Medicine Buddha Ceremony; 3-Day Meditation Retreat
Dear Dharma Friends:
Chung Tai Zen Center of Sunnyvale will be holding a Medicine Buddha Blessing Ceremony on Sunday, June 8, with a special dedication of merits to all beings who suffered devastating loss in the catastrophic earthquake in Sichuan, China and in other disasters around the world. (The Zen Center has raised and donated over $22,000 to Sichuan.) The ceremony will begin at 9:00 AM with the chanting of the Medicine Buddha Sutra in Chinese, followed by a bilingual service starting at 11:00 AM. We invite all to attend.
From July 4 through 6, the Zen Center will hold a Three-Day Meditation Retreat; register now as space is limited.
This year's pilgrimage to Chung Tai (August 10 through 22), will include a visit to the new Chung Tai Zen Center of Osaka and other Buddhist temples in Nara, Kyoto, and Osaka. Anyone interested should contact the Zen Center before June 15.
To inquire for more information or to sign up for these activities, call the Zen Center at (408) 733-0750 or email sunnyvale@ctzen.org. Visit our website www.ctzen.org/sunnyvale for the "Calendar of Dharma Events" and announcements of future workshops, retreats, and Zen services. To be added on or taken off the distribution list, please email us.
CONTENTS
** Programs and services are offered in both Chinese and English unless otherwise noted.
1. Medicine Buddha Blessing Ceremony -- June 8 (9:00 AM ~ Noon)
2. Daily Evening Chanting of the Medicine Buddha Sutra (now through Sept 20)
3. Three-Day Meditation Retreat / Eight Precepts Observance -- July 4-6 Sign up required
4. Pilgrimage to Chung Tai Chan Monastery & Visit to Chung Tai Zen Center of Osaka in Japan -- August 10-22. Sign up required
5. Workshops on Earthquake Preparedness (June 17) and Chinese Calligraphy (June 29)
6. Florida: Buddhist Dharma Lectures and Summer Camp -- June 16-22
7. Denver: Parent-Child Class, Dharma Lecture, and Meditation -- June 21-22
8. Transmission of Bodhisattva Precepts at Chung Tai Chan Monastery -- Oct 29-Nov 2 Sign up required
9. Zen Seven Retreat at Chung Tai Zen Center of Sunnyvale -- Dec 25-Jan 1 Sign up required
10. Sweet Dew of the Dharma: The Six Paramitas
1. MEDICINE BUDDHA BLESSING CEREMONY -- JUNE 8 (SUNDAY, 9:00 AM - 12 NOON)
Chung Tai Zen Center of Sunnyvale, together with all the other Chung Tai branches in Taiwan and worldwide, will be holding Medicine Buddha Blessing Ceremonies in the summer months of June through September. During these months, you can make a special Medicine Buddha Crystal Pagoda offering and dedicate the blessings and merits to our Grand Master Wei Chueh, the Sangha, your families, all sentient beings, and world peace. The beautiful Medicine Buddha crystal pagoda will be placed on the altar for three months and, after the last ceremony on September 21, you can take home the crystal pagoda.
At the June 8 Ceremony, we will make a special dedication of blessings and merits to all beings who suffered devastating loss in the catastrophic earthquake in Sichuan, China and in other disasters around the world. The ceremony will begin at 9:00 AM with the chanting of the Medicine Buddha Sutra in Chinese (with English transliteration), and a bilingual (English and Chinese) service will start at 11:00 AM. Also, winners of the Buddha's Birthday Card Design Contest will be announced and presented with their prizes. We invite all to attend; vegetarian lunch will be served after the ceremony.
2. DAILY EVENING CHANTING OF THE MEDICINE BUDDHA Sutra -- NOW THROUGH SEPTEMBER 20 (TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY, 6:15 - 7:00 PM)
The Zen Center will hold daily evening chanting of the "The Sutra on the Original Vows and Merits of the Medicine Master Lapis Lazuli Light Tathagata" (the Medicine Buddha Sutra) in Chinese with English transliteration (and text translation in English.) All are welcome to attend.
3. THREE-DAY MEDITATION RETREAT / EIGHT PRECEPTS OBSERVANCE -- JULY 4-6 (FRIDAY-SUNDAY)
For serious practitioners who want to advance their cultivation, the Zen Center will offer a 3-day Meditation Retreat with the options of joining for 1, 2, or 3 days of retreat and staying overnight at the Zen Center dormitory for 1 or 2 nights. There will be a transmission of the Eight Precepts on July 4, therefore attendees on that day must stay overnight at the dormitory and may depart on July 5 or continue the retreat through July 6. One can also sign up for 1 or 2 days of retreat for July 5 and 6; overnight stay for July 5 is optional. Participants are expected to observe silence throughout the retreat at the Zen Center and in the dormitory. Vegetarian meals will be provided. There is no charge for participation; voluntary donations (dana) are welcome. Spaces are limited; registration is required . Call the Zen Center for more detailed information.
4. PILGRIMAGE TO CHUNG TAI CHAN MONASTERY & VISIT TO CHUNG TAI ZEN CENTER OF OSAKA IN JAPAN -- AUGUST 10-22.
Situated in the center of Taiwan and surrounded by misty mountains and lush greens, Chung Tai is one of the most magnificent monasteries in the world and a perfect place for Buddhist cultivators. The design and architecture are both innovative and educational. Don't miss the chance for a very special and truly memorial trip! This year's pilgrimage will include a 3-day visit to the new Chung Tai Zen Center of Osaka and Buddhist temples in Nara, Kyoto, and Osaka, Japan. Anyone interested in joining this pilgrimage must contact the Zen Center to register as soon as possible to ensure best airfare rates.
5. WORKSHOPS ON EARTHQUAKE & FIRE SAFETY (JUNE 17) & CHINESE CALLIGRAPHY (JUNE 29) (IN CHINESE)
* The American Red Cross Santa Clara Valley Chapter will give an emergency training workshop on "Earthquake & Fire Safety" at the Zen Center on June 17 (Tue) from 8:00 to 9:30 PM. It will be conducted in Chinese and is an encore presentation previously conducted in English.
* On June 29 (Sun) from 2:00 to 4:00 PM, a well-known calligraphist in the Bay Area will give a workshop on Chinese Calligraphy and will include a lecture and demonstration.
* Both workshops are free and open to all.
6. FLORIDA: BUDDHIST DHARMA LECTURES & SUMMER CAMP -- JUNE 16-22
Ven. Jian Hu will give the following teaching:
* June 16 (Mon) 7pm: "Buddhist Analysis of the Mind -- Feelings, Ideas, and Karma"
Location: Coral Gables Congregational Church, Miami
Contact: Silvia, silviamiami@hotmail.com
* June 17 (Tue) time 7-8:30PM : "Zen Wisdom from Ancient Masters"
Location: Reitz Union B74-B75, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
Contact: gba@grove.ufl.edu
* June 19-22 (Thu-Sun) Ven. Jian Hu will be teaching at the 8th Annual Florida Buddhist Summer Camp on June 18-22 in Orlando, Florida.
Contact: Charles Hsieh at 407-677-6599, csenvironmental@aol.com
Location: University Inn, 11731 E. Colonial Dr., Orlando, Fl 32817
7. DENVER: PARENT-CHILD CLASS, DHARMA LECTURE, & MEDITATION ¡V JUNE 21-22 (CHINESE & ENGLISH) Pre-registration Required
Ven. Jian Gong will give the following teaching:
* June 21 (Sat) 10:00 AM-12 Noon: Parent-Child Class (in Chinese) for children ages 6-12 and their parents. There will be a Dharma talk for the parents as well as teaching and Buddhist stories for the children.
* June 21 (Sat) 2:30-5:30 PM: Lecture series - "The Essence of Mahayana Practice" (in Chinese)
* June 22 (Sun) 9:00 AM-12 Noon: Half-Day Sitting Meditation (in English)
* June 22 (Sun) 2:00-5:00 PM: Walking Meditation and Chanting Practice
Location: 6990 West 38th Avenue, Suite 104, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033
Classes and programs are free; all are welcome. For more information, visit www.zendenver.org or contact Hoppy at (303) 961-5881 (English) or Hong Yan at (303) 668-6388 (Chinese). Or, call Ven. Jian Gong at (408) 733-0750
8. TRANSMISSION OF BODHISATTVA PRECEPTS AT CHUNG TAI CHAN MONASTERY -- OCTOBER 29 - NOVEMBER 2. Registration required
The Bodhisattva Precepts are the highest form of Buddhist precepts that a lay disciple can receive and three Grand Masters will preside over the auspicious ceremony and transmit the precepts. Chung Tai Chan Monastery offers the transmission to all lay disciples once every three years. Anyone interested in receiving the transmission should contact the Zen Center and speak with a Dharma Master.
9. ZEN SEVEN RETREAT -- DECEMBER 25 - JANUARY 1 Registration required
The Zen Center is now accepting registration for the 7-Day Silent Meditation Retreat. Prior experience in meditation or in our Zen classes is highly recommended. All participants will be asked to observe silence and stay at the Zen Center for the entire duration. There is no charge. Space is limited. Please sign up early. We also need volunteers for the retreat! You may sign up to volunteer one to seven days.
Please note that all our classes and activities are free of charge. We are supported by your generous dana (donations).
10. SWEET DEW OF THE DHARMA: THE GOLDEN DOME & THE SIX PARAMITAS
Along the "Bodhi Gallery" at the Zen Center, there is a new display of reprints of some of the elegant Han Dynasty-styled etchings that depict stories of the Buddha's diligent practice of the "six paramitas" through many lifetimes. These original of these elegant etchings circle the interior wall of the Golden Dome on the apex of our parent Chung Tai Chan Monastery in Taiwan.
The golden dome represents the priceless Mani pearl, a symbol of the perfect and luminous nature inherent in all sentient beings. On top of the dome is the Dharma wheel made of 9 layers of circular plates vertically connected and supported by a pillar inside. This carries a two-fold representation of our Grand master's vow to propagate the Dharma and the different levels of cultivation to attain enlightenment. At its bottom are 12 petals of the lotus flower, which emanate 12 rays of light at night, symbolizing the 12-fold chain of dependent origination.
The ceiling design is the "hand of Chung Tai" holding up a flower in the center, surrounded by concentric layers of elegantly lined lotus blossoms, symbolizing the propagation of the Dharma to all sentient beings, helping them find the path to their original nature.
Circling the interior wall are Han Dynasty-styled etchings that depict stories of the Buddha's diligent practice of the "six paramitas" through many lifetimes. The six paramitas are six-fold perfections of charity, moral conduct, tolerance, diligence, meditation, and wisdom, ultimately resulting in the attainment of Buddhahood. We welcome you to visit the Zen Center and appreciate both the art form and the stories along our new Bodhi Gallery. What follows below is one of these stories on the first paramita -- Charity or Dana.
The Story of Deer Park (Sarnath):
Once upon a time, there lived this Deer King, tall and handsome, with furs glowed five colors. He and his herd of thousands roamed free in the forest. One day, a royal king and his entourage discovered this forest and went hunting; they hurt and slaughtered many of the deer. The Deer King was greatly grieved at the sight of so many fallen and his loving heart was filled with sorrow. He went to see the human king and pleaded, in human language, "I believe in your heart you know every living being treasures its own life. So please spare us the fear of losing ours everyday. Allow us offering one of us to you each day and stop the massacre." The human king was surprised but consented to this arrangement. The day came when it was the turn of a pregnant mother-doe. She begged to the Deer King to delay her death until her child is born. The Deer King took pity on the despairing mother-doe, but could not send anyone else to die for her. He decided to offer himself as the sacrifice of the day. When the human king saw the Deer King, he was surprised and asked, "Are there no more deer left?" Realizing the Deer King's decision, he was deeply touched and said a poem:
You are a human in a beast's body,
I am a beast in a human form.
The difference between a human and a beast,
Is not the physical form, but a heart of compassion.
From now on I vow,
To never take meat of any kind.
Let no hunting be the law,
So your herd will always be free in this land.
The king swore off all animal flesh from his diet. He made it the law of land that no deer shall be harmed or killed ever again in this region. The Deer King was one of the former incarnations of Shakyamuni Buddha. For hundreds of years deer roamed freely and this auspicious forest became known as Deer Park in India. Deer Park is also where the Buddha first taught the Four Noble Truths to the first five Buddhist monks after his enlightenment.
Chung Tai Zen Center of Sunnyvale
750 E Arques Ave
Sunnyvale, CA 94085-3830
Tel: 408-733-0750
Fax: 408-733-0751
Email: sunnyvale@ctzen.org
Website: www.ctzen.org/sunnyvale