May Introduction to Shao Shan Temple

 

Saturday morning, May 25th, following a full house morning program and coinciding with garden planting in The Leafye Garden, was also an in-person "Introduction to Shao Shan Temple" program.  Approximately eight people joined on the bright sunny May day, amidst the calls of ravens and the fragrance of lilacs.  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.  

Taihaku Roshi 3 Year Memorial - Gifts

 At the conclusion of Sunday's Third Year Memorial for Taihaku Roshi, were several gifts!

Although it is beyond possible to sufficiently thank Leafye and Eben's incredible gift of the garden land to the Temple, the Shao Shan sangha (community) expressed gratitude to them.  Shao Shan is also naming parts of the land after them - specifically the vegetable garden has been named "The Leafye Garden" and the garden path to White Jewel Mountain has been named "Eben's Way" (thank you, Heather K for painting signs)

The large outdoor Temple bell sent from Ryuunji Temple in Japan in honor of Rev. Taihaku arrived a few days before and was opened together accompanied by chanting.  Thank you Rev. Shinjo! (thank you Susan S for coordinating shipping)

The "Taihaku Book" with some of her writings and stories told about her by the sangha was completed just in time for copies to be given out at the ceremony!  There are still some copies available at the Temple for a suggested donation OR the book is available for purchase online (hardcover or paperback).

Refreshments included some of Taihaku-Roshi's favorite standard "party" refreshments - Cream cheese and olive sandwhiches on white Manghi's bread, deviled eggs, chips with guacamole, fresh brownies with lots of walnuts, crabapple juice punch and more. 

Taihaku Roshi's 3 Year Memorial -Offerings

Offerings of sweet water, delicacies and tea

Sunday, May 19th, 2024, Shao Shan Temple held a Third Year Memorial for our beloved founding abbot, Taihaku Nishiren Daiosho.  The full to overflowing Temple was a testament to the ongoing reverberations of her life and teachings.

Rev. Ejo McMullen of Buddha Eye Temple in Eugene, Oregon officiated the ceremony.

In a sense the ceremony consistented of offerings - we began with a Dharma Verse offered by Rev. Ejo (below) then continued with other offerings, including offering incense and chanting and flowers. 

With miraculuously few black flies we processed up to the cemetery single file to offer flowers at Taihaku Roshi's white crystal rock and to bow at the Jakuen Stone.

Rev. Kenzan reading the honoring proclamation

(next blog entry includes the "gifts" of the Taihaku Memorial!)

Incense offering during chanting

Receiving flowers to offer Taihaku-Roshi

Procession to Cemetery with flowers and chanting

Offering flowers

Offering flowers

Closing circle

Incense Words for 

Taihaku Nishiren Daiosho Founding Abbot of Shao Shan’s Third Year Memorial

Doshi: Ejo McMullen Abbot of Buddha Eye Temple

Green Treasure Mountain Hides Nothing:

There is a whole

life

There is a whole

death

Crabapple red

    jiggling in jelly

Black crystal

    flies

Jewell pillar

    rhubarb crisp

Wind that carries smoke beyond

narrow channels of rock

carry water

to the fire

of our bellies

Facing Great White North Star

          in the heart of

    Sun Birthing Mountain

    RO…..

The emerald shoots

          are the 

   Fragrant spring

 

Buddha's Birthday 2024

 

On Sunday May 5th, Shao Shan Temple celebrated Buddha's Birthday!

Despite the cool rain outside, the Temple was festively bright inside with abundant flower decorations and joyous participants.

Following a time of sitting meditation ...

We had the Shakyamuni Buddha's Birth story read by Julie and including heavenly beings raining down flowers.

Everyone had the opportunity to ladle sweet tea over a statue of the baby Buddha. 

In the pouring rain, we had an abbreviated noble procession...  carrying UMBRELLAS, parasols, bubbles, wands and little bells - processing from the Temple to the Sangha Hall where we sang a rousing "Happy Birthday" song and a delicious potluck including birthday cake! 

Thank you to everyone who braved the rain to make this celebration celebratory.

... For more than two thousand six hundred years the Dharma has rained down its blessings and continues to this day, bathing all alike in its heavenly vitality.  ...

- from the Buddha's Birthday dedication

Garden Opening Ceremony & Work Day - May 2, 2024

 Thank you to everyone who joined in the opening of the Temple garden on Thursday, May 2nd!  

There was a "Garden Opening Ceremony" to begin the garden growing season.  The ceremony included walking in procession around the garden chanting the "Disaster Preventing Dharani", ceremonially planting the first seeds, and chanting our "Garden Chant". We also read a Thich Nhat Hanh quote about being aware of what kinds of thoughts we "water" within ourselves - whether wholesome or unwholesome.

 

 

A cold-hardy group of gardeners joined to plant peas and spinach seeds, plant brassica seedlings, till and shape the garden beds other getting the garden ready tasks.  Resulting a beautiful garden of potential!