---| --- ---| ---| | | |---| | | | | | | | | | | -- |---| |--- |--- |---| | | | | | | | | | | | | ---- | | |--- |--- | | |---| GASSHO Electronic Journal of DharmaNet International and the Global Online Sangha Volume 1, Number 1 ISSN 1072-2971 November/December 1993 =========================================================================== Editor-in-Chief: Barry Kapke dharma@netcom.com or Fidonet: 1:125/33.0 Associate Editors: To be announced Board of Advisors: Robert Aitken, Roshi T. Matthew Ciolek, PhD Roger Corless, PhD Gangcen Tulku Rinpoche Jack Kornfield Jacqueline Mandell Andrew Olendzki, PhD Charles Prebish, PhD Alan Senauke Thanissaro Bhikkhu others to be announced =========================================================================== GASSHO is a Buddhist newsletter, published by DharmaNet International, P.O. Box 4951, Berkeley, CA 94704-4951, a not-for-profit organization. =========================================================================== Table of Contents: {1} EDITORIAL: Looking at the Horizon... {2} NEWS: 'Buddhist Studies: State of the Art' symposium {3} LETTERS: Open Letter from Network of Teachers {4} DIALOGUE: Thich Nhat Hanh on The Five Wonderful Precepts {5} ARTICLE: Dalai Lama on Human Rights and Universal Responsibility {6} ARTICLE: Chagdud Tulku on World Peace {7} ARTICLE: DharmaNet, Internet, and the Global Online Sangha {8} PRACTICE: Notes on Gassho and Bowing {9} CALENDAR: November 93 - January 1994 {10} REVIEWS: Dalai Lama at World Conference {11} RESOURCES: Public Discussion Forums {12} SANGHA: Thai Dharma Centers (USA) {13} A PARTING THOUGHT {14} ABOUT GASSHO [Ed.: Page numbers are not particularly meaningful in an electronic format. Instead, each article is demarcated by a number within brackets. This allows you to use the Search feature of your newsreader or file viewer program to "fast forward" to the section you want to read. Also, italicized words are represented here between slashes, e.g. /abc/.] =========================================================================== {1} EDITORIAL =========================================================================== "Looking at the Horizon With My Feet Planted Firmly in the Moment" by Barry Kapke This first edition of GASSHO inaugurates what I hope will be a long- lived and fruitful vehicle for Buddhist dialogue and communication, and for the creation and nurturance of a truly global sangha. There are many significant dialogues taking place -- recent among these being the Parliament of World Religions, the UN World Conference on Human Rights, the Conference of Western Buddhist Teachers, the UC Berkeley Symposium on Buddhist Studies: The State of the Art. People from all parts of the globe are coming together to meet in community, to appraise just where we are and where it is that we are going. Our world is in a time of global flux -- some that is violent and tragic, some that is healing and integrative. We are each, through the choices we make, instrumental to change. Sometimes it seems there is a perverse kind of security in believing that things are too big for us, that circumstances are out of our hands, that we are small and powerless -- but that is not so! The Buddha taught that we always have choice. Enlightenment is in the palm of our hand -- here and now. The Dhammapada begins with the twin verses: "All that we are is the result of what we have thought: we are founded on our thoughts, we are made up of our thoughts. If one speaks or acts with an evil thought, pain follows him, as the wheel follows the foot of the ox that draws the carriage. "All that we are is the result of what we have thought: we are founded on our thoughts, we are made up of our thoughts. If one speaks or acts with a pure thought, happiness follows her, like a shadow that never leaves her." This is practical, easily-verifiable instruction. We may not be able to change somebody else, but we can change ourselves. We can discipline our thoughts and our actions. Foreshadowing the current wisdom of engagement to "Think globally, act locally", a line from Goethe suggests: "If each of us sweeps in front of our own steps, the whole world will be clean." Central to many dialogues taking place is the contemplation of "values," what is important, what is fundamental. This is work that we can all do. It starts where you are. It starts with you. In this first edition of GASSHO, I felt it important to begin with some discussion of values, of foundations. Even in choosing the name of the journal, I wanted something very basic, something common to all Buddhisms. I chose the gesture of joining the hands together in mindfulness, in remembrance of Buddha-nature. In different cultures, the gesture is known by different names -- anjali, wai, sompeah, gassho, etc. -- but the practice is universal. I am particularly pleased that Venerable Maezumi Roshi generously shared with us his "Notes on Gassho and Bowing", rooting this new venture in our common nature, bringing attention back to that which is basic. Also fundamental to all Buddhisms is the Five Precepts, that covenant we make with ourselves, and with our sanghas, to be mindful of our choices -- to choose carefully, mindfully, aware of causes, aware of consequences. GASSHO hopes to utilize this electronic medium to initiate an ongoing dialogue on these important and universal values, and to be able to bring together our voices from all parts of the world. The warm and compassionate wisdom of Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh opens our dialogue with his new translation of The Five Wonderful Precepts, followed by a short discourse. Over the next five issues, GASSHO will present Nhat Hanh's commentaries on the Precepts, as well as presenting comments from readers to the previous issue, so that an evolving discussion will take place. Discussion from the DharmaNet conference, SHILA, will also be presented. His Holiness the Dalai Lama, in his address to the UN World Conference on Human Rights last June, speaks of the importance of reexamining our interdependence and our responsibility to one other. These are important considerations for those of us who participate in and who help build geography-less "virtual" communities. With geography no longer a barrier between cultures and with information disseminated almost instantaneously on a global scale, often without "filters", our world in many respects becomes much smaller. We can imagine some of the differences in "views" that might arise if we were to bring all of our relatives from around the world into a single room for the first time. For the benefit of our human family, it is good practice to contemplate our interdependence, our commonality rather than our difference, and to practice mindfulness in our actions and our words. It is my hope that DharmaNet, and GASSHO, may be useful in helping us to develop tools to carry us harmoniously into global community. As Venerable Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche suggests, we can be active in creating a "space of peace." We can do this through our own choices, through cultivating our own qualities. Through our own modeling of peace and loving kindness, through active engagement in the practice of peace, in "being" peace, we can transform the poisons of the world, like the peacock. We can also come together collectively to create community, to bring together the spiritual leaders and teachers and practitioners from around the world, a network of diversity and unity. As I look to the horizon, my vision is of us walking into the 21st Century together in peace and community. These common bonds between us can enable this to happen. These electronic resources and online communities that are developing around us can be used as a part of our "practice", to transcend boundaries of place and means, of race and gender, of East and West. The global sangha can be a tool to build community, to lay aside difference and take refuge in what is basic. Technology is a tremendous tool. Through telecommunication and computer technologies, we can have almost instantaneous access to information and people anywhere in the world. This, of course, can be just more "noise" in our already overstimulated environment, or it can truly be a transformative tool. At the Berkeley symposium, Venerable U Silananda joked about how anyone could now be a Tipitaka-holder; the entire Pali Tipitaka can now be carried on a compact disk in your pocket wherever you go. But this raises serious questions in my mind. What would happen if we applied the Threefold Training to online community? What if the Buddha's teachings served as the organizational principles for structuring our societal models? Patricia Marx Ellsberg, commenting on Nhat Hanh's FOR A FUTURE TO BE POSSIBLE, provocatively postulates "These precepts are an appropriate standard of behavior for nations, institutions, and corporations, as well as for individuals. We must ask no less of our country than we ask of ourselves." What if instead of the consumer attitude of "What can it do for me?" we were to operate from an attitude of "How can I be of help?" What would our institutions look like? How would our world be different? These questions intrigue me. In my own personal contemplations of where we are and where we are going, I was drawn to create DharmaNet, to use technology to build community, to bring together monks, nuns, lay practitioners, lay teachers, scholars, students, Christians, Pagans, into a common territory where we could share our understandings of the Buddha's teachings and work together to embody them. I was then drawn to create DharmaNet International, a not-for-profit organization, to help serve the Buddhist communities, and GASSHO to empower us with yet another way of communicating with each other. Common to all of these is my curiosity and my faith in the question: How can I use technology (skillful means) to help? =========================================================================== {2} NEWS BRIEFS =========================================================================== Berkeley, CA -- A symposium entitled "Buddhist Studies: The State of the Art" celebrated the Twentieth Anniversary of University of California at Berkeley's Group in Buddhist Studies, on October 28-31, 1993. Keynote speakers included Professors Raoul Birnbaum, Alexander Macdonald, K.R. Norman, Akira Yuyama, John Macrae, James Foard, Supachai Tangwongsan, Urs App, David Ruegg, Donald Lopez, as well as many panelists. With time almost always in short supply, the speakers attempted to share their succinct insights into the current state of Buddology, struggling against the constraints of territorial markers such as Cultural Studies and Art History, Textual and Philological Studies, Historical Studies, Philosophical Studies, and New Technology. Feelings of marginalization, isolation, lack of community, were common dissatisfactions amongst the scholars. Several speakers also pointed to the difficulty in finding that common object of study, a unitary Buddhism; instead, it seemed that there were many Buddhisms. The symposium ended with a special session on North American Pure Land Manifestations (whose panel turned to practitioners rather than scholars). Distinguished service awards were presented to Yehan Numata (who could not be present), and to Mahidol University for its completion of inputting the entire Pali Tipitaka and Atthakatha onto CD-ROM. Professor Supachai demonstrated the database software (BUDSIR) that can be used to search and retrieve all occurrences of any given word or phrase in the entire 105 volumes of now-digitized text. =========================================================================== {3} LETTERS =========================================================================== CONFERENCE OF WESTERN BUDDHIST TEACHERS From March 13-22, 1993, a conference of twenty-two Western Buddhist teachers was held in Dharamsala, India. Four days of meetings were held with His Holiness the Dalai Lama and three other Tibetan lamas (Drikung Chetsang Rinpoche, Panchen Otrul Rinpoche and Amchok Rinpoche) to discuss problematic issues in bringing Buddhism to the West. The teachers were from the various Tibetan, Zen and Theravadin traditions. The topics discussed with His Holiness were: taking teachers as gurus without proper examination; idealizing gurus unrealistically; ethical conduct of Buddhist teachers; the relation between true realizations and ethical behavior; giving tantric initiations without proper examination of the students; the training of Western monks and nuns; differentiating the essence of Buddhism from its Asian cultural aspects; the role of women in Buddhism; translation issues; ritual, titles and robes; integration with techniques from psychotherapy; and overcoming sectarianism. During talks held before and after the meetings with His Holiness, the participants discussed dharma teacher training; right livelihood for Buddhist teachers and centers; and treating students who have been harmed by abusive or charlatan teachers, or who have manifested psychological disturbances during meditation retreats. A summary booklet and a booklength transcription of the conference are being prepared. Video and audio cassettes of the sessions with His Holiness are available from Meridian Trust, 330 Harrow Road, London W9 2HP, England. At the conclusion of the conference, the participants decided to form the Network of Western Buddhist Teachers and issued an "Open Letter" (see below) which was endorsed by His Holiness. As membership in the Network increases, it is hoped that further conferences will be held. An Open Letter The teachers present agreed on the following points: 1. Our first responsibility as Buddhists is to work towards creating a better world for all forms of life. The promotion of Buddhism as a religion is a secondary concern. Kindness and compassion, the furthering of peace and harmony, as well as tolerance and respect for other religions, should be the three guiding principles of our actions. 2. In the West, where so many different Buddhist traditions exist side by side, one needs to be constantly on one's guard against the danger of sectarianism. Such a divisive attitude is often the result of failing to understand or appreciate anything outside one's own tradition. Teachers from all schools would therefore benefit greatly from studying and gaining some practical experience of the teachings of other traditions. 3. Teachers should also be open to beneficial influences from secular and other religious traditions. For example, the insights and techniques of contemporary psychotherapy can often be of great value in reducing suffering experienced by students. At the same time, efforts to develop psychologically oriented practices from within the existing Buddhist traditions should be encouraged. 4. An individual's position as a teacher arises in dependence on the request of his or her students, not simply on being appointed as such by a higher authority. Great care must therefore be exercised by the student in selecting an appropriate teacher. Sufficient time must be given to making this choice, which should be based on personal investigation, reason and experience. Students should be warned against the dangers of falling prey to charisma, charlatanism or exoticism. 5. Particular concern was expressed about unethical conduct among teachers. In recent years both Asian and Western teachers have been involved in scandals concerning sexual misconduct with their students, abuse of alcohol and drugs, misappropriations of funds, and misuse of power. This has resulted in widespread damage both to the Buddhist community and the individuals involved. Each student must be encouraged to take responsible measures to confront teachers with unethical aspects of their conduct. If the teacher shows no sign of reform, students should not hesitate to publicize any unethical behavior of which there is irrefutable evidence. This should be done irrespective of other beneficial aspects of his or her work and of one's spiritual commitment to that teacher. It should also be made clear in any publicity that such conduct is not in conformity with Buddhist teachings. No matter what level of spiritual attainment a teacher has, or claims to have reached, no person can stand above the norms of ethical conduct. In order for the Buddhadharma not to be brought into disrepute and to avoid harm to students and teachers, it is necessary that all teachers at least live by the five lay precepts. In cases where ethical standards have been infringed, compassion and care should be shown towards both teacher and student. 6. Just as the Dharma has adapted itself to many different cultures throughout its history in Asia, so it is bound to be transformed according to conditions in the West. Although the principles of the Dharma are timeless, we need to exercise careful discrimination in distinguishing between essential teachings and cultural trappings. However, confusion may arise due to various reasons. There may be a conflict in loyalty between commitment to one's Asian teachers and responsibility to one's Western students. Likewise, one may encounter disagreement about the respective value of monastic and lay practice. Furthermore, we affirm the need for equality between the sexes in all aspects of Buddhist theory and practice. The Western teachers were encouraged by His Holiness to take greater responsibility in creatively resolving the issues that were raised. For many, His Holiness' advice served as a profound confirmation of their own feelings, concerns and actions. In addition to being able to discuss issues frankly with His Holiness, the conference served as a valuable forum for teachers from different traditions to exchange views. We are already planning future meetings with His Holiness and will invite other colleagues who were not present in Dharamsala to participate in the ongoing process. His Holiness intends to invite more heads of different Asian Buddhist traditions to attend future meetings. The proceedings of the meeting will be disseminated to the wider public by means of articles, a report, a book, as well as audio and video recordings. Signed: Fred von Allmen, Ven. Ajahn Amaro, Ven. Olande Ananda, Martine Batchelor, Stephen Batchelor, Alex Berzin, Ven. Thubten Chodron (Cherry Greene), Lama Drupgyu (Tony Chapman), Lopon Claude d'Estree, Edie Irwin, Junpo Sensei (Denis Kelly), Brendan Lee Kennedy, Bodhin Kjolhede Sensei, Jack Kornfield, Dharmachari Kulananda, Jakusho Bill Kwong Roshi, Lama Namgyal (Daniel Boschero), Ven. Tenzin Palmo, Ven. Thubten Pende (James Dougherty), Lama Surya Das (Jeffrey Miller), Robert Thurman, Sylvia Wetzel. For more information contact: The Network for Western Buddhist Teachers, 4725 E. Sunrise Drive, Suite 137, Tucson AZ 85718. =========================================================================== {4} DIALOGUE =========================================================================== [Ed: This section is intended to provide a forum for mindful discussion about important issues or concepts in Buddhism. I am very grateful to Arnie Kotler and Parallax Press for giving us permission to make these writings by Thich Nhat Hanh available, and it is our hope that this will provide the seeds for some fruitful dialogue. This edition of GASSHO begins with Nhat Hanh's offering of the /Five Wonderful Precepts/, followed by a short discourse; over the coming year, GASSHO will feature a commentary by Nhat Hanh on a Precept for each of the subsequent five issues. It is hoped that readers will submit their own thoughts and these can then be printed in the following edition as an ongoing dialogue. If you want to read ahead, these writings are excerpted from FOR A FUTURE TO BE POSSIBLE: COMMENTARIES ON THE FIVE WONDERFUL PRECEPTS, by Thich Nhat Hanh, with Robert Aitken and many others, published in 1993 by Parallax Press, P.O. Box 7355, Berkeley CA 94707.] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ THE FIVE WONDERFUL PRECEPTS --------------------------- FIRST PRECEPT Aware of the suffering caused by the destruction of life, I vow to cultivate compassion and learn ways to protect the lives of people, animals, plants, and minerals. I am determined not to kill, not to let others kill, and not to condone any act of killing in the world, in my thinking, and in my way of life. SECOND PRECEPT Aware of the suffering caused by exploitation, social injustice, stealing, and oppression, I vow to cultivate loving kindness and learn ways to work for the well-being of people, animals, plants, and minerals. I vow to practice generosity by sharing my time, energy, and material resources with those who are in real need. I am determined not to steal and not to possess anything that should belong to others. I will respect the property of others, but I will prevent others from profiting from human suffering or the suffering of other species on Earth. THIRD PRECEPT Aware of the suffering caused by sexual misconduct, I vow to cultivate responsibility and learn ways to protect the safety and integrity of individuals, couples, families, and society. I am determined not to engage in sexual relations without love and a long-term commitment. To preserve the happiness of myself and others, I am determined to respect my commitment and the commitment of others. I will do everything in my power to protect children from sexual abuse and to prevent couples and families from being broken by sexual misconduct. FOURTH PRECEPT Aware of the suffering caused by unmindful speech and the inability to listen to others, I vow to cultivate loving speech and deep listening in order to bring joy and happiness to others and relieve others of their suffering. Knowing that words can create happiness or suffering, I vow to learn to speak truthfully, with words that inspire self-confidence, joy, and hope. I am determined not to spread news that I do not know to be certain and not to criticize or condemn things of which I am not sure. I will refrain from uttering words that can cause division or discord, or that can cause the family or the community to break. I will make all efforts to reconcile and resolve all conflicts, however small. FIFTH PRECEPT Aware of the suffering caused by unmindful consumption, I vow to cultivate good health, both physical and mental, for myself, my family, and my society by practicing mindful eating, drinking, and consuming. I vow to ingest only items that preserve peace, well-being, and joy in my body, in my consciousness, and in the collective body and consciousness of my family and society. I am determined not to use alcohol or any other intoxicant or to ingest foods or other items that contain toxins, such as certain TV programs, magazines, books, films, and conversations. I am aware that to damage my body or my consciousness with these poisons is to betray my ancestors, my parents, my society, and future generations. I will work to transform violence, fear, anger, and confusion in myself and in society by practicing a diet for myself and for society. I understand that a proper diet is crucial for self- transformation and for the transformation of society. INTRODUCTION I have been in the West for twenty-seven years, and for the past ten I have been leading mindfulness retreats in Europe, Australia, and North America. During these retreats, my students and I have heard many stories of suffering, and we have been dismayed to learn how much of this suffering is the result of alcoholism, drug abuse, sexual abuse, and similar behaviors that have been passed down from generation to generation. There is a deep malaise in society. When we put a young person in this society without trying to protect him, he receives violence, hatred, fear, and insecurity every day, and eventually he gets sick. Our conversations, TV programs, advertisements, newspapers, and magazines all water the seeds of suffering in young people, and in not-so-young people as well. We feel a kind of vacuum in ourselves, and we try to fill it by eating, reading, talking, smoking, drinking, watching TV, going to the movies, or even overworking. Taking refuge in these things only makes us feel hungrier and less satisfied, and we want to ingest even more. We need some guidelines, some preventive medicine, to protect ourselves, so we can become healthy again. We have to find a cure for our illness. We have to find something that is good, beautiful, and true in which we can take refuge. When we drive a car, we are expected to observe certain rules so that we do not have an accident. Two thousand five hundred years ago, the Buddha offered certain guidelines to his lay students to help them live peaceful, wholesome, and happy lives. They were the Five Wonderful Precepts, and at the foundation of each of these precepts is mindfulness. With mindfulness, we are aware of what is going on in our bodies, our feelings, our minds, and the world, and we avoid doing harm to ourselves and others. Mindfulness protects us, our families, and our society, and ensures a safe and happy present and a safe and happy future. In Buddhism, precepts, concentration, and insight always go together. It is impossible to speak of one without the other two. This is called the Threefold Training -- /sila/, the practice of the precepts; /samadhi/, the practice of concentration; and /prajna/, the practice of insight. Precepts, concentration, and insight "inter-are." Practicing these precepts brings about concentration, and concentration is needed for insight. Mindfulness is the ground for concentration, concentration allows us to look deeply, and insight is the fruit of looking deeply. When we are mindful, we can see that by refraining from doing "this," we prevent "that" from happening. This kind of insight is not imposed on us from an outside authority. It is the fruit of our own observation. Practicing the precepts, therefore, helps us be more calm and concentrated and brings more insight and enlightenment, which makes our practice of the precepts more solid. The three are intertwined; each helps the other two, and all three bring us closer to final liberation -- the end of "leaking." They prevent us from falling back into illusion and suffering. When we are able to step out of the stream of suffering, it is called /anasvara/, "to stop leaking." As long as we continue to leak, we are like a vessel with a crack, and inevitably we will fall into suffering, sorrow, and delusion. The Five Wonderful Precepts are love itself. To love is to understand, protect, and bring well-being to the object of our love. The practice of the precepts accomplishes this. We protect ourselves and we protect each other. The translation of the Five Wonderful Precepts presented in this book is new. It is the result of insights gained from practicing together as a community. A spiritual tradition is like a tree. It needs to be watered in order to spring forth new leaves and branches, so it can continue to be a living reality. We help the tree of Buddhism grow by living deeply the essence of reality, the practice of precepts, concentration, and insight. If we continue to practice the precepts deeply, in relation to our society and culture, I am confident that our children and their children will have an even better understanding of the Five Precepts and will obtain even deeper peace and joy. In Buddhist circles, one of the first expressions of our desire to practice the way of understanding and love is to formally receive the Five Wonderful Precepts from a teacher. During the ceremony, the teacher reads each precept, and then the student repeats it and vows to study, practice, and observe the precept read. It is remarkable to see the peace and happiness in someone the moment she receives the precepts. Before making the decision to receive them, she may have felt confused, but with the decision to practice the precepts, many bonds of attachment and confusion are cut. After the ceremony is over, you can see in her face that she has been liberated to a great extent. When you vow to observe even one precept, that strong decision arising from your insight leads to real freedom and happiness. The community is there to support you and to witness the birth of your insight and your determination. A precepts ceremony has the power of cutting through, liberating, and building. After the ceremony, if you continue to practice the precepts, looking deeply in order to have deeper insight concerning reality, your peace and liberation will increase. The way you practice the precepts reveals the depth of your peace and the depth of your insight. Whenever someone formally vows to study, practice, and observe the Five Wonderful Precepts, he also takes refuge in the Three Jewels -- /Buddha/, /Dharma/, and /Sangha/. Practicing the Five Wonderful Precepts is a concrete expression of our appreciation and trust in these Three Jewels. The Buddha is mindfulness itself; the Dharma is the way of understanding and love; and the Sangha is the community that supports our practice. The Five Precepts and the Three Jewels are worthy objects for our faith. They are not at all abstract -- we can learn, practice, explore, extend, and check them against our own experience. To study and practice them will surely bring peace and happiness to ourselves, our community, and our society. We human beings need something to believe in, something that is good, beautiful, and true, something that we can touch. Faith in the practice of mindfulness -- in the Five Wonderful Precepts and the Three Jewels -- is something anyone can discover, appreciate, and integrate into his or her daily life. The Five Wonderful Precepts and the Three Jewels have their equivalents in all spiritual traditions. They come from deep within us and practicing them helps us to be more rooted in our own tradition. After you study the Five Wonderful Precepts and the Three Jewels, I hope you will go back to your own tradition and shed light on the jewels that are already there. The Five Precepts are medicine for our time. I urge you to practice them the way they are presented here or as they are taught in your own tradition. What is the best way to practice the precepts? I do not know. I am still learning, along with you. I appreciate the phrase that is used in the Five Precepts: to "learn ways." We do not know everything. But we can minimize our ignorance. Confucius said, "To know that you don't know is the beginning of knowing." I think this is the way to practice. We should be modest and open so we can learn together. We need a Sangha, a community, to support us, and we need to stay in close touch with our society to practice the precepts well. Many of today's problems did not exist at the time of the Buddha. Therefore, we have to look deeply together in order to develop the insights that will help us and our children find better ways to live wholesome, happy, and healthy lives. When someone asks, "Do you care? Do you care about me? Do you care about life? Do you care about the Earth?", the best way to answer is to practice the Five Precepts. This is to teach with your actions and not just with words. If you really care, please practice these precepts for your own protection and for the protection of other people and species. If we do our best to practice, a future will be possible for us, our children, and their children. [THICH NHAT HANH is a Zen Buddhist monk, peace activist, scholar, and poet. He is the founder of the Van Hanh Buddhist University in Saigon, has taught at Columbia University and the Sorbonne, and now lives in southern France, where he gardens, works to help those in need, and travels internationally teaching "the art of mindful living." Martin Luther King, Jr., nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1967, saying, "I do not personally know of anyone more worthy of the Nobel Peace Prize than this gentle monk from Vietnam."] =========================================================================== {5} ARTICLE: Dalai Lama on Human Rights and Universal Responsibility =========================================================================== "Human Rights and Universal Responsibility" A speech by His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama of Tibet Addressing Non-Governmental Organizations at The United Nations World Conference on Human Rights, Vienna, AUSTRIA, on 15 JUNE, 1993 Our world is becoming smaller and ever more interdependent with the rapid growth in population and increasing contact between people and governments. In this light, it is important to reassess the rights and responsibilities of individuals, peoples and nations in relation to each other and to the planet as a whole. This World Conference of organizations and governments concerned about the rights and freedoms of people throughout the world reflects the appreciation of our interdependence. No matter what country or continent we come from we are all basically the same human beings. We have the common human needs and concerns. We all seek happiness and try to avoid suffering regardless of our race, religion, sex or political status. Human beings, indeed all sentient beings, have the right to pursue happiness and live in peace and in freedom. As free human beings we can use our unique intelligence to try to understand ourselves and our world. But if we are prevented from using our creative potential, we are deprived of one of the basic characteristics of a human being. It is very often the most gifted, dedicated and creative members of our society who become victims of human rights abuses. Thus the political, social, cultural and economic developments of a society are obstructed by the violations of human rights. Therefore, the protection of these rights and freedoms are of immense importance both for the individuals affected and for the development of the society as a whole. It is my belief that the lack of understanding of the true cause of happiness is the principal reason why people inflict suffering on others. Some people think that causing pain to others may lead to their own happiness or that their own happiness is of such importance that the pain of others is of no significance. But this is clearly shortsighted. No one truly benefits from causing harm to another being. Whatever immediate advantage is gained at the expense of someone else is short- lived. In the long run causing others misery and infringing upon their peace and happiness creates anxiety, fear and suspicion for oneself. The key to creating a better and more peaceful world is the development of love and compassion for others. This naturally means we must develop concern for our brothers and sisters who are less fortunate than we are. In this respect, the non-governmental organizations have a key role to play. You not only create awareness for the need to respect the rights of all human beings, but also give the victims of human rights violations hope for a better future. When I travelled to Europe for the first time in 1973, I talked about the increasing interdependence of the world and the need to develop a sense of universal responsibility. We need to think in global terms because the effects of one nation's actions are felt far beyond its borders. The acceptance of universally binding standards of Human Rights as laid down in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and in the International Covenants of Human Rights is essential in today's shrinking world. Respect for fundamental human rights should not remain an ideal to be achieved but a requisite foundation for every human society. When we demand the rights and freedoms we so cherish we should also be aware of our responsibilities. If we accept that others have an equal right to peace and happiness as ourselves do we not have a responsibility to help those in need? Respect for fundamental human rights is as important to the people of Africa and Asia as it is to those in Europe or the Americas. All human beings, whatever their cultural or historical background, suffer when they are intimidated, imprisoned or tortured. The question of human rights is so fundamentally important that there should be no difference of views on this. We must therefore insist on a global consensus not only on the need to respect human rights world wide but more importantly on the definition of these rights. Recently some Asian governments have contended that the standards of human rights laid down in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights are those advocated by the West and cannot be applied to Asia and others parts of the Third World because of differences in culture and differences in social and economic development. I do not share this view and I am convinced that the majority of Asian people do not support this view either, for it is the inherent nature of all human beings to yearn for freedom, equality and dignity, and they have an equal to achieve that. I do not see any contradiction between the need for economic development and the need for respect of human rights. The rich diversity of cultures and religions should help to strengthen the fundamental human rights in all communities. Because underlying this diversity are fundamental principles that bind us all as members of the same human family. Diversity and traditions can never justify the violations of human rights. Thus discrimination of persons from a different race, of women, and of weaker sections of society may be traditional in some regions, but if they are inconsistent with universally recognized human rights, these forms of behavior must change. The universal principles of equality of all human beings must take precedence. It is mainly the authoritarian and totalitarian regimes who are opposed to the universality of human rights. It would be absolutely wrong to concede to this view. On the contrary, such regimes must be made to respect and conform to the universally accepted principles in the larger and long term interests of their own peoples. The dramatic changes in the past few years clearly indicate that the triumph of human rights is inevitable. There is a growing awareness of peoples' responsibilities to each other and to the planet we share. This is encouraging even though so much suffering continues to be inflicted based on chauvinism, race, religion, ideology and history. A new hope is emerging for the downtrodden, and people everywhere are displaying a willingness to champion and defend the rights and freedoms of their fellow human beings. Brute force, no matter how strongly applied, can never subdue the basic human desire for freedom and dignity. It is not enough, as communist systems have assumed, merely to provide people with food, shelter and clothing. The deeper human nature needs to breathe the precious air of liberty. However, some governments still consider the fundamental human rights of its citizens an internal matter of the state. They do not accept that the fate of a people in any country is the legitimate concern of the entire human family and that claims to sovereignty are not a license to mistreat one's citizens. It is not only our right as members of the global human family to protest when our brothers and sisters are being treated brutally, but it is also our duty to do whatever we can to help them. Artificial barriers that have divided nations and peoples have fallen in recent times. With the dismantling of Berlin wall the East-West division which has polarized the whole world for decades has now come to an end. We are experiencing a time filled with hope and expectations. Yet there still remains a major gulf at the heart of the human family. By this I am referring to the North-South divide. If we are serious in our commitment to the fundamental principles of equality, principles which, I believe, lie at the heart of the concept of human rights, today's economic disparity can no longer be ignored. It is not enough to merely state that all human beings must enjoy equal dignity. This must be translated into action. We have a responsibility to find ways to achieve a more equitable distribution of world's resources. We are witnessing a tremendous popular movement for the advancement of human rights and democratic freedom in the world. This movement must become an even more powerful moral force, so that even the most obstructive governments and armies are incapable of suppressing it. This conference is an occasion for all of us to reaffirm our commitment to this goal. It is natural and just for nations, peoples and individuals to demand respect for their rights and freedoms and to struggle to end repression, racism, economic exploitation, military occupation, and various forms of colonialism and alien domination. Governments should actively support such demands instead of only paying lip service to them. As we approach the end of the Twentieth Century, we find that the world is becoming one community. We are being drawn together by the grave problems of over population, dwindling natural resources, and an environmental crisis that threaten the very foundation of our existence on this planet. Human rights, environmental protection and great social and economic equality, are all interrelated. I believe that to meet the challenges of our times, human beings will have to develop a greater sense of universal responsibility. Each of us must learn to work not just for one self, one's own family or one's nation, but for the benefit of all humankind. Universal responsibility is the key to human survival. It is the best foundation for world peace. This need for co-operation can only strengthen humankind, because it helps us to recognize that the most secure foundation for a new world order is not simply broader political and economic alliances, but each individual's genuine practice of love and compassion. These qualities are the ultimate source of human happiness, and our need for them lies at the very core of our being. The practice of compassion is not idealistic, but the most effective way to pursue the best interests of others as well as our own. The more we become interdependent the more it is in our own interest to ensure the well-being of others. I believe that one of the principal factors that hinder us from fully appreciating our interdependence is our undue emphasis on material development. We have become so engrossed in its pursuit that, unknowingly, we have neglected the most basic qualities of compassion, caring and cooperation. When we do not know someone or do not feel connected to an individual or group, we tend to overlook their needs. Yet, the development of human society requires that people help each other. I, for one, strongly believe that individuals can make a difference in society. Every individual has a responsibility to help more our global family in the right direction and we must each assume that responsibility. As a Buddhist monk, I try to develop compassion within myself, not simply as a religious practice, but on a human level as well. To encourage myself in this altruistic attitude, I sometimes find it helpful to imagine myself standing as a single individual on one side, facing a huge gathering of all other human beings on the other side. Then I ask myself, 'Whose interests are more important?' To me it is quite clear that however important I may feel I am, I am just one individual while others are infinite in number and importance. Thank you. [His Holiness, Tenzin Gyatso, recognized at the age of two-and-a-half as the fourteenth incarnation in the line of Dalai Lamas, is revered as the embodiment of compassion. Since his exile in 1959, His Holiness has led the Tibetan government-in-exile from Dharamsala, India, and has worked tirelessly for world peace. In 1989, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.] =========================================================================== {6} ARTICLE: Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche on World Peace =========================================================================== Dear Friends; It is very good to be a part of the Great Masters World Peace Assembly and to meet people who are doing the work of making world peace. I greatly respect peacemakers because of their care and compassion for the beings of this world. It is my wish that the spiritual power of peace will touch the mind of every person on this earth, radiating out from a deep peace within our own minds, across political and religious barriers, across the barriers of ego and conceptual righteousness. Our first work as peacemakers is to clear our minds of mental conflicts caused by ignorance, anger, grasping, jealousy and pride. All of you at this assembly have connection with spiritual teachers who can guide you in the purification of these poisons, and through this purification of your own mind, you learn the very essence of peacemaking. The inner peace we seek should be so absolutely pure, so stable, that it can not be moved to anger by those who live and profit by war, or to self-grasping and fear by confrontation with contempt, hatred and death. Incredible patience is necessary to accomplish any aspect of world peace, and the source of such patience is the space of inner peace from which you recognize with great clarity that war and suffering are the outer reflections of the mind's inner poisons. If you truly understand that the essential difference in peacemakers and warmakers is that the peacemakers have discipline and control over egotistical anger, grasping, jealousy and pride while warmakers, in their ignorance, manifest the results of these poisons in the world -- if you truly understand this you will never allow yourself to be defeated from within or without. Tibetan Buddhists use the peacock as the symbol for the Bodhisattva, the Awakened Warrior who works for the Enlightenment of all sentient beings. The peacock is said to eat poisonous plants which it transmutes into the gorgeous colors of its feathers. It does not poison itself, just as we who wish for world peace must not poison ourselves. As you meet the powerful worldly men who sit at the top of the war machines, regard them with strict equanimity. Convince them as effectively as you know how, but be constantly aware of your own state of mind. If you begin to experience anger, retreat. If you can go on without anger, perhaps you will penetrate the terrible delusion that causes war and all its hellish sufferings. From the clear space of your own inner peace, your compassion must expand to include all who are involved in war -- the soldiers caught in the cruel karma of killing, and who sacrifice their precious human rebirth; the generals and politicians who intend to benefit and cause disruption and death instead; the civilians who are wounded, killed and turned into refugees. True compassion is utterly neutral and is moved by suffering of every sort, not tied to right and wrong, attachment and aversion. The work of peace is a spiritual path in itself, a means to develop perfect qualities of mind and to test these qualities against urgent necessity, extreme suffering and death. Do not be afraid to give your time, energy and wealth. My suggestion for accomplishing this work in the world is to form an international network of spiritual leaders who are concerned with world peace. Spiritual leaders are in touch with the war-causing imbalances within their countries and can show us how to alleviate such suffering. They can have access to the minds and hearts of the people and can work to create the space of peace. I hope some of what I have said is useful to some people. If not I am still glad to be connected to this effort and look forward to our work together. Tashe delek, Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche =========================================================================== {7} ARTICLE: DharmaNet, Internet, and the Global Online Sangha =========================================================================== DharmaNet is a voluntary network of BBS system operators (sysops) dedicated, in whole or in part, to serving local and global Buddhist communities. Since its birth in August of 1991, DharmaNet has grown from the informal exchange of mail between BODY DHARMA ONLINE in Berkeley California and THE THREE JEWELS BBS in Los Angeles, to an international web of services linking BBS sites throughout the USA, Canada, England, Australia, Republic of South Africa, Hong Kong, and Singapore, and now with the vast resources of the Internet. This is all the more remarkable in the fact that all efforts of coordinating and maintaining these services is the work of volunteers, committed to transmitting and receiving Dharma and to building Community. Growth occurred through that best means of dissemination -- people communicating with each other and passing on the word. There were no formal campaigns of advertisement or strategies for development. Apparently, the time was right for these seeds to take root. This is an important time. In her book WHEN THE IRON EAGLE FLIES, Venerable Ayya Khema reminds us of the prediction that the dharma will last for five thousand years after Shakyamuni Buddha's /paranirvana/, after which Buddhism will enter a time of decline and darkness until the next Buddha, Maitreya, appears. It is said that in the midst of those five thousand years will come one hundred years where dharma experiences an enormous resurgence and flowering. Now, with Zen having established a strong presence in the West; with Tibetan teachers leaving the "roof of the world" and spreading Buddhism to all parts -- even returning it to the place of its origin, India; with the strong and vital interest and receptivity that has arisen to the teachings of the Buddha, now, this may well be the auspicious time for bringing the world together, for nurturing the soil of Buddhism, for working for world peace and the ending of suffering for all sentient beings. Computer networks and online communities may well be one important tool to carry Buddhism into the next millennium. The world has been a much larger place in the past. "Enabling" technologies now make possible, for the first time, a truly global community. Computer and network technologies make possible a sharing of resources heretofore unknown. Information, and communication, can become virtually accessibly to all, instantaneously, and freely. Of course, this is not necessarily the way "service providers" may choose to develop these tools -- but we, at a grassroots level, can be very instrumental in shaping these options. We can build networked communities that value free access rather than free enterprise, that privileges people rather than profit, that is supportive of the environment and of human rights and of our essential Buddha-nature. We can develop technological and organizational models rooted in a practice of the Five Precepts. There is no reason that our tools cannot support our practice, and our practice cannot inform our tools and our livelihood. An electronic book, physically residing in one place in an electronic library on a global network, can be simultaneously accessed and shared by countless people in any number of locations. Depending on the choices we make now in how these services are provided, the technological tools may become another informational resource available only to the privileged, those who can afford to own computers and who can afford subscription and access charges. Alternatively, these resources can be modelled to serve communities, similar to public libraries, where resources are made freely accessible to the many, where rich or poor can read the same book, where monk and scholar can discuss the same sutta. Of course, this scenario I'm sketching here is clearly simplistic, but it suggests the terrain of choices we would be well served to begin contemplating. DharmaNet is committed to exploring ways to harness technology in people-friendly ways, to serve people, to promote essential human values, to provide enabling and empowering tools into the hands and hearts of the many. DharmaNet, the network, has grown to the extent where it now has entered a reflexive stage of reevaluation and restructuring. It recognizes the necessity of coordinated efforts and common agreements as to purpose and means, while still striving to preserve the vitality and equanimity of its grassroots base. To these ends, DharmaNet has spawned a parent corporation, DharmaNet International, to help cohere and coordinate the efforts of DharmaNet, and other service projects of DharmaNet International. The charter of DharmaNet International defines its nature and purpose in these terms: DharmaNet International is a not-for-profit corporation, organized to promote the use of computer, network, and telecommunications technologies in the service of the global Buddhist community. D.I. is dedicated to preserving and advancing Buddhist values, beliefs and traditions in the world through new and evolving models of organizations and of communities, making full use of contemporary technologies while embodying traditional and evolving Buddhist ideals and practices. It is comprised of a Board of Directors and a steering committee, or Board of Advisors. These two Boards act together to ascertain how local and global Buddhist communities, or sanghas, can best be served by these technologies, and then coordinates projects to implement these services. The Board of Advisors is comprised of diverse representatives or vessels of Buddhism(s) -- monks, nuns, lay teachers, scholars -- and helps to keep the organization's focus and activities "on track", that is, firmly rooted in Dharma. DharmaNet is in many ways the infrastructure of DharmaNet International, providing the channels of dissemination that unite and interconnect individuals and local communities with the greater global sangha. The BBS operators that comprise the backbone of DharmaNet volunteer their personal computer systems, their time and energy, and some commitment of expenses, to make this collective endeavor, this interdependent relaying of mail and data packets, possible. Without their generosity and dedication, this could not happen. In the great tradition and spirit of /dana/ -- unconditional or freely-offered generosity -- DharmaNet hopes to lay the foundation between community and community center (e.g., BBS) for mutual support and cultivation. Central to this commitment to maximizing access and minimizing hindrances, DharmaNet does not participate in sites or providers that charge access or use fees. So what exactly does DharmaNet do? At its most basic level, it encourages communication, promotes understanding and practice of the Buddha's teachings, and tries to create tools to end suffering. In doing this, DharmaNet tries to bridge barriers of gender, race, class, ability, nationality, and school or tradition, as well as to provide a mutually supportive neutral space for sharing between monks, nuns, lay teachers, lay practitioners, and scholars. Certain "basic" services are available to all DharmaNet sites; a sysop may choose to provide all or some. (1) Netmail (also known as e-mail). These are person-to-person communications. (2) Echomail (also known as newsgroups or conferences). These are topical public discussion areas. (3) Electronic journals, such as GASSHO. (4) Electronic texts (also known as e-texts, or simply as "files"). (5) Other electronic resources as they become available. Within a larger context, DharmaNet can be understood to be working in furtherance of several long-range goals: (1) To provide a networked infrastructure to interlink Buddhists and Buddhist communities and organizations, across boundaries of geography or traditions: -To cultivate and nourish a global online sangha. -To cultivate pools of technical volunteers, who can help new sysops, as well as to provide community outreach to local communities, helping to demystify the technology and overcome fear or distrust of the tools. -To promote local/regional user groups to serve local Buddhist populations and groups, as well as to help local Buddhist centers to develop online access. (2) To develop and promote global access to the Three Treasures and to Dharma resources: -To develop and promote electronic publishing and free distribution of Buddhist canonical texts, commentaries, dharma talks, newsletters, bibliographies, articles, books, etc, via computer networks and electronic media. DharmaNet is currently working with the Buddhist Publication Society (Sri Lanka) to make electronic editions of many books available for free distribution, as well as with many individual authors and teachers. -To develop and make available low-maintenance networked resources, such as user-maintained databases of Buddhist centers, teachers, events, etc. -To encourage and to develop working models for dana-generated resources (such as Dharma-oriented BBSs, donation-funded "small- run" publications, etc). -To develop online libraries accessible by users of DharmaNet, Internet, and other networks. Permanent archives now exist on many DharmaNet sites, as well as on Internet. (3) To establish online Buddhafields or "zones of influence" -- personal and/or organizational models which embody Buddhist precepts and practices to promote peace and to alleviate suffering in the world. By example, such models can have a transformative and normative influence. (4) To develop meaningful skills, tools and channels of dialogue and communication. (5) To utilize electronic media as tools to support personal "practice", making dharma meaningful in everyday life. Due to its grassroots beginnings, DharmaNet has been comprised of, and oriented towards, BBS sites and technologies. We are now in the process of developing mutuality between DharmaNet and Internet and this is a very exciting new prospect, greatly extending the scope of access and the array of resources. This is truly an important time, and an exciting time. I am happy to be here, doing what I'm doing. Sadhu! [BARRY KAPKE is the founder and director of DharmaNet, and is an instructor of shiatsu and other bodyworks.] ******* For more information about DharmaNet or how to access DharmaNet resources, e-mail Barry Kapke (Internet: dharma@netcom.com, or Fidonet: 1:125/33), logon to BODY DHARMA ONLINE at 1-510-836-4717, or anonymous ftp to FTP.NETCOM.COM and cd to /pub/dharma =========================================================================== {8} PRACTICE: "Notes on Gassho and Bowing", Taizan Maezumi Roshi with John Daishin Buksbazen =========================================================================== Visitors to the Zen Center [of Los Angeles] often ask about the gassho and about bowing. What, they inquire, is the meaning of these gestures? Why are they done? And why is it necessary to do them so precisely and uniformly? These questions deserve careful consideration. Although we are Zen Buddhists, it should be noted that the gassho and the bow are common to all sects of Buddhism, both Mahayana and Theravada. These two gestures date from the earliest days of Buddhism, or even earlier than that, and they have moved from India throughout the Orient, finally arriving recently in the Western world. When Shakyamuni Buddha's enlightenment occurred, he went to see five of his former comrades with whom he had practiced various austerities and spiritual disciplines prior to his enlightenment. These five men, who were very devout monks, felt that their companion had gone astray when he abandoned their customary practices. "Come," they said to each other, "Let's not pay any attention to poor Gautama, he no longer is one of us." They were dismayed to find that he had seemingly stopped his spiritual practices, going so far as to even drink milk and take a bath (two forbidden acts according to their tradition). They could not understand why he seemed only to sit quietly, doing nothing of any value. But when the Buddha approached them, it is reported that these five monks were so struck by the transformation of their former friend, by his serenity and the radiance of his personality, that they spontaneously placed their palms together and greeted him with deep bows. Perhaps it is a little misleading to say that they greeted /him/. More accurately, it should be said that they were bowing not to their old friend Gautama, but rather to the Buddha -- the Enlightened One. What the Buddha had experienced was the Supreme Great Enlightenment (in Sanskrit, /anuttara samyak sambodhi/): the direct and conscious realization of the oneness of the whole universe, and of his own unity with all things. This is what enlightenment means. This very realization is actually in itself the act of being the Buddha. And it was to this enlightened state that the five monks bowed. When the Buddha was enlightened, the first thing he said was: "Wonder of wonders! All sentient beings have the same (enlightened) nature!" What this implies is that in bowing to the Buddha, the monks were actually bowing to themselves, and to all beings. These monks were recognizing the great unity which their former companion had directly and profoundly experienced. Let us examine the gassho and the bow more closely. GASSHO: The word /gassho/ literally means "To place the two palms together". Of all the mudras (symbolic hand-gestures or positions) we use, it is perhaps the most fundamental, for it arises directly from the depths of enlightenment. Its uses are many, but most commonly it is employed to express respect, to prevent scattering of the mind, to unify all polarities (such as left and right, passive and dominant, etc.) and to express the One Mind -- the total unity of Being. Although there are many types of gassho, in the Soto sect we are primarily concerned with these four: 1. THE FIRM GASSHO. The most formal of the gasshos, this is the one most commonly used in our daily practice. It is the gassho we use upon entering the zendo, and upon taking our seats. We also use it at least sixteen times in the course of a formal meal, and during all services. It is made by placing the hands together, palm to palm in front of the face. The fingers are placed together, and are straight rather than bent, while the palms are slightly pressed together so that they meet. The elbows are held somewhat out from the body, although the forearms are not quite parallel with the floor. There is about one fist's distance between the tip of the nose and the hands. Fingertips are at about the same height from the floor as the top of the nose. This gassho has the effect of helping to establish an alert and reverential state of mind. 2. THE GASSHO OF NO-MIND. This is the next most commonly used gassho. It is basically used in greeting one another or our teachers. In this position, the hands are held a little more loosely together, with a slight space between the palms, although the fingers still touch. The elevation of the elbows from the floor is not so great as in the Firm Gassho; forearms should be at approximately a 45-degree angle to the floor. This gassho has the effect of deepening one's state of samadhi. 3. THE LOTUS GASSHO. This gassho is used primarily by officiating priests on special ceremonial occasions. It is made like the /gassho of no-mind/, except that the tips of the middle fingers are held one inch apart. Its name derives from the resemblance of this hand position to the shape of a just-opening lotus bud. 4. THE DIAMOND GASSHO. This gassho is also known as the /gassho of being one with life/. Like the /lotus gassho/, it is used by officiants in services. Although the hands and arms are in basically the same position as in the /gassho of no-mind/, the /diamond gassho/ is made with the fingers of each hand extended and interlocking, and with the right thumb on top of the left. In each of these gasshos, we keep the eyes focused upon the tips of our middle fingers. But regardless of the style or variety of the gassho, and in whatever setting it is being used, the fundamental point of the gassho is to be one with the Three Treasures: Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. Of course, we can look at the Three Treasures from many perspectives, and with varying degrees of depth and clarity. At perhaps the most superficial level, the Three Treasures are seen as external objects of supreme reverence for all Buddhists. Unfortunately, in this view, the Three Treasures tend to be perceived as something other than oneself. But as our vision opens up, we experience that each of us is, in fact, the Buddha. We see clearly that everything we encounter in the world is none other than the Dharma -- the functioning of underlying enlightenment. And, realizing the oneness of all beings, we come to realize that the Sangha -- the all-embracing brotherhood of practice -- is simply all composite things, including each of us. Having this awareness we become -- or rather, we /are/ -- one with the Three Treasures. So, joining our hands palm to palm, we simultaneously create and express the absolute, the oneness which goes beyond all dichotomies. It is from this perspective that we make the gassho, and that we bow. It is no ordinary person who bows; it is the Three Treasures recognizing itself in all things. If anyone thinks of himself as "just ordinary", he is, in effect, defaming the Three Treasures. And as we place our palms together we unite wisdom and samadhi, knowledge and truth, enlightenment and delusion. BOWING: Dogen Zenji once said: "As long as there is true bowing, the Buddha Way will not deteriorate." In bowing, we totally pay respect to the all- pervading virtue of wisdom, which is the Buddha. In making the bow, we should move neither hastily nor sluggishly but simply maintain a reverent mind and humble attitude. When we bow too fast, the bow is then too casual a thing; perhaps we are even hurrying to get it over and done with. This is frequently the result of a lack of reverence. On the other hand, if our bow is too slow, then it becomes a rather pompous display; we may have gotten too attached to the feeling of bowing, or our own (real or imagined) gracefulness of movement. This is to have lost the humble attitude which a true bow requires. When we bow, it is always accompanied by gassho, although the gassho itself may not always be accompanied by bowing. As with the gassho, there are numerous varieties and styles of bowing, but here we will deal only with the two main kinds of bow which we use in our daily practice. 1. THE STANDING BOW. This bow is used upon entering the zendo, and in greeting one another and our teachers. The body is erect, with the weight distributed evenly and the feet parallel to each other. The appropriate gassho is made (see above). As the bow is made, he body bends at the waist, so that the torso forms an angle with the legs of approximately 45 degrees. The hands (in gassho) do not move relative to the face, but remain in position and move only with the whole body. 2. THE DEEP BOW (FULL PROSTRATION). This bow is most often used at the beginning and end of services, and upon entering and leaving dokusan. It is somewhat more formal than the standing bow, and requires a continuous concentration during its execution so that it is not sloppily done. The bow itself begins in the same way as the /standing bow/, but once the body is bent slightly from the waist, the knees bend and one assumes a kneeling position. From the kneeling position, the movement of the torso continues, with the hands separating and moving, palms upward, into a position parallel with the forehead. As the bowing movement progresses, the backs of the hands come to rest just above the floor and the forehead is lowered until it rests upon the floor between the hands. At this point, the body is touching the floor at knees, elbows, hands, and forehead. The hands are then slowly raised, palms upward, to a point just above the ears. Then the hands slowly return to the floor. This action is a symbolic placing of the Buddha's feet above one's head as an act of reverence and humility. There should be no sharp, abrupt movements of the hands or arms, no bending of the wrists or curling of the fingers when executing this gesture. When the hands have been raised and lowered, the body then straightens as the person bowing gets to his feet once again and ends in gassho, just as he began. In kneeling, actually the knees do not touch the ground simultaneously, but in sequence; first, the right and then the left knee touches the ground. The same is true for the right and left hands and right and left elbows, in that sequence. In practice, however, the interval between right and left sides touching the ground may be so minute as to be unnoticeable. In bowing, movement should not be jerky or disjointed, but should flow smoothly and continuously without either disruption or arrested motion. Master Obaku, the teacher of Master Rinzai, was famous for his frequent admonition to his students. "Don't expect anything from the Three Treasures." Time after time he was heard to say this. One day, however, Master Obaku was observed in the act of bowing, and was challenged about his practice. "You always tell your students not to expect anything from the Three Treasures," said the questioner, "and yet you have been making deep bows." In fact, he had been bowing so frequently and for so long that a large callus had formed on his forehead at the point where it touched the hard floor. When asked how he explained this, Master Obaku replied, "I don't expect. I just bow." This is the state of being one with the Three Treasures. Let us just make gassho. Let us just bow. [HAKUYU TAIZAN MAEZUMI - Ordained as a Soto monk at the age of 11, Maezumi Roshi is Dharma successor to three major lines of Zen teaching, representing both Soto and Rinzai traditions: Kakujun Kuroda Roshi, Hakuun Yasutani Roshi, and Koryu Osaka Roshi. He is the Founder, Director and resident Zen master of the Zen Center of Los Angeles. JOHN DAISHIN BUKSBAZEN was a former Vice President of the Zen Center of Los Angeles, and a student of Maezumi Roshi. This article originally appeared in ON ZEN PRACTICE II, ed., Hakuyu Taizan Maezumi and Bernard Tetsugen Glassman. Zen Writing Series. 1976. Zen Center of Los Angeles, 927 South Normandie Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90006.] =========================================================================== {9} NOVEMBER =========================================================================== 11/1-1/31 WINTER RETREAT. Plum Village, Meyrac 47120 Loubes-Bernac, FRANCE. (33) 53.94.75.40 5-7 VIPASSANA WEEKEND, Ven. Pannyavaro Wat Buddha-Dhamma, Wisemans Ferry, NSW 2225 AUSTRALIA. 043-233-193 6 BUDDHISM & PSYCHOTHERAPY: AN EAST/WEST DIALOG, symposium w/ Lobsang Rapgay, Ryo Imamura, Judith Gordon, Ven. Thubten Chodron, May Lu, Geshe Jamyang Tsultrim, Mark Hart, and Genjo Marinello. University of Washington, Kane Hall, Seattle WA 98105. 206-784-7882 12 PUBLIC TALK: "An Historical Perspective of the Buddha's Teachings for Women", Her Eminence Jetsun Kushola. New York City. Contact Tibet House at 212-213-5592 for exact location. 12-14 THE HEART OF DESIRE, Mary Watkins Zen Mountain Monastery, PO Box 197, Mt. Tremper NY 12457. 914-688-2228 13 GREEN TARA & AVOLOKITESVARA INITIATIONS, Her Eminence Jetsun Kushola. Earl Hall, Columbia University, near 116 Street and Broadway, New York 14 VAJRAYOGINI TEACHING & TS'OG [Open for those who have received Naro Kechari Vajrayogini and Chakrasamvara empowerments) Palden Sakya, 4-10 West 101st. St (near CPW) Apt. 63, New York Please pre-register for either/both events: Palden Sakya at 212-866-4339. 19-21 NINE STAGES OF SAMATHA, Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche. Karma Triyana Dharmachakra, Woodstock NY. 914-679-5906 19-29 RETREAT, Lawrence Mills (formerly known as Bhikkhu Khantipalo) Wat Buddha-Dhamma, Wisemans Ferry, NSW 2225 AUSTRALIA. 043-233-193 20-23 American Academy of Religion (AAR) Annual Meeting Sheraton Washington & Omni Shoreham hotels, Washington D.C. =========================================================================== DECEMBER =========================================================================== 3-5 TEACHING ON MANJUSHRI & EMPOWERMENT, Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche. Karma Triyana Dharmachakra, Woodstock NY. 914-679-5906 3-12 VIPASSANA RETREAT, Ayya Kheminda. Wat Buddha-Dhamma, Wisemans Ferry, NSW 2225 AUSTRALIA. 043-233-193 3-31 DATHUN, MONTH-LONG SHAMATHA-VIPASHYANA RETREAT. Gampo Abbey, Pleasant Bay, Nova Scotia B0E 2P0 CANADA. 902-224-2752 10 (Human Rights Day) CANDLELIGHT VIGIL for Gendun Rinchen, Lobsang Yonten, Damchoe Pema & other detainees in Tibet. -- Vancouver Outside Chinese Consulate, 3380 Granville St., Vancouver, BC. Fri Dec 10, time tba (evening). Candle light vigil, possible speeches by local member of parliament and civic government. Contact 604-732-9910, fax 604-732-9910. -- Ottawa Outside the Embassy of the People's Republic of China, 515 St. Patrick St., Ottawa. Fri, Dec 10 7pm-9pm. Organized by Canada Tibet Committee. Contact Oscar Jacobs 742-0735. -- San Francisco Outside the Chinese Consulate, 1450 Laguna, San Francisco, Fri, Dec 10 7-9pm. Organized by Bay Area Friends of Tibet. Contact Bonnie McCalla, 415-285-2451 (h), or BAFoT office 415-241-9197, fax 415-626-0865. -- Tokyo Meet at Mikawadai Koen, Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Fri Dec 10, 4-7pm. Organized by 'Chibetto Jinken Yougo Kokusai Kyampen' (Japan Int'l Tibet Human Rights Defense Campaign). Contact Rev. Shuei Kobayashi +81-425-36-1332, fax +81-425-34-4334. -- Others (no specific info available at this time) AUSTRALIA: 4 cities TBA NEW ZEALAND: Aukland & Wellington ENGLAND: London & Manchester U.S.A: Seattle, others TBA To help coordinate information, if you are planning a vigil please contact Carol Brighton or Stan Clark of the Rinchen Committee, Int'l Committee of Lawyers for Tibet, San Francisco. Fax: 415-626-0865, e-mail: 76600.2404@compuserve.com 10-12 DZOGCHEN INTENSIVE PRACTICE RETREAT, Lama Surya Das. Barre Center for Buddhist Studies, Barre MA. 508-355-2347 26-1/2 MILAREPA (LAM RIM) RETREAT, Ven. Thubten Wangmo of Nalanda Monastery (France). Open to all levels of practitioners. Milarepa Center, Barnet VT 05821. 802-633-4136 26-3/20 90-DAY INTENSIVE ZEN TRAINING, Taizan Maezumi Roshi Zen Center of Los Angeles, 923 S. Normandie Av, LA, CA 90006. 213-387-2351 28-1/5 NEW YEAR'S RETREAT, Jack Kornfield & Rodney Smith. Insight Meditation Society, Barre MA 01005. 28-1/23 VIPASSANA RETREAT, Sayadaw U Janaka Wat Buddha-Dhamma, Wisemans Ferry, NSW 2225 AUSTRALIA. 043-233-193. =========================================================================== JANUARY =========================================================================== 3-23 NGONDRO RETREAT Karma Triyana Dharmachakra, Woodstock NY. 914-679-5906 9-21: INTENSIVE PROGRAM IN BUDDHIST STUDIES with Dorothy Austin PhD, Perrin Cohen PhD, Sarah Doering, Dinana Eck PhD, Jack Engler PhD, Joseph Goldstein, Andrew Olendzki PhD, Mu Soeng Sunim. This residential academic program is intended to equip students with a solid introduction to Buddhism so as to undertake more scholarly studies in their own colleges, as well as to lay the foundation for a daily meditation practice. Barre Center for Buddhist Studies, Barre MA 01005. 508-355-2347. 13-16 DREAM YOGA RETREAT (Advanced), Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche Rigdzin Ling, Trinity Alps, CA -- Call 916-623-2714 =========================================================================== {10} REVIEWS: =========================================================================== Date: Sun, 5 Sep 1993 00:03:18 -40975532 (CDT) From: Boguslaw Bugsalewicz Subject: Great day! To: Barry Kapke Message-Id: On Saturday night, September 4th, HH the Dalai Lama addressed the closing session of the Parliament of the World's Religions at the Petrillo Band Shell in Grant Park, near Chicago's Lakefront. The convocation opened with music by Kenny Loggins, followed by the Procession chanted by the Drepung Loseling monks. Two chants were performed: "Prayer for World Peace" and "Dedication of Creative Energy." HH was then introduced by Dr. Daniel Gomez-Ibanez, who is the executive director of the council that organized the Parliament. HH began by outlining the goals of the Parliament and his sincere wishes for harmony among the attendees. He spoke in Tibetan, and an interpreter-lama translated for our benefit. HH then decided to switch to English. He warned the audience that his English was broken and terrible. He didn't disappoint anyone. :-) The Dalai Lama spoke for about 45 minutes on a wide range of subjects, and I've summarized some of the things he said to the best of my recollection. Many of the problems in our society are brought on by ourselves. Lack of spirituality in modern society is the root of many of our troubles. There is a dichotomy among the major religions in the world today. There are those that teach the worship of a god or gods, and those that don't. It would be silly to say that all religions are basically the same. Of course they're not. But if you look closely at all of them, there are many similarities, and those similarities are the basis for harmony and understanding. It's essential to learn about other religions, so that one may understand their adherents and find common ground in the pursuit of peace. All of the world's major religions teach love and compassion. Whatever your religion, you must *practice* it. You must practice in your heart, and not merely with your mouth. Religion that consists of pomp and ceremony without real substance is empty. HH gently chided the fundamentalists by saying that if Jesus came to the Parliament, he had no doubt that some people would be in for a severe scolding. HH said that if one ran a restaurant that only served one type of meal, one would soon go out of business. The mind is infinitely more complex and discerning than the stomach. With 5 billion people on this planet, it's only natural that a wide variety of religious paths come to exist. HH mentioned the topic of birth control. He said that as a Buddhist, of course life is precious to him. However, if the developing countries achieve the standard of living that the developed countries have, the Earth's resources won't be sufficient to support the current population, let alone an increasing one. Therefore, respect for the precious lives of those already on this planet makes birth control necessary. He further said that he preferred non-violent birth control -- more monks and nuns. HH stressed the need for all of us, lay and religious, to pay attention to the environmental issues facing us. By the time the problems that environmental abuse has caused become obvious, it will be too late to do anything. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: (Samdo) Newsgroups: soc.religion.eastern Subject: Re: Anybody attend the World Parliament? Message-ID: <273c7uINN6an@gap.caltech.edu> References: <26ug6f$f41@pdx1.world.net> Date: 13 Sep 1993 20:02:22 -0700 A kind of humorous thing happened to the guy who does some photography for our Zen Buddhist Temple. Following a talk by the Dalai Lama, he was on his way to the restroom and a Buddhist leader, Maha Ghosananda, asked him for directions to the bathroom also. So they were going along, and just as they reached the restroom, the photographer, Anjali, saw the Dalai Lama's group and it appeared that the Dalai Lama was headed for the restroom as well. Anjali suddenly pictured himself standing in the restroom between Maha Ghosananda and the Dalai Lama! :-> He made some excuse and dashed off to another restroom instead. Samdo =========================================================================== {11} RESOURCES: Buddhist & Taoist Public Discussion Forums =========================================================================== DharmaNet Conferences ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ NAME: AHIMSA (Practice/Philosophy of Non-Violence) DESC: Discussion of the Buddhist principle & practice of Ahimsa, or non- injury to sentient beings, whether by word, thought, or act. This area is also appropriate to the discussion of vegetarianism as an ethical choice. MOD: Barry Kapke, 1:125/33@fidonet.org OWNER: DharmaNet NAME: BDSTWOMEN (Women & Buddhism) DESC: Information and resources relevant to women in Buddhism. Information includes special events, books, newsletters both internationally and within the United States. Also for discussion of issues involving women in dharma practice, both historically and currently. MOD: Kate Harper, 1:125/658@fidonet.org OWNER: Moderator NAME: BUDD_ACAD (Buddhist Studies) DESC: Discussion of Buddhist teachings, history, and events from a scholarly perspective. MOD: Gary Ray, 1:125/658@fidonet.org OWNER: Moderator NAME: DHARMA (Buddhist Philosophy & Practice) DESC: Buddhist theory, philosophy & practice. All schools welcome. MOD: Barry Kapke, 1:125/33@fidonet.org OWNER: DharmaNet NAME: DN_SERVE (Dharma Trading) DESC: A conference where network users can freely trade in, and discuss the availability of, products and services specifically related to spreading the Dharma. This is *NOT* a 'general' buy/sell echo. Mod: Michael Wass, 3:711/918@fidonet.org OWNER: Moderator NAME: EMPTY_HAND (Spirituality & Martial Arts) DESC: Discussion of theory and practice of martial arts and their spirit of avoiding conflict and violence. All schools welcome. MOD: G. Adam Stanislav, 1:129/39@fidonet.org OWNER: Moderator NAME: HAIKU (Haiku Poetry & Prose) DESC: Creation, posting and discussion of varying forms of poetry and prose of a disciplined and enlightened nature. Mainly concentrating on Haiku, a Japanese form of structured poetry from the 16th century, but open to other forms. Both original and quoted works are welcome. MOD: Michael Wass, 3:711/918@fidonet.org OWNER: Moderator NAME: HUM_RACE (Race & Buddhism) DESC: Discussion of racial issues and concerns in the context of Buddhist teachings and practice; how to bring a Buddhist perspective to anti-racism and ethnic diversity work at an individual, community, and societal level; and how to address and work to eliminate racism in the sangha. MOD: Open OWNER: DharmaNet NAME: MEDITATION (Meditation) DESC: Discussion relating to the practice, techniques, and experience of meditation. Helpful advice for the neophyte. MOD: G. Adam Stanislav, 1:129/39@fidonet.org OWNER: DharmaNet NAME: PEACEWORK (Engaged Buddhism) DESC: Discussion of ethics and social responsibility from a Buddhist perspective and an exploration of the philosophy and practice of an "engaged", or socially activist, Buddhism. MOD: Barry Kapke, 1:125/33@fidonet.org OWNER: DharmaNet NAME: PURELAND (Pure Land Buddhism) DESC: Discussion relating to the practice, teachers and teachings of the Pure Land traditions of Buddhism. MOD: Open OWNER: DharmaNet NAME: SANGHA (Int'l Dharma Events & Community Listings) DESC: Buddhist "calendar." National listing of classes, retreats, dharma events, sitting groups, visiting teachers, etc. MOD: Barry Kapke, 1:125/33@fidonet.org OWNER: DharmaNet NAME: SHILA (Buddhist Ethics) DESC: Discussion of Buddhist ethical precepts that form the foundation for the conduct of monks, nuns, and laypersons. This echo provides a place for grappling with difficult moral and practical questions within the support of an online sangha. MOD: Barry Kapke, 1:125/33@fidonet.org OWNER: DharmaNet NAME: THERAVADA (Theravada Buddhism) DESC: Discussion relating to the practice, teachers and teachings of the Theravada traditions of Buddhism. MOD: John Bullitt, 96:903/1@dharmanet OWNER: DharmaNet NAME: TIBET_NEWS (Tibet News & Culture) DESC: Discussion of issues and events relating to Tibetan culture, history, and social/political developments. CanTibNet Newsletter. The engagement of Buddhist values in the struggle for human rights and political independence is also explored, although the companion echo VAJRAYANA is more appropriate to the discussion of Tibetan Buddhism and its practice. MOD: Barry Kapke, 1:125/33@fidonet.org OWNER: DharmaNet NAME: VAJRAYANA (Vajrayana Buddhism) Discussion relating to the practice, teachers and teachings of the Vajrayana traditions of Buddhism. MOD: Open OWNER: DharmaNet NAME: VINAYA (Monastic Community) DESC: Discussion of rules and regulations governing the communal life of Buddhist monks and nuns. MOD: Open OWNER: DharmaNet NAME: YEN_KI (Buddhism & American Culture) DESC: Discussion relating to Buddhism from an American perspective and the everyday life in America from a Buddhist perspective. Participants could talk just about anything that is on their minds from baseball to abortion to is Jesus a bodhisattva to movies to crime to whatever, and see how being a Buddhist helps them deal with that whatever. MOD: G. Adam Stanislav, 1:129/39@fidonet.org OWNER: Moderator NAME: ZEN (Zen Buddhism) DESC: Discussion relating to the practice, teachers and teachings of Zen Buddhism. All schools of Zen Buddhism are welcome. MOD: Gary Ray, 1:125/658@fidonet.org OWNER: DharmaNet [For information about DharmaNet, locating DharmaNet sites, or joining DharmaNet, please contact Barry Kapke at BODY DHARMA ONLINE (data: 1-510-836-4717), or e-mail to dharma@netcom.com] --------------------------------------------------------------------------- PODnet Conferences ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ NAME: 5_RINGS (Five Rings) DESC: Named "5_RINGS" after the Musashi book of the same name, the original intent of this conference was to allow a forum for discussion about using "Strategy" to overcome the problems of daily living. While this is STILL part of what the conference is about, another topic, "Buddhist Practice", has grown to be equally valid. Either topic is gladly accepted. MOD: "That Old Frog" (AKA Ryugen Fisher), 7:440/1 MOD: Yung Kang (AKA G. Adam Stanislav), 93:9050/5 OWNER: Alternet NAME: TAO_STUDY (Taoist Study) DESC: Intended for the discussion of philosophy of Tao, rather than the religion of Tao. MOD: Pat Haynes, 93:9600/0 MOD: Fredyis Vasa, 93:9004/0 OWNER: PODnet [For information about PODnet, locating PODnet sites, or joining PODnet, please contact Chuck Haynes at CASA DE LA LUZ (data: 1-1-512-219-9853).] --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Internet/Bitnet Mailing Lists ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ NAME: BUDDHA-L (Buddhist Academic Discussion Forum) DESC: BUDDHA-L provides a means for those interested in Buddhist Studies to exchange information and views. It is hoped that the group will function as an open forum for scholarly discussion of topics relating to the history, literature and languages, fine arts, philosophy, and institutions of all forms of Buddhism. It may also serve as a forum for discussion of issues connected to the teaching of Buddhist studies at the university level, and as a place for posting notices of employment opportunities. The primary purpose of this list is to provide a forum for serious academic discussion. BUDDHA-L is not to be used for proselytizing for or against Buddhism in general, any particular form of Buddhism, or any other religion or philosophy, nor is it to be used as a forum for making unsubstantiable confessions of personal conviction. SUBSCRIBE TO: Listserv@ulkyvm.louisville.edu or Listserv@ulkyvm.bitnet message: subscribe BUDDHA-L 'firstname' 'lastname' OWNER: Richard Hayes , Jim Cocks NAME: BUDDHIST (Forum on Indian and Buddhist Studies) DESC: Buddhism SUBSCRIBE TO: LISTSERV@JPNTUVM0.BITNET message: subscribe BUDDHIST 'firstname' 'lastname' OWNER: Yoshiyuki Kawazoe (Bitnet) KAWAZOE@JPNTOHOK NAME: TAOISM-L (Taoism) DESC: Taoism-l is a world-wide forum for exchange of scholarly and factual information pertaining to the Tao and Taoism as the focus of academic, philosophical and religious studies and inquiry. SUBSCRIBE TO: majordomo@coombs.anu.edu.au message: subscribe TAOISM-L 'your_e-mail_address' OWNER: Dr T.Matthew Ciolek NAME: TIBET-L (Tibet Interest List) DESC: TIBET-L is an open forum for discussion on issues relating to Tibet and the Tibetan people. News and views, comments and questions are welcome on topics such as tours of Lamas, conferences, exhibitions, and seminars too. Particularly welcome are submission on political developments in Tibet. SUBSCRIBE TO: LISTSERV@IUBVM.UCS.INDIANA.EDU message: subscribe TIBET-L 'firstname' 'lastname' OWNER: Sonam Dargyay NAME: ZenBuddhism-L List (Zen studies, practice and inquiries) DESC: ZenBuddhism-L is a world-wide forum for exchange of scholarly and factual information dealing with the Zen Buddhism, its history, lore, scholarship, writings, forms of meditation practice as well as its organizational forms, concerns, involvements and activities. While the forum addresses itself to all periods of the 2500 years old Zen tradition in India, China, Korea, Vietnam, Japan, Nth America and other countries, it is hoped that it will establish a strong focus on the modern developments (that is, events and transformations prompted by the times and lives of Shaku Soen Roshi, Senzaki Nyogen Sensei, Sawaki Kodo Roshi, Harada Daiun Sogaku Roshi, Dr D. T. Suzuki Hyobong Sunim and other esteemed teachers, gentlemen and scholars). SUBSCRIBE TO: majordomo@coombs.anu.edu.au message: subscribe ZenBuddhism-L 'your_email_address' OWNER: T. Matthew Ciolek NAME: Universal Zendo DESC: This list was started as a reaction against more scholarly lists like BUDDHA-L and is supposed to deal with *applied* Zen Buddhism --- the everyday practice. The list is open for anyone who wants to discuss religious practice even though the majority of the list subscribers are Zen Buddhists. SUBSCRIBE TO: zendo-request@lysator.liu.se message: subscribe zendo 'firstname' 'lastname' OWNER: Miekael Cardell --------------------------------------------------------------------------- USENET Newsgroups ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ NAME: soc.religion.eastern DESC: The aim of the newsgroup is to provide a forum for the discussion of Eastern metaphysics/theology/logic. The word eastern in the title of the newsgroup signifies religions with origins in South/South-East/Far- East Asia. For example, Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, Shintoism, Taoism, etc. Articles about western religious systems [Judaism/ Christianity/Islam] are also welcome if the aim is to make rational/ objective comparisons of these systems with those discussed in this newsgroup [s.r.eastern]. The newsgroup is moderated. MOD: Aaron Nabil Toshi Takeuchi Buddhist topics are also occasionally found in the following newsgroups: alt.buddha.short.fat.guy alt.meditation soc.culture.asean soc.culture.china soc.culture.hongkong soc.culture.japan soc.culture.korean soc.culture.laos soc.culture.nepal soc.culture.singapore soc.culture.sri-lanka soc.culture.taiwan soc.culture.thai soc.culture.tibet (was defeated) soc.culture.vietnamese talk.politics.tibet =========================================================================== {12) SANGHA: =========================================================================== [Ed.: In this section, GASSHO will attempt to provide -- in digestible installments -- up-to-date listings of regional and international Dharma centers and organizations. This is part of a larger DharmaNet project of compiling an online database. This project was inspired in great part by the important work started by Don Morreale in his book BUDDHIST AMERICA: CENTERS, RETREATS, PRACTICES, and, acknowledging impermanence, hopes to utilize computer technology to create an electronic tool that is global in scope, that is easily updatable, and that allows for wide latitude in terms of keyword searches and report generation. This project, DharmaBase, will be discussed in greater detail in the January/February 1994 edition of GASSHO. Please submit listings of Dharma resources in your area to DharmaBase, P.O. Box 4951, Berkeley CA 94704, by e-mail to dharma@netcom.com, or by netmail to Barry Kapke at 1:125/33@fidonet or 96:101/33@dharmanet. Please use the format listed below. Thank you.] NAME: MAIL ADDRESS: PHONE: FAX: E-MAIL: DESCRIPTION: RESIDENT DIRECTOR: SPIRITUAL HEAD: AFFILIATION: RESIDENT TEACHERS: --------------------------------------------------------------------------- To inaugurate this section, here is a list that was originally posted in soc.culture.thai by Samart Srijumnong. Please send corrections, updates, additions. DIRECTORY OF THAI BUDDHIST TEMPLES IN THE U.S. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Arizona ~~~~~~~ 1. Wat Promkunaram of Arizona 17212 W. Maryland Avenue Waddell, AZ 85355 Phone: (602) 276-7570 Arkansas ~~~~~~~~ 1. Wat Buddhasamakkeedham 4625 Amour Street Ft. Smith, AR 72904 Phone: (501) 782-0126 California ~~~~~~~~~~ 1. Buddhist Temple of America 5615 Howard Avenue Ontario, CA 91762 Phone: (714) 988-7731 FAX: (714) 988-4191 2. Metta Forest Monastery PO Box 1409 Valley Center, CA 92082 3. Natural Buddhist Meditation Temple 14036 Don Julian Road La Puete, CA 91746 Phone: (818) 336-2224 FAX: (818) 336-2224 4. Sangharam Center 1051 1/4 N.Ardmore Los Angeles, CA 90029 Phone: (213) 661-9651 5. Sangharam Center 14372 Hawes Street Whittier, CA 90604 Phone: (213) 946-9998 6. Vipassana Foundation 4503 Atlantic Avenue Long Beach, CA 90807 Phone: (213) 423-3243 7. Wat Buddhadhammo 24304 Atwood Avenue Moreno Valley, CA 92388-3136 Phone: (714) 656-1306 8. Wat Buddhajakramongkolratanaram 139 W. 11th Avenue Escoindido, CA 92025 Phone: (619) 738-6165 9. Wat Budhanusorn 36054 Niles Blvd. Fremont, CA 94536 Phone: (415) 790-2294, 790-2296 10. Wat Mongkolratanaram 1911 Russell Street Berkeley, CA 94703 Phone: (415) 849-3419, 540-9734 11. Wat Samakidhammaram 1056 Cherry Avenue Long Beach, CA 90813 Phone: (213) 434-4343 12. Wat Thai of Los Angeles 8225 Coldwater Canyon Avenue North Hollywood, CA 91605 Phone: (818) 997-9657, 780-4200 13. Wat Visalia 948 N. Leslie Road Visalia, CA 93291 Phone: (209) 738-9419 Colorado ~~~~~~~~ 1. Wat Buddhawararam of Denver 4801 Julian Street Denver, CO 80221-1122 Phone: (303) 433-1826 Florida ~~~~~~~ 1. Wat Buddharangsi of Miami 15200 S.W. 240 Street Miami, FL 33032 Phone: (305) 245-2702 2. Wat Mongkolratanaram 5306 Palm River Road Tampa, FL 33619 Phone: (813) 621-1669 3. Wat Mongkolratanaram 815 Pindeale Road Ft.Walton Beach, FL 32548 Phone: (904) 863-2906 Georgia ~~~~~~~ 1. Wat Buddha Bucha 3094 Rainbow Drive Decatur, GA 30034-1610 Phone: (404) 283-2416 2. Wat Santidham 3917 Old Waynesboro Augusta, GA 30906 Phone: (404) 790-9374 Hawaii ~~~~~~ 1. Wat Buddhajakramongkolvararam 872-A Second Avenue Peart City, HI 96782 Phone: (808) 456-4176 Illinois ~~~~~~~~ 1. Buddhadhama Meditation Center 8910 S. Kingery Highway Hinsdale, IL 60521 Phone: (708) 789-8866 2. Natural Buddhist Meditation Temple of Greater Chicago 8243 S. Newland Burbank, IL 60459 Phone: (708) 599-5920 3. Wat Dhammaram 7059 W. 75th Street Chicago, IL 60638 Phone: (708) 594-8100-2 FAX: (708) 594-8114 Kansas ~~~~~~ 1. Wat Wichitaram Buddhist Temple 5327 N. Broadway Wichita, KS 67219 Phone: (316) 838-0043 Missouri ~~~~~~~~ 1. Wat Phrasriratanaram 890 Lindsay Lane Florissant, MO 63031-4141 Phone: (314) 893-3115, 837-9717 Nevada ~~~~~~ 1. Wat Buddhapavana Las Vegas 3414 S. Sandhill Road Las Vegas, NV 89121 Phone: (702) 455-1504 New York ~~~~~~~~ 1. Vajiradhammapadip Temple 74 California Road Mount Vernon, NY 10552 Phone: (914) 699-7737, 699-5778 North Carolina ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1. Wat Carolina Buddhajakravanaram Route 1 Box 39 Midway Road Bolivia, NC 28422 Phone: (919) 253-4526 (919) 253-6618 Oklahoma ~~~~~~~~ 1. Wat Sangrataranaram 2200 S.E. 55th Street Oklahoma, OK 73129 Phone: (405) 677-4306 Pennsyvania ~~~~~~~~~~~ 1. Wat Mongkoltepmunee 3304 Knights Road Bensalem, PA 19020-2819 Phone: (215) 638-9755 Texas ~~~~~ 1. Buddhist Center of Dallas 8484 Stults Road Dallas, TX 75243 Phone: (214) 340-6187 2. Wat Buddhananachat 8105 Linden Drive Del Valle, TX 78617 Phone: (512) 247-4289 3. Wat Buddharatanaram P.O. Box 822 Keller, TX 76240-0822 Phone: (817) 430-1365 (817) 491-4928 4. Wat Buddhavas of Houston 6007 Spindle Drive Houston, TX 77086 Phone: (713) 820-3255 5. Wat Dhammabucha 6201 Sawyer Road San Antonio, TX 78238 Phone: (512) 520-5011 FAX: (512) 520-5042 Utah ~~~~ 1. Wat Dhammagurunaram of Utah 397 S. Fort Lane Layton, UT 84041-4220 Phone: (801) 544-7616 Virginia ~~~~~~~~ 1. Wat Tummaprateip 8526 Old Mount Vernon Road Alexandria, VA 22309 Phone: (703) 799-1081 FAX: (708) 799-1082 2. Wat Yarnna Rangsee 11226 Chapel Road Fairfax Station, VA 22039-1524 Phone: (703) 323-6546 FAX: (703) 323-6546 Washington ~~~~~~~~~~ 1. Washington Buddhavanaram 4401 S. 360th Street Auburn, WA 98001-9320 Phone: (206) 927-5408 Washington, D.C. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1. Wat Thai of Washington, D.C. 13440 Layhill Road Silver Spring, DC 20906 Phone: (301) 871-8660-1 Source: "Tham-Nieb"Wat"Thai-Thua"Sa'Ha'Rat"America (Directory of Wat Thai in the U.S), Saan+Muan-ChOn- (a Chicago newsletter), vol.8, no.38, June 6, 1992, pp.28-30. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- DharmaNet published for free distribution an electronic edition of the book A GUIDE TO BUDDHIST MONASTERIES AND MEDITATION CENTRES IN THAILAND by Bill Weir. It is available at the Dharma Electronic File Archives and at many DharmaNet sites, under the filename THAI_93.ZIP. It was published electronically with the permission of the author and the original publisher, WORLD FELLOWSHIP OF BUDDHISTS, and is updated periodically by the author. A wonderful resource! =========================================================================== {13} PARTING THOUGHT: =========================================================================== Buddhism with a Small "b" Buddhism is simply a way of mindfulness and peace. The presence of Buddhism does not mean having a lot of schools, hospitals, cultural institutions, and political parties run by Buddhists. Rather, the presence of Buddhism means that all these things are permeated and administered with humanism, love, tolerance, and enlightenment. These are characteristics that Buddhism attributes to opening up and developing the best aspects of human nature. This is the true spirit of Buddhism. All our efforts to preserve Buddhism or Buddhist society may fail, or they may succeed. The outcome is irrelevant. Our goal is to develop human beings with enough inner strength and moral courage to begin restructuring the collective consciousness of society. --Sulak Sivaraksa, SEEDS OF PEACE. pp 70 =========================================================================== {14} ABOUT GASSHO =========================================================================== GASSHO is an electronic journal that is distributed on DharmaNet, Fidonet, Internet, and other computer networks. There is no subscription fee. GASSHO is a bimonthly publication by and for the members of DharmaNet and the global online Buddhist community. It is intended as an open forum in digest format for sharing information about Buddhism, its history, philosophy, and practices, bridging boundaries of nation, race, class, gender, school, and sect. Readers are encouraged to submit articles, letters, calendar events, and other pertinent materials. It is assumed that non-personal mail to the editors may be reprinted unless otherwise specified. The editors of GASSHO reserve the right to edit submissions as appropriate to fit the style and format of this newsletter. Electronic submissions to GASSHO should be sent by e-mail to dharma@netcom.com or by netmail or file-attach to BODY DHARMA ONLINE. Hardcopy submissions should be sent to: GASSHO, PO Box 4951, Berkeley CA 94704. Writers guidelines may be retrieved from the Dharma Electronic Files Archive at FTP.NETCOM.COM, in the subdirectory /pub/dharma/Gassho, under the name 'writers-guide', or from BODY DHARMA ONLINE under the filename 'GASS-GDE.ZIP'. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ GASSHO is Copyright (C) 1993 by DharmaNet International. All Rights Reserved. Authors of signed articles hold a presumptive copyright, and they should be contacted for reprint permission. Reproduction and distribution of GASSHO in electronic media is encouraged, so long as it is reproduced in full and unchanged, and for non-commercial distribution only. Libraries are authorized to add the journal to their collection, in electronic or printed form. This message must appear on all copied material. Reproduction, in whole or part, in any form, for sale, profit or material gain, is prohibited without express written consent. For other uses, contact DharmaNet Int'l, PO Box 4951, Berkeley CA 94704. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ DISCLAIMER: The views represented herein do not necessarily represent the views of DharmaNet International. Journal contributors assume all responsibility for ensuring that articles submitted do not violate copyright protections. "Fido" and "FidoNet" are U.S. registered trademarks of Tom Jennings. "GASSHO", "DharmaNet", and "DharmaNet International" are pending trademarks of Barry Kapke. =========================================================================== Upcoming Issues in 1994 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ January/February Buddhist Studies March/April Women in Buddhism May/June Evolving Models of Sangha July/August Human Rights, Buddhist Values September/October Health & Healing November/December Buddhist Traditions & Change =========================================================================== How to Get Electronic Copies of GASSHO: =========================================================================== Internet users may receive GASSHO by electronic subscription in Mailing List format. Send an email message to: dharma@netcom.com asking to subscribe to GASSHO. This is *not* a Listserv. Back issues are available by anonymous ftp to the Dharma Electronic Files Archive at FTP.NETCOM.COM (192.100.81.100). Change directory to pub/dharma/Gassho. 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