking is required

Advanced Buddhist Study & Meditation Class

Level: Level 4(Free for BLIAQ members)

Day: Every Sunday

Date: 14 May 2017 to 18 June 2017 Time: 10:00am - 11:00am (Meditation)

11:10am - 12:00pm (Buddhist talk)

Cost: $20 per term – booking is required

To book for the Buddhist

classes, an application form

must be completed and returned

to the Chung Tian Temple’s reception together with full

payment at least a week prior to

the course commence date.

For all enquiry please

contact 3841 3511 on Tuesday

to Sunday, or email:

ibaq@chungtian.org.au or see

www.chungtian.org.au

Thank you