Philadelphia buddhist association www.PhilaBuddhist.orng ewSLetteNovemR ber, 2016 SCHEDULE OF PROGRAMS AND EVENTS The Wisdom in Nonsense Day Retreat with Sensei Al Fusho Rapaport novembeR DecembeR Saturday, December 10 9am to 4pm 1 R2345 123 Plymouth Meeting Friends P6789 R 10 11 1S2 4P 56789R S10/F In this year’s retreat, Sensi Al offers retreat participants an 1L3 14 15 1R6 17 18 19 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 L R opportunity to experience individual moments of wisdom, using 2P0 21 22 23 24 25 26 1P8 19 20 2D1 22 23 24 an ancient Zen practice of meditating on nonsense. Meditators 2P7 28 29 3R0 2P5 26 27 2R8 29 30 31 of all traditions and all levels, (especially complete novices) can benefit from this group meditation on Zen’s classic illogical januaRy FebRuaRy stories called “koans.” Using the illogical parts of our mind, this can help open and transform our work, relationships, and 1234567 1234 P R R G spiritual practice. See page 3 for more details. L89 10 1R1 12 13 1S4 P56789R 10 1S1 Faith Mind Sutra 1P5 16 17 1R8 19 20 21 L12 13 14 1R5 16 17 18 Day Retreat with Pat George 2P2 23 24 2D5 26 27 28 P19 20 21 2D2 23 24 25 Saturday, February 4th 9am to 4pm 2P9 30 31 P26 27 28 Plymouth Meeting Friends Buddhism Lecture and Discussion Series at Plymouth L Pat George will focus on the Faith Mind Sutra, a beautiful poem Meeting Friends 7:30 to 9:00 pm. of uncertain but early origin, generally attributed to the Chinese P Sitting meditation at Plymouth Meeting Friends monk Seng Ts'an. This poem Is the one that famously admon - 7:30 to 9:00 pm ishes us to "avoid picking and choosing" and to have "no pref - R Sitting meditation at Radnor Friends 7:30 to 9:00 pm erences." How do we avoid making choices in a human life that requires us to make many decisions every day? Even if we try D Open Discussion group about meditation and other Buddhist to avoid preferences by doing nothing, that to becomes a topics at Radnor Friends 7:30pm to 9:00 pm. choice. S Sutra Study at Radnor Friends 10am to 12pm. Sitting We'll examine this sutra and try to understand how we can live medition from 9:30am to 9:50. See p. 4 for details. in a choiceless universe and still function in our everyday lives. See page 3 for more details. Sensi Al Fusho Rapaport Day Retreat F Annual Dana Drive Plymouth Meeting Friends 9am to 4pm Pat George Day Retreat PBA runs solely on contributions and by the kindness of those who G Plymouth Meeting Friends 9am to 4pm give their time and skills to assist others. Your Dana not only help PBA’s ongoing work to introduce others to the Buddha’s Way in its BUDDHISM LECTURE AND DISCUSSION SERIES many forms, but it helps to pay our rents and to maintain our facilities so that we can continue to offer weekly meditation practice at the Radnor Friends Meeting and Plymouth Friends Meeting, and every 2nd Sunday, Plymouth meeting, 7:30 monthly Sutra Study, Lecture & Discussion, and meditation discussion group, in addition to the retreats offered throughout November 13 The Practices of Arhats: Stories the year. From the Dhammapada For the past year, our sangha has been well supported by "Good Julianna Lipschutz friends" like you. Our participation rate has gone up. We are able to participate in humanitarian support to internationally well known December 11 The Life of the Buddha groups like the Doctors Without Borders and the Buddhist Disaster Zachary Brown Relief Tzu-Chi Foundation. We have met our financial needs. Nevertheless, without your continuing support we would have not January 8 The Five Hindrances and been able to shine nor to reach people in need of a Sangha to Meditation Practice practice with. Now more than ever are we in need of your David Carpenter assistance, so as the year comes to an end, please consider February 12 Impermanence making a donation to help us keep our facilities running. All contributions are tax-deductible. Make checks payable to Robin Carr "Philadelphia Buddhist Association" and send to PO Box 11728, Philadelphia, PA 19101. aLL aRe weLcome to attenD any oF ouR PRoGRamS oR eventS at no chaRGe Local Buddhist Centers and Groups The following are some of the places in the Philadelphia region where regular Buddhist meditation practice is followed. Pennsylvania Ø Buddhist Sangha of Bucks County Ø Shambhala Center (Shambhala) Ø Zen Meditation Group of Greater Yardley 215-431-0882 Center City Philadelphia Philadelphia (Center City) email: [email protected] 215-568-6070 215-381-0398 Ø Clear Light Meditation Group Ø Shikan (Stop & Observe) Zendo New Jersey Devon 610-293-9133 Center City, Philadelphia, PA Ø Buddhist Sangha Monthly One-Day Silent Retreat Ø of Southern New Jersey Dungkar Ling (Tibetan) Email: [email protected] Honeybrook 610-942-2512 Cherry Hill 609-953-9215 Ø Soji Zen Center Ø Ø Pine Wind Zen Center Media Meditation Group Lansdowne 917-856-5659 (Shambhala) Shamong, NJ 609-268-9151 Media 610-566-2525 Ø Springboard Meditation Sangha Ø Seabrook Buddhist Temple W. Mt.Airy, Philadelphia, 19119 Ø (Jodo Shin Shu Buddhism) Peaceful City Sangha (Community info@springboardmeditationsang - Seabrook 856-451-3422 of Mindful Living) ha.org Center City 215-852-4375 Delaware Ø Tibetan Buddhist Center Ø Pebble Hill Mindfulness Sangha of Philadelphia Ø Delaware Valley Zen Center Doylestown 215-230-9899 954-956 N Marshal St Newark 302-981-6209 Ø Philadelphia Meditation Center www.tibetanbuddhist.org (Non-Sectarian) Ø Willow Branch Sangha How to Contact PBA Havertown 610-853-8200 West Chester 610-388-1257 Ø Philadelphia Soka Gakkai Ø Won Buddhism Temple Ø Send an email to International-USA of Philadelphia [email protected] Center City Philadelphia Glenside 215-884-8443 215-569-2144 Ø Send uSPS mail to Ø Zen Center of Philadelphia Ø P.o. box 11728 Rainbow LGBTQ Buddhist West Philadelphia 215-472-2613 Meditation Group Philadelphia, Pa 19101 Center City Philadelphia 215-732-2220 Guide to Retreat Centers The following is a listing of some Buddhist centers in Ø Mt. Equity Zendo the Eastern United States that offer a program of retreats 280 Mt. Equity Road, Pennsdale, PA, 17756 throughout the year. These centers offer a place where (717)-546-2784, http://www.mtequity.org scheduled Buddhist teaching from various traditions is Ø Zen Mountain Monastery given. In addition, many local centers offer day and week - P.O. Box 197, Mt. Tremper, NY, 12457 (845) 688-2228 end retreats. http://www.mro.org Ø Bhavana Society Near Washington, DC & PA border Ø Milarepa Center Rt.1, Box 218-3 High View, WV (304)-856-3241 P.O. Box 51, Barnet, VT 05821 (802) 633-4136 http://www.bhavanasociety.org http://www.milarepacenter.org Ø Insight Meditation Society 1230 Pleasant Street, Barre, MA, 01005 (978)-355-4378 http://www.Dharma.org PBA does not charge for any of its activities (other than residence participation in our activities valuable, please consider sending fees at residential retreats). We do incur expenses for rent, PBA a tax-deductible contribution. Make checks payable to PBA newsletters, website, and various other items. If you have found and send to P.O. Box 11728, Philadelphia, PA 19101. The Philadelphia Buddhist Association (PBA) is a non-profit cor - one Buddhist tradition and promotes dialogue with all faiths. All poration registered in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It has programs are without charge and are financed only by freely given provided programs since 1986 to the public for making known the donations. Donations are tax-deductible. principles and practices of the Buddhist way. PBA represents no 2 PHILADELPHIA BUDDHIST ASSOCIATION November, 2016 Day Retreat with Day Retreat with Sensei Al Fusho Rapaport Pat George Unlike traditional individual koan practice, there are no Pat George has over thirty years training in Zen Bud - “right” answers, just our deep unique responses and their dhism. She was given permission to teach by Barry Magid sharing. Sensei Al Rapaport has developed “group koan” in 2004, and opened the Zen Center of Philadelphia in sessions as skillful play. He also teaches his students January,2005. Pat studied at Zen Mountain Monastery in through traditional individual koan work. He emphasizes Mt. Tremper, New York, with John Daido Loori for many that no prior experience is needed for to enjoy and suc - years as a lay practitioner and for six years as a resident ceed in this workshop. and monastic in training. PBA will supply cushions with mats, chairs, tea, coffee Since then she has studied with Barry Magid in the Ordi - and snacks. Bring your own cushion/mat if you prefer, and nary Mind School founded by Charlotte Joko Beck.On please bring a brown bag lunch. November 14th, 2009, Pat received full transmission in the Ordinary Mind School from Barry Magid. There is no charge for the workshop and PBA makes no profit, but we strongly suggest a free-will offering of $25 The Ordinary Mind Zen School intends to manifest and for the teacher. He will be traveling here from Florida to support practice of the Awakened Way, as expressed in teach us at his own expense. Dana is the Pali word for the teaching of Charlotte Joko Beck. The School is com - Generosity. posed of Charlotte Joko Beck, her Dharma Successors, and teachers and successors they, as individuals, have Sensei Al has trained in variations of Hal and Sidra formally authorized.