More Fall Offerings
The Tatami Room, the Library, and Practice Discussion
Theo loves it, and so do we.
Let me know next time you’re here if you would like to browse the library — all are welcome to borrow.
This is also our new space for formal practice discussion. Please talk with me or with Jodi, who is serving as jisha, if you have questions or would like to schedule a practice discussion.
The Four Noble Truths
As our current series of Way Seeking Mind Talks comes to an end, Monday evening discussions will turn to Shakyamuni Buddha’s teaching of the four noble truths.
Zazen starts at 7:30, as usual, with one 40-minute sitting with an interval, and discussion follows at 8:15.
Trevett will lead the study group. He writes:
Starting on October 7th, we will be reading Venerable Ajahn Sumedho’s book The Four Noble Truths on Monday evenings after sitting. Ajahn Sumedho is an American Buddhist monk in the Thai Forest Tradition, ordained by Ajahn Chah in 1967. Also known by the honorific “Luang Por,” or “venerable father,” Ajahn Sumedho is still teaching in retirement and lives at Amaravati in England. Using personal stories and clear, simple writing, he has a knack for bringing the Four Noble Truths alive and making them relevant to daily life. We will take turns reading the text out loud followed by discussion.
Zazen begins at 7:30 and discussion at 8:15. Participants are welcome to come for just sitting, just discussion, or both!
A pdf of the text and two versions of the original Pali teaching are available here.
Online offerings
Britt is hosting two online offerings this fall. Email him for the Zoom link: jbdavis at gmail.
Morning Zazen on Zoom, Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays at 7 – 8:10 a.m.
Precepts Discussion Group, October 20 and the Third Sunday of each month, 8 p.m.
Britt writes:
Dear Sangha,
If you are interested in the Bodhisattva Precepts and how they can act as guideposts for our lives, please join our Precepts Discussion Group on Zoom every third Sunday of the month (October 20, November 17, December 15) at 8 pm (EDT, then EST). We are currently reading Living by Vow by Shohaku Okumura, which brings together the Precepts and the liturgy that we chant. On October 20, we will be discussing Chapters 1 and 2, which can be found on the Google Drive.
Deep bows,
Britt (Kigen)
Email Britt for the link: jbdavis at gmail, or leave a comment here (be specific).
Reminder: Sangha Gathering, November 2
Please join us at Ben and Noah’s at 2 pm for our annual sangha gathering. We would especially like to encourage those who are newer to sitting with us to come and meet sangha members you may not see at your usual sitting times.
This annual fall sangha gathering was born from our online study together during the first year of covid as we transitioned back to meeting in person, and it has become an annual event—maybe still too young to be called a tradition. Part reflection on the sangha’s year, where we have been and where we are, the gathering is also a time to share food and experience and thoughts for the future.
Please email Ben or leave a comment here for Catherine to RSVP and if you need the address (be specific).
Retreat November 7 – 10 at Villa Maria Retreat Center
Hosted by Stillpoint, this short residential retreat at Villa Maria Retreat Center will be co-led by Genryo from Iron City Rinzai, Jay and Kevin from Stillpoint, and Catherine from Neighborhood Zen.
Please see the details here and register soon if you plan to attend.
What is dana?
The word itself translates as giving or generosity.
A bodhisattva’s generosity is said to be of three kinds: giving material gifts, giving fearlessness, and giving dharma.
When we come together to practice, we are giving fearlessness and dharma.
These forms of dana are what Neighborhood Zen offers and what sustain Neighborhood Zen. Each of us, by being here, creates and sustains the sangha, and without our coming together to sit there would be no Neighborhood Zen.
Since 2017, when Neighborhood Zen began, many of us have also given materially, sharing food and work during retreats, giving items that support practice such as cushions, instruments, incense, and candles, offering generous scholarship assistance for retreat attendance, providing useful supplies such as masks, toilet paper, dish soap, card stock and printing, and offering kind personal gifts.
I have been reluctant to formalize any structure for these ways of giving within our sangha, and there is now, as always, no specific request or expectation of material giving. Still, we have been growing, and it seems to be time to offer some guidelines, specifically for dana offered in the form of money.
This is the dana bowl.
To support our sangha practice with money, Westri has agreed to serve as our treasurer. Together he and I will keep a record of expenditures and any cash gifts.
We will regard cash offerings as being of three kinds: gifts for expenses, gifts for scholarship assistance to sangha members, and gifts for teaching to me. Expenses compensated in this way will include zendo, office, and housekeeping supplies and a small share of the monthly utilities.
With this in mind, when making an offering in the dana bowl, please use an envelope if you wish to designate your gift for “Expenses,” “Dana for Catherine,” and/or “Scholarship.” Undesignated offerings will be divided equally between “Expenses” and “Dana for Catherine.” To make an offering by check or PayPal, please ask Westri for instructions. (You can email him directly, or at neighborhoodzen at gmail, using TREASURER as your subject line.)
We will continue sharing food, tea and tea treats, dana in the form of service, and occasional material or personal gifts to the sangha or to me in the informal ways we have always done. And the most important gift of all—we continue sharing our presence in practice by showing up for sitting together. Thank you all very much!
