BLIAQ Newsletter 137 August - chungtian.org.au · love, the worse the hate. When spouses and lovers have a falling out and sometimes become each other's worst enemies, it seems better

Buddha’s Light International Association of Queensland, Australia

BLIAQ Newsletter

1034 Underwood Road Priestdale QLD 4127, Australia Website: www.chungtian.org.au Email: [email protected] Ph: 3841 3511 Fax: 3841 3522

Chung Tian Buddhist Temple

August 2019 Edition 137

I was recently reminded of a quote by the late John Lennon who said: ‘possession isn’t nine tenths of the law, it’s nine tenths of the problem’. It struck me as apt. We had just been reviewing our home and contents insurance policy and (of course) the insurance company was saying we need to increase the amount. Over the years we have accumulated much. Too much in fact! Trying to put a value on our possessions ended up being rather confronting. Have we really got that much “stuff”? At the end of the day what is its value – not in monetary terms, but in priorities about what is truly important in our lives? As it happens, we are in the process of “downsizing” - well actually “flattening” to a single level home. As part of that process we are just trying to simplify our lives. That makes you re-evaluate what is meaningful in life. What is really “needed” to have a happy life? Different things make different people happy. But even defining happiness is not always the same. Simplicity perhaps is the goal. I had previously been reading “Describing the Indescribable” Master Hsing Yun’s Commentary on the Diamond Sutra in which he wrote in the introduction: “The Diamond Sutra beats with two hearts: one is wisdom and the other is compassion. To be wise is to know and understand the essence of awareness. To be compassionate is to know and understand the essence of intention. In the Diamond Sutra, the Buddha shows us that ultimately compassion and wisdom are one. When this is fully understood, we will have understood the Diamond Sutra. When this is fully understood, we will know on what to ‘base our minds,’ and we will also know that in truth there are no defilements ‘to be subdued’...” The simple life and knowing priorities are very clear when put in these terms. It is certainly not possessions that are important. I picked up Master Hsing Yun’s Book “Seeking Happiness”. The very first chapter was about just that. Seeking Happiness. A timely choice, and it is that reading I share with you this month.

Hilary Lennon Editor Contents this issue Page

Our Beautiful Temple: The Foyer 2 Words of Venerable Master Hsing Yun 3 Meet your BLIAQ Branch Committee 4 Diary reminders from your branch president 5 A member’s reflection of Gary’s talk 6-7 The origins and meaning of Ullambana Festival 7-10 Chung Tian Temple events for August 12 Term 3 Meditation, Buddhist and Tai Chi Classes 13

16-17 August Chanting Ksitigarbha Sutra And Sangha Offering

25 August Term 3 Meditation and Buddhist Study Classes Begin.

10-15 August Chanting Lian Huang Repentance Service

Greetings to all our readers: The coming month of August is one with many significant events, not the least being the Ullambana Festival with Filial Piety Dharma Function and the Sangha Offering. This month our newsletter is slightly longer as we include a Feature Article exploring the origins of the Ullambana Festival including explanations for new members who are not aware of the corresponding temple protocols and processes. In addition, we have a contribution from a member who attended Gary’s lecture on temple statuary and how to make a shrine at home. Our usual items include: Our Beautiful Temple, Notes from the president’s diary, and we profile our Chung Tian Branch Vice-president.

3 August Art Gallery Opening New Exhibition

18 August Thrice Yearning Dharma Function and General Merit Transference Service

Thoughts from the Editors Pen

4 August Branch Bus Trip to Tambourine Mountain

22 August Birthday Ven. Master Hsing Yun (Longevity Service and Grand Offering)

Buddha’s Light International Association Qld Newsletter Edition 137 August 2019

2

Our Beautiful Temple The Temple Foyer

The first and most eye-catching structure that greets visitors in the Temple foyer is the impressive bronze statue of Venerable Master Hsing-Yun which is facing toward the outside main gate.

As BLIAQ members know, Venerable Master Hsing-Yun is the founder of both the Foguangshan Buddhist Order and the Buddha’s Light International Association. Born in China’s Jiangsu Province in 1927, Venerable Master Hsing Yun was a novice monk at the age of 12 and was fully ordained by the age of only 14. In 1949, amid the turbulence of civil war, he left China and went to Taiwan. There he studied more, before founding Foguangshan and travelling throughout the world to promote Humanistic Buddhism – Buddhism that takes to heart spiritual practice as daily life.

Venerable Master Hsing Yun, and therefore Humanistic Buddhism, emphasize education and services, and he has since established public universities, Buddhist colleges, libraries, publishing houses, Buddhist art galleries, free mobile clinics, a children’s home, retirement homes and a Buddhist television station. He is recognized for his bold and innovative methods of propagating the Buddhist teaching to meet contemporary needs. It is more than fitting that on entry to Chung Tian Temple we are greeted by his statue. It is one of five such statues that were made for BLIA branch Temples, and Chung Tian was fortunate to receive one of them.

Also in the foyer is a small water feature, together with the statue of the ‘Happy Buddha’ which

is facing towards the central courtyard of the temple. The Happy Buddha is the Bodhisattva Maitreya (Sanskrit), Metteyya (Pali) meaning loving-kindness Mi Le Fo in Chinese, and he is expected to be the ‘next Buddha-to-come’ in this Saha world. The Sanskrit word Saha means endurance, and according to the sutras the Sahra World is so called because people in this world endure many sufferings stemming from the three poisons of greed, anger and delusion, as well as earthly desires*.

He is also known by the name Ajita meaning unconquered. A Bodhisattva is an enlightened person who is completely motivated by love and compassion for all sentient beings and one who commits himself/herself to liberate all beings from suffering. At present, Maitreya presides in Tushita Heaven. Buddhist teachings tell us that in China, Maitreya once manifested himself as a rotund and generous monk to deliver people thus gaining himself such a visual portrayal of portly happiness. As such, his big belly represents his ‘big heart’ of tolerance and acceptance, while his broad smile represents loving-kindness. Although some claim rubbing the belly of a Maitreya or Happy Buddha statue will bring good luck, this is not the case and is in fact a disrespectful act of superstition. The statue arrived at the Temple in 1996 and was the only statue in the foyer for the early years of Chung Tian. *Saha World. The Seekers Glossary of Buddhism p668, edited by The Van Hien Study Group. 2003 3rd edition. Thanks to John Cartwright for extra information regarding the statues.


3

THIS MONTH’S WORDS OF VENERABLE MASTER HSING YUN

Seeking Happiness*

We live life because of happiness. If life were only filled with suffering, it would be meaningless to live. As humans, we all have different goals in life due to our differing value systems. Some people want to make a lot of money, thinking it brings happiness. However, when there is too much money, it can bring much suffering. As the saying goes, "humans die for money." What happiness, then, is wealth?

Some people believe that family is the source of happiness, but when family members do not get along with one another, what happiness is there in living with all the infighting? Others seek happiness in love and pursue it wholeheartedly. But when love and hate are twins, love can easily turn into hate, and the deeper the love, the worse the hate. When spouses and lovers have a falling out and sometimes become each other's worst enemies, it seems better to be single and unattached.

Those who are fond of power think that there is happiness within it. So, they seek public office and run for high positions. However, many abuse their authority and end up being on the wrong side of the law. It seems that the higher they climb, the harder they fall, and high positions and power are not always the source of happiness.

Other people seek happiness in their careers. They open a factory here, a company there, or a conglomerate locally and another in a foreign country. They shoulder heavy responsibilities as they juggle their accounts and the balance sheet, and work with customers, suppliers, and employees. They become poor rich people; what happiness is there?

Other people retreat into the woods, high up in the mountains in their search for happiness. For them, happiness is the company of light breezes and the clear moon. Some look for a simple life and are happy with their lot, savouring the happiness of simplicity. Others enjoy reading, and as they bask in the ocean of books, they discover the way to settle their minds and the source of wisdom. They have found happiness in life.

Happiness also lies in peace, kind thoughts, the absence of cravings, and contentment. While happiness is sought everywhere, it is actually not anywhere but right inside the treasury of our hearts. Ask a bird why it flies in the sky and it will reply, "There is happiness in the sky!” Ask a fish why it swims in the water and it will answer, "There is happiness in the water!" Ask a lake why it flows amidst the mountains and it will explain, "There is happiness in the mountains!" When we ask people why they are always busy running about here and there, the response is, "By making broad connections in the world and benefiting humanity, there is happiness!"

Where is happiness? There is happiness in religion, cultivation, serving others, and a calm mind. When we have heart and mind, happiness is right within!

*Seeking Happiness: Between Ignorance and Enlightenment Vol 7 p1. Buddha’s Light Publishing 2008


4

This month is the second in our ‘meet your branch committee’ series and we profile Sharon. As well as being the branch vice-president Sharon is also one of our valued Dharma teachers. She is known for her tireless work behind the scenes both as a Dharma teacher and as vice-president. She is sincere, generous and definitely does not seek (or enjoy) the limelight. Here is her response to the questions we put to her for your newsletter.

My position on the committee of the Chung Tian branch of the BLIAQ, is Vice-President. I

have only been in this role for a few months, so I am still very much a learner, hopefully I am being of some help to Gary.

“as I walked up the front steps for the first time I felt as if I had arrived home”

I first came to Chung Tian late 2013, and as I walked up the front steps for the first time I

felt as if I had arrived home. I enrolled in level 1 meditation and instruction in Term 1 of 2014, completed all 4 levels that year and took the Triple Gem and 5 precepts in November 2014. When I visited the temple that first time, it was almost by accident, I had visited Underwood park, saw the sign for the temple, so went and had a look. I had lived in the area for roughly 25 years but didn’t know the temple was there. I can’t remember why I visited the park that day, but I am glad I did.

The temple is a big part of my life. I have always enjoyed learning about all the different

aspects of Buddhism, I still do, but over time ‘belonging’ and ‘being part of’ has become almost as important.

“The temple is a big part of my life” I don’t know how long I have been ‘almost’ a Buddhist, could be as long as 40 years. I

bought books, studied but didn’t make it official until I found Chung Tian (for many years I said I was 75% Buddhist not sure what the other 25% was!!)

Chung Tian is a social place as well as a spiritual place. I think the connection and

commitment we make to each other is very special, as is getting together in the Water Drop teahouse (‘the office’).

On a personal level – I am a dedicated ‘almost’ vegan (the ‘almost’ part is eggs but only

from my beautiful girls, rescued ex-battery hens). I am also a bit of a fanatical recycler and environmentalist.

“most memorable memory at the temple …. when I took the Triple Gem and The Five Precepts”

What is my most memorable memory at the temple? That’s very easy, it is when I took

the Triple Gem and The Five Precepts and felt I had really moved from being a student of Buddhism to being an actual Buddhist, it is who I am.

With Metta - Sharon

Meet Your Branch BLIAQ Committee Vice-President


5

August Events

*4 August is the new date for our bus trip as the previous date clashed with the Ullambana Festival. The plan is to board the bus and leave the Temple at 9 am. First stop is the Sky Walk at Tamborine for coffee and / or a walk. Part of the walk is suitable for those who have some difficulty with rough terrain and the cost for the walk is $19.50 or $16.50 for seniors. It is a stunning place and well worth the trip. We will then head to the Botanic Gardens for lunch (self-catered share, including lunch for our Guiding Venerable) and we will enjoy a meander through the magnificent gardens. From the gardens we will proceed to Gallery Walk, to explore the many different (some quirky) shops. We hope to have you all back at the Temple by 5pm. The cost for the bus is $27. All places now filled.

*10th August to 18 August is the Ullambana Festival. Do read our feature article this month that explains the origins and protocols for the festival. *17th August at 11.am is the Sangha Offering and Alms Offering. At this stage we understand there will be several items presented by various Temple branches (including the Loving Care Group and the Scouts) who will all perform as a way of giving their own special offering during the Sangha Ceremony. This is always a delightful part of the service. As usual, prior to the parade, traditional empty red packets will be available in both the tea room and the office. Members are encouraged to collect some of these in order to make appropriate monetary offerings to our Venerables during the Sangha Parade in the Court Yard. If you have not attended this before, BLIAQ members will be there to show you where to stand during the parade and to answer any questions you may have. September Events

*7 September Is the Loving Care Group dinner however, all places are now filled. *13 September at 6.00pm is a new and exciting event. In place of our own Chung Tian Branch Dinner, we are fortunate in being part of the all-branch Celebration Mid-Autumn Festival. It will be held here at Chung Tian in the court yard and includes a raffle and lucky door prize. There is no cost, but each person is asked to bring their own food or hot pot. We are pleased to have the opportunity to join our Dharma brothers and sisters in this event (a different experience as we are in our spring time, but will be trying to walk in the shoes of Dharma members in another part of the world, for whom it will be Autumn). There will be more about this in branch emails, however all places are now filled. *14 September 10:50am till 12:10 there will be a Buddhist Lecture given by Venerable Master Yi Lai who was the previous Abbess here at Chung Tian. She is an excellent speaker with significant knowledge of Chung Tian. *Sunday 15 September 11.00am till 12:20 is a Buddhist lecture presented by Ven Miao Guang. This will be in English, which is the Venerable’s first language, although she also speaks fluent Mandarin and is an interpreter for Fo Guang Shan. Please note that for the lecture, the level 4 class will join the group in the conference room from 11.00 till 12:20.

As you can see there are many exciting events ahead and I hope to see as many of you as possible joining us to celebrate and share the Dharma.

Branch President Diary Notes


6

With regard to setting up a shrine at home, I am a bit more comfortable in sharing my

knowledge in this department as I have a lovely shrine that I use daily for my morning chanting after my, sometimes rushed, meditation!! Your shrine can be as simple or complex as you want or need it to be (or can afford). On my shrine I have a statue of Amitahba Buddha, Sakamunyi Buddha, Medicine Buddha, Quan Yin and I also have a very small Maitreya and Ksitigharba (which were given to me by an older member of the temple). I have a beautiful Lotus lamp on either side, with my water blessing bowls in the middle (lower than my statues) and in front of that I have a small metal incense censer to make my incense offerings each morning. I’m also very lucky to own a wooden fish that was gifted to me by a Venerable on one of my trips to Taiwan many years ago, so I can use that to do my chanting …. very very blessed!!

A member reflects on first of the intensive course lectures.

On 30th June I attended the first of the intensive talks held over the break between our normal book study terms. Gary gave the first of these talks which was on The Main Buddhas, Statuary in the Temple, The Four Great Bodhisattvas, Setting up a Shrine and Making Offerings at Home.

Gary spoke about the Three Main Buddhas in the Lotus Treasury

Room which are: The Historical Buddha Sakamunyi Buddha, The Amitabha Buddha and the Medicine Buddha. He also spoke about the four great Bodhisattvas:- Guanshiyin Pu Sa or Quan Yin, Ksitigarba Bodhisattva, Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, and Manjusri Bodhisattva.

He showed pictures of these, as well as the other statuary he covered.

This included Maitreya (the next Buddha to come), Ksitigharba, Medicine Buddha, Quan Shi Yin Pu Sa (Avalokitesvara) and the Arhats in the garden behind the conference room and at the end of the art gallery. He explained the placing of statues around the temple and told us the only one not at Chung Tian is a statue of Samantabadhra, which is a Bodhisattva depicted riding a white elephant.

There are so many, and Gary covered them in detail, (so I won’t go into too much here). He gave

us knowledge and a lot of new information that perhaps many of us weren’t aware of. I don’t want to give too much information on each of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in case my knowledge and recall is not entirely correct and accurate. There is plenty there to Google and to talk about amongst your friends at the temple. Maybe make it your task to find each Buddha around the temple and commit one or two points to memory? (Good idea Kim...why don’t you take your own advice!!! Might even enhance my own memory!!)

There is plenty there to google and to talk about amongst your friends at the temple. Maybe make it your task to find each Buddha around the temple and commit one or two points to memory.....(good idea Kim...why don’t you take your own advice!!! Might enhance my own memory!!)


7

Nevertheless, as Gary was saying, the shrine can be a table with a simple statue where you might say a simple prayer, “Transfer of Merits” and light an incense each morning, place a flower, or a piece of fruit etc. That is just as meaningful as all of the above. I think my Shrine has just evolved over the last 15 years, so don’t stress! Simple is still recognised and extremely meaningful - it all comes from the heart!!

In fact, it reminds me of many years ago when I was taking Refuge in the Triple Gem and I was standing next to a woman who had already bought her black robe and was wearing it. Not many were. I said to her, ”Oh! I wish I had a robe now”. She turned to me and said “Buddha doesn’t see the robe, He sees your heart and your commitment to the vows you are standing here making today!” That pretty well summed it up for me and I felt so much better about being just “human”. Needless to say she and I turned out to be fantastic friends over the years after that! So, my point being, simple is recognised in the eyes and heart of the Buddha. Be simple but firm in your belief and faith!

Amitoufo, Kim Perryman

The fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month is the Ullambana Festival. Consequently, each year the Ullambana Festival Filial Piety Dharma Function is held at Chung Tian Temple. This year it begins on the 10th and ends on the 18th of August.

It includes Dharma services, offerings to the Sangha, and transfer of merits. All are welcome to participate. The Ullambana Festival is also known as the festival of the hungry ghosts. Ullambana comes from the Sanskrit; ‘Ullam’ which means to hang upside down and ‘bana’ which means to rescue. Ullambana, therefore, means to rescue from being hanged upside down or in extreme suffering. In the present context, it is a festival to rescue the deceased and ancestors from suffering in the lower realms and to aid their liberation.

Origins and Meaning of the Ullambana Festival, Filial Piety Dharma Function.*

Feature Article


8

According to the Ullambanapatra Sutra, Maudgalyayana (abbreviated Chinese translation Mulian), was a disciple of Sakyamuni Buddha, and he turned to the Buddha for guidance when he was unable to lessen the suffering of his mother, who after her death had descended into the realm of hungry ghosts due to the transgressions of five previous lives. The Buddha told Maudgalyayana, the only way to deliver his mother from the pains of suffering would be to rely upon the power acquired by monastics of the ten directions in their cultivation of meritorious virtues. (In Buddhism, the Ten Directions are north, south, east, west, northwest, northeast, southeast and southwest, plus above and below).

The Buddha instructed Maudgalyayana to dedicate an elaborate offering of dainties and fruits to all Sangha members on the 15th day of the 7th lunar month, the Buddha’s Joyful Day when his disciples, after completion of the three months summer meditation retreat, reported their progress to the Buddha. Maudgalyayana then made the required offerings, and consequently his mother was finally liberated from the realm of hungry ghosts and ascended to the realm of heavenly beings. The Buddha then reaffirmed the merit of Sangha offerings that all Buddhists could deliver their parents of the past seven lifetimes as well as the present life from the miseries of the three lower realms of animal, hungry ghosts and hell. This would be as long as they observed the practice of Ullambana Sangha Offering. Merits thus acquired could emancipate the deceased from the three suffering realms

and allow the living to enjoy a life of abundance, good fortune and longevity. This is because the practice of Sangha offering is a skilful means that benefits both the deceased and the living with its power to deliver and transform all sentient beings. Filial piety is a key virtue in Chinese culture, one which demonstrates respect, goodness and care towards one’s parents. In Buddhism, it pertains not only to one’s current parents but also many parents (ancestors) from previous lives. Hence, on this day, Buddhists offer prayers both to their departed forefathers and to their living parents and elders.

In China, Emperor Wu of Liang Dynasty (502C.E.-549 C.E.) established the Ullambana Sangha Offering Ceremony to formally make oblations to monastics of the ten directions and to promote the spirit of filial piety. From then on, the ceremony was deemed very important by successive emperors and the general public. In time, it became a widely practiced Chinese custom that not only provides protections by the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha, it also coincides with the popular Chinese traditional practice of feeding the spirits in the 7th lunar month. By making offerings to the Sangha, not only will the deceased be liberated, but the living will also be protected from harm.

In addition to the Sangha Offering, the major part of the Ullambana Dharma Service is the Emperor Wu’s Repentance, leading practitioners to repent in a week-long ceremony. (To avoid confusion, it should be noted that the Liang Huang Repentance is the same as Emperor Wu's Repentance. Liang refers to the Liang Dynasty and Huang is the phonetic translation from Chinese, meaning Emperor. Emperor Wu is from the Liang Dynasty.)

This repentance originated from Emperor Wu of the Liang Dynasty, and is considered as the supreme one among all Buddhist repentance texts. Historically, Empress Chi, the wife of Emperor Wu, died suddenly at thirty after leading a life marked by jealousy and ill-tempered. After her death, she was reborn as a python. She looked for Emperor Wu’s help to release her from suffering. The Emperor called upon Ch’an Master Bao Zhi and other high


9

monks to compile ten chapters of repentance. As a result of performing this ceremony, his wife was released from suffering and born to heaven.

Repentance in Chinese Buddhism is a common practice for all practitioners to repent for transgressions and commit to corrective actions guided by the Dharma. It helps to reduce the bad karma of both the living and the deceased especially those who are suffering in hell. Therefore, participants of the Dharma service are encouraged to submit the names of their deceased loved ones or ancestors to the temple for the setting up of name tablets or plates so as to invite them to join the service. This can be done by acquiring forms from the temple’s reception and submitting them after completion, together with appropriate donations for the name tablets. By participating in the service themselves, they can benefit much from self-repentance and so understand the Dharma from the repentance text, interspersed with paying respect to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas by prostration. In addition to setting up name tablets for ancestors, you can also, through the temple, set up a name tablet for your foes and debt collectors of past lives to invite them to join the service. By doing so, the spirits of the past foes and debt collectors can benefit from the service, this helps to reduce their resentment and retribution towards you. Hence, repentance benefits both the living and the deceased. The resulting virtue and merits we can accumulate from this are significant and beyond comprehension.

Apart from name tablets for the departed ones, there are also name tablets for the living such as family, parents and loved ones, this is to eliminate calamities, and wish for their longevity. Usually, there are two separate altars for the transfer of merits in Ullambana Dharma services, one for the deceased with yellow name tablets and one for the living with pink name tablets. (It should be noted that the term ‘name tablets’ is interchangeable with ‘name plates’.)

The chanting of the Ksitigarbha Sutra which is thought of as the Buddhist sutra of filial piety, also forms another part of the Dharma service where all participants, (the living and the departed ones), can benefit. Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva is often referred to as the Bodhisattva of hell beings because of his great vow of delivering all those in extreme suffering, saying that “If the hell is not empty, I am not going to attain Buddhahood.” Usually depicted as a monk with a halo around his head, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva carries a staff to force open the gates of hell and a wish-fulfilling pearl for illuminating hell to benefit sentient beings trapped there.

Merits gained from the Dharma services will be dedicated to the ancestors and departed ones to deliver them from the suffering realms. At the end of the Dharma services, they will finally be urged and guided to seek rebirth to Amitabha Buddha’s Western Pure Land in the Thrice Yearning and Chanting Service.

Ullambana is considered as a purely Buddhist ceremony when Buddhists can devote themselves to remember their departed relatives and friends during the days prescribed for the ceremony by transferring merits to them for their well-being.


10

__________________________________________

Today, the tradition of the Ullambana Festival lives on. It is believed that the merits and virtues derived from making offerings to the Triple Gem on this day are several times greater than on ordinary days and that by doing good deeds and making offerings on such a day, we can help rescue our parents from the hells and secure for them rebirth in the heavens. The Ullambana festival is not only about filial piety, but it is also an exercise of compassion as we transfer merits and extend loving-kindness to all sentient beings. By observing such a tradition mindfully, we can also develop our own spiritual practice.

*Thanks are extended to Meng for permission to use much of her original writing about the Ullambana festival, first published in a BLIAQ Newsletter July 2016, also to Elaine Pun for her providing additional information together with explanations of the actual services and ceremony, including the Temple processes for name plates.

A month of intensive learning and discussions


11


12

Date Day Time Program

1 Aug. (Lunar 1/7) Thur 11:00am Bright Light Dharma Service (Grand Offering)

3 Aug. Sat

9:00am -12:00pm Chung Tian School Sports Meet

10:30 am Gratitude Repaying Dharma Service

1:30 pm Exhibition Opening at Chung Tian Art Gallery 2:30 pm BLIAQ Presidents Monthly Meeting

10-15 Aug. (Lunar 10-15/7) Sat-Thur 9:00 am Ullambana Festival Filial Piety Dharma Function – Purification, Liang Huang Repentance Service

16 Aug. (Lunar 16/7) Fri 9:00 am Ullambana Festival Filial Piety Dharma Function – Ksitigarbha Sutra (Vol. I & II)

17 Aug. (Lunar 17/7) Sat

9:00 am Ullambana Festival Filial Piety Dharma Function – Ksitigarbha Sutra (Vol. III)

11:10am-13:00pm Sangha Offering and Alms Offering

2:00pm BLIAQ Directors, Supervisors & Elder Advisors Committee Meeting

18 Aug. (Lunar 18/7) Sun

10:00am Blessing Altar – General Merit Transference

1:00pm General Merit Transference for Ullambana Festival Filial Piety Dharma Function & Sangha Offering– Thrice Yearning Chanting Service

22 Aug. (Lunar 22/7) Thur 10:30 am Birthday of Ven. Master Hsing Yun (Longevity Service and Grand Offering) Fo Guang Shan Sangha Offering Dharma Service

24 Aug. Sat. 10:30 am Buddhist Chanting Service (Amitabha Sutra) 29 Aug. (Lunar 29 /7) Thur 9:00 am-12:00pm Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva’s Birthday Celebration

(Ksitigarbha Sutra and Grand Offering) 30 Aug. (Lunar 1/8) Fri 11:00am Bright Light Dharma Service (Grand Offering)

31 Aug. (Lunar 2/8) Sat 10:30am-12:00pm Buddhist Chanting Service with Merit Transfer to the

Deceased (Grand Offering) 24 Aug.-26 Aug. Sat 1:30pm-3:30pm Chinese and Cantonese Buddhist Class（Term 3）

25 Aug.-29 Aug. Sun 9:00am-12noon Meditation and Buddhism Class (Term 3, total 6 weeks)

10:00am-11:00am English Children/Teenagers Buddhist Class (Total 6 weeks)

Every week Sat

9:00am-12:00noon Chung Tian School Children/Teenagers Chinese Class

1:30pm-4:30pm Chung Tian School Children/Teenagers Chinese Class (South Bank) Chung Tian School Adult Chinese Class

Every week Sun 9:00am-12:00pm

Chung Tian School Children/Teenagers Chinese Class (Gold Coast Fo Guang Yuan) Chung Tian School Children/Teenagers Chinese Class

1:30pm-3:00pm Buddha’s Light Scout Group Activities

Every week Wed 9:30am-11:00am

Chung Tian Tai Chi Class Sat 9:00am-10:30am Sun 8:30am-10:00am

Every week Wed 9:30am-12:00pm English Basic Class Thur 9:30am-12:00pm English Progressive Class Fri 9:30am-12:00pm English Intermediate Class

1st and 2nd week Thur 10:30am-12:00pm Buddhist Chanting Service (Gold Coast Fo Guang Yuan) 4th and 5th week Thur 10:30am-12:00pm Group Study, Sutra Copying (Gold Coast Fo Guang Yuan) Every week Sun 1:00am-3:00pm Chung Tian Choir Rehersal Every week Sun 9:00am-9:40am English Chanting Service

FO GUANG SHAN CHUNG TIAN TEMPLE ACTIVITIES FOR AUGUST 2019


13

Basic Buddhist & Meditation Class Level: Level 1 Day: Sunday Date: 25 Aug 2019 – 29 Sept 2019 Time: 9:00am-10:00am (Meditation) 10:10am-11:00am (Buddhist talk) Cost: $30 per term - Booking required Advanced Buddhist Study & Meditation Class Level: Level 4 (Free for BLIAQ members) Day: Sunday Date 25 Aug 2019 – 29 Sept 2019 Time: 10:00am-11:00am (Meditation) 11:10am-12:00am (Buddhist talk) Cost: $30 per term – booking is required

Intermediate Buddhist & Meditation Class Level: Level 2 Day: Sunday Date: 25 Aug 2019 – 29 Sept 2019 Time: 10:00am-11:00am (Buddhist talk) 11:10am-12:00am (Meditation) Cost: $30 per term - Booking required Bodhi Class For Children Ages: 4 - 12 years Sunday: 10.00am - 11.00am Date: 25 Aug 2019 – 29 Sept 2019 Cost: $30 per term Every 2nd & 4th child from the same family will be free. Ì Children are taught Buddhist morals and ethics in a nurturing environment. Lessons are backed by fun activities which include: simple meditation, children’s tai chi, Buddhist stories and virtues, craft activities and team-building games.

Buddhist Book Study & Meditation Class Level: Level 3 Day: Sunday Date 25 Aug 2019 – 29 Sept 2019 Time: 10:00am-11:00am (Meditation) 11:10am-12:00am (Buddhist talk) Cost: $30 per term - Booking required

Ì To book for the Buddhist classes, an application form must be completed and returned to the Chung Tian Temple’s reception together with full payment at least a week prior to the course commence date. Ì For all enquiries please contact 3841 3511 on Tuesday to Sunday, or email: [email protected] or see www.chungtian.org.au

Thank you

Teenager’s Buddhist Class Ages: 13 - 19 years Sunday: 10.00am - 11.00am Date: 25 Aug 2019 – 29 Sept 2019 Cost: $30 per term Every 2nd & 4th child from the same family will be free. Ì The intermediate Dharma class builds on and expands the basic foundations of Buddhist learning, aiming for a practical approach and solutions to challenges issues faced by young people today.

Tai Chi Class Day: Every Wednesday Time: 9.30am – 11.00am Where: Chung Tian Temple Cost: Free donation Tai Chi Class Day: Every Saturday Time: 9.00am – 10.30am Where: Chung Tian Temple Cost: Free donation Tai Chi Class Day: Every Sunday Time: 8.30am – 10.00am Where: Chung Tian Temple Cost: Free donation

Please send items and suggestions for inclusion in the newsletter to: [email protected] with the word “Newsletter” in the subject. If referring to another person by name (or photograph) in your submission, please ensure you have their permission to do so. A special thank you to Kim for photographs and her reflection on Gary’s Intensive Course lecture, as well as thanks to Peter Wu and 惜寬 for additional photographs in this edition. Thanks must also go to Meng and Elaine for their contribution to the Feature Article, and to John Cartwright for his assistance with the Beautiful Temple segment.

2019 Term 3 - Meditation, Buddhist & Tai Chi Classes held at Chung Tian Temple

Documents

BLIAQ Newsletter 137 August - chungtian.org.au · love, the worse the hate. When spouses and lovers have a falling out and sometimes become each other's worst enemies, it seems better