Winter Retreat 2011

Winter Retreat

MABA 299 Heger Lane, Augusta, MO 63332

January 3rd through March 26th , 2011 Tel: 636-4824037 Fax: 636-4824078

Monastics at MABA will observe the traditional 3-month Rains Retreat, which has existed since the time of the Buddha. This will be an opportunity for studying and deepening our practice, as well as applying the teachings in daily activities.

What does this mean to friends, supporters and practitioners of MABA?

In essence, the Monastics of MABA will be on a 3-month retreat from January to March alternating weeks of study with weeks of practice. Unless you are able to register to attend for a full week, the Monastery will be open to the public only on Sundays and closed to the public Monday through Saturday. Everyone is welcome, as always, for the regular Sunday schedule, which we hope all our supporters, practitioners, and friends will continue to attend.

Retreat Schedule

Study Weeks:

The weekly schedule alternates 2 Practice Weeks and a Study Week.

(Monday to Saturday)

1/3 – 1/8. 1/24 – 1/29,

2/14 – 2/19, 3/7– 3/12

Practice Weeks:

(Monday to Saturday)

1/10 – 1/15, 1/16 – 1/22, 1/31 – 2/5, 2/7 – 2/12, 2/21 –

2/26, 2/28 – 3/5, 3/14 – 3/19, 3/21 – 3/26

5:00am Wake Up 5:00am Wake Up

5:20 Exercise 5:20 Exercise

5:40 Sitting Meditation 5:40 Sitting Meditation

6:35 Morning Service 6:35 Morning Service

7:30 Breakfast 7:30 Breakfast

8:00 Cleanup/Work at the Monk House 8:00 Cleanup/Work at the Monk House

9:00 Studies/ Work at the Monk House 9:00 Sitting Meditation/ Work at the Monk House

10:00 Studies/Reading 10:00 Sitting/Walking Meditation

12:00 noon Lunch/Clean Up/Personal Time 12:00 noon Lunch/Clean Up/Personal Time

2:00pm Studies/Readings 2:00 Walking/Sitting Meditation

4:00 Working Meditation/Evening Exercise 4:00 Working Meditation/Evening Exercise

5:00 Light Snack/Personal Time 5:00 Light Snack/Personal Time

6:00 Studies/Readings

6:00

Walking/7:00 Walking/Sitting Meditation Sitting Meditation

7:45 Evening Service 7:45 Evening Service

8:00 Personal Study 8:00 Personal Study

10:00 Rest 10:00 Rest

(Practice replaces study during the practice weeks)

Date of Arrival and Departure

Sunday is our only arrival/departure day for each weekly session. We recommended a minimum stay of one week, and some practice experience is recommended also. If you cannot stay for one week, you can participate in our regular Sunday Service.

Severe/Snowy Weather: Please note that in the event of a severe snowstorm, the Sunday Service will be cancelled, due to possible dangerous driving conditions.

If you wish to stay longer than two weeks, please write a letter to us to express your motivation and previous experience beforehand. The community will make a decision only after your first two weeks stay at MABA, based on your capacity to live in harmony with the community and your commitment to the practice. Thank you for your understanding.

Accommodation, Food and Cost

The lodging at MABA is simple with only dormitory rooms. You are provided with a mattress. The dormitories are heated in the winter. All meals are vegetarian. Unfortunately, we are limited in our capacity to accommodate people who have special dietary or medical needs.

Cost is by donation. (Please note that our monastery & activities are funded by Donations only, so please be as generous as you can.)

What to Bring

Towels and toiletries (toothbrush, hand lotion, deodorant, etc.), bed sheets, warm sleeping bag, pillow and personal items: alarm clock, flashlight, warm clothing, umbrella and footwear for cold and rainy/snowy weather in the winter, and slip-on shoes that can be easily removed for entering meditation halls. Trips into town discouraged, so please bring any items that you know that you will need.

Registration

You can register by mail by filling in the registration form on our website and sending it to us with your contribution.

2010 New Year's Eve Dharma Blessing Ceremony

New Year’s Eve

Dharma Blessing Assembly

At MABA

Friday, December 31, 2010

The Venerable Sangha invites you to welcome in the New Year by attending a New Year’s

Eve Dharma Blessing Assembly. This event will begin at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, December 31,

2010 and end at midnight. This is a special night where we are going to take a step towards

the beginning of the New Year 2011, come and join us!

7:00pm Arrival & snack

8:00 Sitting and Walking Meditation

9:00 Sharing & Tea with the Monastics

10:10 Prepare coats and shoes

10:20 Dharma Talk by Master Jiru

11:00 Loving Kindness Meditation/Reciting Buddha’s Name

11:30 Offering of Regrets & Intentions, Light

Candles, walking around the Standing Buddha.

Ring the bell at 12:00 midnight for the blessing and peace to all sentient beings.

All are welcome!

A Very Happy, Healthy, and Peaceful New Year

美中佛教會

元旦祈福法會

本會僧眾邀請您合家親友共同來迎接2011年的來臨。本會將予12月31

日2010年（星期五）晚上7﹕00開始至午夜舉辦一項元旦祈福法會。這

是一個很特別之夜，請您來參加我們邁向新的一年的開始。

7:00pm 抵達及茶點

8:00pm 靜坐及經行

9:00pm 與師父們吃茶及分享心得

10:10pm 準備外套和鞋子

10:20pm 繼如師父開示

11:00pm “慈悲觀”/念誦佛號

11:30pm 發願悔過與未來期望

點燈、繞佛、扣鐘為一切眾生祈福和平

歡迎您來！

新年平安健康快樂

Dizang Bodhisattva Dharma Assembly - Spet 5, 2010

Dizang Bodhisattva Dharma Assembly 

We will be having the Dizang Bodhisattva Dharma Assembly in the Dizang Hall (Mausoleum) on September 5th (Sunday) starting at 10:00am, and ends at 3:00pm. There will be chanting of the “The Scripture Concerning Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva’s Fundamental Vows” by the monastics. The blessing candles and the candles for the departed will be lit during the service. With merits received from this service, we wish peace, happiness for all beings. 

The Scripture Concerning Ksitigarbha Bodhisttva’s Fundamental Vowsis a lecture given in the Mahayana Sutra. The scripture describes Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva’s efforts, before he became a Bodhisattva; to rescue his mother and all sentient beings from suffering. He had vowed: “I wish to be rid of all my future aeons (equivalent to 16,800,000 years of human years) and make it easier for all sentient beings who are suffering to cease their suffering,” and “to guide all sentient beings so that they may attain perfect wisdom (enlightenment).” The purpose of this scripture is to teach all sentient beings to understand cause and effect and the truth of the universe, to induce wisdom, and to exalt filial piety. One can say that in Buddhism this scripture is about filial piety. 

For those who have their relatives or friends’ ashes or permanent tablet placed at Dizang Hall, this is a great opportunity for you to commemorate them, to transfer and share your merits with all beings. We welcome you and your family, relatives and friends to participate in this Dharma Assembly. Vegetarian lunch will be served. Cost: By Donation 

Mid-America Buddhist Association 

7/27/2010 

--- 

2010 Dizang Dharma Assembly Blessing Candles Registration Form 

1. Blessing Candles: Candle will be lit from 9/1/2010 to 9/5/2010. Total of 5 days, each candle lit is limited to two names, $30 per candle lit. 

Name of Blessing Candle Lit (1) Name of Blessing Candle Lit (2) 

Blessing Candle 1 _______________________ , ___________________________ 

Blessing Candle 2_______________________ , ___________________________ 

2. Candles for the Departed: Candle will be lit from 9/1/2010 to 9/5/2010. Total of 5 days, each candle lit is limited to two names, $30 per candle lit. 

Name of Blessing Candle Lit (1) Name of Blessing Candle Lit (2) 

Deceased Candle 1 _______________________ , ___________________________ 

Deceased Candle 2 _______________________ , ___________________________ 

Please make check payable to MABA. Please fill in the form and send together with the check to MABA, 299 Heger Lane, Augusta, MO 63332 on or before 9/2/2010 for our preparation purpose. 

(Cash) (Check) # 

Applicant Name: _________________________Tel: (_____)________________Total Amount: $________________. 

Received By: ___________________________Receipt # :_____________________Date: ________/________/2010 

美中佛教會

九月五日二○一○年地藏法會通知

本會謹訂於九月五日（星期日），於地藏殿舉行地藏法會。於早晨

十點整開始至下午三點結束

，全體僧眾虔誦《地藏菩薩本願經》。法會期間，特供祈福平安燈

，拔薦超度亡魂燈，籍此法會功德因緣，祈祝世間和平，回向法界

一切眾生，冥陽兩界均獲利益。

《地藏菩薩本願經》又稱為《孝經》，因為地藏菩薩在沒有修成正

果之前，曾經有一世做人子女，叫光目，為了救度她罪孽深重已墮

落到地獄的母親，發了大願，即使已經成佛了，仍然以菩薩身份度

脫幽冥界的眾生，所以，諸菩薩中地藏菩薩願力最大，他具有“地

獄不空，誓不成佛”的廣大深宏誓願度脫幽冥界眾生脫離苦海。我

們以誦持《地藏經》的功德，藉助地藏菩薩的慈悲願力，祈願法界

有情解脫煩惱，共同圓滿智慧。

如有親朋靈骨或永久蓮位安放於本會地藏殿者，這正是給您盡孝道

祭奠、心靈得以安慰及修功德與眾生結法緣的大好時機，歡迎您全

家和親朋同來參與，本會准備午齋與大家共享。

美中佛教會 謹啟

---

2010 年地藏法會點燈登記表

一、 祈福消災平安燈：點燈日期從九月一日至九月五日【農曆七月二十三日至七月二十七

日】共計五日，每盞燈以登記兩名為限，每盞燈$30。

點燈者姓名（一） 點燈者姓名（二）

平安燈 1__________________________ ，_____________________________

平安燈 2__________________________ ，_____________________________

二、為往生者點燈：點燈日期從九月一日至九月五日【農曆七月二十三日至七月二十七

日】共計五日，每盞燈以登記兩名為限，每盞燈$30。

往生者姓名（一） 往生者姓名（二）

往生燈 1__________________________ ，_____________________________

往生燈 2__________________________ ，_____________________________

支票擡頭請寫 MABA。請於九月二日前墳妥本表，連同支票一起寄回MABA, 299 Heger

Lane, Augusta, MO 63332以便作業。謝謝您。

(

現金

) (

支票

) #

填表人：_________________ 電話：(_____) ______________ 總金額：$___________。

收款經手人：_________________收據號碼﹕____________收款日期：____/____/ 2010

Overcoming Ignorance

Ignorance, the Buddha said, is the ultimate cause of stress and suffering. By “ignorance” he meant not a general ignorance of the way things are—what we usually call delusion, or moha—but something more specific: ignorance of the four noble truths. And the Pali word he chose for ignorance—avijja—is the opposite of vijja, which means not only “knowledge” but also “skill,” as in the skills of a doctor or animal-trainer. So in stating that people suffer from not knowing the four noble truths, he wasn’t just saying that they lack information or direct knowledge of those truths. He was also saying that they lack skill in handling them. They suffer because they don’t know what they’re doing. The four truths are (1) stress—which covers everything from the slightest tension to out-and-out agony; (2) the cause of stress; (3) the cessation of stress; and (4) the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress. When the Buddha first taught these truths, he also taught that his full Awakening came from knowing them on three levels: identifying them, knowing the skill appropriate to each, and knowing finally that he had fully mastered the skills.

The Buddha identified these truths in precise, fairly technical terms. When identifying stress he started with examples like birth, aging, illness, death, sorrow, distress, and despair. Then he summarized all varieties of stress under five categories, which he called five clinging-aggregates: clinging to physical form; to feelings of pleasure, pain, and neither pleasure nor pain; to perceptions or mental labels; to thought-constructs; and to sensory consciousness. The cause of stress he identified as three kinds of craving: craving for sensuality, craving to take on an identity in a world of experience, and craving for one’s identity and world of experience to be destroyed. The cessation of stress he identified as renunciation of and release from those three kinds of craving. And the path to the cessation of stress he identified as right concentration together with its supporting factors in the noble eightfold path: right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, and right mindfulness.

These four truths are not simply facts about stress. They are categories for framing your experience so that you can diagnose and cure the problem of stress. Instead of looking at experience in terms of self or other, for instance, or in terms of what you like and dislike, you look at it in terms of where there’s stress, what’s causing it, and how to put an end to the cause. Once you can divide the territory of experience in this way, you realize that each of these categories is an activity. The word “stress” may be a noun, but the experience of stress is shaped by your intentions. It’s something you do. The same holds true with the other truths, too. Seeing this, you can work on perfecting the skill appropriate for each activity. The skill with regard to stress is to comprehend it to the point where you have no more passion, aversion, or delusion toward doing it. To perfect this skill, you also have to abandon the cause of stress, to realize its cessation, and to develop the path to its cessation.

Each of these skills assists the others. For example, when states of concentration arise in the mind, you don’t just watch them arise and pass away. Concentration is part of the path, so the appropriate skill is to try to develop it: to understand what will make it grow steadier, subtler, more solid. In doing this, you develop the other factors of the path as well, until the doing of your concentration is more like simply being: being a luminous awareness, being present, being nothing, being one with emptiness.

From that perspective, you begin to comprehend levels of stress you never noticed before. As you abandon the cravings causing the grosser levels, you become sensitive to subtler ones, so you can abandon them, too. In doing this, your ignorance gets peeled away, layer by layer. You see more and more clearly why you’ve suffered from stress: You didn’t grasp the connection between the cravings you enjoyed and the stress that burdened you, and didn’t detect the stress in the activities you enjoyed. Ultimately, when you’ve abandoned the causes for other forms of stress, you begin to see that the being of your concentration contains many subtler layers of doing as well—more layers of stress. That’s when you can abandon any craving for these activities, and full Awakening occurs.

The path to this Awakening is necessarily gradual, both because the sensitivity it requires takes time to develop, and because it involves developing skills that you abandon only when they’ve done their job. If you abandoned craving for concentration before developing it, you’d never get the mind into a position where it could genuinely and fully let go of the subtlest forms of doing. But as your skills converge, the Awakening they foster is sudden. The Buddha’s image is of the continental shelf off the coast of India: a gradual slope, followed by a sudden drop-off. After the drop-off, no trace of mental stress remains. That’s when you know you’ve mastered your skills. And that’s when you really know the four noble truths.

Craving, for instance, is something you experience every day, but until you totally abandon it, you don’t really know it. You can experience stress for years on end, but you don’t really know stress until you’ve comprehended it to the point where passion, aversion, and delusion are gone. And even though all four skills, as you’re developing them, bring a greater sense of awareness and ease, you don’t really know why they’re so important until you’ve tasted where their full mastery can lead.

For even full knowledge of the four noble truths is not an end in and of itself. It’s a means to something much greater: Nirvana is found at the end of stress, but it’s much more than that. It’s total liberation from all constraints of time or place, existence or non-existence—beyond all activity, even the activity of the cessation of stress. As the Buddha once said, the knowledge he gained in Awakening was like all the leaves in the forest; the knowledge he imparted about the four noble truths was like a handful of leaves. He restricted himself to teaching the handful because that’s all he needed to lead his students to their own knowledge of the whole forest. If he were to discuss other aspects of his Awakening, it would have served no purpose and actually gotten in the way.

So even though full knowledge of the four noble truths—to use another analogy—is just the raft across the river, you need to focus full attention on the raft while you’re making your way across. Not only does this knowledge get you to full Awakening, but it also helps you judge any realizations along the way. It does this in two ways. First, it provides a standard for judging those realizations: Is there any stress remaining in the mind? At all? If there is, then they’re not genuine Awakening. Second, the skills you’ve developed have sensitized you to all the doings in “simply being,” which ensures that the subtlest levels of ignorance and stress won’t escape your gaze. Without this sensitivity, you could easily mistake an infinitely luminous state of concentration for something more. The luminosity would blind you. But when you really know what you’re doing, you’ll recognize freedom from doing when you finally encounter it. And when you know that freedom, you’ll know something further: that the greatest gift you can give to others is to teach them the skills to encounter it for themselves.

                         —Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Samsara, Its Real Estate, Characters and Key Players

The Buddhist Cosmology

The Buddha never taught a cosmology. Nor was it the intent of those who developed this view in the centuries after the Buddha’s death that it to be taken literally. The intention was to provide a metaphoric framework in which to better understand our lives and our practices. Being we frequently encounter cosmological terms and references in reading about Buddhism, I thought a basic run-through of the cosmology might be helpful.

The Real Estate

Samsara is divided into three main realms: heaven, earth and hell. Both heaven and hell have a number of levels. Organizationally, in Buddhist cosmology our world extends three-dimensionally around Mount Sumeru, which sits at the center. On the upper slopes you find devas, the gods. The asuras, the titans, live on the lower slopes.  Humans and animals (nanusyas and tiryaks) live on the plains around the mountain. Pretas, the hungry ghosts, live on or just below the surface. And hell, where the narakas live, is deep under the earth.  All this is surrounded by a great ocean. All this is in samsara.

Characters and Key Players

Inhabiting these realms are creatures in six different states of existence–us in our various guises. These creatures represent us in the conditioned states of our samsaric existence. Beings in the first three states are there because of their accumulation of good acts. Beings in one of the last three states are there because of their accumulation of bad bad. Unlike theistic systems, where the goal is to get to heaven, in Buddhist practice the goal is not to get “higher,” not to become an asura or a deva, but rather to leave samsara completely.

Because in the Buddhist perspective, the causes of suffering can be used to gain release from samsara, understanding ourselves in the context of these metaphoric beings allows us to direct our spiritual practice to shift away from unwholesome behaviors and to develop wholesome states of being. Fortunately, in Buddhist thought everything, even our states of being, are impermanent, so while we may act stupidly and with stubborn determination in one situation, noticing our animal-like behavior, we can direct our practice so that we meet the next situation with a mindful, wisdom-informed, human response to conditions.

Character Analysis

1.  Devas or gods—These are Hollywood-types. Rich, powerful, glamorous. Sybarites. Often out of touch.  Unable to see the temporariness of their situation.

2.  Asuras or titans (jealous gods)—Competitive, aggressive, ambitious, power-hungry. Driven, A-types. Typified by sport figures and business tycoons.  Preoccupied with being the best, with mastering the situation, which lead to anxiety and a fear of failure .

3.  Manusyas or humans—Discriminating nature. Always picking and choosing. Future centered. Unable to see clearly. Consumers.

4.  Tiryaks or animals—Reactive, instinctual, stupid, stubborn. Can be explosive or hot-tempered. Sometimes sociopathic, criminal, or even psychopathic.

5.  Pretas or hungry ghosts—Addictive personalities. Never fulfilled or satisfied, always wanting, always craving. Pictured as starving and thirsty with large bellies and tiny mouths.

6.  Narakas or demons (hell beings)—Deeply tortured beings. Dominated by anxiety, hopelessness, a sense of being trapped.  Despairing and desperate. No ability to see their own responsibility for their hell-state.

Leading Actors

Some of the leading actors in the Buddhist mythological-cosmoslogical drama include:

Brahma -- The supreme deva, who convinced Buddha to teach.

Indra -- A major deva, originally the Hindu sky god.

Prajna – The goddess of knowledge. Buddha’s mother is considered to have been reborn as Prajna. 


Mara -- A deva associated with hindrances to enlightenment; a temptress. She tempted Buddha when he sat under the Bodhi tree.

Yama -- The king of the hell realms. 


Nagas -- Great serpents or water dragons. The king of the Nagas protected Buddha from a storm.

Gandharvas -- Angelic beings who provide the gods with music.

May 22nd - One-Day Retreat

One-Day Retreat:  

“Putting into Practice the

Three Refuges and the Five Precepts in Our Daily Lives”

At MABA

Mid-America Buddhist Association

Augusta, MO

www.maba-usa.org 

Saturday, May 22, 8:30 am to 5:00 pm

You are welcome to come at 6:00 a.m. and join the Monastics for the

morning meditation and chanting

This one-day Retreat is designed to allow beginners to gain experience in what it means to Take Refuge and to practice the Five Precepts.

The Retreat is also set up to provide an opportunity for more experienced people to practice meditation for longer periods in order to penetrate more deeply into their practice.

***This is a Noble Silence Retreat (except for discussion times)***

Retreat Schedule:                 

8:15 am—Arrival                                    

8:30 am – Introductory Dharma Talk

9:00 am – Sitting Meditation         

9:30 am – Walking Meditation         

9:45 am Sitting Meditation (option 1); Discussion in library (option 2)  

10:15 am – Break

10:25 am – Dharma Talk

         “Applying Refuge to Daily Life”

11:15 am – Sitting Meditation

11:45 am  –Vegetarian Lunch Clean up                           

1:00 pm--  Dharma Talk

  “Applying Precepts to Our Relationships”

1:45 pm –  Sitting Meditation

2:15 pm –  Walking Meditation                 

2:30 pm –  Sitting Meditation (option 1)

                 Discussion in library (option 2)

3:00 pm –  Break

3:10 pm  –  Small Group Discussions

3:30 pm  –  Short Dharma Talk

    “Practicing the Way of Awareness”

4:00 pm –  Sitting Meditation

4:30 pm -  Dedication of Merit

4:35 pm-   Meditation Hall clean up

Pre-registration is required as space is limited. 

Contact: donshushu@yahoo.com or 314-576-4900

All retreats are free and open to the public.

Donations are accepted

What We Believe

Most people believe we are here and then we leave.
Buddhist believe we are not here and then we leave.

Vesak Day 2010

For St. Louis-area Buddhists and other spiritual seekers the Sunday closest to the first full moon in May is set aside each year as Vesak Day, a day to celebrate the birth, enlightenment, and death of the Buddha.

Sponsored by the Buddhist Council of Greater St. Louis, this year’s Vesak Day celebration will be held on Sunday, May 16th, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., amid the rolling hills and panoramic vistas of the Mid-America Buddhist Association (MABA) monastery in Augusta, Missouri.  The event is free and open to the public.

On this year’s day-long slate of activities (see schedule below), are Dharma talks, entertainment, a full children's program, a special guest speaker (Rev Shohaku Okumura, Founding Teacher of Sanshin Zen Comunity in Bloomington, Indiana), as well as various ethnic foods from the St. Louis Buddhist community.

Schedule of Events

9:30 AM - Arrival and parking

10:00 - 10:15 AM - Opening Ceremony, led by the Monastics

10:15 - 10:45 AM - Bathing Buddha Rite, led by the Monastics

10:45 – 11:45 AM - Dharma Talk and Guided Meditation by Dr. Rosan Yoshida, Missouri Zen Center 

(Children’s program: Origami, Storytelling, making Korean Lotus lantern and PrayerBeads, etc.)

11:45 – 1:00 PM - Vegetarian Lunch & Entertainment, Music by John Goldstein et al

1:00 – 1:30 PM - Walking Meditation to the Guan Yin Pavilion

1:30 – 3:30 PM “Unity & Diversity in Buddhism” Rev. Okumura, with Q & A

3:30  PM  - Dedication of Merit  & Closing Ceremony

Directions:  From St. Louis, take Hwy 40 (I-64) approx. 1 mile past the Missouri River bridge to Hwy 94.  Take Hwy 94 west approx 25 miles to Schindler Road on the outskirts Augusta.  Look for the MABA road signs.  

           

For more information contact: email or call Don Sloane 314-576-4900

San Francisco Pilgrimage–Tour Details

San Francisco Buddhist Pilgrimage

September 30, 2010 – October 4, 2010

The Monastics at MABA (www.maba-usa.org) will be leading us on a great adventure to visit many of the Buddhist Monasteries and Centers located around the San Francisco Bay Area. We welcome you to join us. Below is the proposed agenda:

·      Thursday, Sept. 30^th: Arrival Day

·      Friday, Oct. 1^st: Morning spent at San Francisco Zen Center, afternoon at Asian Art Museum private tour, evening class with Emily Hs at Tse Chen Ling

·      Saturday, Oct. 2^nd: Morning spent at Green Gulch, afternoon at Spirit Rock, early evening drive to Ukiah CA

·      Sunday, Oct. 3^rd: Morning at City of 10,000 Buddhas, afternoon at Abhayagiri Monastery, early evening drive back to San Francisco

·      Monday, Oct. 4^th: Departure Day

We are planning to stay at one of the hotels near the San Francisco Wharf, either Mariott-Fisherman’s Wharf or the Hilton (depending on rates) on Thursday and Friday, Sept. 30^th and October 1^st, going to the Ukiah CA hotel (TBD) on Saturday, October 2^nd, then back to the Fisherman’s Wharf for Sunday night, October 3^rd. 

Individuals may reserve hotel rooms and flights on their own using a discount travel site (Travelocity, Expedia, etc.) or may inquire about possible group rates.

Cost for the tour itself is $350 (not including flights/hotels) for those booking their own flight/hotel.  The tour cost covers the ground transportation (but not including to and from to airport unless you will be taking our rental van) during the entire stay, lunch at various restaurants, and visiting/tour fees at each center. Hotels will likely include breakfast, so only dinner will be up to each individual.

The total for those interested in arranging a group rate will be determined once intentions are made. Just to give an estimate based on current flights (from St. Louis) and hotel rates, the total for the trip (including the tour cost) would be around $1108 per person for double occupancy and $1608 per person for single occupancy with flight from St Louis to SF.  The cost per family would also be less per person.  If you are traveling from another city, we will have some travel agency help available so that you can also take advantage of the hotel group rates.   

Important Deadlines:

June 15^th: Deadline to R.S.V.P. for the trip. Space is limited. When reserving your spot also state whether you are booking your own flight/hotel, or if you wish to “go in” with the group. (Total price for this option will be known shortly after this deadline.)

June 30^th: Deadline for payment for group rate, $350 if booking own flight/hotel, group rate total TBD

Please contact us at tour@maba-usa.org.no later than May 15^th if planning to attend.

I am expressing interest in the San Francisco Buddhist Pilgrimage.  My name is:

Name____________________________________  Date _______________________

Email ____________________________________ Phone ______________________

Departure City _________________________ self-booking: ____  group booking ____

Spring Beginner's Retreat April 17th

Spring Retreat at MABA

Saturday, April 17, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm

Mid-America Buddhist Association Monastery

via Hwy. 94 and Schindler Rd. – a secluded and tranquil setting in Augusta, MO

www.maba-usa.org for directions and information

Mindfulness and the

Three Divisions of the Eightfold Path

Last year our Beginner’s Retreats focused on Mindfulness and the Four Noble Truths.  This year we will be looking more deeply into the fourth truth, the Eightfold Path for the cessation of suffering.  There are three divisions of this Path:  Sila (non-harmfulness), Samadhi (concentration), and Panna (wisdom).

This retreat is especially designed for beginners but is also open to more experienced meditators.  We all benefit from renewing our practice, and, as Suzuki Roshi said, Zen is cultivating our “Beginner’s Mind.”

This one day mini-retreat will allow us to investigate the connection between mindfulness sitting practice and the Eightfold Path, the foundation of Buddhist practice.  Each Dharma talk will also include a time for questions and answers and some discussion.  There will also be short breaks between the sessions.   Periods of Noble Silence will be observed.   

Schedule:

8:15  Arrival

8:30  Dharma talk on Mindfulness and the Three Divisions of the Eightfold Path

Overview of the Four Noble Truths, Eightfold Path, and the Three Divisions

9:10  Instructions for Beginning Meditation Practice

    9:30    Sitting Meditation

    10:00  Walking Meditation

10:20  Dharma talk on Mindfulness and the Three Divisions of the Eightfold Path

           The First Division—Sila: Right Speech, Action, and Livelihood Xiankuan Don

    10:55  Sitting Meditation

    11:25  Walking Meditation

***********11:45 am to 1:15 pm  Vegetarian Lunch and clean-up***********

1:20  Dharma talk on and the Three Divisions of the Eightfold Path

         The Second Division—Samadhi: Right Effort, Mindfulness, and Concentration

            Xianzhi Katty

    2:00  Sitting Meditation

    2:30  Walking Meditation

2:50  Dharma talk on Mindfulness and the Three Divisions of the Eightfold Path

         The Third Division – Panna: Wisdom:  Right View and Right Intention

Master Jiru

    3:30  Sitting Meditation – first half focus on the gong

4:00    Dedication of Merit and Closing

4:05-4:30  Clean up of Meditation Hall

Pre-Registration is required.  Please contact Xiankuan Don atdonshushu@yahoo.com to pre-register.  There are no overnight provisions for this Retreat.

As always, teachings are free and open to the public.  Donations to MABA are welcome

On Breathing

It's like the negative space in a painting. except that it's in motion.

I notice the leaves rustling, but not the breeze itself.

I'm not sure there is any breath.

only breathing.


               ––from a student in Chicago

Concentrate!

The meditation experiment worked. This morning I gave an extra concentrated effort on the breath and was fine - 5 minutes flew by. As soon as I allowed internal "chatter" to enter the picture, the back immediately began to feel discomfort. So in my case "concentrate on the breath" means "CONCENTRATE ... on the breath!"

                                     ––Anonymous Student, Chicago Mind & Body Center

Kankakee afternoon class - reading on the Eightfold Path

For those wishing to explore the eighfold path at home in preparation for the afternoon class (dare we call it homework?), Bhikkhu Bodhi's thorough analysis is recommended. There is an online version as well as a print version.

Appropriate Behaviors

Criteria for Determining Appropriate Behavior



Use these criteria, in sequence, for making decisions:

1. Do no harm, then if possible
2. Be of benefit
3. If you can’t be of benefit, so nothing
4. Be morally upright: No killing, no stealing, no lying, no misuse of sexuality, no recreational drugs
5. Meditate
6. Develop wisdom

Always Use Right Speech

Only speak when it will improve the silence

1. Only speak when conditions suggest you should speak
2. Only speak when you have something to say that will be of benefit
3. Always speak in ways that can be heard
4. Only say it once
5. Never go on the battlefield; being of benefit isn’t about winning

Wrong speech:
Harsh or angry words
Falsehoods
Gossip and small talk
Sarcasm
Belittling others to raise your own status

Three Poisons and Their Antidotes

Poison: Greed, Antidote: Generosity
Poison: Anger, Antidote: Patience
Poison: Delusion, Antidote: Wisdom

Default Mind-States (Who We Really Are)

Generosity
Compassion and Lovingkindness
Patience
Humility and Modesty
Moral Restraint
Equanimity
Right Speech
Truthfulness
Dependability
Regret and Distaste

List of Defilements

These are some of the negative mindstates we need to use Right Effort to abandon and then replace them with one of the wholesome mindstates (see the Appropriate Behaviors posting)

abusiveness
aggression
ambition
anger
arrogance
avarice
baseness
blasphemy
calculation
callousness
capriciousness
censoriousness
conceitedness
contempt
cruelty
cursing
debasement
deceit
deception
delusion
derision
desire for fame
dipsomania
discord
disrespect
disrespectfulness
dissatisfaction
dogmatism
dominance
eagerness for power
effrontery
egoism
enviousness
envy
excessiveness
faithlessness
falseness
fear
furtiveness
gambling
garrulity
gluttony
greed
grudge
hard-heartedness
hatred
haughtiness
high-handedness
hostility
humiliation
hurt
hypocrisy
ignorance
imperiousness
imposture
impudence
inattentiveness
indifference
ingratitude
insatiability
insidiousness
intolerance
intransigence
irresponsibility
jealousy
know-it-all
lack of comprehension
lecherousness
lying
malignancy
manipulation
masochism
mercilessness
negativity
obsession
obstinacy
oppression
ostentatiousness
pessimism
prejudice
presumption
pretence
pride
prodigality
quarrelsomeness
rage
rapacity
ridicule
sadism
sarcasm
seducement
self-denial
self-hatred
sexual lust
shamelessness
stinginess
stubbornness
temper
torment
tyranny
unkindness
unruliness
unyielding
vanity
vindictiveness
violence
voluptuousness
wrath

Metta Chant

May I be free from anger and hatred.
May I be free from greed and selfishness.
May I be free from fears and anxiety.
May I be free from all pain and suffering.
May I be free from ignorance and delusion.
May I be free from all negative states of mind.
May I be happy and peaceful.
May I be liberated from bondages.
May I experience peace and tranquility within.

May those whom I love, those whom I like, those who have angered or done harm to me be
free from anger and hatred.
May those whom I love, those whom I like, those who have angered or done harm to me be
free from greed and selfishness.
May those whom I love, those whom I like, those who have angered or done harm to me be
free from fears and anxiety.
May those whom I love, those whom I like, those who have angered or done harm to me be
free from all pain and suffering.
May those whom I love, those whom I like, those who have angered or done harm to me be
free from ignorance and delusion.
May those whom I love, those whom I like, those who have angered or done harm to me be
free from all negative states of mind.
May those whom I love, those whom I like, those who have angered or done harm to me be
happy and peaceful.
May those whom I love, those whom I like, those who have angered or done harm to me be
liberated from bondages.
May those whom I love, those whom I like, those who have angered or done harm to me
experience peace and tranquility within.

May all beings be free from anger and hatred.
May all beings be free from greed and selfishness.
May all beings be free from fears and anxiety.
May all beings be free from all pain and suffering.
May all beings be free from ignorance and delusion.
May all beings be free from all negative states of mind.
May all beings be happy and peaceful.
May all beings be liberated from bondages.
May all beings experience peace and tranquility within.

Recommended Reading List - Beginners books are in bold

BIOGRAPHIES
 OF THE BUDDHA

There are so many myths and legends, stories, similes and metaphors linked to the life of the Buddha that it is impossible to produce a purely factual life of Buddha. That may be a challenge for scholars and academicians, but it isn’t for practitioners who see the life of the Buddha as an inspiration and as an opportunity for learning.

Buddha
 by Karen Armstrong


Whatever your level of practice or sectarian preference, this is a worthy overview of the Buddha’s life––a fascinating read by a New York Times bestselling author.
The Buddha and His Teachings
 by Bhikkhu Narada

For the serious practitioner, a picture of the life of the Buddha and his essential teachings based on the Pali canon.

The Life of the Buddha
 by Bhikkhu Nanamoli

English scholar-monk Bhikkhu Nanamoli presents Lord Buddha with joy and reverence by piecing together excerpts from the Pali canon. A powerful literary devise, telling the story through five different voices, is used to hold the pieces together. This is a teaching biography, an inspired and inspiring work for the advanced student and practitioner.

BOOKS ABOUT BUDDHISM

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Understanding Buddhism by Gary Guch

The best introduction to Buddhism and explanation of the basics of Buddhism. Excellent for novices and beginners and a good refresher for intermediate students as well.

The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Buddhist Wisdom, A Complete Introduction to the Principles and Practices of Buddhism

This is a short, colorful, heavily illustrated, over-sized book that introduces many of the basic concepts of Buddhism. A good first book for the curious.

The Teachings of Xu Yun
 by Venerable Jy Din Sakya

A remembrance of Empty Cloud–the great 20th century Chinese practice monk–by his disciple, Master Jy Din Sakya.The Chan teachings and life of this great monk are an inspiration and an example for us to follow.

The Eightfold Noble Path by Bhikkhu Bodhi

An in-depth but accessible presentation of the eightfold path by one of the foremost translators of our time.

The First Discourse of the Buddha by Dr. Rewata Dhamma


A clear, thoughtful, straight-to-the-point Theravada 
analysis and presentation of the four noble truths.

The Tree of Enlightenment by Peter Della Santina

This is an excellent overall introduction to Buddhism. Santina’s very popular Fundamentals of Buddhism is included within this book.

How Yoga Works
 by Geshe Michael Roach

A fable, perhaps a parable–a joy to read. Explains not only how yoga works, but how Buddhism works too. If you have any interest in yoga, or yoga and Buddhism, this is a must-read.

Anger: The Seven Deadly Sins 
by Robert A. F. Thurman

An insightful little book with a bright red cover that screams at you to recognize, understand and practice with anger. A dense topic, deftly handled without losing its accessibility to the practice-oriented reader.

The Foundations of Buddhism
 by Rupert Gethin

Explores the early teachings and the way they shaped later Buddhism, covering a broad spectrum of the core beliefs. This is a dense, academic book best suited to the advanced student.
Buddhist Religion, A Historical Introduction
 by Richard Robinson & Willard Johnson
A picture of Buddhism framed historically in terms of ritual, devotionalism, institutions, doctrine and meditation practices. This is a post-graduate university text, not for casual reading.

The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching 
by Thich Nhat Hanh

Thich Nhat Hanh delves into the core teachings of Buddhism with the freshness and subtlety that only a deeply-practiced Buddhist master and teacher can offer.

Zen Mind Beginner’s Mind
 by Suzuki Roshi


The first and perhaps only American Zen classic by one of the fathers of Soto Zen in America.

The Way To Buddhahood by Venerable Yin Shun

This is an overview of the essentials of Chinese Mahayana Buddhist practice, a serious book with a serious intent. Considered essential reading for advanced students in Chinese monastic communities.

SUTRAS AND 
COMMENTARIES

This is a short list of recommended scriptures from the Chinese canon. It is meant as a starting point for those whose practice has led them back to the original words of the Buddha.

In the Buddha’s Words
 by Bhikkhu Bodhi

An anthology of systematically arranged discourses from the Pali Canon with meaningful and insightful introductions to each chapter. This is the easiest way to approach the Pali Canon for the first time.

The Connected Discourses of the Buddha
 translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi

A translation of the Samyutta Nikaya

The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha 
translated by Bhikkhu Nanamoli


A translation of the Majjhima Nikaya

The Long Discourses
 of the Buddha 
translated by 
Maurice Walshe

A translation of the Digha Nikaya.

Faith in Mind: A Guide to Chan Practice
 By Sheng Yen

The Third Patriarch’s enlightenment poem that is often taught and chanted as a sutra.

Describing the Indescribable 
By Hsing Yun

A particularly sensitive translation of the Diamond Sutra with useful commentary for practitioners at all levels of practice.

The Diamond Sutra by Red Pine

A "Chan" translation and commentary on the Diamond Sutra with excerpts of many of the greatest Chinese commentaries translated here for the first time. A very valuable addition to the Diamond literature. This is an intermediate level commentary.

The Lotus Sutra
 translated by Gene Reeves

A clean, clear recent translation of this pivotal sutra that maintains the beauty and meaning of the original words.

The Zen Teachings of Bodhidharma 
translated by Red Pine

These ancient words of Bodhidharma still resonate with the power to guide our practice and lead us to liberation.

The Way of the Bodhisattva 
(revised edition, Shambala Classics)
Written by Shantideva, translated by the Padmakara Translation Committee

A poem-sutra, one of the five root texts in Tibetan Buddhism. Everything you need to know to be a Bodhisattva is here, in this gracious translation.

POETRY

Poetry is often able to express the dharma in ways that are profound and penetrating, almost beyond words. It can open a dharma door for us that speech and prose cannot.

The Collected Songs of Cold Mountain
 by Han Shan, translated by Red Pine.

Poems written on rocks, trees, and temple walls in the Tientai mountains of China twelve hundred years ago. Jack Kerouac dedicated The Dharma Bums to Han Shan in 1958, elevating him to almost mythical status among the beats.

Canoeing Up 
Cabaga Creek: 
Buddhist 
Poems 1955-1986 
by Philip Whalen

The poet laureate of the beat generation has filled these pages with wisdom and humor, in words, pictures, symbols and space.