Today at about 4:15 p.m. our dear friend Buckley left this world behind. This morning he suddenly developed acute symptoms of heart failure, and the very kind vet who came to visit believed that given his age and general weakness there was no way he could recover. Poor Buckley had been suffering uncontrolled diarrhea and vomiting for several hours, was exhausted, dehydrated, and mostly unable to stand. Additionally, the heart problem was affecting his breathing as well. Together with the vet, Jennifer, Sheryl and I determined that this was the “turn” we’d been expecting, and that it represented a fall from which our feline companion would be unable to come back. We thus gave the doctor the go-ahead, and he first administered a sedative so that Buckley went fast asleep. Once that was achieved, another quick injection gently ended the life principle. We all cried as we put his still-warm, frail little body into the carrier for his last journey. He will be cremated and his ashes returned to us for interment in our garden, to be with others who’ve ended their earthly passage here at Issan-ji. We’ll have an event of some sort to say good-bye to our friend before too long, so please stay tuned…
Fishing With A Straight Hook (Rev. Myo Lahey)
Full-Moon Bodhisattva Ceremony: Fri. 6 April, 6:25 p.m.
Please join us for this monthly ceremonial renewal of our Bodhisattva vows, which will take place following a shorter-than-usual period of evening sitting, that nevertheless begins at its usual time of 6 p.m. All are invited to participate in the ceremony, either with full prostrations, standing bows, or simply sitting or standing respectfully, as one’s condition permits.
Early Sitting and Buddha’s Birthday Celebration: Sat., 6 April
Come help us celebrate Buddha’s Birthday! We’ll start sitting at 6 a.m. in order to have a bit more time to practice together, including sharing a simple breakfast. Everyone is welcome, but you must sign up ahead of time in order to participate in the meal, either by email to hszc108@yahoo.com or leaving us a message at (415) 863-2507. We’ll have a Dharma talk as usual at 10:15 a.m., and afterwards a ceremony celebrating the birth of the baby Buddha in which we circumambulate the zendo (meditation hall) while chanting the Heart of Great Perfect Wisdom Sutra. Subsequently we’ll repair to the dining room for the birthday party itself. Everyone is welcome!
Jokes, Humor, and Trust (Rev. Myo Lahey)
Rev. Myo tells of a brief exchange between a monk and Master Linji, in which Linji says that telling jokes leads to a loss of trust. Rev. Myo ponders what Linji might have been getting at, and relates it to the principle of naturalness in practice.
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Fear and the Self (Rev. Myo Lahey)
Rev. Myo talks about different kinds of fear and how the study of the self affects one’s relationship to fear.
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Pure Mind, Impure Mind (Rev. Myo Lahey)
Rev. Myo discusses practicing with anger and the concepts of “pure mind” versus “impure mind”. (The comments after the talk have been removed out of respect for privacy.)
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