Buddha's Parinirvana 2025

On February 15^th Buddhists around the world traditionally commemorate the Buddha’s Parinirvana - Shakyamuni Buddha’s departure from this body.   

This year we commemorated Buddha's Parinirvana with an extended meditation period which included a reading of excerpts from the Parinirvana Brief Admonitions Sutra - Shakyamuni Buddha's last words.  The meditation was followed by a ceremony which included chanting, formal offerings and traditional aspects of Soto Zen funeral services.

O good followers of the path! Do not grieve! Even if I were to live in the world for as long as a kalpa, our coming together would have to end. There can be no coming together without parting. ... it may be that you will think, “The teacher’s instructions have ceased.” But it should not be seen like this. For what I have taught shall be your teacher, all living beings shall be your teacher, this bright world, and your very mind itself, shall be your teacher.  

-Excerpts from the Parinirvana Brief Admonitions Sutra

Hearts of Lovingkindness - February Family Program

For February's in-person Family Program, we celebrated lovingkindness and the heart. The children's portion of the program began by sharing our names and things we had been noticing in the natural world, which included snow, snow and more snow (and snowflakes!). 

For one activity we paid mindful attention to our pulses as we jumped up and down for a minute and then stood quietly as our heart beats settled back down. We also passed a group pulse, in which each person squeezed the hand of the person next to them as the pulse moved around the circle. Next, we crafted Lovingkindness/Valentine's cards and paper snowflakes, some of which became offerings on the Temple altar, and also made pine cone peanut butter bird feeders as a lovingkindness offering to the birds and other outdoor creatures. 

Finally, we gathered inside the Temple with the adults for some meditation and ringing of the bell, sending the vibrations of lovingkindness near and far.

Temple Days 2025

 

We are resuming the once a month TEMPLE DAY program.  The plan is that it will usually be the first Friday of the month.  This is a program to experience a slice of monastic life with sitting meditation, chanting service, work practice and a meal together.

This past Friday was the first Temple Day in several years and an enthusiastic group came together to be the life and breath of Shao Shan.  Work included winter squash processing, thorough Zendo cleaning, candlestick polishing, preparing lunch, roof snow shovelling and more.

Visiting Teacher: Rebecca Li

 

Shao Shan Temple was honored to have Zen Teacher and author, Rebecca Li, join our Tuesday evening online program on 2/4/2025.  We are currently reading her book Illumination: A Guide to the Buddhist Method of No-Method for Study Group.  We have been finding both her book and her talk to be inspirational for our practice.

With deep gratitude!

Annual Meeting 2025

 Shao Shan Temple's 2025 Annual Meeting took place on Saturday, February 1st.  

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 is available upon request.