Programming: Winter 2020
CLASSES & ASSEMBLIES
Sunday morning Assembly Every Sunday, 10am - 12pm Join us every Sunday at 10am for chanting, meditation (zazen), Dharma teaching, and community coffee and tea. Childcare is available. Introduction to Meditation is available at 8:50am for newcomers, and a 40 minute period of Zazen begins at 9:00am in the Main Hall for those who wish to come early.
Introduction to Zen (3 Class Series) Lead by Sokai Dylan Lamar Tuesdays: January 21, 24 February 4 th, 7:00p - 8:30 A thorough introduction to the basics of Zen practice and form. Classes will focus on seated meditation (Zazen), Chanting, Temple Forms, and Studying Zen. Class begins with a short period of Zazen. Registration required. Please use the form provided below.
Term Student Program Ejo McMullen, Head Teacher. Kogen Houseknetch, Head Student. Orientation Sunday, February 2nd 12-1 pm, Meetings Sundays 2/16, 3/22, 4/19 12:30-2:30 Sincerity is the simplest thing in the world and also the most difficult to maintain. It requires vulnerability and uprightness in the face of a constantly shifting and challenging world. Meeting life squarely takes constant attention, and there are countless ways to escape. The foremost aim of the Term Student Program is to cultivate and guide our sincere heart through inquiry into the Buddha way. We do that through committing to regular practice, study and mutual support. Please see the Term Student Explanation sheet for further information. Registration required. Please use the form provided below.
Living Awakening: Zen Precepts (8 Class Series) Lead by Head Teacher Ejo McMullen Tuesdays: February 11th – April 7th, 7:00p - 8:30 How shall I live? This is the most fundamental of spiritual questions. One aspect of our response to this question is ethics. What should and should not be done? The Sixteen Bodhisattva Precepts represent our aspiration to live an ethical life and our commitment to the continual inquiry that such a life demands. The precepts are the wisdom of the Buddhas and Ancestors that already lives within our own heart. This wisdom must be lived out moment to moment from a sincere heart rather than become rigid measures of right and wrong. This is the invitation of the precepts! In this eight class series we will explore and unfold the practice of precepts as the life of awakening. Registration required. Please use the form provided below.
Thursday Evening Dharma Assembly Ongoing Weekley: Thursdays starting February 13th 6:30p - 8:30 Thursday Dharma Assembly provides a consistent touchstone of quiet sitting and dharma study throughout the year. Dharma Assembly is open to everyone. No registration is required. Zazen begins promptly at 6:30 PM (please arrive a few minutes early and be settled in your seat before the teacher enters the hall). The assembly adjourns by 8:30 PM. There is a rotating schedule consisting of three formats: Double Sit with Sanzen (private meetings with the Abbot), Teisho (Formal Teaching), and Dharma Inquiry (Small group sharing and reflecting process). Please see the calendar for more detailed explanations. Exploring the Depths of Meditation (4 Class Series) Lead by Head Teacher Ejo McMullen Tuesdays: April 21st – May 12th, 7:00p - 8:30 Meditation is not the goal, it is a path that continually unfolds the depths of being. In this four part series, we will explore subtle aspects of meditation that continue to develop as we practice over time. This class will include experiential as well as theoretical teachings and is suited for both new and established meditators. There will also be plenty of time for questions and discussion. Registration required. Please use the form provided below.
Sanzen Tuesdays & Thursdays, 6:00am during Zazen Thursday Evenings, during Double Sits Sanzen is a formal meeting with a lineage holder. It is a direct spiritual encounter, held during group sessions of zazen, in which questions and experiences are presented by the student for response by the teacher. Sanzen includes a simple set of forms, but the formality is also carried out through the way in which teacher and student explore the dharma. In sanzen, the exchange is unencumbered by the normal conventions of explanation and story telling. Please feel free to bring up anything that feels important, but be direct and to the point. The teacher will ask for clarification as they feel necessary. Sanzen meetings are typically no more than 10 minutes.
Practice Discussion Tuesdays, 6:00am - 7:00am Wednesdays, 1:30pm - 6:00pm and by appointment. Practice Discussion is an opportunity to deepen practice through discussion with a representative of the tradition. These discussions can include anything from a life of practice you feel is important to present or ask about. There is plenty of room to tell stories and explain your experiences, thoughts and ideas. Practice Discussion allows for conversation to uncover precious insights and shift the way we approach the path. Practice Discussions are informal and begin with a simple gassho (palms together) and bow after sitting down with the teacher. They are scheduled for 30 minutes.
Informal Tea Weekdays 9:00am - 12:00pm 1:00pm - 3:00pm Drop in or by appointment Informal Tea is an opportunity to meet with a representative of the temple to discuss fundamentals of practice at Buddha Eye and the Buddha Dharma in general. This is a great opportunity to ask practical questions about the various practice opportunities available at the temple and hear about the experience of someone steeped in the practice. You are welcome to bring forward whatever feels important. Questions that are more appropriate for Practice Discussion or Sanzen will be referred.
SESSHIN and ZAZENKAI
Zazenkai Lead by Jun-e Carmelita Thomson February 15th and April 4th, 8:00a - 4:30p Zazenkai offers the forms of a traditional silent Zen meditation intensive in a modified schedule. We will come together for one day to settle deeply into sitting and embody the teachings of Buddha, and meet what is most directly present with attention and openness, moment after moment. Registration required.
Jukai Sesshin April 14th - 19th Sesshin, meaning “to gather the mind,” is a traditional silent Zen meditation intensive. Sesshin includes Zazen, Kinhin (walking meditation), vegetarian Oriyoki meals, and Samu (work meditation). Accommodations are available. Registration is required for overnight students and all meals. Registration opens March 24th, 2020. The sesshin finishes with a Jukai Ceremony in which several Buddha Eye practisioners will receive the Bodhisattva Precepts in a special ceremony.
CEREMONIES
Parinirvana (Buddha’s Perfect Nirvana) February 16th , Sunday, 10:00am Join us for a ceremony comemorating the Perfect Nirvana of Shakyamuni Buddha.
Flower Festival (Buddha’s Birthday) April 5th , Sunday, 10:00am Every year on the Sunday closest to April 8th we celebrate the birth of Shakyamuni Buddha some 2,500 years ago. Known as the “Flower Festival”, this celebration is perhaps the most bright and festive of the year. We bathe the baby Buddha with pure water steeped with spring blossoms. After the ceremony, we enjoy temple-made rice pudding and enjoy the return of spring.
Jukai (Ceremony of Giving and Receiving Precepts) April 19th , Sunday, 10:00am Join us to support members of our community as they take the Sixteen Bodhisattva precepts in the ceremony of Jukai. The ceremony will begin with a brief lesson about the Precepts.
Hossenshiki (Head Student Dharma Combat) April 26th, Sunday, 10:00am Join us for the robust ceremony of Hossenshiki, in which Head Student Kogen Howard Houseknetch will ascend the teaching seat and engage the Buddha Eye Temple community in ritual Dharma Combat. This is an opportunity to investigate, examine, and question the Head Student’s understanding of the Dharma, as well as celebrate their dedication and ongoing exploration of practice and teaching.
Term Closing and Shosan (Ceremony of Questioning the Teacher) May 10th, Sunday, 10:00am During the ceremony of Shosan, the community is welcomed to ask a formal Dharma question of the Teacher, with the Sangha and community present.
Fusatsu (Ceremony of Atonement) The night of every Full Moon (2/8, 3/8, 4/7, 5/7) 7:00p - 9:00 Fusatsu is a monthly ceremony of atonement and vow renewal, held on the night of the Full moon.
COMMUNITY PROGRAMS
Brothers in the Way Starting January 22nd 2nd and 4th Wednesdays 7:00pm - 8:30pm "Brothers in the Dharma" is a group where men in the community can come together to talk about a variety of subjects, especially the unique issues facing men and especially Buddhist men today. This includes but is not limited to: partnership, family, work-life, masculinity, changing societal norms, allyship, and other topics related to Buddhist practice and brotherhood in the Dharma. The purpose of the group is to work together to make a place where participants can talk freely and offer support to each other in a safe, inclusive, and fraternal environment. For the Summer season, the group will also be reading the book "Down Girl: the Logic of Misogyny" by Kate Manne as a way to guide discussions. Registration is required. This group is open to all expressions and embodiments of masculinity. If you would like to register, please contact Jokai at [email protected]
Acupressure, Gua Sha, and Essential Oils With Crissy Bartell Saturday, January 18th and February 1st 1:00pm Join us for a beginner’s class about acupressure, gua sha, and essential oils for the winter months! No registration required, drop ins welcomes.
Bread Baking! The "no-knead" Peasant Loaf! With Linda Seymour Saturday, February 22nd 1:00pm Join is for a fun and delicious bread baking workshop! Linda will lead is in her fool-proof, no-knead peasant loaf! We will go through the entire baking process together to make a sample loaf, and everyone will get some dough to take away to try the process at home! This class is by donation only! Registration is required and space is limited to 6 students. Please contact us at [email protected] to register!
Community Indigo Day With Jakuen Saturday April 25th, 3:00pm - 6:00pm Description:Come play with Indigo Dye! Indigo is a special blue dye with a rich and fascinating history. Come at 3:00pm for a brief lecture and discussion about the dye process, dye recipes, and some history. We will begin dying cloth at 3:30pm. Bring small white cotton items like T-shirts, pillow cases, or other small items to tie-dye! No registration required! Donations gladly accepted. If you have any questions please contact Jakuen at [email protected]!
Second Friday Movie Nights! Second Friday of the Month 7:00pm Join us for a series of fun and compelling movie nights at Buddha Eye Zen Community Temple! Members of our community come together to curate and share films that aim to inspire discussion, curiosity, and a good time! Please bring snacks to share and look out for announcements about specific titles coming soon!
Sewing Sangha! Second Sundays 12:30pm Sewing Sangha is a place for people of all skill levels to come together to sew and explore the many different ways cloth and sewing are integral to the daily activities of Temple life. We will work together to explore temple specific projects, ranging in skill level and include: mending, making zabuton, or tailoring Samue! This season we will also begin work on weaving a community altar cloth.