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Dharma Study – Grieving: A reflection of grief, loss and living

Saturday, October 23, 2021  : “Grieving Here: A reflection on grief, loss and living with the wholeness of life” Talk and discussion led by JiShin Susan Salek 2pm.  Use this link to join 

Jishin (Compassion Heart) Susan Salek has been a longtime and engaged member of the Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC (IMCW)’s LGBTQIA+ sangha, and she currently serves on the IMCW Board of Directors. She is committed to holding space and creating opportunities for the queer and trans community on this Buddhist path. Jishin is a graduate of the Mindfulness Meditation Teacher program taught by Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield. Her lived experience and bearing witness to this wild, difficult and beautiful life as a human being has motivated her to teach mindfulness meditation in particular as a support to women and the queer and transgender communities.

She is a student of grief from her own experience of companioning friends, family and other beings thru illness, dying and death as well as a volunteer with Capital Caring Hospice. She recently taught a half-day workshop on Grief and Gratitude for the LGBTQIA+ community through IMCW. She expects to graduate from the Buddhist Chaplaincy program at Upaya Zen Center in March 2022. Jishin currently works as a Business Director for 3M and shares a home with her two cats in Maryland.

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Morning Practice for October 13, 2021 6:30am Eastern Time

Here is the link to join us via Zoom at 6:30am for morning zazen practice.

If you are asked for a password use this 656470

Please put your zoom in gallery mode, and keep your video link on while muting your mic until the end of the service – Feel welcome to face away from your device camera while keeping your presence visible in the frame for others in attendance to see and know you are there. Please refrain from moving your device around while others are sitting zazen with you.

Order of Service

Robe Chant before zazen.

Forty minute period of zazen

After zazen: Four Great Vows

Hymn to the Perfection of Wisdom

Heart Sutra in English

Shosaimyo Kichijo Dharani (Dharani for avoiding calamity) chanted 3 times

If your schedule allows please stay on the zoom call to do a brief check-in after the service is concluded.

ROBE CHANT

DAI SAI GE DA PU KU

MUSO FUKU DEN E

HI BU NYORAI KYO

KO DO SHOSHU JO

Great robe of liberation

Field far beyond form and emptiness

Wearing the Tathagata’s teaching

Saving all beings.

After Zazen

The Four Great Vows

Beings are numberless; I vow to save them.

Delusions are inexhaustible; I vow to end them.

Dharma Gates are boundless; I vow to enter them.

Buddha’s way is unsurpassable; I vow to become it.

After Koan reading

Dharana for avoiding calamity

Hymn to the Perfection of Wisdom

Homage to the Perfection of Wisdom, the lovely, the holy.

The Perfection of Wisdom gives light. Unstained, the entire

world cannot stain her. She is the source of light, and from

everyone in the triple world she removes darkness.

Most excellent are her works. She brings light so that all

fear and distress may be forsaken, and disperses the gloom

and darkness of delusion. She herself is an organ of vision.

She has a clear knowledge of the own-being of all dharmas,

for she does not stray away from it. The Perfection of Wisdom

of the Buddhas sets in motion the Wheel of Dharma.

Heart of Great Perfect Wisdom Sutra

Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva,

when deeply practicing prajña paramita,⨀

clearly saw that all five aggregates are empty

and thus relieved all suffering.

Shariputra,

form does not differ from emptiness,

emptiness does not differ from form.

Form itself is emptiness,

emptiness itself form.

Sensations, perceptions, formations,

and consciousness are also like this.

Shariputra,

all dharmas are marked by emptiness;

they neither arise nor cease,

are neither defiled nor pure,

neither increase nor decrease.

Therefore, given emptiness, there is

no form, no sensation, no perception,

no formation no consciousness;

no eyes, no ears, no nose, no tongue,

no body, no mind;

no sight, no sound, no smell, no taste,

no touch, no object of mind;

no realm of sight… no realm of mind consciousness

There is neither ignorance nor extinction of ignorance…

neither old age and death,

nor extinction of old age and death;

no suffering, no cause, no cessation, no path;

no knowledge and no attainment.

With nothing to attain,

a bodhisattva relies on prajña paramita,⨀

and thus the mind is without hindrance.

Without hindrance, there is no fear.

Far beyond all inverted views, one realizes nirvana.

All buddhas of past, present, and future

rely on prajña paramita ⨀ and thereby attain

unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment.

Therefore, know the prajña paramita ⨀ as

the great miraculous mantra,

the great bright mantra,

the supreme mantra,

the incomparable mantra,

which removes all suffering

and is true, not false.

Therefore we proclaim the prajña paramita ⨀ mantra,

the mantra that says:

“Gate Gate ⨀ Paragate ⨀ Parasamgate Bodhi Svaha.” ∅

Shosaimyo Kichijo Dharani

(Auspicious Dharani or Spell For Averting Calamity)

NO MO SAN MAN DA

MOTO NAN

OHA RA CHI KOTO SHA

SONO NAN TO JI TO

EN GYA GYA

GYA KI GYA KI

UN NUN SHIFU RA SHIFU RA

HARA SHIFU RA HARA SHIFU RA

CHISHU SA CHISHU SA

CHISHU RI CHISHU RI

SOHA JA SOHA JA

SEN CHI GYA

SHIRI EI SO MO KO

All Buddhas

All Buddhas, ten directions,

Three times

All Honored Ones, Bodhisattvas-Mahasattvas

Wisdom beyond wisdom

Maha Prajna Paramita

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Tuesday Dharma Tea at Two pm

Tuesday Tea at 2pm, October 12:     Todays discussion will be lead by Shinren Careful Practice Mark Stone.   Shinren will discuss the teachings of Shunryu Suzuki, the founder of the San Francisco Zen Center, who emphasized the importance of self- kindness, breath by breath, and how how self-kindness can help us take care of our practice.    We begin with 5 minutes of silent tea drinking before the discussion starts and conclude by 2:45pm.  Please use this link to join.  If asked for a password use 200009.

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Evening Practice for Thursday September 30th, 2021 7pm

Thursday, September 30th, 2021:  In person visit and talk by Rev. Setsuan Konjin (Snow Hermitage, Builds Love) Gaelyn Godwin, Abbot of the Houston Zen Center and Director of the Soto Zen International Center, and Rev. Taiga Ito, Soto Zen International Secretary, at 7pm Eastern Time. Their talk will focus on environmental dharma and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.  Please join us for the event in our cloud zendo by using this link.  If asked for a password use 118879


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Evening Practice for September 23, 2021 7pm EDT

Here is the link to join us via the cloud zendo at 7PM for the All Beings Zen Sangha evening program.  Tonight we will have short service followed by two periods of  Zazen.  We will close my chanting the Refuges.

If you are asked for a password please use this  118879

Please put your zoom in gallery mode, and keep your video link on while muting your mic until the end of the service – Feel welcome to face away from your device camera while keeping your presence visible in the frame for others in attendance to see and know you are there. Please refrain from moving your device around while others are sitting zazen with you.

Order of Service

Greeting by the Kokyo

Enmei Jukko Kannon Gyo

Heart Sutra in English

All Buddhas Chant

25 Minute Zazen Period

5 minute Kinhin (slow walking) or stretch

25 Minute Zazen Period

Four Great Vows

Announcements

Refuges in Pali

THE FOUR GREAT VOWS

Beings are numberless; I vow to save them.

Delusions are inexhaustible; I vow to end them.

Dharma Gates are boundless; I vow to enter them.

Buddha’s way is unsurpassable; I vow to become it.

Enmei Jukko Kannon Gyo

KAN ZEON

NA MU BUTSU

YO BUTSU U IN

YO BUTSU U EN

BUP PO SO  EN

JO RAKU GA JO

CHO NEN KANZEON

BO NEN KANZEON

NEN NEN JU SHIN KI

NEN NEN FU RI SHIN

Heart of Great Perfect Wisdom Sutra

Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva,

when deeply practicing prajña paramita,⨀

clearly saw that all five aggregates are empty

and thus relieved all suffering.

Shariputra,

form does not differ from emptiness,

emptiness does not differ from form.

Form itself is emptiness,

emptiness itself form.

Sensations, perceptions, formations,

and consciousness are also like this.

Shariputra,

all dharmas are marked by emptiness;

they neither arise nor cease,

are neither defiled nor pure,

neither increase nor decrease.

Therefore, given emptiness, there is

no form, no sensation, no perception,

no formation no consciousness;

no eyes, no ears, no nose, no tongue,

no body, no mind;

no sight, no sound, no smell, no taste,

no touch, no object of mind;

no realm of sight… no realm of mind consciousness

There is neither ignorance nor extinction of ignorance…

neither old age and death,

nor extinction of old age and death;

no suffering, no cause, no cessation, no path;

no knowledge and no attainment.

With nothing to attain,

a bodhisattva relies on prajña paramita,⨀

and thus the mind is without hindrance.

Without hindrance, there is no fear.

Far beyond all inverted views, one realizes nirvana.

All buddhas of past, present, and future

rely on prajña paramita ⨀ and thereby attain

unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment.

Therefore, know the prajña paramita ⨀ as

the great miraculous mantra,

the great bright mantra,

the supreme mantra,

the incomparable mantra,

which removes all suffering

and is true, not false.

Therefore we proclaim the prajña paramita ⨀ mantra,,

the mantra that says:

“Gate Gate ⨀ Paragate ⨀ Parasamgate Bodhi Svaha.” ∅

All Buddhas

All Buddhas, ten directions, Three times

All Honored Ones, Bodhisattvas-Mahasattvas

Wisdom beyond wisdom

Maha Prajna Paramita

Refuges in Pali (Call and Response)

Accapella, inflections as follows:

➞Buddham Saranam Ga➚cha➘mi➞iii

BUDDHAM SARANAM GACCHAMI

DHAMMAM SARANAM GACCHAMI

SANGHAM SARANAM GACCHAMI

DUTIYAMPI BUDDHAM SARANAM GACCHAMI

DUTIYAMPI DHAMMAM SARANAM GACCHAMI

DUTIYAMPI SANGHAM SARANAM GACCHAMI

TATIYAMPI BUDDHAM SARANAM GACCHAMI

TATIYAMPI DHAMMAM SARANAM GACCHAMI

TATIYAMPI SANGHAM SARANAM GACCHAMI

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Evening Practice for September 16th, 2021 7pm EDT

Here is the link to join us via the cloud zendo at 7PM for the All Beings Zen Sangha evening program.  Tonight we will have a short service follow by a period of zazen.  We will also have our monthly Wellbeing Ceremony after Zazen and  close by chanting the Refuges.

If you are asked for a password please use this  118879

Please put your zoom in gallery mode, and keep your video link on while muting your mic until the end of the service – Feel welcome to face away from your device camera while keeping your presence visible in the frame for others in attendance to see and know you are there. Please refrain from moving your device around while others are sitting zazen with you.

Order of Service

Greeting by the Kokyo in Spanish and English

Heart Sutra in Japanese

30 Minute Zazen Period

Four Great Vows

Enmei 9 times

The Loving Kindness Sutra

Dedication of Merit

All Buddhas Chant

Refuges in Pali

Maka Hanya Haramita Shin Gyo

KAN JI ZAI BO SATSU GYO JIN HAN NYA

HA RA MI TA JI SHO KEN GO ON KAI

KU DO IS SAI KU YAKU SHA RI SHI

SHIKI FU I KU KU FU I SHIKI SHIKI 

SOKU ZE KU KU SOKU ZE SHIKI JU SO

GYO SHIKI YAKU BU NYO ZE SHA RI

SHI ZE SHO HO KU SO FU SHO FU

METSU FU KU FU JO FU ZO FU GEN

ZE KO KU CHU MU SHIKI MU JU SO

GYO SHIKI MU GEN NI BI ZE SHIN

NI MU SHIKI SHO KO MI SOKU HO MU

GEN KAI NAI SHI MU I SHIKI KAI MU

MU MYO YAKU MU MU MYO JIN NAI 

SHI MU RO SHI YAKU MU RO SHI JIN

MU KU SHU METSU DO MU CHI YAKU 

MU TOKU I MU SHO TOK KO BO DAI

SAT TA E HAN NYA HA RA MI TA

KO SHIN MU KE GE MU KE GE KO

MU U KU FU ON RI IS SAI TEN DO

MU SO KU GYO NE HAN SAN ZE SHO

BUTSU E HAN NYA HA RA MI TA

KO TOKU A NOKU TA RA SAM MYAKU

SAM BO DAI KO CHI HAN NYA HA

RA MI TA ZE DAI JIN SHU ZE DAI

MYO SHU ZE MU JO SHU ZE MU TO 

DO SHU NO JO IS SAI KU SHIN JITSU

FU KO KO SETSU HAN NYA HA RA 

MI TA SHU SOKU SETSU SHU WATSU

GYA TE GYA TE HA RA GYA TE

HARA SO GYA TE BO DHI SOWA KA 

HAN NYA SHIN GYO

THE FOUR GREAT VOWS

Beings are numberless; I vow to save them.

Delusions are inexhaustible; I vow to end them.

Dharma Gates are boundless; I vow to enter them.

Buddha’s way is unsurpassable; I vow to become it.

Enmei Jukko Kannon Gyo X 9

KAN ZEON

NA MU BUTSU

YO BUTSU U IN

YO BUTSU U EN

BUP PO SO  EN

JO RAKU GA JO

CHO NEN KANZEON

BO NEN KANZEON

NEN NEN JU SHIN KI

NEN NEN FU RI SHIN

Loving Kindness Meditation

This is what should be accomplished by the one who is wise,

Who seeks the good and has obtained peace:

Let one be strenuous, upright and sincere,

WIthout pride, easily contented and joyous.

Let one not be submerged by the things of the world.

Let one not take upon one’s self the burden of riches.

Let one’s senses be controlled.

Let one be wise, but not puffed up: and

Let one not desire great possessions even for one’s family.

Let one do nothing that is mean or that the wise would reprove

May all beings be happy.

May they be joyous and live in safety.

All living beings, whether weak or strong,

In high or middle or low realms of existence,

Small or great, visible or invisible,

Near or far, born or to be born,

May all beings be happy.

Let no one deceive another, nor despise any being in any state;

Let none by anger or hatred wish harm to another.

Even as a mother at the risk of her life

Watches over and protects her only child,

So with a boundless mind should one cherish all living things,

Suffusing love over the entire world,

Above, below and all around without limit;

So let one cultivate an infinite good will toward the whole world.

Standing or walking, sitting or lying down,

During all one’s waking hours

Let one practice the way with gratitude.

Not holding to fixed views,

Endowed with insight,

Freed from sense appetites,

One who achieves the way

Will be freed from the duality of birth and death.

All Buddhas

All Buddhas, ten directions, Three times

All Honored Ones, Bodhisattvas-Mahasattvas

Wisdom beyond wisdom

Maha Prajna Paramita

Refuges in Pali (Call and Response)

Accapella, inflections as follows:

➞Buddham Saranam Ga➚cha➘mi➞iii

BUDDHAM SARANAM GACCHAMI

DHAMMAM SARANAM GACCHAMI

SANGHAM SARANAM GACCHAMI

DUTIYAMPI BUDDHAM SARANAM GACCHAMI

DUTIYAMPI DHAMMAM SARANAM GACCHAMI

DUTIYAMPI SANGHAM SARANAM GACCHAMI

TATIYAMPI BUDDHAM SARANAM GACCHAMI

TATIYAMPI DHAMMAM SARANAM GACCHAMI

TATIYAMPI SANGHAM SARANAM GACCHAMI