Telephone: (216) 692-1509
Fax: (216) 692-2012
www.ClevelandBuddhistTemple.com
Reverend Ronald Miyamura, Supervising Minister
January-February, 2012
Calendar of Events
January
1 Sun: NO MEDITATION TODAY
NO STUDY GROUP TODAY
3 Tue: 7-9 PM Zen Shin Sangha Meditation
4 Wed: 7-9 PM Zen Shin Sangha Meditation
8 Sun: 10:00 AM Sitting Meditation
10:00 AM Pancake Breakfast Fund Raiser
11:30 AM Temple Board Meeting
12:00 Noon Dharma Study Group
10 Tue: 7-9 PM Zen Shin Sangha Meditation
11 Wed: 7-9 PM Zen Shin Sangha Meditation
15 Sun 10:00 AM Sitting Meditation
12:00 Noon Dharma Study Group
17 Tue: 7-9 PM Zen Shin Sangha Meditation
18 Wed: 7-9 PM Zen Shin Sangha Meditation
22 Sun: 10:00 AM Sitting Meditation
10:30 AM New Year's, Temple Anniversary,
and Monthly Memorial Service
After Service: Memorial Remembrance for Yoko Ogui
New Year’s Luncheon
12:00 Noon Dharma Study Group
24 Tue: 7-9 PM Zen Shin Sangha Meditation
25 Wed: 7-9 PM Zen Shin Sangha Meditation
29 Sun: 10:00 AM Sitting Meditation
12:00 Noon Dharma Study Group
31 Tue: 7-9 PM Zen Shin Sangha Meditation
February
1 Wed: 7-9 PM Zen Shin Sangha Meditation
5 Sun: 10:00 AM Sitting Meditation
12:00 Noon Dharma Study Group
7 Tue: 7-9 PM Zen Shin Sangha Meditation
8 Wed: 7-9 PM Zen Shin Sangha Meditation
12 Sun: 10:00 AM Sitting Meditation
10:00 AM Pancake Breakfast Fund Raiser
11:30 AM Temple Board Meeting
12:00 Noon Dharma Study Group
14 Tue: 7-9 PM Zen Shin Sangha Meditation
15 Wed: 7-9 PM Zen Shin Sangha Meditation
19 Sun: 9:00 AM Bulletin Mailing
10:00 AM Sitting Meditation
10:30 AM Monthly Memorial and Sangha
Service with Rev. Miyamura
12:00 Noon Dharma Study Group
21 Tue: 7-9 PM Zen Shin Sangha Meditation
22 Wed: 7-9 PM Zen Shin Sangha Meditation
26 Sun: 10:00 AM Sitting Meditation
12:00 Noon Dharma Study Group
28 Tue: 7-9 PM Zen Shin Sangha Meditation
29 Wed: 7-9 PM Zen Shin Sangha Meditation
March (tentative):
4 Sun: 10:00 AM Sitting Meditation
12:00 Noon Dharma Study Group
6 Tue: 7-9 PM Zen Shin Sangha Meditation
7 Wed: 7-9 PM Zen Shin Sangha Meditation
10 Sat 8:30 AM-1 PM Zen Shin Sangha Sesshin
Starting Off On the “Right Foot”
By Rev. Ron Miyamura
I wish all of you a happy new year. Or as we say in Japanese, ”Shin-nen, ake-mashita o-medetoo gozai-masu.”
When we meet someone new, we all want to make a good first impression. When we do something new, we want to start off on the right foot.
This is a funny phrase in the English language: to start off on the right foot. But in the American culture, when we march, either in the military, or even in boy scouts, or in marching band, we are taught that the first step is with the left foot.
And it is a contradiction, to start walking with the left foot, but we want to get started “on the right foot.”
In Japanese culture and Buddhist culture, one steps off on the right foot. For example, the “official” way to offer incense is a good example. When we offer incense, we stop, bow, and then step: right, left, together, and then take the incense chips, put our hands together and bow, then step back, with our left foot…of course, when we are in a line, we cannot always step back….and most of us do incense offering differently.
And to get started on the right foot often means that we leave old things behind, just like getting rid of our limitations and hindrances - - by striking the bell 108 times.
Culturally, in the Buddhist traditions we want to start each and every day off on the right foot, and we want to greet our friends and family in a positive way, and we make every effort to be positive and helpful.
So for us, it is normal to greet everyone in the morning with a cheerful: good morning, or in Japanese, “O-haiyo gozai-masu.” And it would be normal to greet our friends for the first time this new year with a: Happy New Year, or in Japanese, “Ake-mashita o-medetoo gozai-masu. “
In short, we want to remember and appreciate the past, and we want to discard the garbage from the past and start the new year off on the right foot – both the symbolic right foot, and maybe even the physical right foot.
Zen Shin Sangha
The Zen Shin Sangha, founded by Sensei Ogui, is a group that practices the Buddha Dharma through meditation, chanting, and discussion under the guidance of senior students.
Training for beginners is held on Tuesdays from 7:00 to 9:00 PM and includes two twelve minute periods of sitting meditation, walking meditation, chanting, and listening to a Dharma talk. The Wednesday classes, also from 7:00 to 9:00 PM, follow the same format and include more lengthy sittings and more extensive chanting. Instructions on the basics of meditation practice are given on Tuesdays; on Wednesdays it is assumed that the participants have already received such training.
Zen Shin Sangha Sesshin
The Zen Shin Sangha will hold a sesshin, a day of intensive sitting, walking, and chanting meditation on Saturday, March 10th from 8:30 AM to 1:00 PM. The program will conclude with a pot-luck lunch. There is no fee required, although a donation of $5 per person is suggested. For further information, please see Craig Horton.
Sunday Sitting Meditation
On m ost Sunday mornings during January and February there will be a period of sitting meditation practice at 10:00 AM that will last for at least twenty minutes. On Sundays when no other service or activity is scheduled, the practice will include chanting meditation, two periods of sitting meditation, and walking meditation. All are invited to come to these Sunday morning sittings. Newcomers to sitting practice are encouraged to come at least ten minutes early in order to receive instruction about the practice. Please note: There will be no meditation on Sunday, January 1st.
Dharma Study Group
The Dharma Study Group meets every Sunday from 12 Noon to 1 PM for the reading, study and peer discussion of selected materials to further expand the understanding and practice of basic Buddhism, Mahayana Buddhism, and Jodo Shinshu.
Everyone is invited to participate. Donations are greatly appreciated to support and expand this educational offering. For further information, please see Damon Ramsey. Please note: the Dharma Study Group will not meet on Sunday, January 1st.
New Year's, Temple Anniversary and
Monthly Memorial Service for January
The New Year's, Temple Anniversary, and monthly memorial service for January will be held on Sunday, January 22nd at 10:30 AM. Our loved ones whose passing we are remembering this month include:
Jinzaburo Hayakawa, Kumajiro Asamoto, Kanji Asazawa, Hidegi Iwasaki, Fushino Hirono, Fumi Tanaka, Arne Junger, Kaneno Akiba, Mary Mariko Sakai, Kamiyo Arie, Frank Nakamura, Scott Peer, Allen Kraft, and others.
Memorial Remembrance for Yoko Ogui
After the New Year’s service on January 22nd, we will hold a special memorial celebrating the life of our Dharma friend Yoko Ogui, who passed away last September. We invite all members and friends who knew Yoko to share their memories and appreciation for her friendship, or you may email them to Joe Ahern at jahern@mindspring.com and we will read them during the service. If you have pictures of Yoko, you may bring them to place on the altar during the memorial. Following the memorial, everyone may continue to share their memories during the New Year’s luncheon.
Monthly Memorial and Sangha Service for February with Rev. Miyamura
The monthly memorial and sangha service for February will be conducted by Rev. Miyamura on Sunday, February 19th, at 10:30 AM. Our loved ones whose passing we are remembering this month include:
Kazue Kimura, Katsumi Mori, Matsujiro Sasaki, Sawa Nakao, Byron Akitsuki, Susumu Ishikawa, Tom Shirasawa, Kiyoto Nadaoka, John Kratochvil, Isao Jay Akiba, Masami Ishige, Satoshi Tom Yokoyama, Aiko Kosai, and others.
Pancake Breakfast and Board Meeting
On the second Sunday of each month, there is, as you probably know, a Pancake Breakfast fund-raiser at the Temple, starting at 10:00 AM, which is followed by the monthly meeting of the Temple’s Board at 11:30 AM.
We hope that all of you can come and enjoy the pancakes, biscuits, potatoes, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, orange juice, tea, and good company. We also hope that you will at least occasionally volunteer to help in preparing the breakfast or help with the cleanup afterward. Temple members are also, of course, welcome to attend the Board meeting after the breakfast.
Relying on this Bulletin
Occasionally, especially since each issue of the Temple Bulletin covers a two-month period, there are changes in scheduled events that are not reflected in the Bulletin. Such changes for the coming week are included in the recorded Temple schedule that is available at the Temple’s telephone number: (216) 692-1509.
Donations
Memorial Donations:
Rick and Carolyn Vigneulle (Fui Hosaka and
………………………………Cliff Fujimura)
Sue Nakamura (Naoichi Higaki)
Richard and Tina Ishiyama ( “ “ )
K.C. Peer ( “ “ )
Katsuko Higaki ( “ “ )
Vernon Higaki ( “ “ )
Ron Kelbach ( “ “ )
Joe and Carolyn Ahern (Peter Junger)
Nakanishi Family (Steve Arie and Kameichi Nakanishi)
Shig Fujimura (Cliff Fujimura)
Kazuko Fujishima (Yoko Ogui)
Tsutomu and Teruko Takahata (Fui Hosaka)
Total ……………………………………….$530.00
Ho-On-Ko Donations:
Rick and Carolyn Vigneulle
Sue Nakamura
Katsuko Higaki
Shig Fujimura
Satoru and Grace Nakamoto
Total ……………………………………….$105.00
Other Donations:
CARP
Pancake Breakfast
Rummage
Calendars
Yoshiko Ikuta
Chelley Hopson
Tomo Sonoda (Fujinkai)
Mark Kacik
Patricia Redford
Bookstore
Dana Box
Total……………………………………….$1,256.00
We Need Your Support
Although we recognize that all things are impermanent, we sincerely hope that the Cleveland Buddhist Temple will long continue to be the oldest Buddhist organization in Ohio. But if that is to happen, it can only be with the support of its members, its friends, and others.
Membership in the Cleveland Buddhist Temple is open to anyone who has a sincere interest in the teachings of the Buddha Dharma. You may become a Member or an Associate regardless of any other religious affiliation you wish to maintain. Becoming a Member or an Associate is a way to support the Temple and its programs and a way to show appreciation for the gift of Dharma teachings in our lives.
Pledge renewal forms for the year 2012 have already been mailed to current Temple Members and Associates As our need remains urgent and ongoing, pledge forms are available at the Temple for those who wish to become new members or who wish to reactivate a lapsed membership.
Full membership in the Temple, which includes membership in the Buddhist Churches of America, the Temple's parent organization, is available for an annual pledge of $200 or more per adult member.
You can become an Associate for an annual pledge of $100 or more. And you may also become a Friend of the Cleveland Buddhist Temple for an annual pledge of any amount. Members and Associates are eligible to vote in the election of Board Members, to serve on the Temple Board, and to vote on all matters where the membership is entitled to vote.
Finally, if you simply wish to give a donation to the Temple, without becoming either a Member, Associate or Friend, that is also a way of supporting the Temple and showing your appreciation for its work.
Thank you!
