Amida Buddhism Newcastle

Amida Courses Newsletter

April 2008

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Welcome to our Amida Courses Newsletter. This spring has been a busy and creative time at The Buddhist House, with a lot of fun and enthusiasm being expressed in various Amida ventures. This newsletter is just intended to give you a flavour of what is on offer. More detail of most things listed can be found on our web sites at www.amidatrust.com and www.buddhistpsychology.info or you can email us at courses@amidatrust.com

 

2008/9 PSYCHOTHERAPY COURSES

Our course callendar for 2008/9 is now on the web at http://www.buddhistpsychology.info/calendar%2004to05.htm If you wish to apply for any of our courses, please do send your applications in good time as it takes a while to arrange references. The is still time to join the programme at the next course block in May/June, though we would only advise joining at this particular course if you have some prior experience. Contact us if you have questions about this.

amida france is opening in may + news of dharmavidya's teachings, 10 - 30 july

Susthama and a couple of members from The Buddhist House will go to France in mid-May (2008) to open it up for the summer season. The retreat centre has been closed for the winter period and so there will be alot of work initially; getting the place aired out and clean, digging the garden to get the beds ready for planting, clearing paths for outdoor walking meditation and also to make a way to the meditation hut ready for anybody interested in doing a solitary retreat in the woods.

It's a great time of year to be in France. If you're in need of space, fresh air, and a retreat atmosphere then do come along.

::link

During the three week period of the July Retreat,
Dharmavidya & Prasada
will give lectures on
Pureland Buddhism and its Application in Society, Culture and the Arts

* 12 lectures over the three week period

There will also be

* periods of Pureland practice
* introductory seminars for the less experienced on the basics of the Pureland approach
* seminars and coaching for the more experienced related to Buddhist chaplaincy and ministry

As usual there will be plenty of opportunities for outdoor life, community living, discussion and sharing with stimulating company, and good vegetarian food, much of it from the centre's own garden.

::link

Dharmavidya's Pastoral Letter: Open Secret

From Dharmavidya, head ot the Amida Order:

::Pastoral Letter of 21 March 2008

Dear Friends

The Pureland Way is a kind of open secret. It is open in the sense that anybody can easily get to know that Purelanders are those for whom their prime spiritual practice is saying the nembutsu. It is secret in the sense that few who have not immersed themselves in it realise what a transforming effect this practice has upon people’s lives.

Firstly, let us appreciate the extreme simplicity of this approach which operationalises everything that was taught by Shakyamuni and all the other Buddhas in the most direct way. Through the nembutsu we give up self, entrust ourselves to the Great Way, fulfil our karmic destiny, create a Pure Land for all, attain great happiness, and free ourselves from samsara for the benefit of all sentient beings. This is all through the power of nembutsu.

The nembutsu way is a generic spirituality. Actually it is for “Buddhists of all religions”. There is nothing sacred about the actual words of the nembutsu - in different countries it is said differently - but it becomes nembutsu by intent - the intent to reach out toward and to be open to what is sacred. The person who says nembutsu (the nembuts’sha), in effect, says, “I am a spiritual person and I am embraced by the spirit everywhere.”

To be spiritual is to relate to the spirit. Different people conceive spirit differently due to differences of human capacity. The nembutsu means “I am an ordinary person calling out to that which is most good, true and exquisite.” These two interpretations of the nembutsu are just different facets of the same jewel for the spiritual person is the person who recognises his or her ordinariness and the spirit that is everywhere is that which is most sublime.

::Pastoral Letter of 21 March 2008

Dear Friends

5th living buddhism conference - an update

The 5th Living Buddhism Conference

"Breaking the Mould: Buddhism Comes West & Gets Engaged"

Narborough, Leicestershire, UK in April - May 2008

• 26 - 27 April: Pre-Conference Gathering: Practice, Discussions, Gatherings

• 28 - 30 April: Pre-Conference Events: Monday Outing; Tuesday & Wednesday Mini-conferences "Buddhism & Arts", "Amida Around the World", "Buddhism in a Multi-Faith World", "Buddhist Education".

• 1 - 4 May: Conference Proper: Keynote Speakers, Plenary Sessions, Presentations, Workshops, Exhibitions, Bookshop, Entertainment.

• 5 May: Post Conference Meeting: "Buddhism in Organisation Development"

Website - http://amidatrust.typepad.com/conference2008/

A message from Susthama:

Dear Friends,

With the Amida conference approaching fast we need your help to get the word out. If you would like to help, please circulate information on any networks you know, put notices on notice boards, and, above all, tell people. Word of mouth is what helps most. If you can distribute publicity material please do and if you need more, please let Mudita or me know.

Buddhist Chaplaincy at Northumbria University

Sujatin: I'm very happy to have been appointed as a member of the Northumbria University Chaplaincy team on Friday. This Chaplaincy was set up as multi-faith but has only had Christian chaplains to date.  I am a full member of the team, acting as Buddhist Contact person, with responsibility for the needs of Buddhists at the university, for the first year, after which I will be Buddhist Chaplain, with responsibility for the spiritual needs of all students and staff. There is a new site which will deal exclusively with meetings at Northumbria.

I have been Buddhist Chaplain at the other university in the city, Newcastle University, for the past four years

Gareth interviews Sujatin for Running Tide

Talking to Sujatin.

Separated by almost 200 miles, Sujatin and I had arranged to meet virtually. I displayed my own foolish nature by forgetting to bring my skype headset across to the library, where I'd set up for our conversation. A quick dash back to number four, and a few technical problems later, I could hear the dulcet tones of Newcastle's favourite Buddhist Minister.

Larger Pureland Sutra

This is the text of the Larger Pureland Sutra, one of the main sutras of Amida-shu, our School of Buddhism:

Full text of the Sukhavati Vyuha Sutra: manifesting the land of bliss in the recension used by the Amida-shu

[The Scene] *
1. Thus have I heard. At one time the Blessed One was staying at the Vulture Peak at Rajagriha.

2. At that time the Buddha was attended by twelve thousand monks, all of them arhats.

Full text of the Sukhavati Vyuha Sutra: manifesting the land of bliss in the recension used by the Amida-shu

[The Scene] *
1. Thus have I heard. At one time the Blessed One was staying at the Vulture Peak at Rajagriha.

2. At that time the Buddha was attended by twelve thousand monks, all of them arhats.

Dharmavidya to visit Amida Sanctuary

I'm delighted to let you know that we will be having another visitor from The Buddhist House. Dharmavidya, the head of our Order, will be visiting the Amida Sanctuary and will be with us for our 6th November Monday evening meeting at 7:30 pm.

You would be welcome to join us at 6 pm for soup - please let me know if you are coming (see e-mail address at top of left-hand column).

Dharmavidya - a short biography

2-9 december 2006: bodhi retreat

Now is the time to book for the Bodhi Retreat at The Buddhist House (12 Coventry Rd, Narborough, Leicestershire), the most important retreat in the Amida Calendar. 

 

2-9 December 2006: Bodhi Retreat

Always the most important event in the Amida annual calendar, the Bodhi Retreat has grown in significance as the Amida-shu and the Amida Order have developed. It is traditional to hold a retreat at this time of year in memory of the enlightenment of Shakyamuni Buddha celebrated on the 8th December. Last year was the most memorable Bodhi Retreat so far and included the introduction of 24 hours of continuous chanting on the first Saturday-Sunday: an event which had a wonderful effect upon participants and which we plan to repeat this year. The retreat includes teachings, seminars, silent periods, nembutsu practice, Amidist ceremonial, and opportunities for personal sharing.
::details here

Prasada visiting from The Buddhist House

I'm delighted to let you know that Rev. Prasada will be visiting the Amida Sanctuary at the beginning of next week and will be with us for our 23rd October Monday evening meeting at 7:30 pm. You would be welcome to join us at 6 pm for soup - please let me know if you are coming (see e-mail address at top of left-hand column).

A short biography of Rev. Prasada Caroline Brazier - Prasada-jee

Finding us