Two special events next Wednesday

Both events will be held at our usual meeting place (UC, Lone Start, 2nd floor #280). There will be about 15-20 minutes overlap.

Special event one – Dedication of Merit to Ryan

As announced previously, one of our devoted members, Ryan Donaghy passed away on October 20. Ryan used to meditate everyday. Association of Buddhist Students had the honor to sit with him in the past several weeks. This week, we will maintain our regular weekly class. However, Venerable Jian Dan will give a special topic about positive attitude toward death in Buddhism. Then we will have a short ceremony called dedication of merit, a practice of sharing all the goodness created by any wholesome action. In our case, we will dedicate our group sitting merit to Ryan......

Noon – 12:30 meditation
12:30 – 12:50 special topic: positive attitude toward death in Buddhism
12:50 – 1:00 dedication of merit to Ryan *
1:00 – 1:15 sandwiches (grab and go)

* Dedication of Merit - Rev. Heng Sure/Compassionate and Wise - Fr. Cyprian Consiglio – MP3 Download (5.3MB) from UrbanDharma

(Chanting of the metta bhavana mantra in Sanskrit)

May every living being,
Our minds as one and radiant with light,
Share the fruits of peace
Our hearts of goodness, luminous and bright.
If people hear and see,
How hearts and hands can find in giving, unity,
May their minds awake,
To Great Compassion, wisdom and to joy.
May goodness find reward,
May all who sorrow leave their grief and pain;
May this boundless light,
Dispel the darkness of their endless night.
Because our hearts are one,
This world of pain turns into Paradise,
May all become compassionate and wise,
May all become compassionate and wise.

Special event two – When East meets West: from a Buddhist Monk’s perspective

Venerable Jian Dan will give a talk to a class of 20 students this Wednesday. The class, titled “Community education,” is offered through the College of Education, with the hope to expose pre-service teachers to different cultures and paradigms. The class instructor, Ms. Sabrina Marsh has invited the Venerable to give a talk about his experience as a monk living in the west. Everyone is invited to join this talk.
1:00 – 1:15 sandwiches
1:15 – 1:55 talk
1:55 – 2:00 basic meditation instructions
2:00 – 2:05 meditation
2:05 – 2:25 Q&A