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| Rev Shinshu Robert - online Dharma Talk 3/12/24 |
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| Rev. Gendo Field - in-person Dharma Talk 3/16/24 |
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| Rev. Kenzan - in-person Dharma Talks 3/9 & 3/17 |
Enlightenment is like the moon reflected on the water. The
moon does not get wet, nor is the water broken. Although its light is wide and
great, the moon is reflected even in a puddle an inch wide. The whole moon and
the entire sky are reflected in dewdrops on the grass, or even in one drop of
water.
- Genjo Koan: Dogen Zenji
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| Moon reflecting in mud puddles on Cranberry Meadow Road |
For March's Family Program we gathered online, in part thanks to the theme of the month: MUD! We first shared our observations of the natural world, such as the warmer weather, muddy roads, returning robins and Canada geese, and ravens starting to make their nests. We checked out the onion and scallion seedlings sprouting under grow lights, soon to be planted in the Temple vegetable garden.
We used several optical illusions to explore ways to help our minds not get "stuck in the mud" by seeing situations from various perspectives, and then meditated while watching mud settle in a jar. We closed with the ringing of the big bell and a group OM
Example of optical illusion, where our mind can get stuck seeing something only one way.
(turn 90degrees for the frog to turn into a horse)
The Practice Period is designed to provide an opportunity for sangha members to make a individual commitment to intensive practice during these several weeks. We began with an opening ceremony on March 1st. This is our third annual March Practice Period.
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| Rev. Seiso Paul Cooper - the first Dharma Talk 3/2/24 |
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| A special Saturday session on "Zen Forms & Roles" |
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| Rev. Jisho Siebert's - online Genjo Koan Dharma Talk #2 |
Summary of the
2024 Shao Shan Temple Annual Meeting
On Saturday, February 3, the Shao Shan Temple
sangha gathered in the Sangha Hall and online to attend the 2024 Annual
Meeting. Present were Board members Rev. Kenzan, Stella, Noah, Max, and
newly appointed Board member, Susan Stitely. Fifteen other sangha members
attended.
After introductions, Rev. Kenzan presented highlights from the Sangha
Report, Program Report, Buildings & Grounds Report, Cemetery Report,
Organizational Report, and Financial Report which were distributed by email
prior to the meeting and again at the meeting.
Highlights from the Temple Reports
Announcements
Max discussed
Bequests, Charitable Gift Annuities, and Required Minimum Distributions as ways
that sangha members can contribute to the temple's endowment.
Rev. Ejo McMullen
will be coming to visit in May as a representative of the Soto Zen Order. Among
other things, he will assist with a ceremony commemorating the third
anniversary of Taihaku Roshi's death.
Zazenkais
(meditation day retreats) have recently been half-days only because there was
low participation in full-day ones. Rev. Kenzan offered that there could be
full-day Zazenkais if there is sufficient interest.
Rev. Kenzan thanked the Garden Team for all of their efforts
during the past year. Through their work fresh vegetables were grown for Rev.
Kenzan, sangha members, and local food shelves. Noah, who will be heading up
the Garden Team again in 2024, announced that the seeds for this year’s garden
have been ordered and planning is underway to organize volunteers and share
vegetables.
Noah mentioned that the Family Program has room for
additional families to participate. The program is announced in the temple email
(currently published two or three times a week), a special email group for
Family Program participants, and notices placed in local Front Porch Forums. When
the Family Program is conducted online, families affiliated with the temple
from across the country sometimes participate. Interested parents may contact
the temple for more information.
Maintenance week
will be moving to August (in 2024: 8/15 -8/19) as per the suggestion of sangha
members.
Sangha members were reminded of the existence of the Shao
Shan Temple Sangha Email Group. The Sangha Group is a good place to ask
questions and share experiences. If you are looking to carpool to the temple,
the Sangha Email Group would be a good place to look for potential drivers or
riders from your area. If you would like to join the Sangha Email Group, please
contact Max or the temple.
Rev. Shinjo’s temple in Japan has donated their temple bell
to Shao Shan Temple. Packing and arrangements for shipment are under way. The
temple has a set of architectural drawings for a pavilion to house the bell.
The bell pavilion will be located along the path from the upper parking lot to
the front door of the temple.
A number of concerns with the temple water supply have
prompted the Board to evaluate whether it would be wise to drill a well to
supplement the existing gravity-fed spring box. In addition to concern over
possible future drought conditions, if there is ever a future temple expansion,
it will be necessary to have a higher gallons-per-minute water source. Since
the well permit is good indefinitely, the Board has decided to at least go
ahead with the permitting process at this point and continue to evaluate what
next steps are appropriate.
The temple is looking into spreading gravel on the lower and
upper parking lot this year. The lower parking lot especially can be very
muddy.
The stucco on the temple is cracking in places. The temple
has contacted a professional who works with stucco to give us an estimate for
the repair work.
Highlights of Meeting Questions and Discussion
There was a question as to whether Rev. Kenzan was going to
have a more formal Abbot installation ceremony.
Rev. Kenzan explained that there were requirements that had to be met
before such a ceremony could be held. It
would likely be many years before Shao Shan Temple would be able to conduct a
Mountain Seat Ceremony for Rev. Kenzan.
There was a brief discussion regarding the need to replace
the roof. A roofer did come out and evaluate the temple roof several years ago.
His opinion was the roof was still good for a few more years. Should shingles
begin to fail, they can be individually replaced with copper.
In response to a question regarding installing solar panels,
the Board has deferred any investigation of the issue until Taihaku Roshi’s
estate was settled and the temple property had been conveyed to Shao Shan
Temple, Inc. Initial discussions will be
about first installing panels at the garden property to see how workable the
technology would be. With net metering it might be possible to generate the
power at the garden yet have the temple benefit from solar power without the
need to install panels on or near the temple itself.
When asked how many new people came to the temple in 2023, at
the time of the meeting, Rev. Kenzan did not have a number. After the fact
counting yielded an estimate of 91 first-time visitors in 2023. This is similar to pre-covid which was
roughly 100.
The sangha trip to Japan is being planned for 2025. Rev.
Kenzan will be travelling to Japan in 2024 to do some reconnaissance
regarding trip planning, developing an itinerary, accommodations, travel costs,
and in-country travel. The hope would be that the sangha trip next year would
connect all of the sangha (not only those who physically go to Japan) with
some of the historical depth of the tradition and our lineage.
The meeting concluded at 11:30 after chanting “Ji Ho San Shi.”
On a brisk winter morning, practioners gathered on Sunday, February 18th at Shao Shan Temple for a full morning of intensive practice.
The Zazenkai program included opening and closing ceremonies, zazen (sitting meditation), kinhin (walking meditation), and dokusan(individual meetings) and a Dharma reading. The Dharma reading was from Zen Master Menzan's teachings on Self-Enjoyment Samadhi.
For February's in-person Family Program, the children celebrated Valentine's Day and the coming of Spring, while exploring the many emotions we experience in our hearts/minds/bodies.
While most of our programs are focused on matters of spiritual practice; this program is different in that it focuses on the administrative and functional aspects of Shao Shan Temple - the ground of how the Temple functions and moves forward.
The Annual Meeting participants had the opportunity to review the Temple Reports (Sangha Report, Program Report, Cemetery Report and the Financial Report) and ask questions. The Annual Meeting this year was primarily in-person (with coffee & donuts!) plus a limited online option. A summary of the Annual Meeting will be part of the next newsletter.
In January, Shao Shan Temple has a ceremony for formally receiving the first five Bodhisattva precepts and making a commitment to a Buddhist way of life. This is also an occasion for Sangha members and the families and friends of those receiving the precepts to join together in support of the commitment being entered.
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The weekend included several periods of meditation each day in addition to times of sharing and discussion, lunch and informal social time.
For January's Family Program, we opted to meet virtually due to challenging weather and driving conditions, and explored the theme of being alone together. We first shared aspects of the natural world that had drawn our attention, including the variable weather conditions of wind, rain, snow and everything in between; the warmer and colder temperatures; the many kinds of ice formations; and a raccoon leaving its markings in unpredictable places.
Saturday January 6th, was an in-person "Introduction to Shao Shan Temple" program. This program offers an overview of the Temple, history, programs offered, an introduction to meditation, the opportunity to ask questions and a brief tour of the grounds. Donna & Felicia joined as sangha (Temple community) representatives and 10 new people participated.
As we begin the new year, here at Shao Shan Temple, we have again begun the year with "Bowing Week". Every day this past week in the early morning beginning the day with 108 prostrations before our usual online morning program.
With each bow chanting "Namu Kie Butsu", "Namu Kie Ho", "Namu Kie So".
We began each day's bowing session with this chant:
The one who bows and the one who is bowed to are both, by nature, empty.Therefore the communication between them is inexpressibly perfect.Our practice is within the Net of Indra reflecting all Buddhas everywhere.And my own person is reflected in all Buddhas, to whom with my whole life I go for refuge.
(from Plum Village, "Touching the Earth gatha")
