Hanamatsuri or "Flower Festival," is the Japanese term for observing the birth of the Prince Siddhartha Gautama, later the Gautama Buddha and founder of Buddhism. According to the Theravada Tripitaka scriptures, Gautama was born in Lumbini in modern-day Nepal, around the year 563 BCE, and raised in Kapilavastu.
Since the founding of FSZS in 2010, this has been a time to talk about the role of legends in ceremonies and how in today's society they can offer all of us a backward-facing peek into how mystical arisings in our childhood influence us to this day. It is also acknowledging the possibilities we all bring to the party/universe. We say each person is a Dharma Gate, their own insight, or a light unto themselves. It is this joyousness that we see in all birth.
"Tanjoubi Omedetou," or Happy Birthday is a wish that begins the great dialog of Life! I am so glad you are born...oh happy day this a festive joyous call for celebration. So...bring a few dozen of your friends (especially children or the child within) to the wonder of it all!
Come hear about "The Great White Elephant," the Sage who predicted Siddhartha's Path, where and how he was born and the role of flowers and water in this event. At the same time we perform the "Bathing of The Buddha" wherein not only the icon but me and maybe you get a little wet as well. There will be tea and scones as we count the blessings of our Sangha... please come join us in the fun.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR:
Our Beach sitting on the Bike-Path at Oyster Pond and Surf Drive begins April 4, 2017, from 6:30AM until 7:00AM then we all go to COFFEE-O in Woods Hole for coffee.
Hanamatsuri (Buddha's BirthDay) will be celebrated on Tuesday, April 11, 2017 at our regular Tuesday Night Sangha Service beginning at 6:30PM.
Our Spring Sesshin will be April 28 starting at 6:00PM and concluding at Noon on April 30, 2017. It will be held in Falmouth at the lake house of Enjitsu Chris Charyk, 45 Beebe Acres Rd, Falmouth, MA 02540. You may stay at the house Friday and Saturday night or return for each day's sessions. There will be more about the agenda in the next few weeks. Please RSVP Chris at chris@charyk.com.
1. Each January-April, we return to the basics, that is discuss the life and teachings of the historical Buddha as the foundation of our Soto Zen practice. This will include the Five Turnings of the Dharma Wheel, The Three/Four Seals, The Four Noble Truths and Noble Eight-Fold Path. This is a good opportunity for new comers to explore these teachings. Please ask friends to join you and us as we do so!
2. Like String for Beads, is a compilation of my Dharma talks, notes, poems and Facebook comments I have produced over the last five years. Special thanks to Enjitsu-san Chris Charyk for pulling the pieces together in this book! There will be copies available every Tuesday night, or let me know if you want me to mail you a copy. The book is $25 for the first copy and $15 for extra copies while they last.
3. Visit our new library named for Diane “Yugen” Tucker. The cart was a donation to the Sangha by Kyoshin Elin Kinney as Dana for her Jukai on November 5, 2016…many bows! The books will be added over the next few weeks and Kyoshin-ni has agreed to be our Librarian. A donation of $1 is recommend to check out books and magazines for up to three weeks. It really is a cute cart drop-by and see it soon. Oh, we wheel it out each Tuesdays and for zazenkai and sesshin, or if you would like to see if we have a book you want, get in touch with Elin <elinkinney@gmail.com>.
4. Meditation is also held each TUESDAY at 10:00AM at the Falmouth Senior Center.
5, Our next book selection for the Buddhism Book Bunch is a wonderful treatise on The Bodhisattva Precepts. We will read this for both April and May, 2017 discussing the first half of the book, chapters 1-13 on April 30 and the remaining chapters 14-23 on May 21. Remember we'll select a book for our summer reading (June-August) at our May 2017 meeting.
6. Our Zendo is open at 6:30PM (good time for newcomers to get aquatinted) at the UUFF, 840 Sandwich Road, for our weekly service which starts at 7:00PM.
Silent Thunder Order (STO) ACTIVITIES: See our website for details.