Announcements
Spring Essay
Making a Fresh Start in Life
By Bhikkhu Bodhi
A talk given at the Chinese New Year assembly at Bodhi Monastery, February 9th, 2008
“For Buddhists, the new year should not be an occasion merely to celebrate and enjoy good food and the company of friends. It is an opportunity to take a new birth and start a new life, a time to renew our commitment to the Buddhist path. In following the Dhamma, it is always best for us to consider ourselves beginners. We should not think that because we may have been practicing Buddhism for ten, twenty, or thirty years, we are experts in the Dhamma. No matter how long we might have been studying and practicing the Dhamma, we should always consider ourselves to be on Square One!”
2008 Summer Dharma Retreat: July 4th—10th
The Winter Dharma Retreat hosted by the Yin Shun Foundation at Bodhi Monastery features Dharma talks, meditation sessions, discussion, and liturgy — a balanced blend of the intellectual, contemplative, and emotional sides of the Buddhist path.
Though it is to the student’s benefit to participate in the entire program, you are also welcome to come for an abbreviated stay or individual complete-day sessions (morning through evening). Students staying in the dormitories can arrive on July 3rd. We will send another email notification to you when more information is available.
4-Day English Program: Friday, July 4th – Monday, July 7th
This year the English Program of the retreat will be slightly more advanced than usual to meet the needs of the committed students who consistently participate in this retreat. Lectures on the human-centered teachings of Ven. Yin-shun will be included in this program.
7-Day Chinese Program: Friday, July 4th – Thursday, July 10th
The Chinese Program has been extended to seven days rather than the customary six days.
More information on the Dharma retreat will be published in the near future.
Vesak Celebration: Saturday, May 17th
On Saturday, May 17th, Bodhi Monastery will celebrate the international Buddhist holiday of Vesak, the day commemorating the birth, Enlightenment, and Parinirvana (passing away) of Lord Buddha. The Vesak program begins in the morning and continues through the afternoon. More information on the program will be posted at a later date.
Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi to Give Further Lectures on the Majjhima Nikāya Beginning in the Spring
We are pleased to inform you that Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi will continue his series of lectures “Exploring the Word of the Buddha” with some supplementary suttas from the Majjhima Nikāya. Classes will take place at Bodhi Monastery on two consecutive Tuesdays per month. The list of suttas is below.
There are no prerequisites to attending this course, but we encourage you to acquire a copy of The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Majjhima Nikāya, translated by Bhikkhu Nanamoli and Bhikkhu Bodhi, published by Wisdom Publications. The book is available at Bodhi Monastery and can also be obtained through amazon.com and wisdompubs.org. You may also like to start listening to some of the posted lectures from the recently concluded course, located in the Dhamma section of our website. The schedule for the lectures is the following:
| Sutta | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3. | Dhammadāyāda Sutta: Heirs in Dhamma | |
| 5. | Anangaṇa Sutta: Without Blemishes | |
| 15. | Anumāna Sutta: Inference (recommended reading) | |
| 16. | Cetokhila Sutta: The Wilderness in the Heart (recommended reading) | |
| 18. | Madhupiṇḍika Sutta: The Honeyball | |
| 24. | Rathavinita Sutta: The Relay Chariots | |
| 33. | Mahāgopālaka Sutta: The Greater Discourse on the Cowherd | |
| 34. | Cūḷagopālaka Sutta: The Shorter Discourse on the Cowherd | |
| 35. | Cūḷasaccaka Sutta: The Shorter Discourse to Saccaka | |
| 43. | Mahāvedalla Sutta: The Brahmins of Verañja | |
| 44. | Cūḷavedalla Sutta: The Shorter Series of Questions and Answers | |
| 49. | Brahmanimantanika Sutta: The Invitation of a Brahmā | |
| 53. | Sekha Sutta: The Disciple in Higher Training | |
| 56. | Upāli Sutta: To Upāli | |
| 59. | Bahuvedanīya Sutta: The Many Kinds of Feeling | |
| 62. | Mahārāhula Sutta: The Greater Discourse of Advice to Rāhula | |
| 66. | Laṭukikopama Sutta: The Simile of the Quail | |
| 67. | Cātumā Sutta: At Cātumā | |
| 72. | Aggivacchagotta Sutta: To Vacchagotta on Fire | |
| 73. | Mahāvacchagotta Sutta: The Greater Discourse to Vacchagotta | |
| 74. | Dīghanakha Sutta: To Dīghanakha | |
| To be continued | ||
“Great Bodhi Mind,” a New Booklet of Essays by Ven. Jen-chun, is Now On-line
A PDF of a new booklet of Shifu’s essays “Great Bodhi Mind” is now posted on the website. This booklet consists of miscellaneous lectures that have been translated into English. The actual booklet will be published early this year. A PDF of his first booklet of essays, “Gateway to the Dharma,” is also now posted on-line. This booklet consists of talks given by Ven. Jen-chun as preparation for the study of Ven. Yin-shun’s “The Way to Buddhahood,” a monumental treatise by the foremost Chinese scholar-monk of modern times.
Go to: http://www.bodhimonastery.net/dhamma/jen_chun.html
Sunday Morning Meditation Group
Sunday Group Meditation Now Led by Venerable Bill
Everyone is welcome to attend these sessions which includes both sitting and walking meditation. A short time at the end is reserved for questions, readings, and brief Dharma talks.
Beginner’s Instruction in Meditation
On the first Sunday of each month, instructions in basic sitting and walking meditation are given at 9:00 am. Students are then welcome to stay for the Sunday meditation group from 9:30 to 10:45 am.
Spring 2008 General Dharma Schedule
| Daily | |||
| 4:30 pm – | 5:00 pm | Chanting Liturgy | |
| 5:05 pm – | 6:00 pm | Sitting meditation | |
| Specified Tuesdays | |||
| 7:15 pm – | 8:00 pm | Majjhima Nikāya Study with Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi | |
| Saturdays | |||
| 9:00 am – | 9:40 am | Group Meditation | |
| 9:50 am – | 10:40 am | English: Dharma Discussion Chinese: Ven. Jen-chun lecture |
|
| 10:50 am – | 11:10 am | Devotional Service | |
| 11:20 am – | 12:30 pm | Lunch/Clean-up | |
| 12:40 pm – | 1:10 pm | Lecture (Either in Chinese translated to English or in English) | |
| 1:20 pm – | 2:20 pm | Book Study/Discussion (Separate English and Chinese Groups) |
|
| Sundays | |||
| 9:30 am – | 10:45 am | Meditation Group | |
| First Sunday of each month | |||
| 9:00 am – | 9:30 am | Beginners instruction in meditation | |