Winding Path Tendai Buddhist Sangha
News & Events
Winding Path Tendai Buddhist Sangha is a meditation group that has been supporting each other in mindfulness and Buddhist practices in the heart of Springfield, MA since 2011.
We meet every Thursday at 5:00 PM in the San Mateo room of Christ Church Cathedral.
The evening starts with a 30 minute lesson/discussion led by Reverend Shingaku. After the discussion, we perform the Daily Service before engaging in two 20 minute meditation periods.
Discussion Topics for April/May 2018
The Six Perfections: A foundation of Buddhist Practice
Our discussions for the next several weeks will be anchored in the Six Perfections and will build off of Dale S. Wright's book, The Six Perfections: Buddhism and the Cultivation of Character. The Six Perfections (or "Paramitas") are virtues to be cultivated to strengthen one's spiritual practice. They are:
- Dana (Generosity): Giving in the spiritual and material sense - this is compassion, and being dedicated to the liberation of all sentient beings.
- Sila (Ethics and Morality): Proper behavior to ensure positive karma for oneself and others.
- Ksanti (Patience): Tolerance of others, recognizing that all sentient beings' problems have causes.
- Virya (Energy): Resolute effort to liberate all sentient beings.
- Dhyana (Meditation and Contemplation): Cut through the illusion of ego, to realize one as not separate from all sentient beings and the cosmos.
- Prajna (Wisdom): The realization of absolute truth; unity of self and others.
Thursday April 5th
Tendai Teachings in the World Today
This evening’s talk will go back to some of the foundational Tendai teachings and explore how these teachings can help us navigate the world today.