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.
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