Running Tide Spring Issue 18

Voice of Amida-shu, Amida-kai and The Amida Trust: Pureland Buddhism: Absolute Grace, Total Engagement: Issue 18, Spring 2009 £2.50/€4.25/US$5.00

RUNNING TIDE

BUDDHISM AND SEXUALITY p. 4 Prasada Caroline Brazier THE ZEN OF INTIMATE RELATIONSHIPS p.6 Ken Jones BEING A WESTERN BUDDHIST NUN p.20 Modgala Duguid

Running Tide

In this issue

Offers a voice for faith and practice, as well as critical, existential and socially engaged enquiry within the broad framework of Pureland Buddhism.

We publish short articles, poetry, pictures, interviews, comment and Buddhist resource materials.

Opinions expressed are those of the contributors and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Amida Trust, Amida-shu or Amida-kai.

Running Tide is distributed by: Amida Trust The Buddhist House 12 Coventry Road, Narborough Leicestershire LE19 2GR, UK Correspondence and contributions Submissions for consideration should be sent to the Editor at: runningtide@amidatrust.com Amida Trust A religious charity established in UK, registration number 1060589, for the furtherance of Buddhism. The Trust sponsors a wide range of Buddhist activities. The Amida Trust is a member of the Network of Buddhist Organisations in UK, the European Buddhist Union, as well as the World Buddhist University, and has mutual affiliation with the Buddhist Peace Fellowship.

Amida Order & School The Amida Order and Amida School are a religious order and communion, respectively, following the Pureland tradition, established under the auspices of the Amida Trust. In this periodical the letters OAB after a name indicate membership of the Order of Amida Buddha and the letters MAS indicate membership of the Amida School. The Amida School is also referred to as Amida-shu. All Order members are also School members.

Amida-Kai The Amida Association, an association for spirituality and its application.

Amida-kai is the association for everybody interested in the Trust's work, for the application of spiritual principles to empirical world problems, and to the exploration of the meaning of spirituality irrespective of faith alignment.

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Photo taken by Steve Berkoff

Taking Refuge in Amida Buddhism p. 10

Articles and essays

Regulars

Prasada Caroline Brazier Buddhism and Sexuality

4

Ken Jones The Zen of Intimate Relationships

6

Eiken Kobai Master Shinran’s Teaching on Salvation

8

Dharmavidya David Brazier Refuge, Commitment and Purpose

12

Kaspalita Thompson Suvidya’s Journey

14

Padraig O’Morain Our Life is a Creation of the Mind

15

Dankwart Klein Rationality

16

Anna Podlowski A Buddhist Perspective on the conference “The psychology and politics of climate change”

18

19

Modgala Duguid Being a Western Buddhist Nun

20

Cover photo taken by Kaspalita Thompson

22

FAITH AND ART

24

NEW COURSE starting this Autumn!!!

Sally Ridgway is joining the Amida Learning Community to run a PostQualification Certificate in Applied Somatic Therapy. Body-Mind Wellbeing is a profound yet gentle therapy that invites attention to habitual patterns of behaviour through hands-on touch and re-patterning,

27

The Amida Trust

Nigel Philpot Lama Zopa and the Lobsters

Membership Of Amida-Kai Open to anybody who supports Amida Trust and is interested in spirituality and its application. To join please send a donation (£20 per year suggested) to Amida Trust with a covering letter. Membership of the Kai does not imply membership of the Amida Order or School or any particular religious affiliation. For subscription queries contact: The Buddhist House.

COURSES AND EVENTS

Socially Engaged Pureland Buddhism

Friends of Amida On-line Spiritual Networking International Community

http://amidatrust.ning.com

The Buddhist House 12 Coventry Rd Narborough Leicestershire LE19 2GR Great Britain +44(0)116 286 7476 courses@amidatrust.com

Sukhavati 21 Sussex Way London N7 6RT Great Britain +44(0)207 263 2183 Amida France La Ville au Roi Bessais le Fromental 18210 Cher, France +33 (0)2 48 60 70 19

Editorial

The peacock is a striking bird found in many myths and legendary tales in India. It is a powerful symbol of transformation and sublimation generating a sense that we, too, can turn our toxic assets into a magnificent and protective coat. With such a plumage comes the illusion of possessing great vision while weighing no more than a feather until the structure collapses and we are forced to seek refuge.

Amida’s vision of the Pure Land is a loving environment in which all sentient beings may take refuge. In this light, we can see, without feeling overwhelmed or frightened, the sort of creature we are when our passions have been stirred. We may be creatures of powerful and foolish passions, nevertheless, we are still loved and protected by the Tathagatha. The peacock’s open tail reveals sexual potency, majestic beauty, and moreover, is a suitable symbol with which to describe this Running Tide. In many ways, this issue has gathered a handful of delicate and sensitive feathers. Articles range from the role of sexuality in Buddhism (pp4-8) and the salvation of the evil person (p.9) to the relief that comes from taking refuge (p10) and ecstatic freedom that is felt after surrendering oneself to a higher purpose (p.20).

Buddhism is not a religion of the book, it is not centred on belief but is a religion of practice. There are sutras (threads) that serve as moral and philosophical references, and observations that form the foundation of a sound psychology that is approximately 2,500 years old. We can assume that the Dharma must be doing an important job in society by the fact that people continue to study and practice it . It may help to see Buddhism as a process. The underlying function is not merely to understand this existence, but to help us see with light of wisdom the reality of our dependency on others. When thus practiced it becomes an economical vehicle of living in the world.

Susthama Web sites www.amidatrust.com http://amidatrust.ning.com/ www.amidatrust.com/runningtide.html www.buddhistpsychology.info http://amidatrust.typepad.com/amidashu http://www.amidatrust.typepad.com/amidakai/

Skeleton by Marie Noelle Guyot

The Spring issue has come to life with fleshy articles and thoughtful essays offering a different way to approach human existence. Not only does Buddhism help us to understand why we do what we do, and why it’s so difficult but how we can begin to think about things.

It pushes our lives to deeper depths and greater heights. Rather than closing oneself off to the ills of the world, have faith that the feathers will fall into place, and in the meantime, appreciate the beauty and fullness of our bitter-sweet experiences.

Amida Centres/Groups Newcastle: http://lotusinthemud.typepad.com/amida_newcastle/ Sheffield: http://pureland.wordpress.com/ London: http://www.amidalondon.org.uk/ Belgium: http://www.namoamidabu.be/

The tide rushes in IS BUDDHISM IN THE WEST TO BECOME THE NEW PURITANISM? Despite a little dabbling around the edges in tantric exoticism, Buddhism does not have a sexy image.

Celibate monasticism and pristine imagery, meticulously manicured Zen gardens, ethereal people exuding meditative calm and lotus blossom floating on unsullied waters, suggest an ideal of asexual harmony, contrasting starkly with the eroticism of its native India.

Yet does becoming a serious practitioner really require the amputation of our passionate desires? Does the elimination of karma imply a severing of all the bonds of earthly pleasure?

For the monastic, sexual expression has always, at least in theory, been proscribed by the vinaya. Of course, with human frailty, the actuality has not always been so, but in theory, distractions of bodily longing have been viewed as the lure of mara, the energy they represent as a source of spiritual fuel that is better diverted to the path.

But what of the modern practitioner, often lay, potentially in a relationship? Does sexuality need to be viewed as a distraction, a failure in the path? As we progress, should we expect our desires to lessen and finally fade out? Do we aspire toward the ideal of the celibate life, even when our circumstances are otherwise, or is there another way in which our sexual nature can authentically become a source of spiritual celebration and expression?

encountered new cultures. New forms of Buddhist commitment are emerging, often in the middle ground of serious engagement, which Shinran, founder of the Jodo shinshu sect, described as being neither monk nor layman. In this new, and often developing space, what is the role of sexual expression in our practice?

For some, the legacy of renunciant traditions pushes people to relinquish expression of feeling at all levels.

Whether grief or joy, creative energy or sexual attraction, giving in to emotional involvement on any level is seen as a surrender to attachment. In such ambiances, equanimity is practiced as a route to lessening human ties. But is this really what the Buddha intended?

I am saddened to hear repeatedly of couples separating or reducing their relationship to minimal contact because one or both believes that being together diminishes their capacity for practice. Yet with the high esteem of its monastic role models, can the religion really support an ethos which actively supports couples and families? Surely there is another way of viewing our sexual nature and its relationship to the spiritual life.

Whilst the renunciant path is a strong one in the Buddhist tradition, with a valuable contribution to make,

Buddhism I fear its idealisation has sometimes been a hindrance to our development in the West. Traditionally lay and monastic practitioners played a complementary role. In different Buddhist countries the exact balance of activity and status has varied as each culture has made its own accommodation to the teachings, but often the visible manifestation of Buddhist practice has been the celibate male practitioner.

Here in the West the picture is complex. On the one hand, some groups are traditionalist, anxious to adhere rigorously to the letter of particular lineages. On the other hand, other long-time practitioners are seeking to adapt practices to modern circumstances. Such processes have always happened when Buddhism

The idea of bringing our sexual expression into the spiritual arena is not new. Many interpretations of the precept on sexual misconduct have been interpreted as bringing mindfulness and compassion into our sexual relationships. What better way to experience the present moment than in another's arms; to observe the arising of sensation in the rousing of the body as it receives their loving caress? What better way to know impermanence than in holding the body of the loved one and knowing that this too will decay? Such practices are no doubt valuable if one can hold such a cool, reflective mind in the midst of the passions of sexual encounter, but do they miss the energy which sexuality evokes? Do they still import into the bedroom the virginal sweetness of the celibate ideal?

What of our raw and lustful moments? What of the fullthroated cry of our bodies for satisfaction? What of our yearning for our lovers bodies wrapped in our own? Can these also be temples of our spiritual nature?

Pureland Buddhism recognises our ordinary nature. We are bombu (ordinary foolish beings of wayward passion). In this recognition is the root of our salvation.

Seeing ordinariness strips away layers of pretence, of

&

false propriety. Our authentic nature is our deludedness, seen in contrast against the immeasurable, omnipresent otherness which is Buddha. We recognise, again and again, our distorting grandiosity against the stability of Amida's presence.

So in our sexual relationships too, we see all the naked passions of our bodies, but more, the cravings of our minds, not just for satisfaction on the corporal level, but for new facets of identity which sexual conquest or relationships bring. With such insight, we can smile wryly at our nature. But more than this, whilst endlessly subverting the experience to such deluded ends, we are, if we take the risk to persist in the relationship, and in it strive for as much honesty of loving communication as we are able, exposed to the reality of another at a level of intimacy which far outweighs that experienced in more limited meetings. Whilst we can pretend at niceness to others on silent retreats where interactions are limited to brief exchanges, in the bedroom such pretensions are soon debunked.

In loving another intimately, we experience the other's reactions to us; we see the effects that thoughtless or self-serving acts have, but also the opening to tenderness and vulnerability which comes from trust.

The loving presence of another at a bodily as well as emotional level both mirrors our humanity, and shows us the unique qualities of the other, distinct from ourselves. He is not I, and I am not he. In the nuances of touch we learn to trust and also that we do not always trust. We test the boundaries of our existence, and hold the preciousness of life itself. In our moments of release, we relinquish our need to control the universe, and flow with force of our love.

Sexuality

by Prasada Caroline Brazier OAB

So our sexual nature need not be separated, but can become our teacher. Our sharpening senses in the moment of consummation awaken our capacity to embrace not just our lover, but our human condition with both its samsaric reality and its aspiration to spiritual connection. In the melting pot of practice, everything may become the source of energy for the path if we have the humility to face it honestly.

This article was first published in The Turning Wheel earlier this year.

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The

Zen Of

Intimate Relationship by Ken Jones

IN THE BLAZE OF EROTIC PASSION and

The asceticism of the Theravada is typically reflected in the aversion therapy of the well known meditation on the underlying loathsomeness of the body of one's would-be lover. For further reading in Asian Buddhist sexuality see Lust for Enlightenment: Buddhism and Sex, by John Stevens (1990) and Red Thread: Buddhist Approaches to Sexuality by Bernard Faure (1998).

romantic neediness we are customarily unaware how love thrives on lack. Or, as David Loy questions, “is it the reverse: does our lack thrive on love? We are not unaware that passion means suffering, but we imagine that such passion is nonetheless exciting and vital in a way ordinary life is not. Therefore we revel in pain, for For most Western lay all pain is endurable if we can practitioners, the No sex please! We’re buddhists see a reason for it and an most significant end to it.” In our heightened teaching on state of delusion we believe sexuality is the Third that the anxious self will at last find the Precept. This has been expressed as ultimate in security and gratification in terms of affection, not doing harm to others by liaising with someone who is already recognition, appreciation, care and limitless sexual in a committed relationship, or, more comprehensively (and gratification - in brief, the end of existential fear. usefully), not allowing oneself to be invaded by sexual greed.

Sexuality as Spiritual Practice The more profane may well chortle at the above heading.

“No sex, please, we're Buddhists !” The fact that sex so rarely appears, except in passing, in western Buddhist teaching and practice is evidence of the enduring, takenfor-granted grip of the Asian monastic tradition. And yet we live in a culture saturated with sexuality. Sex is commodified both in itself (e.g. as pornography) and as an advertising lure. Moreover the preoccupation with sexual gratification helps to fill the void left in a highly individualistic culture in which traditional mores are in decline. “Good sex” has become a human right, essential for self-esteem.

Sex is, of course, simply a strong biological drive, neither “good” nor “bad” in itself. In Zen Buddhism we find a general absence of concern for relationships and sexuality which presumably reflects its cultural and monastic origins, whereas in some of the Tibetan traditions sexuality receives a richer and more complex treatment.

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In all intimate relationship (and especially when purple with passion), the self is especially fearful, needy, protective and aggressive when faced with transgression and betrayal. There is ready resort to a punitive righteousness in place of the wise and reflective compassion required in what are usually more complex situations than may first appear. And even when the ethical course of action is clear, as in the need to end an affair, patience will be necessary. An act of will, with the accompanying emotional suppression and anguished guilt, may provide an instant solution but only at the cost of storing up trouble for the future, since the underlying problems remain unresolved. Contemplative practices like emotional awareness are needed to “work through” feelings of bitterness, loss and resentment, and this takes patience and support. When the fruit has had time to ripen on the tree, it can be plucked without bringing down the whole tree.

Whether or not caught up in an impassioned (or threatening) situation, it is important for all followers of the Way to become fully aware of their sexuality, however manifested, to ensure that it is not by-passed in their practice, and, on the contrary, is treated as a spiritual resource. This applies no less to the chastity option,

pursued with clarity and honesty in the face of an uncomprehending present-day culture.

Zen Practice in Three Stages Analysis

Roshi Reb Anderson offers the following endorsement of the above contention, as welcoming as it is rare from a Zen teacher: Intimacy with your sexuality is the ultimate fulfilment of the bodhisattva precept of no sexual greed. Intimacy with sexuality means that there is a deep understanding of no separation between self and other. This is using sexuality to purify sexuality. Realizing this intimacy is like putting the last piece into place in a jigsaw puzzle; it is like the moment when you finally learn a great poem by heart.

Identify something which bothers you about your partner. ! How do you experience this, feel it, interpret it? ! Why does it bother you so much? ! What is there about you which causes this to get to you? Here your emotional awareness practice will have made you familiar with your inner furniture and baggage; becoming intimate with this is surely one of the first undertakings in a Dharma practice, uncomfortable and disconcerting though it may be.

Relationship as Spiritual Practice

Working through the above steps we begin to see how anger and resentment are commonly born out of fear. There is fear of being left alone, of being rejected, of being overwhelmed, of having our weaknesses exposed, of too much intimacy, of not getting what we want or losing what we have, and so on.

Often, when in love, we may feel ourselves being pulled in opposing directions. On the one hand, we truly desire to connect with the other in an unconditional love arising from our Buddha Nature.

On the other hand, we may still cling to promoting and defending our self-image. It is at this crossing point that significant transformation of the self and of the relationship becomes possible.

Contemplation

In the following observation, Charlotte Joko Beck, that pioneer of contemporary “Ordinary Mind Zen”, echoes a great many present-day Dharma teachers in all traditions:

Positive Dialogue

Relationships with people, especially close and trusting ones, are our best way to grow. In them we can see what our mind, our body, our senses and our thoughts really are. There is no way that is superior to relationships in helping us to see where we are stuck and what we're holding onto. As long as our buttons are being pushed we have a great chance to learn and grow. So a relationship is a great gift not because it makes us happy it often doesn't but because any intimate relationship, if we view it as practice, is the clearest mirror we can find.

However, we can only truly know a relationship to the extent that we deeply know ourselves, and this can be a long and arduous journey. The good news is that love motivates and inspires us to develop that deeper self knowledge, without which love may perish.

As Shunryu Suzuki playfully put it: “You're perfect as you are; but there's still room for improvement….”

No matter in what part of our life we are practicing, in order to mature wisdom and compassion, the Dharmic diagnosis and treatment are essentially the same.

20-26 June 2009 with

Ken Jones

After analysis (which can, of course, be repeated as needs be) we come to the emotional awareness practice of becoming intimate with a workable feeling which has been identified in the previous paragraph, such as fear of being left alone. This contemplative stage is perhaps the most important in securing a successful outcome for the process as a whole.

The third stage is “The No-Fault Listening Zone”. Even if your partner is not following the kind of practice set out here, providing you are undertaking the necessary work on yourself you can still initiate work with them in a positive and unthreatening way. This encourages them to reciprocate, and some kind of positive dialogue becomes possible. What were once implacably defended desires can become negotiable preferences.

The No Fault Listening Zone is when each takes it in turn to tell the truth about their experience and the hard time they are having with the relationship. Both agree not to assign blame. The one who is speaking is not to be interrupted. The other remains silent and tries hard to understand, and he or she may repeat back in their own words what they believe they have heard.

A committed, long term relationship of the kind I have outlined, ripening in unconditional love, can be a spiritual journey in a profound and yet non-explicit sense.

One's partner may have traits which we might prefer were otherwise, but we learn not to view these personally; it is the whole person whom we love, beyond our likes and dislikes.

This is an unconditional love which has been cleansed of our need to perceive the other in any self-serving way. This is the suchness of Zen, beyond wanting this and rejecting that. We relate to the other in the spirit of Dogen's quotation that “every creature covers the ground it stands on - no more nor no less. It never falls short of its completeness”.

Relationship as Chan Practice

www.westernchanfellowship.org or phone 01970 880603

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Master Shinran’s

Teaching

AS THE VENERABLE MASTER SAYS THE ”BENEFIT OF TRUTH” is Amida Buddha's th sacred vow to cause our birth in the Pure Land, as expressed in the 18 Vow, also called the Primal Vow. In the Ichinen Tanen Mon'i where it states “for receiving the great benefit” (I-toku-dairi), there is the further explanation written in kana letters: “know that you will receive the benefit of becoming a Buddha.”

The term dairi means “great benefit,” but it does not refer to becoming well-known or rich in our competitive society, nor does it refer to always being in a state of perfect health. Rather, it refers to the fact that we will become enlightened or attain nirvana - that we will become a Buddha. The Venerable Master taught us deluded beings that the “true benefit” is being saved by Amida Buddha's vow (Primal Vow) that absolutely guarantees we will become Buddhas.

Shakyamuni Buddha, who first awakened to the teaching of Buddha-dharma, was born a prince 2,500 years ago in the country of Kapila in ancient India. It was a small country, but a prince of even a small country had much greater material benefits than an ordinary person.

The only unfortunate incident in his life was the death of his mother shortly after he was born (traditionally, it is said that she died seven days after his birth). As a future king, he grew to adulthood with great expectations. Unlike our young people today, I believe Shakyamuni had absolutely no problems with the sort of stress that is a part of our competitive society.

When this prince was twelve years of age, however, he saw a bird swoop down from the sky to capture and eat a worm that had crawled out of the earth. This spectacle brought him to realize that this world is one in which the strong prey on the weak. Later, on leaving his castle from different gates, he saw that human beings are subject to the sufferings of old age, illness and death. As a result, he was brought to realize that everyone, without exception, must experience suffering and agony.

The Pers the Obje Am Salv

The prince determined to see a way of release from this human suffering. When he was 29 years of age, he abandoned his princely rank, left home, and became a wandering monk.

After six years of the most severe ascetic practices (although not because of it), he became a Buddha, which means “Enlightened One.” Such an enlightened state is a release from all suffering. The purpose of the Buddha-dharma that Shakyamuni taught is for all of us to “become Buddhas” just like him.

In the Larger Pureland Sutra, it states: . . . those with farm fields are concerned about those fields and those who have dwellings are concerned about those dwellings. .

We suffer when we don't have what we want. But we are wrong if we believe our suffering will disappear when we get what we want. Rather, a new suffering or agony will arise, and continue to arise, one after the other. We are released from such agony only when we reach the state of enlightenment in which our base passions of greed, anger and a complaining RT 8

Shakyamuni Buddha appeared in this w who are mired in delusion. He did so b “benefit of the truth.” And regarding this “ One Recitation and the Many R

The “benefit o

of Salvation

e Evil son is True ect of mida's vation

world, the Venerable Master tells us, in order to save all by blessing us with the true benefit of all benefits, the “benefit of the truth,” in his Ichinen Tanen Mon'i (On the Recitations), the Venerable Master wrote that:

of truth” is Amida's Vow

Excerpt taken fromUnderstanding Jodo Shinshu: Chapter 2 p.68

by Eiken Kobai mind are eliminated.

As already stated in the section on ”Classification of the Teaching” in Chapter 1 (Kobai, 2007) the Venerable Master considered the “absolute Buddhacentered Power” teaching of the 18th Vow to be the true teaching, and that all other Buddhist teachings are merely provisional. Further, he considered all teachings other than Buddha-dharma, which do not consider becoming a Buddha their goal, to be false teachings.

Accordingly, it can be said that the true teaching is what offers the true benefit, “the benefit of becoming a Buddha.” That is why the Venerable Master wrote “the true benefit is Amida's Vow” pointing out that Amida Buddha's Vow (hongan, the 18th Vow, the Primal Vow) is the true way to be released from the suffering of this world by showing us the way to become a Buddha. That is what true benefit is.

Salvation of the “Evil Person” The Evil Person is the True Object (of Amida's Salvation) Q: Whose Concept is “The Evil Person is the True Object (of Amida Buddha's Salvation)”?

A: “The Evil Person is the True Object (of Amida's Salvation)” In Article Three of the Tannisho (Notes Lamenting Differences), it states: Since even a good person will be born in the Pure Land, how much more so will an evil person!

Most people, however, say, “Since even an evil person will be born in the Pure Land, how much more so will a good person.” This view seems reasonable at first sight, but it is contrary to the purport of the Primal Vow of “Buddha-centered power.”

In other words, the object of Amida Buddha's Primal Vow are those who are aware of their evil nature, rather than those who are able to do good.

This is referred to as “the evil person is the true object (of Amida's salvation)” (akunin shoki).

In Article One of the Tannisho, it also states: Know that Amida's Primal Vow does not distinguish between those who are young or old, or good or evil.

Shinjin (the “faith” mind, “true” mind) alone is necessary to receive the Vow that saves all sentient beings who are weighted down by their base passions.

As can be determined from this passage, the purpose of the Primal Vow is to save all who are burdened by base passions such as greed and anger.

Eiken Kobai is an ordained priest in the Hompa Hongwanji and a ‘shikyo’ within that organization’s scholarly ranking system, the highest rank that can be earned.

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TAKING REFUGE IN

From left to right: Perry, Helen, Hussam, Teresa, Mike, Thuy, Patricia, Shirley, Prasada, Dharmavidya, Steve, Moshe, Franco, Liz,, Helen, Prasada, and Dharmav

I first took refuge about ten years ago but with a different Buddhist Order. It meant such a lot to me at the time and I felt completely inspired by the commitment. However, I did not for one moment think that I would, somehow, over the years lose faith in my ability to be a Buddhist, especially a ‘good’ Buddhist, but this is what happened.

I hadn’t heard of bombu nature then, and so, I was naively expecting some kind of spiritual perfection from myself, despite the fact that evidence of my weak and flawed nature was strewn all about me in my life. Discovering the Pureland approach and realising that accepting that one is a ‘foolish being of wayward passions’ is a necessary condition for practice has proved to be such a relief. Now I can be who I am and express what I feel without artifice. This is wonderfully liberating and actually brings me into a much closer, authentic and fellow -feeling based engagement with others.

I felt deeply grateful to be offered the opportunity to once again take refuge in the Three Jewels of Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, along with the unfailing light of Amida and the Pure Land. When Dharmavidya told us that one knows they are ready for taking refuge when they experience the sense of having ‘arrived’ somewhere, like a refugee arriving in a new land, I knew instantly that I was ready to place my faith once more into the hands of the Buddha, as I have been feeling this way for a very long time already.

The week I took refuge was an experience of a satisfying process of ‘flow’, characterised by a number of significant insights falling into place; an increased sense of authenticity and fellow-feeling towards others and a wonderfully liberating feeling of inner-freedom that began to arise. As I sat listening to the refuge talk, I resolved to myself that I would ask Helen, a fellow student, who I sensed to be at a similar stage of ‘arrival’, if she would care to take refuge with me on the next training block in few months time. I felt sure she would say ‘yes’, but was really knocked out when only a few minutes later she turned to me, unprompted, and said enthusiastically, “Hussam, would you like to take refuge with me at the ceremony tomorrow morning?” I was completely taken by surprise as I had no idea that refuge was being offered the next day, or that similar thoughts were also on Helen’s mind. Of course I had no hesitation in saying, “Yes, I’d love too, Namo Amida Bu.” The refuge ceremony at The Buddhist House was a beautiful experience. Simple, yet elegant and profound. Helen, Perry and I knelt before the Buddha and received Dharmavidya’s smiling and heartfelt welcome. It seemed as if the whole sangha was supporting and accepting us with their wonderful presence, and I felt that I was at last joining the family that I’ve always wanted. A family of understanding and love where we can all help each other to have faith in the grace of Amida’s light.

Hussam Al-Nawab RT 10

I took refuge towards the end of the year before last. My name is Simon and I am member of Sujatin's Amida Newcastle group. I don't get much time to go to the meetings at the moment due to my folk music degree. It has been great meeting Sujatin - she continues to be a wonderful supportive person to talk to.

I'd got to know Sujatin through her introduction course in Castle Leazes Halls of Residence where I stayed in my first year. Before I came to Newcastle University, I attended Ajhan Sumedho's Sunday afternoon talks when they were on for a few years since I was 17 at Ameravati Buddhist Monastery in Little Gaddesden. I found his humble laughter and presence captivating, really liked the site as well - a place for space and calm.

I find with a passion for music I need this space. The longevity of time and patience are things easy to lose sight of. I still do lose sight of these things, though Buddhism always seems to be the path that prevails and gives a sense of inner calm when I feel like I'm struggling with my music or with academic work. I think Buddhism seems to help a lot of artistic types, my singing teacher recommended me the writings of Pema Chodrum in my first year. It seems to give a sense of warm heart to a lot people and promotes a healthy attitude to work and life.

Simon Stephenson

and RESTING IN AM

N AMIDA BUDDHISM

avidya

Winter is a fitting season for a refuge ceremony. In February, a hard crust of frozen snow blankets the earth making the stirrings of new life imperceptible to the naked eye. Regardless, buds of potentiality exist buried deep in the cold dark earth and with them hope for something new and something returned. Refuge is like that.

Refuge happens, as did mine in Dundas Ontario, at one place and time. Ceremonially it is ushered in with words, gestures and a blessing; refuge, a vow, spoken before friends and strangers. Of course, refuge is also a process and the beginning of something new. Even if one has taken refuge before, as I had, this time and place offers a fresh possibility. Refuge is an act of faith; a faith that a cold heart can thaw and that pain holds the transformative power to turn our world green. We have faith that there is guidance all around us. Waking up, in this context, is the ability to see and respond to that which is given. There grows in us innocence and out of this a pathway is made for originality and creativity. A new beginning is formed.

During the refuge ceremony there is a felt sense of being cracked open. At such times, one trusts that in being present to vulnerability 'refuge' will take root.

Taking root is an aspect of returning. All seasons perennially assure us they will return. Refuge while new, is also a home coming. There is a refreshing and relaxing quality about acknowledging that something quite outside of oneself is truer and ultimately more reliable. Even in the winter of our lives, when spring seems so distant, Amida works beneath the surface, nurturing that which needs to grow. Home is where we are supported and accepted; where we can rest and be cared for. Refuge allows us to return to this home over and over again.

I am grateful to Dharmavidya and Prasada for making this refuge ceremony possible.

Teresa Bryant

MIDA’S LIGHT

During their recent visit to Hawaii, Dharmavidya and Prasada conducted a two-day retreat of meditation and poetry focused on a Buddhist Approach to creativity. At this retreat, Dharmavidya conducted a Refuge Ceremony for the Amida members present. The participants in this service were, Franco Acquaro, Shirley Bell, Thuy and Mike Fujimoto, Patricia Johns, Moshe Mandelman, and myself.

The ceremony was conducted at the Halawa House, a lovely retreat house run by the New Moon Foundation in North Kohala on the Big Island of Hawaii. At this beautiful and very personal ceremony, we all took refuge in the Three Jewels, Amida Buddha and the Pure Land.

Moshe and I were asked to become Amida-shu members and Dharmavidya initiated us during the ceremony. Franco was confirmed as an Amida-shu member, and Shirley re-confirmed her taking of the precepts. It was a highly emotional time for me as I felt the compassion of all who were there sharing their love of the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha.

Five years ago, I received my Japanese Buddhist name, Myo Kyo (Bright Dharma) in a similar service conducted by the Bishop and ministers of the Hongwanji Order that I am a member of. The minister who gave me my name is Reverend Tatsuo Muneto, our family sensei and the man who married my wife and I. He has been a close friend for more than ten years, and receiving my name from him was a great honor. It was a powerful moment in my life that helped set me on a new path of hope and compassion.

When Dharmavidya placed his hand upon my head during the service, I felt the same energies and emotions that I had experienced five years earlier at my naming ceremony. It was a great honor for me to be able to have Dharmavidya admit me as an Amida-shu member, and it reminded me of the day that Reverend Muneto gave me my name. Sitting with my Sangha in that incredible environment while reciting the Nembutsu, reaffirmed in my mind my personal commitment to the Buddha and his Dharma. A nourishing energy flowed from all of us, and there were big smiles all around both during and after the service. I will always treasure the memory of that weekend and the Refuge service, and that memory is a warm glow that helps light the path I walk. What an incredible weekend!

Steve Berkoff RT 11

REFUGE, COMMITM

IN THE BUDDHIST LIFE

Summary of a Dharma talk given by Dhar

In

I take refuge in the Buddha, the one who shows me the way in this life The one who shows me the way in this life is the historical Buddha, who walked on this earth, and who was a supreme example. We can include all Buddhist teachers who walk this path and who are examples to us. And we can extend this beyond Buddhism to all the great saints, in many traditions, who show us the way, who have In the refuge formula in Pureland Buddhism we say: inspired us, and who we can emulate to live a more wholesome I take refuge in Amida life. the unimpeded light Namo Amitabhaya In the first refuge we have the I take refuge in the Buddha ultimate ideal and then, in the the one who shows me the way in this life second, the practical Namo Buddhaya manifestation: something living in I take refuge in the Dharma that light and then in the third we the way of understanding and love say: Namo Dharmaya I take refuge in the Dharma, I take refuge in the Sangha the community that lives in harmony and awareness the way of understanding and love Namo Sanghaya The two principles: understanding I take refuge in the Pure Land the perfect field of merit (prajna) and love (karuna, or Namo Buddhakshetraya maitri) are like the two wings of Buddhism, if you only have the love wing then you can do things I take refuge in Amida, the unimpeded light that have the form of lovingness, The unimpeded light of Amida can be understood as i.e., someone says, “I'd like some unconditional love. Where something is conditional there heroin.” And you say, “Oh, he is a stopping point, or limit, and you know how far it will wants something,” and so you go go, but with this light you have no idea how far the and get it. It's a loving act, but one consequences will go. Unconditional love can stretch out that is lacking wisdom. Equally, to the universe, and so, the light of Amida has that quality wisdom without love tends to be of not knowing what the results will be. cold, clinical, and though it may be Understanding the unconditional love is what Buddhists exactly what that person needs it is are trying to do, but we know that as bombus (foolish lacking in love and warmth. To beings) everything we do has some sort of condition make the Dharma fly one needs attached to it. both wings. our style of Buddhism the core practice is the nembutsu. It is calling the Buddha's name, invoking the Buddha to be with us here and now, through all the vicissitudes in life. It is a way of turning to the Buddha in times of need. This is called taking refuge. We say you become a Buddhist by taking refuge, and so it's the beginning of the Buddhist path. Buddhist practices and studies are ways of deepening our understanding, and can also be seen as different ways of taking refuge in the Dharma, so it is the alpha and omega of Buddhism.

Taking refuge is a core practice in all Buddhist traditions.

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I take refuge in the Sang that lives in harmony an The sangha is the collectio the practice - trying to live with some faith in the teac Living together with unfal teachings would take us be individual is capable of. Th refuge, an aspect of the in toward a perfect world.

I take refuge in the Pure field of merit The perfect field of merit Buddhism. A field is wher something grows, and so merit is planted. Where do that comes from what you invest it in? There are man things that one does in life in a sense, a kind of ultim The ideal is to do somethi dedicate the merit to the P some immediate gain. The gain, but as Buddhists one immediate gains as a by-pr are dedicating their lives to other words, not taking th but having a sense of that pot to create a Pure Land has a faith that what is wo There is no need to try to consequences will be: a go consequences and by putt general pot it will mature a fruits.

In planting seeds of merit dedicating our sincerity, an confident that good fruits

MENT, PURPOSE

E

rmavidya in February 2009

gha, the community nd awareness on of people who follow e out these teachings chings. It's also an ideal. ltering faith in the eyond what any hus sangha also is a nfinite, and points us

e Land, the perfect

t is a technical term in re you plant seeds and this is a field in which o you plant the good u do? What do you ny good causes and good e but the Pure Land is, mate field. ing worthwhile and Pure Land rather than to ere may be an immediate e tends to view those product. What Buddhists o is an ultimate ideal. In he credit for what you do t going into the general for everyone and one orthwhile is worthwhile. o work out what the ood thing will have good ting the merit into that and bring forth good

t what we are doing is nd from that we can be s will grow.

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SUVIDYA’s JOURNEY To pureland buddhism by Kaspalita Thompson OAB SUVIDYA AND I are sitting in the Amida Flat in Delhi, India.

It's the day after he confirmed his Amidashu membership, with 6 others in his community in Shanti Nagar, where he has lived for the past twelve years. In the same ceremony Suvidya's eldest son, Arvind became an Amida-shu member, as did our senior volunteer, Prakash Nagar.

Suvidya used to be known as Shiv Kumar until he joined the Amida-Shu in December 2007, when Prasada gave him his Buddhist name ‘Suvidya’.

Suvidya was born into a very low caste Hindu family. He was born in a village 130km from Delhi, in Muzzafar Nagar, moving closer to the city when he was four years old, when his father took a job teaching in a Government school in the city.

After a great deal of discrimination and humiliating experience within the caste system he converted to Buddhism.

He made this conversion 13 years ago, saying, “like Dr. Ambedkar, I was born a Hindu but will not die one.” By this time, he was already married to Sunita, and had three children, who were all happy to move out of the Hindu religion into the Buddhist one, following Suvidya's enthusiasm. Suvidya read many of the stories of the Buddha, and also of Dr. Ambedkar, especially Dr. Ambedkar’s dream for a caste-free India. “All of India needs Buddhism”, Suvidya tells me.

When his family converted, they changed the family name to ‘Gautam’ to show their Buddhist affiliation, and Suvidya's children changed their Hindu names to Buddhist ones.

Like many people who convert to Buddhism, Suvidya's parents were not supportive at first, but he held fast to his conviction and now has a much better relationship with them.

When Suvidya converted it was to Theravada Buddhism, but this didn’t satisfy him completely - he never felt a heart connection with the Buddha. He also had some very frustrating experiences.

Despite this, Suvidya remained committed to the Buddhist teachings. He would visit his friends’ houses, tell them stories RT 14

of the Buddha and Dr. Ambedkar, to help spread the Dharma. Then in 2001, he had his first contact with the Amida Order. Dharmavidya and Prasada were visiting India, giving teachings and visiting different people, and one of the houses they stayed in was Suvidya's. He is full of praise for both of them, emphasising their good nature, and that clarity with which they gave teachings. This was a significant moment for him. He recalls, “That was the first time I felt a heart connection with the Buddha.”

Suvidya and the other Buddhists in Shanti were impressed by the Pureland idea of spiritual equality, as opposed to the spiritual hierarchies they had experienced previously, and by the character and integrity of the Amida people they kept meeting. Modgala came to India after Dharmavidya and Prasada and began the project with Sahishnu.

Suvidya watched them working with the different communities, teaching the children non-violence in the classroom and not discriminating along caste or male/female lines. There are now five families close by who have accepted the Buddhist teachings, and are now following the Pureland path.

And we're still here, still working in the community, now doing more outreach than before, working with lots of Buddhist families without excluding the poor from other religions. We have been teaching both English and this year have started Buddhist classes using stories from the lives of the Buddha and his disciples, including Jataka tales, teaching about Amida, Quan Shi Yin and the nembutsu.

Suvidya first started coming to services with Amida a few years ago, whilst we were at Yamna Vihar, taking part, for the first time in Nembutsu chanting, and learning Pureland Buddhism. At that time, the practice was a mix of Theravadan and Pureland styles, as we were working alongside Theravadan monks. Now the project is supported by our Indian Amida-shu members and the Pureland Buddhist practice has grown. Suvidya and others come to services here at the flat on a Monday, and we have regular Buddhist outreaches five days a week, in different communities. As well as running services in peoples homes, by invitation.

He continues to spread the Dharma, and by supporting the project he's very happy. In his own words, “My life is good.”

OUR LIFE IS A CREATION

TRUE?

OF THE MIND

NOT

TRUE?

by

Padraig O'Morain

EARLIER THIS YEAR, with life is the creation of our economic storm clouds not only gathering but sending out forks of lightning, I wondered what might be a good affirmation to help me through what looked like a challenging twelve months. What I came up with was an affirmation which is true and not true at the same time.

This was 'Our life is the creation of our mind' from Juan Mascaró's 1973 (Penguin Classics) translation of the Dhammapada.

In the past, I would have rejected this affirmation on the grounds that my mind certainly did not create the global banking crisis. But thanks to completing the two-year Certificate in Buddhist Psychology with Amida Trust, I have learned to mistrust “obvious” reactions which are a product of conditions I don't even remember.

I settled for looking on 'Our

mind' as both true and not true. As I said earlier, my mind did not (so far as I know!) create the banking crisis. But when I catch myself getting into a state about the collapse of the world as we know it, I can readily understand that I am now thinking myself into a gloom. If this gloom, into which I have thought myself, leads me to bite the head off the next family member I see then the next part of my life (probably a spell in the doghouse) is, indeed, the creation of my mind. So it's not true that my mind created the banking crisis but it's true that my mind got me into the doghouse. So 'our life is the creation of our mind' is both true and untrue.

Reminding myself that 'our life is the creation of our mind' stops me from

'catastrophising', to steal a word from Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy, and usually lifts my mood straight away. It also reminds me that in a world shaped by conditions, my own thoughts are among the conditions that shape my world. Changing those thoughts changes the conditions, sometimes so subtly it's hardly noticeable, and sometimes more obviously.

This in turn has led me on to the idea of “mindful encounter.” In encountering my wife and children every day, I can act in accordance with 'old mind' i.e., the habits of relating to them that I have formed over many years. A more creative approach is to realise that I can respond differently this time and not in some old, habitual, tired way. This has definitely made a difference to my relationships, and is the

fruit of understanding the sometimes true statement that 'our life is the creation of our mind.'

Another great thing about a statement that is both true and untrue is that you don't have to waste time and energy fighting with it!

Try it and see.

Padraig O'Morain is a counsellor and journalist. His book 'Like a Man - a guide to men's emotional wellbeing' is published by Veritas. His poetry collection 'You've been great' was published by Smith/Doorstop in 2008 and was a winner of the Poetry Business Award. He is currently writing a book on mindfulness for publication later this year.

He has been practicing mindfulness on and off for twenty years or so but still manages to drift away into fantasy quite often. He lives in Dublin with his wife, two daughters and Scottish terrier, all of whom seem to accept or at least put up with his peculiarities.

His poetry can be read at: www.padraigomorain.blogspot.com RT 15

RATIONALITY somewhere in between a calculator IN THE HISTORY OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION, rationality takes a very important place. It originated in ancient Greece, where it replaced mythology, and where it shifted the way people thought. The same thing happened about 500 years ago, in the Renaissance in Western Europe, where Descartes, Spinoza and Leibniz were the first three great rationalists to replace Medieval theology and philosophy by our normal modern way of thinking. This piece of text will not be about the history of rationality, but about the place it takes in daily life.

My conversion to Buddhism was in part a stepping back from typical Western ways of living and thinking, and therefore, from rationality also. We might state that rationality has a fairly bad reputation among Buddhists, often seen as hard and cold, as “the typical Western dualistic way of thinking� which it, of course, often is.

Rationality is used to plan, to calculate, to organize and to plan our cities, highways, computers and toilets. Many useful things are designed with the aid of rationality. Try to imagine Western society without rationality, and not much will be left over.

Though I find it all very interesting, it's not important for my way of life. I imagine you might think - and rightly so - that you want to live in accordance with what you are and with what life gives you. You want to take life as it is. I guess you might want to be a good person, for yourself, and naturally, for others. This involves following your feelings and the course of life, trying to live in harmony with your surroundings. This is the ideal situation: life taking you where you want to be, with feelings that are positive and not too strong, embedded in your community where you take part in its daily life, living day by day, and without having to worry about anything. It is like living in the Pure Land. . .

However, we have to admit that life isn't that generous for us. Life doesn't take us where we would like to be. Our feelings aren't that positive all the time, and can sometimes be very strong, there are conflicts with other people in the community, we have to invest a lot of energy in our work in order to manage it which causes stress, fatigue, irritation. . . I guess it isn't very difficult to imagine this situation.

And things might worsen. We might get entangled by our feelings - they might become overwhelming. Conflicts can escalate, our work can become a major stress factor in our life. . . I guess you can imagine this too, but maybe not in your case, of course, you are reasonable, and won't let it get that bad. . .

We are able to manage the fire, the intensity of our feelings, we can confine the fire so Dharmavidya's interpretation of the Third Noble Truth says in The Feeling Buddha (Brazier, 2002). How do we confine our fire? How do we tame our emotions? By being reasonable. We have to be able to understand the feeling before we can start to tame it. For this we have to be able to stop the current of our consciousness and to take a step back. By reflection, by using our rationality, we are able to diminish the intensity of a feeling, without pushing it away and replacing it with another feeling.

We can start to master the feeling by asking ourselves where it comes from and whether it is a reasonable feeling, and if its intensity is justified. Sometimes we overreact. We all have good reasons for this.

Everyone has weaknesses, and if these are touched then we will react vehemently. Our

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and just being reasonable... feelings take over the rule, and in most cases, we follow the same behavioural patterns we acquired years and years ago. The one feeling leads to the other, which causes fight or flight. But luckily, there's the deus ex machina, our rationality. It enables us to stop and to think before we react. Rationality enables us to create a distance between us and our feelings. Most of the time, we consider this as a simple fact, but in fact, this rationality gives us the freedom to not be enslaved by our feelings.

We can suppose that the Buddha meant something like this with the teaching of the Third Noble Truth. He advises us to be reasonable in order to master our feelings. I guess most people wouldn't consider being reasonable to be their most special and precious ability, but in fact, it is very special. It makes it possible to register, to reflect and to stop the stream of our feelings. At the same time, rationality makes it possible to surrender to ‘Other Power’ and to be able to let go.

At this point, we arrive at an interesting tension: what do we do exactly when we try to surrender? Is this just letting go, or is it the opposite, not letting go at all? If you try hard to surrender, you are not surrendering at all. This is the easy part of the tension. But what happens if you surrender? Are you really surrendering to “the world as it is”, or are you just following the course of your feelings and opinions, that can only give you your own colored interpretation of the world as it is? An interesting question is whether we can ever experience things as they are, or whether we are trapped in our own point of view. We will never know the answer, since other people can only give their own point of view. All we can do is engage in endless discussions.

What's important in this situation is that you can let go if you are asking yourself this question. But then again, you are still in control - either controlling to let go or trying to let go of controlling the situation. This tension is interesting and might last for a moment but nobody will be stuck at this point for very long. Luckily, we have other feelings that will become stronger and take the place of this feeling. . . still at the mercy of our feelings. . . For those who like a little more control over their situation, there is still rationality by which we can choose this or that direction. But don't surrender too much to your rationality, it might lead to reasonings like this one...

Dankwart Kleinjans Member of the Amida Belgium Sangha

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A Buddhist Perspective on the Conference

“The Psychology and Politics of Climate Change” at UWE, Saturday 7 March 2009 by

Anna Plodowski As a professional experimental psychologist and climate activist, I've long been interested in the issues of psychological responses to our now urgent climate crisis, so I was very excited to be told about this conference by two other Amida South London members, Eileen Conn and Joseph O'Reilly. What really struck me at the conference was how relevant Buddhist teachings are to this whole issue.

For instance, the first speaker, George Marshall, spoke about the different strategies people use to deny the issue. He gave many examples, some of them really funny, some of them really horrifying, all demonstrating our deep attachments to delusions, and our refusal to accept that reality is as it is. In other words, recognition of mara (death) is a really important insight - much of the climate activism and government work that has been going on so far has been very rationally based, assuming that if you give people the information, they will act compassionately as a result. As a Buddhist, however, I know that I am deeply attached to my delusions, and that the practice of meditation helps me lessen that attachment.

George Marshall's talk also made me think of how strongly we resist the recognition of the inevitability of suffering. Avoiding deeply challenging issues, including the most pressing issue of climate change, I try to preserve the illusion that I can prevent myself from suffering, and that if I do this, I will be happy. Instead, I cause far greater suffering to myself and others as a result.

As an activist, I feel that many of the official messages about climate change avoid telling us a key truth - our lives cannot continue as they are, and there will be widespread suffering, even very great suffering, as a result of the greenhouse gases already in the atmosphere. The changes that are coming will not be easy, even if we do manage to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in time to prevent the tipping point into runaway, perpetually worsening climatic conditions. But avoiding that suffering and continuing with “business as usual” to temperature increases above 2 degrees will cause truly terrifying consequences for billions of people, such as RT 18

permanent loss of land and the possibility of food production.

However, recognising the inevitability of suffering frees up the range of responses I can make. Yes, I do suffer because I will never fly again; there's the Dalai Lama's Mind and Life (i.e. Buddhism and Neuroscience) Summer School in New York that I will never attend for starters! But by understanding that I will always suffer about something, I start to see that some forms of suffering are easier to deal with than others, and that some could have been prevented, so that I can start to choose actions that minimise the suffering I cause, and make way for other actions to emerge.

I also felt that a key Buddhist insight that was being struggled with throughout the conference is that of karma - the recognition that we live in a causal universe. Maybe this is just the influence of Western culture, but I feel we have a persistent determination to believe that if the purposes for which I act are good then the negative consequences that usually follow such an action will not happen. I suspect that part of the resistance to the scientific evidence of climate change reflects our refusal to accept the reality of karma. Even though we were not aware of the consequences of our actions, historically the UK by virtue of being the pioneer of the Industrial Revolution - is the biggest single producer of greenhouse gas emissions.

These emissions are still having an effect today because CO2 persists in the atmosphere for around 100 years. Even though we were not aware of the consequences of our actions, the consequences are still occurring now, and our compassionate response is needed, now. And even though we were not aware of the consequences of our past actions when we made them, failing to make a compassionate response now will still have negative consequences.

It can be very painful to recognise, in our luxurious western lives, that the way we live kills others - the 6 year olds in West Africa who die of gangrene after being paid less than a pittance to use machetes to harvest cocoa beans, the gorillas in the Congo killed so that minerals for our

mobile phones can be mined, the increase in greenhouse gas emissions that now makes the death of all coral reefs due to increasing ocean acidity inevitable. Moreover, our remorse about this is not, of itself, sufficient to change these consequences, however deeply we may feel. Some Buddhists have, rightly in my view, been criticised for trying to explain away the consequences of their greenhouse gas emissions by claiming that it is only intentions that are important.

Karma shows us otherwise. If I want to avoid the consequences of increased greenhouse gas emissions, I must also avoid all the causes of increased greenhouse gas emissions. Anything else is a delusion.

This is not to be holier-than-thou about it.

One delegate said that they found the use of the moral categories of “good” and “bad” to be counterproductive in engaging people in climate change. I immediately thought of the Buddhist understanding of actions varying on a dimension of skilfulness, from unskilful (ahimsa) to skilful (himsa) and how greater skill enables you to be more creative and have more fun. That sounds like the sort of inspiring vision we need!

I also felt that a Buddhist perspective helps us avoid idealising nature and denigrating ourselves. Mary-Jane Rust, in a deeply moving presentation, emphasised the beauty of nature without humanity's influence. Two delegates expressed concern about this romanticising. I thought of the Buddha's pain on observing the cutting open of the earth when it was ploughed, and how the interconnectedness of life means that life eats itself.

Last but not least, it was really exciting to share a very interesting and moving conversation with another delegate, and then to discover as we parted that she is a long-time member of the Amida Trust.

Perhaps my thoughts and feelings are best summarised by the mealtime grace Modgala has taught me: This food is the gift of the whole universe, the earth, the sky, all sentient and non-sentient beings. In it is much joy, much suffering and much hard work. Let us enjoy this meal together.

Namo Amida Bu

Anna Plodowski is a member of the Amida South London Group

Lama Zopa and the Lobsters by Nigel Philpot Lama Zopa and Lama Yeshe were a formidable pair, travelling the world spreading their particular form of Tibetan Buddhism. They were both of similar height and stature: Lama Yeshe a fuller figure with a broad radiant smile and Lama Zopa his younger disciple, leaner and more studious in his demeanor but with the occasional wry smile.

They both came to Conishead Priory in the Lake District in the summer of 1979; Lama Yeshe to teach Tantric Buddhism while Lama Zopa was to deliver a course in the graduated path to Enlightenment (Lam Rim) the renowned teaching of Lama Tsong Khapa who had condensed all the teachings of the Buddha into a shortened form back in the 14th century.

On the way to his daily talks, Lama Zopa would walk from his room, surrounded by a small group of people. He moved with a slight stoop, looking up now and again to talk to those who approached him in his path. He seemed to continuously pull and adjust his crimson red robes around him, perhaps drawing comfort from his familiar dress in the face of the many unfamiliar western faces he was about to encounter.

He would silently shuffle into the room where we waited, mount a rostrum built for the occasion and assume the lotus position in front of his audience.

His English was not very good; in fact it was quite broken but, incredibly, that didn't seem to matter.

People hung on his every word, as the importance and depth of what he was saying gradually began to sink in. It is a very strange and wonderful experience when you suddenly realise that an idea or thought that is quite commonplace, can be quite profound at the same time. Maybe it was the simplicity and slow pace of Lama Zopa's speech that had the effect of making you think very carefully and deeply of what he was saying. The sacredness of life (or of a precious human rebirth as the Tibetans describe it) characterised by

incessant change and suffering, followed by eventual death, suddenly took on new meaning. Faced with this unavoidable situation, one began to feel the urgency and need to DO something, to grasp the meaning and the riddle of this human dilemma and to discover an intelligent answer to its apparent futility.

The Lam Rim or Graduated Path pointed the way.

Lama Zopa's disjointed delivery was equally effective in revealing the insensitivity and stupidity of some of our behaviour. In Buddhism, the life of all sentient beings, animal or human, is considered precious and a basic tenet of practice is to refrain from doing harm to other sentient beings. With slow, measured words, punctuated by pauses, Lama Zopa took our imaginations to a salubrious restaurant and to a scene where two diners are contemplating a tank of live lobsters brought to their table. His words slowed even further as he took us through the sequence of events that sealed the chosen lobsters’ fates.

“They take the lobster…..you see….take the lobster...”

As he spoke he gestured with his right arm, slowly raising his hand as he gripped the wriggling lobster; he paused, coughed gently and continued, “ take the lobster and put it...” He paused again and began slowly lowering his arm, “ put it….in…er…er…put it in... er...boiling water.”

Yes, I see. p.s. Sadly, Lama Yeshe died of a massive heart attack in 1984. His disciple continues to travel the world teaching the dharma in his own inimitable way.

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Being a Western Buddhist Nun by

Sister Modgala Duguid OAB Presented at the Sakyadita Conference, November 2008

I'M FREE!!! Amidst the tears and sorrow in the aftermath of my broken marriage a beam of light shone. I could now follow my heart. The previous two years had been painful as I struggled to save my long-term marriage while feeling the pull of the religious life. I had changed so much since I began studying social science and my eyes opened to the suffering in the world. I could no longer avoid the call to do something useful with the years I had left.

COUNCIL OF BUDDHIST WOMEN 21 Sussex Way Finsbury Park N7 6RT Saturday 11 July 10am - 4pm RT 20

For more information call 0207 2632183 Or email Modgala at modgala2004@lycos.com

I HAD FULFILLING WORK, was doing an Open University psychology degree, and learning to be a therapist with Amida Trust. I was also a volunteer with Amida and practiced with a Zen group in Scotland. But it was not enough. I had felt a call, the call I have heard from many nuns of different traditions and faiths, to give all of my life to…who? Some may say God or Buddha, however, for me, he/she was personalised as Amida, the Buddha of infinite light and life. Not that I understood rationally who or what Amida was: my heart knew.

My commitment to my husband had been for life, and I loved him, but our differences were too great - we had to part. My children were grown and away to university. I was free. But was it wise to follow this path? Where would I go? I knew I needed guidance and a community.

I had visited a couple of monasteries and done a retreat with a great master but in each case something was missing.

There was The Amida Trust and I knew the organisation well. I was enthused by the vision of the organisation and, as a student, volunteered to help in their outreach work. I had also spent as much time as possible in their centres to imbibe Dharma teachings from Dharmavidya.

It was a small organisation, as Pureland Buddhism was and still is little known in the West and the teachings that focus on our bombu (foolish) nature do not appeal to those who come to Buddhism as an escape from Christianity. Also Amida was a young organisation that didn't buy into the lineage system that many think is essential for ordination. However Dharmavidya's vision of a “monastery without walls” for people who wished to dedicate themselves to the Buddhist life and engage with the troubled world around us, spoke to me.

I came into Buddhism out of a desire to help “all sentient beings” even before I learnt about the bodhisattva path and “knew” I needed to work out in the world. The inward-looking and enclosed monastic life was not for me. I saw the dedication of people in Amida to action in the world. Particularly when a fellow student and a trustee of Amida Trust went to Bosnia in the aftermath of the war to see how we could help. I heard teachings that inspired me. However, above all, in Amida I found the total equality that is sadly lacking in so many Buddhist groups. I had seen how women were treated as secondclass citizens in some groups.

It was not a slow introduction to Buddhist training in Amida. Because I had been very involved with Amida for quite a long time I was allowed to ordain relatively soon after joining the community and the initial training in Amida France was very challenging and intense. That

was fortunate because not long after my return to England there was an urgent call for help from a project run by a fellow ordainee in Zambia. After a further month of intense study and training I went to Zambia on a six months placement that would further change my life.

In Zambia I saw unimaginable suffering and personally encountered sickness that brought me close to death. I knew then that to work in the world without breaking down was nearly impossible without faith and training. The Buddha's teachings came alive. I also learnt how much we in the West have lost as families and communities disintegrate and that “friendship is the whole of life”. These learnings I took back to the community as a whole, shared them and went back to study and practice, firstly in England as I slowly recovered from the physical consequences, and then on long-term retreat in Amida France.

Since then I have spent time in our main temple in Leicester where I have been very involved in interfaith work, with groups at the university and developing our centre there.

More widely, I have been involved in Peace work and protests, and finally made it to Bosnia to offer teachings, run retreats and speak at the first East-West psychology conference to take place since the war. In India I set up a project working with the very poor ex-untouchables and have been busy seeking volunteers and training them for this work. Most importantly, this project empowers the women and children and helps them go beyond their abysmal conditions. Most recently, I have been touring in the UK, taking a chaplaincy tent to music festivals, and have become more involved in Buddhist networks in the UK and Europe.

This is the kind of life followed by those ordained as Amitaryas in Amida. We go wherever we are needed and our work in the world encompasses running retreats and workshops, teaching Dharma, teaching the Buddhist psychology programme as well as writing and engaging in creative arts etc. Some Amitaryas follow a celibate lifestyle the equivalent of monks and nuns, while others are married.

There are also very dedicated ordained ministers and chaplains who work in their own communities in many different arenas; university chaplaincy, mediation, interfaith, work with asylum seekers and a drop in centre etc. One chaplain, my first volunteer, now runs the project in India.

I am now back in London, my birthplace, hoping to develop work in the community alongside the faiths forum and supporting our little Amida group there. Until, of course, Amida requests my presence elsewhere.

Namo Amida Bu

Sr Modgala will be presenting a paper on "Socially Engaged Buddhist Women" at the Sakyadita International conference in Vietnam, December 2009

RT 21

I stopped being a Bodhisattva When thoughts of me, mine & Ours entered my head On becoming self-filled Ceasing to think of others Impatient of their needs With hearts open to the Suffering of this world: We are in an instant Compassionate attendants We ourselves are worthy recipients Even though in anger and fearful trembling We are blind in denial of this truth Amida sits imperturbable in welcome Quan Yin pours her light into the dragons mouth Green Tara quick as a thought appears

A flea bit me I hit it with a hammer It was on my head Now all I do is stammer ~Paul Hardiment

Anything that stands Between 'me' And what I want will incur wrath Risk bludgeoning and blind rage This person Object Creed Is mine & mine only!

Today's root canal treatment Last weeks MRI scan provoking A tension of stress and discomfort Heart call to the measureless & Just being there sufficed. ~Richard Meyers

Dennis Oliver RT 22

Faith and art

Little bee Little bee, I'm honoured that you came my way settled here beside me on your dying day.

Perhaps we'll each gain comfort from it.

Since you're too weak to labour, fly or feed, I'm offering my companionship.

Have we anything to learn at the turning of the light?

n is O

liver

I stare at your brave, monumental effort as you try to stumble to your feet.

Surely you deserve the comfort of a quietness in the few minutes you have left.

Neither of us can move a minim further than our limitations.

After all your legendary perseverance, Isn't this a time for stillness?

Den

As the two of us are soon to loose connection, before you go I am removing all distinctions.

Since in the end we'll be the same, I'll address you as a friend, And spend this moment wishing you a blessing, happiness,

success.

~Dennis Oliver

June Morning I returned to savour, sip the beauty of a garden poppy.

Yesterday, it's sultry invitation quite seduced me: a miracle of earth and sun and water: mother nature's radiant daughter, full of health and promise, abundant and resplendent as a debutante.

Remembering the glory of that afternoon, I'd come for a second shot of spiritual adrenalin.

My eager expectation notwithstanding, I found a petal on the ground.

Those remaining - yesterday enticing and intriguing, hinting at a tasty sexuality, inviting the imagination now were dry, robbed of their sublimity.

The centre piece looked slimy.

In a single night, everything I had imagined, Yearned to draw on, wanted to rely on, was stolen. My seduction had been turning while I slept: the whole thing gone to seed.

Should I grieve to lose this garland lass now gone, before me on her earthy casket?

I've come to see things differently, just thankful for what it's showed me: another kind of beauty.

Now I'm living for posterity. ~Dennis Oliver

RT 23

The amida community COURSES AND RETREATS Spring 2009

Looking for a Buddhist counsellor or psychotherapist?

Search on http://buddhisttherapist.ning.com A NEW database for Buddhist Therapists Easy for clients to find a therapist with an understanding of Buddhism A place for Buddhist Therapists to publicise events & network

Buddhist Psychology 2 - 10 MAY

Breaking Through Delusion Caroline & David Brazier & Gina Clayton

Buddhist psychology suggests that we are all caught in fabricated worlds, built as defences against knowing the existential reality of our situation, and our feelings of threat which come from our expectations of others' judgement and condemnation. We opt for the reassuringly familiar and see new situations through our habitual templates and mental formations, yet still we are troubled by threatening feelings of inadequacy and guilt. The structuring of our personal worlds is complex and well-established. We have been doing it since birth and before. In this course block, we will explore the processes of delusion which lie at the heart of mental structures, and in particular, we will explore the ways that many such feelings revolve around the "need to be right" and our fear of judgement. We will look at ways of challenging these perceptions and reaching a more honest relationship with our humanity.

2-3 May : VEDANA, SAMJNA, SAMSKARA

This skills weekend will focus on the Buddhist theory of skandha process explaining how the structures of delusion are created. As we perceive our world, we react, and in reacting tap into our habitual patterns of thought and action. We play out familiar roles and invite those around us to do the same. In doing this, we proliferate those mental tracks that will lead us to continue to see the world in a deluded way. We will explore how these patterns of response manifest on micro and macro levels in all normal human interaction, and how the therapist can use awareness of this process to break into their rigidities.

4-7 May : BEYOND GUILT

A four day experiential group focusing on exploring issues of guilt and shame. With the recent publication of Guilt by Caroline Brazier, this workshop will look at the complexity of this topic, exploring the differences between real guilt and felt guilt, and the factors which may be at play in such experiences. In particular it will look at the western burden of judgmentalism and at ways of moving beyond this into a more productive relationship with our pasts. This group will use action methods, and other exercises, to explore the way that perception can shift or mislead. We will look at new ways of perceiving old events through various kinds of other-centred work. There will be opportunities to discuss relevance to client work and to explore methods that can be used in the therapeutic setting to disrupt unhelpful perceptual fixities.

8 May: BOMBU NATURE AND THE THERAPIST

We are all bombu. We are human, and in being so, we are ordinary, unenlightened beings who make mistakes. At the same time, our clients may have all manner of expectations of us which may be

For full information on Amida Trust educational programmes please consult ht RT 24

The amida learning community

artificially high. They may idealise us and look to us for wisdom which they do not themselves hold. As therapists, we are expected to uphold standards of behaviour which are exemplary, codified in ethical guidelines, and in our professional models.

Thus we are expected to continue to "get it right" and our fallibility is frowned upon from all sides. How does the therapist deal with these high expectations? What happens when things go wrong? How do we integrate our darker aspects into our professional practice and recognise our ordinariness whilst continuing to provide the level of holding which therapy requires.

NEW BOOK BY CAROLINE BRAZIER author of several books including Buddhist Psychology, Other Buddhism and Guilt

9-10 May : GREEN THERAPY

Therapy can be seen as taking place in a separate space. The boundaries of the therapy room create a barrier, bringing therapy into an indoor world focussed on inner processes of the mind. Yet humans exist in a world that is facing ecological crisis. How do we live with the realities of climate change and the destruction of environments? Do these impact on the therapeutic process we engage in, or are we and our clients so preoccupied with personal stories that such global factors are ignored.

This weekend, in our series on ethical dilemmas asks: What impact does environmental concern have on our work as therapist? Is it something we should be more conscious of? Do therapists have a role in shaping public attitudes on these matters? Is it the ultimate delusion to believe we can reach our human potential whilst ignoring the fate of other sentient beings?

ttp://buddhistpsychology.info

! An excellent support to anyone whose professional or voluntary roles involve listening to others ! Straightforward and practical ! Written in an easy style ! Contains interesting exercises to integrate the subject matter ! Activities are suitable for individuals as well as groups

Publication Date : 20 May 2009 RT 25

The amida community COURSES AND RETREATS SUMMER 2009 AT AMIDA FRANCE

Amida France is a place to rest, relax, explore, and heal.

July 14 - 18, 2009 Sesshin

with Dharmavidya

Sesshin, from setsu-shin, is a Japanese term meaning to be in touch with and transmit the heart (shin). A sesshin is a period of intensive spiritual practice. Spiritual practice is to dwell in the presence of the Unconditioned. Whether one retires from the world as a hermit saint or goes forth into the midst of society for the benefit of all sentient beings, one's ground, as a practitioner, is always ultimately the sacred power of love. Buddhas call this the divine resort (Brahma Vihara). It can be recognised by followers of any serious spiritual path.

In this sesshin all can together practise insight, tranquil abiding and invocation in a variety of ways. Instruction will be given in basic spiritual exercises and there will be extended periods of practice, much of it in silence. We can reflect upon our nature, imbibe the power of peace, and deepen our spiritual sense. This retreat is for seekers of any tradition devoted to universal love, compassion and peace.

July 20 - 24

Aug 3 - 7

SUMMER TEACHINGS

BUDDHIST PSYCHOLOGY SUMMER SCHOOL

A series of talks on the basic principles of spiritual life with a particular focus upon the ethical precepts as a description of the Buddhakaya. Dharmavidya's teachings spring from the wisdom of the Pureland Buddhist tradition that advances high ideals while recognising the vulnerable character of human nature.

The dynamic of Pureland teaching arises from the contrast between personal and Buddha natures, this world and the Pure Land. For those wishing to embark upon a spiritual life or deepen their practice in everyday affairs these questions have important practical implications. How much responsibility can a conditioned being have? What is it possible to change and what is outside of one's control? Thinking about socially engaged Buddhism, how do Buddhist ethics apply to social issues? What can we do collectively or as individuals given the scale of contemporary world problems? In this week, there will be Dharma presentations, group discussions and exercises to investigate these issues. Previous workshops of this kind have contributed significantly to participants' choice of direction in life and to the evolution of the sangha community.

An opportunity to join with staff and students from the Amida Psychotherapy Training Programme for five days of workshops, lectures and experiential sessions in the French countryside. This event will provide an excellent introduction for those interested in the topic who have no prior experience, as well as offering regular students a chance to gain course credits in a different setting to that of our regular course blocks in the UK. It will give space for the exploration of the application of Buddhist psychology in therapeutic contexts, both in general terms, and in terms of developing specific other-centred skills. For existing students it will provide consolidation of learning gained from other courses, as well as providing time to relax together and get to know each other in new ways. The structure of the day will be negotiable with the group but will probably consist of morning and evening formal learning sessions, with afternoons free for walking, swimming or conversation. There will be opportunities to join Buddhist practice at the centre, and participants may want to extend their stay to join one of our other programmes. Recommended pre-reading for participants: David Brazier's Zen Therapy and Caroline Brazier's Buddhist Psychology. Note that this event will include personal sharing as well as theoretical discussion. This event carries half credit for registered students.

August 10 - 14

Dharma with the Family

Total Cost for BP summer school : €300/£200 for public €200/£125 for all registered students ACCOMMODATION between € 20 - 50 per day per person

A time for the entire family. Enjoy spending time playing, swimming and doing arts and crafts.

Costs for all the events at Amida France (except Buddhist Psychology course) Suggested donation €15-30 per day. Accommodation between €20-30 per day TO BOOK EMAIL courses@amidatrust.com

The amida learning community COURSES AND EVENTS

DAY EVENTS AT SUKHAVATI LONDON, FINSBURY PARK FOR REGISTRATION COSTS AND INFO EMAIL: modgala2004@lycos.com PHONE: 02 07 26 32 21 83

Sunday 26 April 10 - 4 pm STARTING THIS AUTUMN Post-Qualification Certificate in Applied Somatic Therapy Somatic therapy is a profound complement to Buddhist and humanistic therapies through its holistic concern with the integration of psyche, soma and spirit.

October 23-25 2009 The Heart of Somatics February 12-23 2010 Unfolding Consciousness April 17-25 2010 Compassionate Embrace Sally is a Somatic Movement Therapist and Educator registered by the International Somatic Movement Education and Therapy Association.

Her work is founded upon more than 20 years experience in the creative arts as performance artist and movement practitioner.

Candidates for this certificate programme are asked to email courses@amidatrust.com interviews will take place on 12 September 2009

Crisis as Opportunity with Modgala

Sunday 24 May 10 - 4 pm Facing Anger with Prasada Caroline Brazier Professional Seminar for practising therapists: 5.00-7.00pm : ÂŁ10 (workshop participants only)

Saturday 24 Oct 10 - 4 pm Love and its Disappointment Sunday 25 11am Brunch & What’s Buddhist about Engaged Buddhism with Dharmavidya David Brazier

WEEKEND RETREATS WITH DHARMAVIDYA DAVID BRAZIER Head of the Amida Order and author of many books on Buddhism, love, death and therapy.

Named after titles of his books, these retreats will include teachings and seminars, spiritual practice, personal sharing, and discussions at The Buddhist House in Narborough, Leicestershire, UK. Places must be booked.

Please email courses@amidatrust.com or Phone 0116 286 7476 to register.

13 - 14 June 2009 The Feeling Buddha

21-22 November 2009 Zen Therapy

19 - 20 September 2009 Love and its Disappointment

2 - 3 January 2010 Who loves dies well RT 27

LET’S CHANT TOGETHER David Dharmavidya Brazier

Q: Why should I chant?

A: Chanting the name of the Buddha of Love opens a window to let love into your life.

Q: What is that name and how should I say it?

A: The Name is Amida. Usually we say 'Namo Amida Bu'. There are lots of different tunes and rhythms. There are also other longer or shorter forms of the chant. 'Namo Amida Bu' comes from the Sanskrit language. It is short for ‘The Name that I call on is Amida Buddha’.

Q: Will it make me kinder, more peaceful or more creative?

A: It will do all of that, but, more importantly, if you chant with or for others, the love will spread, like light coming in through one window spreads through the room.

Q: What is your aim in teaching people to chant?

A: The ultimate aim is to create harmony throughout the universe. The immediate aim is that each person feel a little more love in their life. When people feel that love they grow as people and become more effective and fulfilled.

Q: What should I do if I do not have a good voice or find it too difficult?

A: It is nice to chant harmoniously with others, but all that is actually needed is to say the name of the Buddha of love. You can say it anytime, either out loud, or silently, whatever activity you are involved in.

Q: I've heard people say 'Namo Amida Bu' or ' Namo Omito Fo' to one another. Why? A: For those who chant regularly, among themselves, the Name tends to become an everyday term - a greeting, an encouragement, an apology, an acknowledgment. Whatever happens, 'Namo Amida Bu' brings a little love and harmony into the situation.

Q: I’m not a very loving person. I don’t think that I can make love appear like that.

A: Love is a power. It is not something that you make by your own effort. It works in a mysterious way as soon as you let it and give yourself to it.

Q: What if I belong to another religion already?

A: That is not a problem as far as Pureland Buddhism is concerned. Any religion, if it is a good religion, believes in love and spreading it in the world.

Q: Does it matter what you chant?

A: Yes, what you chant resonates throughout your life so it matters what it means because that is what you are invoking to be the power in your life.

NAMO AMIDA BU