Kyonin
07-14-2015, 11:19 PM
Hi guys,
These past weekend I got the privilege to be invited to a Tibetan Buddhism retreat, by the Khamlungpa Center. They are the Gelup order, the same the Dalai Lama is from. The Center was founded by Lama Zopa Rimpoché, a very respected leader of their community (almost a living god for what I saw).
A few months ago the nice folks at Khamlungpa contacted me because they were very curious about me because I am the only Soto Zen priest here in the city. We went for coffee and became friends. And they were very kind to invite me. So I went.
The retreat was because a very dear teacher of them, Ven. Lhundup Damcho, was visiting town and they wanted the whole community to listen to her teachings. The retreat was about living an ethic life in a country full of violence and how to be at peace with all, and at the same time, how to work for the well being of all sentient beings. Also the center teaching of the retreat was to study and recite the Sanghata Sutra.
There was only vegan meals and drinks and some sugary treats. Some coffee, but I found out that most of the attendants are against coffee. The nerve! :D
The retreat lasted for 4 days and most of the time everyone was silent, except in the teachings, talks and meditations.
Meditations were very interesting because they don't sit silent zazen. They talk to inject imagery to the mind. They use a lot of visualizations, symbols and stories. Also there were no bells at the begining or end of the sessions. At first it was a little unsettling to listen to a guided meditation, but after the first day it was easier. Still, I missed my silent zazen a lot. When I got home I wanted to sit in silence for a bit. And I did!
The talks by Ven. Damcho were very interesting and in tune with some of the things we have learned in Treeleaf. I felt at home there. Damcho was fun, smart and she knows how to deliver a strong message when she needs to.
When she saw me she was surprised because it's unusual for them to have an ordained priest form another tradition. She made me feel welcome and asked me a couple of questions about zen practice. I tried to answer as best as I could and she was happy with that. Not sure if she was testing me, but I didn't detect any ill intention.
By the third day came the main teaching. We recited the Sanghata Sutra, which I didn't know and found very interesting and a real gem. In fact I found it so powerful and wise that I'd like to study it a little more.
From the offical Sanghata Sutra web site:
The Sanghāta Sūtra records a discourse given by Buddha Shakyamuni on Vulture’s Peak in Rajagriha. This discourse, like all Mahāyāna sutras, was memorized by his disciples and later written down in Sanskrit. However, the Sanghāta Sūtra is unique in that it is a teaching that the Buddha himself had heard from a previous Buddha, and it is also unique in the scope of the effects it has on those who recite it.
The Sanghāta is one of a special set of Buddhist sutras called dharma-paryāyas, or ‘transformative teachings,’ that function to transform those who hear or recite them in particular ways. One very powerful benefit is that at the time of death, any person who has recited the Sanghāta will have visions of Buddhas who come to comfort them during the death process. A further benefit is that wherever the Sanghāta Sūtra is established, the Buddhas are always present, as explained in the text itself. As such, the recitation can bestow a powerful blessing on the place where it is recited.
If you are interested you can download it from here: http://www.sanghatasutra.net/
The chanting was very energetic. We were about 50 people chanting and it lasted for more than 3 hours. When we finished I was soaked in sweat! And then there was a little silence :)
The retreat ended yesterday and I came home for a few hours to catch up on work and in the night I went back for my last talk about attachment and love. Pretty interesting but it was intended for visitors new to Buddhism.
And in the very last moment, one of the nuns, Ven. Nangpel came to me and asked me if I used to train Aikido in Mexico City. My jaw dropped to the ground because that was in a city far far away from here and about almost 20 years ago! So I said "yes, I did". She told me that I had gone to her house many times and that we had practiced together in Aikido retreats in the beach. She mentioned a couple of friends from those days.
It turned out she was my Aikido pal from back then, whom I had totally forgotten!!! Now she is a Buddhist nun and she travels the world! What are the odds of that! 20 years later, both in schools of Buddhism that rarely get together, in a totally different city... It was weird, but I was very happy. And she was too, but she managed to control her emotions really well.
So that was it. I'm still tired, but it was a very interesting experience. I really missed my zazenkai and Treeleaf.
It's really good to be back :)
Lastly, here are some pictures:
2545254625472548
Gassho,
Kyonin
#SatToday
These past weekend I got the privilege to be invited to a Tibetan Buddhism retreat, by the Khamlungpa Center. They are the Gelup order, the same the Dalai Lama is from. The Center was founded by Lama Zopa Rimpoché, a very respected leader of their community (almost a living god for what I saw).
A few months ago the nice folks at Khamlungpa contacted me because they were very curious about me because I am the only Soto Zen priest here in the city. We went for coffee and became friends. And they were very kind to invite me. So I went.
The retreat was because a very dear teacher of them, Ven. Lhundup Damcho, was visiting town and they wanted the whole community to listen to her teachings. The retreat was about living an ethic life in a country full of violence and how to be at peace with all, and at the same time, how to work for the well being of all sentient beings. Also the center teaching of the retreat was to study and recite the Sanghata Sutra.
There was only vegan meals and drinks and some sugary treats. Some coffee, but I found out that most of the attendants are against coffee. The nerve! :D
The retreat lasted for 4 days and most of the time everyone was silent, except in the teachings, talks and meditations.
Meditations were very interesting because they don't sit silent zazen. They talk to inject imagery to the mind. They use a lot of visualizations, symbols and stories. Also there were no bells at the begining or end of the sessions. At first it was a little unsettling to listen to a guided meditation, but after the first day it was easier. Still, I missed my silent zazen a lot. When I got home I wanted to sit in silence for a bit. And I did!
The talks by Ven. Damcho were very interesting and in tune with some of the things we have learned in Treeleaf. I felt at home there. Damcho was fun, smart and she knows how to deliver a strong message when she needs to.
When she saw me she was surprised because it's unusual for them to have an ordained priest form another tradition. She made me feel welcome and asked me a couple of questions about zen practice. I tried to answer as best as I could and she was happy with that. Not sure if she was testing me, but I didn't detect any ill intention.
By the third day came the main teaching. We recited the Sanghata Sutra, which I didn't know and found very interesting and a real gem. In fact I found it so powerful and wise that I'd like to study it a little more.
From the offical Sanghata Sutra web site:
The Sanghāta Sūtra records a discourse given by Buddha Shakyamuni on Vulture’s Peak in Rajagriha. This discourse, like all Mahāyāna sutras, was memorized by his disciples and later written down in Sanskrit. However, the Sanghāta Sūtra is unique in that it is a teaching that the Buddha himself had heard from a previous Buddha, and it is also unique in the scope of the effects it has on those who recite it.
The Sanghāta is one of a special set of Buddhist sutras called dharma-paryāyas, or ‘transformative teachings,’ that function to transform those who hear or recite them in particular ways. One very powerful benefit is that at the time of death, any person who has recited the Sanghāta will have visions of Buddhas who come to comfort them during the death process. A further benefit is that wherever the Sanghāta Sūtra is established, the Buddhas are always present, as explained in the text itself. As such, the recitation can bestow a powerful blessing on the place where it is recited.
If you are interested you can download it from here: http://www.sanghatasutra.net/
The chanting was very energetic. We were about 50 people chanting and it lasted for more than 3 hours. When we finished I was soaked in sweat! And then there was a little silence :)
The retreat ended yesterday and I came home for a few hours to catch up on work and in the night I went back for my last talk about attachment and love. Pretty interesting but it was intended for visitors new to Buddhism.
And in the very last moment, one of the nuns, Ven. Nangpel came to me and asked me if I used to train Aikido in Mexico City. My jaw dropped to the ground because that was in a city far far away from here and about almost 20 years ago! So I said "yes, I did". She told me that I had gone to her house many times and that we had practiced together in Aikido retreats in the beach. She mentioned a couple of friends from those days.
It turned out she was my Aikido pal from back then, whom I had totally forgotten!!! Now she is a Buddhist nun and she travels the world! What are the odds of that! 20 years later, both in schools of Buddhism that rarely get together, in a totally different city... It was weird, but I was very happy. And she was too, but she managed to control her emotions really well.
So that was it. I'm still tired, but it was a very interesting experience. I really missed my zazenkai and Treeleaf.
It's really good to be back :)
Lastly, here are some pictures:
2545254625472548
Gassho,
Kyonin
#SatToday