Greetings to all our readers - Chung Tian Temple · non-abiding. Meditation is a cultivation to...

Buddha’s Light International Association Qld Newsletter Edition 130 January 2019

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Greetings to all our readers

Welcome to the January newsletter. This month’s edition sees the second in the series Our Beautiful Temple & features The Meditation Hall. We also have a short piece on meditation, including a photo and feedback from people who took part in December’s meditation retreat under the gentle guidance of Venerable Miao Lai.

In keeping with this theme, this month’s words of Venerable Hsing Yun, are from his book Only A Great Rain. We also have a list of activities for January, including an invitation to BLIAQ Chung Tian branch events.

Thoughts from the Editors Pen

For many of us it sometimes feels that the world is going too fast. The pressures and stressors people experience in their lives can at times distract from calm, tranquillity, even common sense. We are in a world full of tweets, pings, & instant messages that expect and even demand, our immediate attention or response. I recently saw a cartoon depicting a family round a dinner table, obviously about to share a meal together. They were all looking down at their laps as if in prayer. The caption said, ‘Before enjoying their meal together the family all bow their heads … well after all it has been 3 minutes since anyone checked their phones.’ In today’s busy world many of us are time poor. People pride themselves on multitasking, of being able to do several things at once. The reality is this is frequently counter-productive (as confirmed by research showing what it takes to have our brains doing two or more things at once). Would you like air traffic control multitasking while they guide your plane to land? Would you like your GP writing reports about someone else while he or she listens to you? How many of us stop and really listen when your partner or child comes home and tells you about their day? Those of you who have attended meditation with Venerable Miao Lai know that she encourages us to “Do one thing at once and do it well’. Meditation is a pathway to tranquillity – a path to calm, achievable by those who follow it. As we are told in Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s Book Only A Great Rain -

Meditation is the very heart of Buddhism itself, the primary message of Sakyamuni Buddha to the world.

Hilary Lennon – editor

Upcoming Events

Buddha’s Light International Association of Queensland, Australia

BLIAQ Newsletter 1034 Underwood Road Priestdale QLD 4127, Australia Website: www.chungtian.org.au Email: [email protected] Ph: 3841 3511 Fax: 3841 3522

Chung Tian Buddhist Temple

January 2019 Edition 130

Contents this issue Page Our Beautiful Temple: The Meditation Hall 2 Words of Venerable Master Hsing Yun 3 Meditation – Benefits and Blessings 4 An Invitation BLIAQ members & friends, + Recent Meditation Retreat Snapshots 5 Temple Activities for January & early February 6 Details of January’s Meditation Retreat 7 Meditation, Buddhist, Tai Chi and other Classes for Term 1 in 2019 8

1stJanuaryNewYearPilgrimage 6thJanuaryServiceofLightOffering 12thJanuaryServiceofBuddhaEnlightenmentDay

19thJanuaryMemorialServiceforAncestors&Deceased

20thJanuaryServiceofLightOffering 4thFebruaryChineseNewYeareve


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Our Beautiful Temple

The Meditation Hall

There are various types of meditation, most of which essentially emphasise concentration on either an object or concept, as well as correct posture and awareness of breathing. One meditative school of Buddhism is Ch’an (commonly known in Western society by its Japanese term ‘Zen’). It is based on intuitive insight and spontaneous enlightenment. Fo Guang Buddhists follow what is called Mindfulness and Insight Meditation. Central to this practice is first observing the mind, how it works, what it thinks and then learning to let go of its thoughts without being hindered by emotional baggage.

The Meditation Hall provides space for individual or group meditation classes and retreats, as well as meditation workshops for other communities. The Hall can accommodate 30 people to practice meditation. Often individuals go in alone to quietly meditate during their regular visits to the temple. All people are welcome to participate. Normally during group meditations ladies sit on the left side and men on the right side of the hall.

The Meditation Hall enshrines Sakyamuni Buddha, the founder of Buddhism.

The statue in front of Sakyamuni Buddha is that of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva (Ti Tsang in Chinese).

In front of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva is a reclining Buddha known as the unnamed Buddha (one of the billions of Buddhas in Nirvana), whilst on the left & right are 3 statues of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva / Kuan Yin Pu Sa. Two of them are holding the cup of compassion, and another engaged in the mudra of condolence, which is her principle mudra.

The Diamond Sutra is written in full (in Chinese) on the wall of the Meditation Hall behind the statue of Sakyamuni Buddha. This sutra is highly relevant for The Meditation Hall, as one of its key themes is of non-abiding.

Meditation is a cultivation to seek one’s peace of mind, and to adjust one’s own body, breath and mind to a sense of calm. Meditation has long been considered a significant part of Buddhist practice.

Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are often portrayed in meditative states.


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THIS MONTH’S WORDS OF VENERABLE MASTER HSING YUN

Only A Great Rain

In John R. McRae’s introduction to Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s book ‘Only A Great Rain’ he writes the following:

‘Buddhist meditation is the most important enterprise of our human existence. To be sure, eating, breathing and sleeping are human needs of far more pressing urgency, but we should not mistake the mere basics of our animal realm for the common denominator of our being. To understand who we are and who we are not, to see clearly both the possibilities and liabilities of our current situations, to work ceaselessly for both our own betterment and the betterment of others. These goals and more are encompassed within Buddhist meditation. Meditation is the very heart of Buddhism itself, the primary message of Sakyamuni Buddha to the world.’

In this book, The Venerable Master Hsing Yun says: meditation is one of three trainings that sometimes are called ‘three trainings without outflow.’

Outflow means thought or behaviour that leads to karmic entanglement. Outflows bind

us to delusions… they are caused by greed, anger, ignorance or some combination of these three.

The three trainings of Buddhism are: ‘Morality, Meditation and Wisdom. All are to be practiced together to achieve freedom from delusion. Morality is stopping what is evil, and through morality we control outflows, through meditation we learn to find peace, and through wisdom we learn how to use our gains in the most effective way.’

Master Hsing Yun tells us about the relevance of Samadhi – ‘a Sanskrit word that means to concentrate - in Chinese it carries the connotation to establish or make firm. Samadhi denotes a meditative state, and one who is in Samadhi cannot be disturbed by external sensations…. The strength and wisdom one gains from Samadhi are two of the most important tools available to anyone who desires enlightenment.’

In his final Chapter, Master Hsing Yun tells us - The Sutra on the Contemplation of Mind says ‘The mind is like a painter who is able to paint all things, and the mind is like a slave who is ordered about and controlled by suffering and trouble. The mind is like a king who is able to do whatever he wants, and the mind is like a stupid thief who brings ruination onto himself’.

He goes on to say ‘this passage amply describes the power of the mind – it can be like a king or like a thief, like an artist or like a slave. Through contemplation and meditation, we learn to use our minds for our own benefit as we uncover their truly boundless potential.’


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Meditation – Blessings and Benefits

There are different forms of meditation. Sitting, Walking, Tai Chi, Chanting, Calligraphy (particularly copying the Sutras) and Tea Ceremony are all forms of meditation.

Some comments from recent participants at December’s one day meditation retreat include: ‘I can’t say enough good things about yesterday!!! It was a wonderful day...... the incredible setting for our lessons and practice of ‘Mindfulness’. ‘I just wanted to say thank you for the opportunity to attend the meditation retreat yesterday. I found the session very beneficial and am going to try and implement what we learnt yesterday into my daily routines.’ ‘I had the best sleep last night which I haven’t had for quite a long time.’

There are many reported benefits of meditation including decreased stress, increased ability to pay attention and focus, as well as a reduction in symptoms associated with depression, anxiety, physical pain, and insomnia. People also report experiencing an overall increase in quality of life. What is interesting to us as Buddhists is that people also report increased compassion, empathy and a greater sense of calm. Scientists tell us it is all about neuroplasticity, which is the brain’s ability to reorganise itself by forming new neural connections. A brain has over one hundred billion neurons. (The world’s population is only seven billion). We have hundreds of trillions of neural connections in our brain. The neurons and the neural connections (or pathways) transmit messages throughout our body and underpin the basic functioning of our nervous system and by default the rest of us! Our brain filters our perceptions - our understanding of self and others as well as our place in the world. No two brains are exactly alike. Our brain shapes us. But we can shape our brain!

Actual physical changes occur in our brain when we engage in a behaviour or action repeatedly. That includes when we just think certain thoughts repeatedly. The brain’s neurons change how they “talk” to each other. They forge new strong links. In other words, if they are firing, they are wiring.

A study conducted at Yale, found that meditation

decreases activity in an area of the brain called the Posterior Cingulate. This is the area responsible for the mind wandering (or what we call the “Monkey Mind”). They also found that with regular meditation, when the mind did begin to wander, people were better able to snap back out of it. There was also an increase in the left Hippocampus which assists in learning, cognition, memory and emotional regulation (this area is often smaller in people experiencing longer term depression or Posttraumatic Stress Disorder). A change of particular interest from a Buddhist perspective, was the increase in the Temporal Parietal Junction because this area is important for empathy and compassion.

Whilst most of the changes following regular meditation involved an increase in grey matter or neuron activity, one area reduced in volume. This was the Amygdala. This is the fight or flight centre of the brain and is related to anxiety, fear and stress.

There is one area of the brain that scientists have dubbed “the happiness centre”. This is called the Precuneous, and there are many studies that have shown this area of the brain increases with meditation. In Master Hsing Yun’s book The Core Teachings, he draws an analogy between the mind and a pool of water. He tells us that its original nature is pure and clear, but it becomes cloudy when the silt of delusion is stirred up in it. Meditation is a way of letting the silt in the pool settle. Once settled everything becomes clear.

We don't need to be scientists to reap the benefits of meditation, and over the past few years scientists have been gathering evidence to prove what followers of Buddhism have known over two and a half thousand years. Meditation improves quality of life, increases happiness and in fact changes our lives.


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Chung Tian Branch members and friends are warmly invited to attend three YouTube video & discussion sessions in January. On each of these days a YouTube video of different Dharma topics will be shown, followed by a discussion of each video’s contents & the relevance for our lives as Buddhists in the twenty first century. Please feel free to attend one or all of these different sessions.

Text

Recent Chung Tian Meditation Retreat Snapshots


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Date Day Time Program

1 Jan. Tue.

6:00 am New Year Pilgrimage

9:30 am New Year Sutra Transcription

11:00am New Year Blessing Service (Grand Offering) 5 Jan. Sat. 10:30 am Gratitude Repaying Dharma Service in Mandarin

6 Jan.

(Lunar 1 Dec.) Sun.

11:00am Light Offering Dharma Service

1:30pm ~ 3:30pm Chinese Painting Class

12 Jan. Sat. 10:30 am Buddha’s Enlightenment Day Service (Chanting Diamond Sutra) – Laba Congee for the public

13 Jan. (Lunar 8 Dec.) Sun. 11:00am

Buddha’s Enlightenment Day (Prayer)

Buddha’s Enlightenment Day – Distribution of Laba Congee

C.T. Branch YouTube Dharma Video 10:00 am Wisdom Room

19 Jan. Sat. 10:30 am

Memorial Service for Ancestors and Deceased (Chanting Ksitigarbha

Bodhisattva Sutra)

1:30 pm BLIAQ Monthly Presidents Meeting

20 Jan.

(Lunar 15 Dec.) Sun. 11:00 am

Bright Light Dharma Service C.T. Branch YouTube Dharma Video 10:00 am Wisdom Room

26 Jan. Sat. 10:30 am Chinese Buddhist Chanting Service with Merit Transfer to the Deceased (in Mandarin)

27 Jan. Sun. 9:00am ~ 3:30pm English One-Day Meditation Retreat C.T. Branch YouTube Dharma Video 10:00 am Wisdom Room

Every week

Wed. 9:30am ~

11:00am

Chung Tian Tai-Chi Class Sat. 9:00am ~

10:30am

Sun. 8:30am ~

10:00am

Every week Sun. 9:00am ~

9:40 am English Chanting Service

2 February Sat. 10:30 am

1:30 pm

Light Offering Completion Service Opening Ceremony Exhibition Art Gallery

4 February Mon 6:00 pm

00:00 am

Chinese New Year eve food fair & performances Light Offering Services for Chinese New Year Eve Lion Dance Morning Chanting Ringing The Blessing Bell

5 February Tues 10:00 am Homage to Thousand Buddha Service

Fo Guang Shan Chung Tian Temple Activities for January 2019


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Basic Buddhist & Meditation Class Level: Level 1 Day: Sunday Date: 17 Feb 2019 – 24 Mar 2019 Time: 9:00am-10:00am (Meditation) 10:10am-11:00am (Buddhist talk) Cost: $30 per term - Booking is required Advanced Buddhist Study & Meditation Class Level: Level 4 (Free for BLIAQ members) Day: Sunday Date: 17 Feb 2019 – 24 Mar 2019 Time: 10:00am-11:00am (Meditation) 11:10am-12:00am (Buddhist talk) Cost: $30 per term – booking is required

Intermediate Buddhist & Meditation Class Level: Level 2 Day: Sunday Date: 17 Feb 2019 – 24 Mar 2019 Time: 10:00am-11:00am (Buddhist talk) 11:10am-12:00am (Meditation) Cost: $30 per term - Booking is required Bodhi Class for Children Ages: 4 - 12 years Sunday: 10.00am - 11.00am Date: 17 Feb 2019 – 24 Mar 2019 Cost: $30 per term Every 2nd & 4th child from the same family will be free. Ì 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.

Buddhist Book Study & Meditation Class Level: Level 3 Day: Sunday Date 17 Feb 2019 – 24 Mar 2019 Time: 10:00am-11:00am (Meditation) 11:10am-12:00am (Buddhist talk) Cost: $30 per term - Booking is required

Ì 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.

Ì For all enquiries please contact 3841 3511 on Tuesday to Sunday, or email: [email protected] or see www.chungtian.org.au

Thank you

Teenager’s Buddhist Class

Ages: 13 - 19 years

Sunday: 10.00am - 11.00am

Date: 17 Feb 2019 – 24 Mar 2019

Cost: $30 per term

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

Ì 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.

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


Cost: Free donation

Tai Chi Class

Day: Every Sunday

Time: 8.30am – 10.00am


Cost: Free donation

Please send items and suggestions for inclusion in the newsletter to: [email protected] with the word “Newsletter” in the subject. If referring to another person by name in your submission, please ensure you have their permission to do so. Special thanks to 惜寬 for the photograph of The Meditation Hall. Also, to Mr Peter Wu for photos from the December meditation retreat.

2019 Term 1 - Meditation, Buddhist & Tai Chi Classes held at Chung Tian Temple

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