Final class survey results

In our last meeting, we gave out surveys to solicit anonymous feedback from you. Our hope was to make improvement and plan for next semester based on the survey. We collected thirteen (13) valid surveys. Interestingly, even though we made this an anonymous survey, only three people decided to leave their names out while the remaining ten gave us their names. Overall, you guys were pretty satisfied with our service but would like to have more field trips next semester.

The first part of the survey asked you to comment on the effectiveness and usefulness of the following six items: 1) blog/google group, 2) Dharma talk topics, 3) meeting format, 4) meeting time/location, 5) refreshments, and 6) field trips, and give suggestions. Overwhelmingly, numbers commented “interesting” “useful” “effective” “excellent” and “good” for all items. One person stated that the blog is good but maybe a “larger font size will be better.” Another member mentioned that Dharma talk topics were good but “probably can be improved.” One member recommended we might want to hold meditation for more then once a week. As to refreshments, most felt they were “delicious” while one member wrote “nice but unimportant.” One member proposed to have maybe a little more variety and should include hot tea. Four people asked for more field trips.

The second survey question asked you to reflect on their learning and share with us any example of how they have applied something they learned to their daily life. Here are some of what they shared:

“Help myself and help others”
“Best example: mindfulness in everyday
activities”
“I liked the idea of thoughts coming in & out but never
attaching to any one thought very long. This is beneficial in everyday life”
“I learned to control my road rage! Also I am trying to focus on living more
in the present instead of worrying about the future”
“Tolerance and
patience. No one single example, but try to practice everyday and impart on
others”

Question three asked for suggestion for next semester. Some suggestions are listed below:

“conditions in Buddhism”
“mind and body unification”
“emptiness, the
mind”
“how to understand what one should do with one’s life”
“regret,
guilt, happiness”
“how about an introduction to Buddhism (simple) in daily
tasks”
“Abstinence, dichotomy of all or nothing practice”

Question four asked for suggestion for activity and people seemed to want more field trip. However, only one person made some concrete suggestions of attending charitable events.

Question five asked for ways we can recruit more people. Your suggestions ranged from more advertising, posting flyers around certain colleges, going to religion classes, attending student fairs, to word of mouth by members. I hope when you made those suggestions, you also had an idea of what you can do to help realize those wonderful suggestions.

One thing I like to explain here. The reason we only held two field trips this semester was mainly due to limited manpower. With all of you showing strong enthusiasm in getting more involved next semester, manpower will not be an issue anymore. I am certain we will have a few more activities next semester if you all would pitch in and help out.

Stay tuned for our spring schedule.. Oh, just a sneak preview, we probably will hold our meeting on Thursdays next semester. We have not made a final decision on whether we will meet at noon or in the late afternoon. What do you think? Leave us a comment at the blog and let your voice be heard.

Class 12 – A Day of Appreciation

This is our last class; the semester went by very fast. I like to take this opportunity to thank many people.

I first like to thank Josten and Grace who initiated the idea of establishing this association. After the initial idea, we found two disciples’ kids as the inaugural President and Vice President. They attended the required orientation in creating a campus student organization and registered Association of Buddhist Students. We thank them for getting us a legitimate status on campus.

However, they were not really interested in getting involved, which caused some problems at the beginning when trying to get things moving. As a result, I took over the President’s post. That was a very difficult yet necessary decision. It was a burden on me as a first-semester UH student, facing a new school, a new environment, and a new challenge.

During that time and since, Maya has been very helpful in taking care of lots of tedious paperwork, going through red tapes and dealing with UH bureaucracy. Of course then there is Grace, who, as many of you know, are the “underground” president. She has helped me a lot. For example, every Wednesday after here, I would go home and receive an email from her giving me a long list of mispronounced words from that day’s talk. (I am often amazed at how you all can understand my English.)

Last week Emily asked me what is my true “self?” I told her I try to practice having no one fixed self. I am just a member of this organization. I always remind myself that I don’t get to give talks if you guys don’t show up. This is the concept of causation, which we have addressed many times this semester. In Buddhism, we see all phenomena as the results of arising elements/conditions. When all elements/conditions are put together, t the arising of the event.

Take a moment to think about this concept. Our government gives us a stable country to live a peaceful life. UH offers us this building and this room to hold our events. We all happen to be part of the UH community who happen to know about this organization, who just so happen to be interested in meditation, who just so by chance are available during this time… This list goes on. Without all of the elements/conditions working together, we would not be able to meet here today.

About mid semester, I was asked if we should consider taking donations or charging membership fees. Absolutely no. I just want to offer myself to you, to do the best I can. I believe we cannot put a price tag on practicing meditation and/or practicing Buddhism. Many of you have seen the movie “Pay it Forward.” An elementary school kid had a social study homework on how to change the world. He came up with this idea that if he can do three good deeds for someone and they in turn can "pay it forward" and so forth, positive changes can occur.

This is very similar to Buddhism concepts. I don’t know how much I can do. I just try my best. If you have received even the smallest amount of benefits, gained some small concepts and made changes in your life for better, I just wanted you to do something for others. Share your experience, tell your stories, and introduce them to this organization. We often gather together to go to a movie or a club. Probably even more often, we should gather friends to come to meditation and to attend Dharma talks.

Please continue your support next semester. We need your help. Many times during the semester, I was so tired and wanted to give up. Then Mimi made many good suggestions as to how I can better deliver my talk. We started giving out handouts as a result of her constructive feedback. It is suggestions such as this that kept me going.

I made a lot of friends here. I hope you all feel the same. Hope to see every one of you next semester. Stay tuned for our spring schedule. Tell your friends, bring them here. Let’s put all our positive energies together. If we all do our best, together, we can change the world.

Thank you for a wonderful semester! Let’s bestow all merits upon all sentient beings.


Recorded by Jian Dan

願 消 三 障 諸 煩 惱
yuàn xiao san zhàng zhu fán năo

願 得 智 慧 真 明 了
yuàn dé zhì huì zhèn míng liăo

普 願 罪 障 悉 消 除
pŏ yuàn zui zhàng xi xiao chú

世 世 常 行 菩 薩 道
shì shì cháng xíng pú sà dào

May the Three Obstructions and all the afflictions be eradicated.
May I obtain true wisdom with clear understanding.
May all the obstacles from all my offenses be eliminated.
I vow to practice the Bodhisattva Way constantly, life after life.

PS. This trace was recorded four years ago for my Chanting Class.

Class 11‏ - Wants & Needs

Today we discussed a seemingly easy concept – the differences between our wants and our needs. However, the line between the two is not always so clear cut. Most people think of wants and needs as opposites. This thinking results in the belief that wants are bad, not desirable. We should eliminate all wants and reduce all non-essential needs. Many people then become pessimistic and reclusive, lack of motivation and goals in life. Therefore, I believe this dualistic thinking needs some modification.

My definition of wants and needs takes a different view. I believe needs are our responsibilities while wants are our goals and wishes. Therefore, in order to achieve your goals/wishes, you have to be willing to take on the responsibilities that come with such a wish. For example, Buddha wanted all sentient beings to achieve enlightenment. We all want to achieve enlightenment. However, in order to achieve enlightenment, there are practices we need to follow. Practicing is our responsibilities. In other words, achieving enlightenment is what we want and practicing is what we need. If we approach wants and needs this way, we can have a positive life and are not ashamed of having wants.

However, in Buddhism, we also are cautious about attaching to our wants. If we are clinging to our wants, such an attachment will create suffering. Wants encourage us to realize our goals by putting in necessary (needs) efforts. In this process, be mindful of the states of your mind. Be mindful that everything is impermanent and observe the truth about cause and effect. If you can put in 100% of your efforts while not attaching to a fixed outcome, the outcome will be realized. The moment you are attached to a fixed outcome, you will never achieve your goal.

Now you understand the differences between wants and needs, and their relationships, be mindful in your daily life of what are wants and what are needs. Remember that impermanence is the true nature of all phenomena and attachments will create sufferings. Buddhism teaches us to be diligent in our practice without attaching to the ever-changing phenomena.

December retreat announcement!!

Purpose: For beginners, this is the nature next step to deepen your meditation practice. For more experienced practitioners, this is an opportunity to sustain your practice and receive personal guidance from the teacher.

Date: December 7 & 8 (Friday & Saturday)

Location: American Bodhi Center

Fee: Free, donations welcome

Who: serious beginners & seasoned meditators

Registration: email uhabs8 @ gmail.com. Deadline November 21th, 2007.

Tentative schedule: (subject to change)

Day 1

• 2:00 pm Vanpool (meet up in front of Cougar Place). Note: you will be leaving your car overnight on UH campus.
• 3:30 pm arrive at ABC
• 3:30 – 5:00 welcome, settle in, introduction of basic rules
• 5:00 – 6:00 games
• 6:00 – 7:30 vegetarian BBQ or Hot Pot (depending on weather)
• 7:30 – 8:30 shower; break time
• 8:30 – 10:00 camp fire, star glazing or movie (depending on weather)
• 10:00 – 10:30 noble silence instruction
• 10:30 lights out
  

Day 2

• (observation of noble silence begins)
• 7:00 wake up bell
• 7:30 – 8:00 breakfast
• 8:00 - 8:30 break
• 8:30 – 8:50 meditation instruction
• 8:50 – 9:10 meditation
• ========= break ==========
• 9:20 – 10:00 meditation
• ========= break ==========
• 10:10 – 10:50 sitting meditation in the hall or waking meditation outside
• ========= break ==========
• 11:00 – 11:40 Dharma talk (lecture)
• (observation of noble silence ends)
• ========= break ==========
• 12:00 – 12:30 lunch
• 12:30 – 1:45 tour the center
• 1:45 – 2:00 break; exit survey
• 2:00 - 2:30 closing dharma talk; member reflection/sharing
• 2:30 – 3:15 clean up the environment
• 3:15 – 4:30 sweet home

Retreat Rules: (subject to change) 　

1. You have to stay for the entire retreat. No late arrival or early dismissal will be allowed.
2. Bring your own sleeping bag, pillows, change clothes and personal items necessary for personal hygiene.
3. Sleeping quarters are separated by male and female.
4. Vegetarian food throughout. Please do not bring any non-vegetarian items, cigarette, wine or illegal substance into the camp.
5. Please do not bring unnecessary valuables or jewelry.
6. Observe noble silence on Saturday morning. Noble Silence means silence of body, speech, and mind. Any form of communication with fellow student, whether by gestures, sign language, written notes, etc., is prohibited.
7. The use of cell phone is prohibited during the retreat period.
8. You have to fill out a registration form with medical insurance information. In addition, you will be asked to sign a consent and release form.
   

videos for merit dedication

Special thanks to Anne Rudnicki who made the long video, to Emily Marguardt who suggested that we meditate in a circle. Also we thank everyone who came early and helped with the setup. We thank those who stayed late and helped with the clean up. Most importantly, we thank everyone for your participation this semester. Your weekly presence makes this association possible. Let's cherish our friendship and be the wisdom light for one another!

Class 10 - Understanding Death

Ryan was the first member of this association that I added to my Facebook account. He used to poke me whenever he found me online. When I received this shocking news last week, I realized I will never receive a poke from Ryan anymore. I am sad just like everyone else. Then I remember a story about a grieving mother.

Life is impermanent
During Buddha’s time, a mother was grieving for her son’s death. Her son died shortly after birth. The mother was so overtaken by the sorrow, she took her son’s body in search for a way to get her son back to life. Someone told him there is this enlightened saint named Buddha; maybe he has a way. This mother went to Buddha and expressed her sorrow and wish. The Buddha said, I can help if you can go and find a fire from a household to light this candle and bring this candle back to me. However, you have to get the fire from a household where nobody has ever died. The mother thought, this is easy, all I need to do is to light the candle. She went from door to door looking for a household where nobody has ever died. However, every household she visited, they all told her that, “we are more than happy to help you but somebody has died in my family. Sorry.” After a while, the mother finally realized that everyone eventually dies and life is truly impermanent. After realizing the truth about life and death, the mother was able to stop her sorrow, start practicing Buddhism, and eventually reached enlightenment.

Life never ends
In addition, in Buddhism, we also believe that life never ends. Life is like taking courses. We pass some courses while fail others. For those courses we fail, we have to retake them. For Ryan, he did petty well in relationship; a lot of friends memorialize him here today. However, he still had some courses that he needed to come back and retake. For example, I asked him to design a music program for us. He promised but it did not materialize. He still owed us a music program. If several years later, you see a cute boy who loves meditation, loves singing and playing music after we practice mediation. You know he is back!

Sadness is attachment
Some might ask, “Why do we feel sad?” We feel sad because we are still attached to him. When he is no longer with us, we lose the space, the chance to “practice” attachment to him. The practice of meditation can help us practice detachment. In Buddhism, lights also symbolize wisdom. Wisdom is like the light that illuminates the road ahead and chases away the shadow. Let’s find your wisdom within! During this difficult time, may your wisdom help you focus on the positive things we can learn from this event.

Dedication
Thanks to Ryan, because of him we have this chance to gather together today. Thanks to Ryan, he showed us how impermanent life is. He was like a bodhisattva, incarnated to teach us those truths. His death enlightens us to understand those truths just as the light that brightens our paths. To appreciate his teaching us about impermanence, we dedicate this wisdom to him. We wish that he could shower under the light of wisdom and achieve enlightenment. We wish that he will come back soon and we can practice meditation together again.

Also, let’s do not forget about the friendships present in this room right now. We appreciate this moment, appreciate everyone who is here today. Learning from Ryan, also we learn from all sentient beings. Ask yourself what did you learn from this event? For me, I treasure the chance we could gather here. May all become compassionate and wise and find the wisdom light within you.

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.
(lyrics from UrbanDharma)