“Learn important Buddhist principles while playing these specially designed computer games. They have zero violence and lots of Buddha Dharma”!
It looks like these games are suitable for children of any age. Unfortunately they are well beyond my ability to comprehend, a child of around six could have a wonderful time with them though. You will need to get Micromedia Flash Player and there is a link you can follow to get it.
Oh, and I see there is a link to download the entire Dhammapada onto a mobile phone!
‘Being there’ with somebody who is in a serious condition can be a cause that opens ones heart to simply give in faith. These are the times when ‘Buddha recognizes Buddha and Buddha disappears’. Through giving of oneself with no expectation of reward the illusory barrier between self and other dissolves. This happens all the time, we just don’t tend to notice. That’s fine, and just as well too!
Dear Reverend Master, On my way to work this morning, I came across an accident. A 4-wheel drive car had collided with a cyclist. She was in agony, barely able to speak and she started to keep passing out before the ambulance arrived. I just hope that she’ll be ok. The poor car driver had simply not seen her. We had two medical professionals also supporting her. In gassho,
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Dear Friend, Always there are the opportunities, that arise naturally, to be there when somebody really needs somebody to just be still. Mugo
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Dear Reverend Master, Yes, that seemed the most important thing to do, to be with the lady and holding her head, whilst her eye started to balloon out. She had no cycle helmet and I wonder if she had internal head damages. She was in a very poor state. It was distressing to hear the two medical people joke and laugh and chattering with each other. I tried to get them to quieten down.
We watched a film on BBC2 last night, ‘How to have a good death’ presented by Esther Rantzen. Similar episodes, to the one I encountered, were mentioned there. It made we wonder and want to help people during their life journey’s end. Please could you add Leila, the cyclist, to your transfer of merit notice board. Thank you. In gassho,
I just don’t seem to be able to get into the swing of writing about the individual ceremonies which happen during the Ten Precepts Meeting and for good reason I’m realizing. The retreat is about participation, about being there and being there wholeheartedly. Knowing about something in advance can take away from the open, child like, mind which is simply there innocently following the schedule with soft-openness. I don’t want to rob you of that.
What people are doing during the week is living the practice and the ceremonies illustrate specific inner movements necessary for treading the Path. The ceremonies are the movement, or can help bring them about. Recognizing and relinquishing past harmful acts; vowing to live Preceptually and not intentionally cause suffering; committing to following where the Teaching leads; being willing to recognize Buddha and to bow to Buddha; these are what I’m speaking of. The week is really remarkable and for those who are fortunate enough to be able to attend this retreat, I’d not want to take away the freshness by talking about it in more detail than I already have.
If you can’t find the Truth Right where you are. Where do you expect to find it? Dogen Zenji
I travel, in my mind, to the people who are attending the retreat at Shasta Abbey. The ceremonies continue and memories of my first Jukai at Throssel Hole Buddhist Abbey arise and fall as I go about my day in Edmonton. We have been auditing the accounts and then a few people came for the evening meeting. A long phone call in the morning.
This mug was given to me almost exactly four years ago while on retreat in France.
A large part of the teaching behind the Ceremony of Reading the Ten Precepts is listening. So I decided to experiment with Audioblogger and read something for you to listen to. Not the Precepts though.
I found a Journal from 1975 and some text written by Koho Zenji, Rev. Master Jiyu’s Transmission Master, for people attending Jukai. The message was printed as an introduction to the Kyojukaimon (Giving and Receiving of the Teachings of the Precepts). It starts thus: “The universe is one and undivided, yet seeming different in all its appearances. You who read this are of a different race and language to me yet we are one with all in the Buddha Mind…”
