CUTS - Cambridge University Thai Society

We spend an incredible day this Sunday as the guests of the CUTS - Cambridge University Thai Society.  We were joined by Ajahn Sukhacitto and Tan Suvijano from Amaravati Buddhist Monastery.  They invited their teacher and some from Thai community to join. The students  offered Dana for us in the university, and we offered our blessing in the form of chants and Dhamma talks.  Luangpoh Sudhiro gave a very well received talk in Thai while Ajahn Sukhacitto gave one in English.  Hundreds of pounds were raised for Buddha Metta as well.  This was all in the name of celebrating the King of Thailand's birthday, but all of us knew it was even more special than that.  For me personally, it was wonderful to be surrounded by so much youth who were interested in the Dhamma, living morally, and in finding inward and outward peace.  May everyone benefit from the merit we created and shared on this day.

The end of the Pansa came and went as if it was just another day; and maybe it was.  But the three months we all shared together here in Cambridge will not be forgotten in our hearts.  It was a time of deeper practice and meditation.  It was a time when a new community of people came together in the Dhamma to make offerings and find a new place of tranquility and a source of teachings for their practice.  We had many visits and blessings from senior monks as well as strangers off the street with their big hearts and smiles.  Thank you all for being a part of the retreat this year and we hope to see the same faces as well as many new ones next year.

Auspicious Sangha Meeting in Cambridge

Good progress has been made on the way towards establishing the Buddha Metta charity here in the UK.  We have a group of Trustees and have held several meetings already to discuss the work that needs to be done towards realising the goal of having a charitable trust established as soon as possible.  This is the key first stage to there being permanent Buddha Metta practice centres that are owned and belong to the people.

We have had incredible support from lay and ordained people alike including a very auspicious meeting of Venerable Ajahns here in Cambridge.  Ajahn Amaro, the Abbot of Amaravati Buddhist Monastery along with Ajahn Jayanto and a young Hungarian Bhikkhu came, as did Ajahn Karuniko and Ajahn Gavasako from Chithurst Buddshist Monastery.  The two groups had not known that the other was coming.  It just happened to work out that on that particular Tuesday it was possible for them to come together.  We would love to learn (remember) the young Hungarian Bhikkhu's name.

Their intentions were to show support for Luangpoh Sudhiro's work and to get to know each other better.  A good amount of lay people also gathered and Ajahn Amaro gave a speech that meant a lot to all of us here.  Ajahn spoke of how special and important it is that there will be a Forest Sangha presence here.  He said that there are only a small amount of teachers in this world that are able to make the Dhamma accessible to people in a simple way, and even less that are able to do it in the English language.  We are fortunate to have a person in robes who is those things and has the energy and drive to share it with as many people as possible all around the world.  He also said that it is hard work to make a temple work when there are all kinds of people and money involved, but that with the right intentions it could only be a positive learning experience.  He mentioned the Mangla Sutta where the Buddha says that we should not mix with fools and instead to associate with the wise.  He shared with us experience of setting up Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery in California and offered contacts for us to be in touch with who can help us set up our charity in a way that will be long lasting, without problems, and one that will benefit as many people as possible.

From all of us here at Buddha Metta, we would like to acknowledge our heart felt appreciation for the gesture of support from all these amazing followers of the Buddha's way, the Sangha.  That is for the ordained Sangha and lay Sangha who came from the Hemel Hempstead and West Sussex/Hampshire, and the lay Sangha from Cambridge who actively show their support every single day.  Sadhu..Sadhu..Sadhu..

Ajahn Amaro and Ajahn Sudhiro walking together in Cambridge

Amaravati Group

The local Amaravati meditation group came to join us for the evening Puja and it was wonderful to share the time together.  We discussed how special it is to finally have a place in Cambridge so that people have a place to come and practice in away from home.  It seems easy to associate the good energy of the place with a feeling of stillness.  May everyone continue to feel welcome to use this refuge freely.

There is some further good news in that the refuge may soon become a more permanent fixture in the area.  We found one location that feels just right to set up the temple in long-term.  We are just sorting out the details of the charity and trust so that property can be more easily acquired.  Your support is needed more then ever to show that if it happens, it will be possible to maintain it.

This puts both the Scotland and Cambridge temples in the same situation.  They are both close to being purchased but need the final push to convince authorities, governments, councils, and supporters that they are sustainable.

Sharing Merit

We lost count at about 70, but we estimate that about 90 people joined us on Sunday to celebrate the passing of merit that we have created to our diseased.  We couldn't help but be excited about Ajahn Kovida joining us again, and Venerable Yen from the Mahayana tradition.  We were so pleased to have a Sangha here where every member was from a different country and where many traditions were represented.

Supatra, Ajahn Kovida, and The Island

The past week has been busy here in Cambridge with meeting new friends and making connections with groups from around the area.

Sunday was especially memorable in many ways.  We had the pleasant surprise to have about 50 people here for the Dana to give their support for Supatra and her parents.  Supatra is a lovely six year old girl who is ill and her parents are taking her to the Children's Hospital in Texas in hopes of them being able to do something for her.  The hospital is well known in the world and I have known people who have received great benefit from it.  From us they have our greatest blessings.

That same evening Venerable Sister Ajahn Kovida blessed us with a visit for the evening Puja.  Her presence is always uplifting and inspiring and so there was a wonderful energy for us to abide in during that time.

Some of the lay people that come here regularly are involved in a group that meets to discuss Dhamma books and we invited them to have their meeting here with us.  So after the Puja, a lively discussion about the book, "The Island" took place.  It was wonderful to meet even more people and be part of such a discussion.  It seems they agree as they are happy to continue their meeting here with us from now on.

May this place continue to grow as a refuge for everyone.

Amazing Thailand

We were invited to come to the bi-annual Amazing Thailand festival down by Guildford and I was sent to represent!  What a wonderful event it was!  On arrival at 10am I was rushed in to go on alms round and found that the Forest Sangha of Chithurst Monastery was already there just finishing.  It was lovely to see them but they made their was back to their temple quickly to be there for their daily visitors.  I enjoyed having a meal with Tan Jao Khun Suwit and Tan Boat who are visiting from Thailand, and with monks from Wat Pah Desarangsee, the temple in Bournemouth.  

There were marquees set up for us where for the rest of the day we stayed talking with people and sharing blessings.  I had the opportunity to meet many "western" people who were interested in Buddhism in some way. They either already were interested and had questions for me or were from families of mixed Thai-Western couples and wanted to learn more.  Many Thai people were also interested in my story about how I became a monk.  Everyone appreciated sharing those moments together and some people had tears in their eyes as I gave them a blessing.  This was very moving for me and again showed how alive our tradition really is.  It may be ancient and very special because of that, but I am also learning that it is modern and as relevant in our lives today as it was in the Buddha's 2500 years ago.

Tan Jao Khun Suwit and Tan Boat

The first couple weeks here in Cambridge have been very productive as far as bringing together people from many nationalities and interest groups.  We have had people coming regularly and others dropping in when they can.  This past Thursday we had the honour of hosting two very Venerable monks from Thailand.  Tan Jao Khun Suwit and Tan Boat are here in the UK visiting and stopped on their way down to the London area.

Many people came to share the precious moment of having these well known monks here with us.  In Thailand they are well known from their radio and TV programs that are actually broadcast to many countries worldwide.  Their warm hearts and enthusiasm for sharing the Dhamma is what makes them successful in my opinion, and is why they were an inspiration to us here.

Chanting was shared, words were spoken to inspire, "blessed" bracelets were given to "protect" and act as reminders to be awake in our daily lives, and many questions were answered.  We are all very thankful for the time we spent together.

Entering the Rains Retreat in Cambridge

Our move to Cambridge felt swift and we were greeted by many people during the Kao Pansa celebrations on Sunday.  It was a warm greeting indeed with much generosity taking place.  From preparing the venue, cooking the food, giving requisites for everyone to make use of, helping clean up, to just being part of all the blessings that have already made it feel like home for us, and a peaceful refuge for everyone else.  Anumodana for everyone's hard work and interest in making this happen.

 This of course marks the beginning of the monastic rains retreat which will be a period of intense practice and further sharing.  We hope as many people as possible can come share this special time with us.

Please do sign the guestbook to the right side of this page by clicking on POST.  Also, have a look at the photo albums on line that can be found on the right side of this page as well under the RELEVANT LINKS section.  See you soon!
-KDB

A Deep Breath

 This past week here at The Old Engine Shed has been a wonderful time of practice that many people took advantage of.  We have enjoyed the serenity of this place and took every moment to live in meditation.  Some people choose to stay as overnight guests to have an even richer experience, while one of our friends choose to take a three day retreat here with us.  Morning chanting by the River Tyne, engaged group discussions, youngsters asking and learning how to do silent meditation, and a community life that feels vibrant and cheerful from sun up to sun down is just part of what we have been sharing here.

 The Carlisle Meditation group has continued to actively participate on Wednesdays and individually coming during the weeks, and our neighbours keep visiting for Pujas or to share in the Dana.  We have had day trips to the nearby towns as well as nearby Buddhist centres such as Kagyu Samye Ling Tibetan Centre and Throssel Hole Zen Abbey.  We are very grateful for what everyone has brought to this once empty and cold house.

  But in tune with impermanence, it is all coming to an end with a sunset Puja this evening and a sunrise Puja in the morning after which we will be on our way to Cambridge to start the Vassa.  We might have practised well, but this experience will not be easy to just let go of.  But with a deep breath we move on to the unknown...

Alms Round in Northumberland

I have been doing as much walking as possible lately and decided to take a long walk to the nearest town about 6 miles away. I made a day of it and brought my alms bowl with me to experience the magic of collecting alms food in this country. Honestly, I didn't expect to be receive much and Haltwhistle is not exactly your biggest town in this rural countryside anyhow. I would have been happy with just being able to be there among the people, and the walk itself was beautiful. A lovely feature of the walk is the Lambley Viaduct which now stands as a monument to the mining era of the 1800's.

At first I was just walking slowly up and down the high street because I didn't want to feel like "one of those" beggars. It took about a half hour of watching my mind to start to understand that foremost, I was not any better or worse then a beggar who is hungry--and that there is actually nothing wrong with receiving alms. In fact I quickly developed a sense of admiration for them and so I found a suitable spot and stood my ground. Within minutes I was approached by interested people and so it was only my own ego that had been standing in the way.

To my surprise I was approached by many people, had a lovely meal, and walked back with a huge sense of gratitude and renewed faith in humanity. It also showed how many people are interested in Buddhism in this country. As Luangpoh says, "Mindlessness is famous". That is one thing this world can support.

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We are pleased to have photos available for viewing and download.  Please follow the link on the right side entitled, "Buddha Metta UK Photo Gallery".

The Shared Blessings of the Carlisle Meditation Group

On Sunday evening we had the pleasant surprise of having a few members from the Carlisle Meditation Group join us for the evening Puja.  Many of the Thai community also showed up which made for a nice full group.  The group invited us back to Carlise Wednesday evening and so we once again met at the Batcherby Community Centre to share the moments together is serene contentment.  I was asked to do a simple guided meditation and to my surprise it wasn't a total disaster.  The conversations opened up a little bit more this time and Luangpoh gave a teaching about Khamma and how important it is to work towards understanding it in our lives.  It gives us us matter-of-fact answers to a lot of questions we have about the world around us.  Luangpoh and I are in agreement about how special the relationship is between The Carlisle Meditation Group and the Buddha Metta Society and we hope that both sides feel they are already members of both.  Below is a wonderful letter written to us by a friend.

-KDB

Than you for a wonderful ,evening in Carlisle today . I really enjoyed your speaking on the meditation.  I did not have to cycle to see you today .  Each time i meet you two nice people, i learn more about Buddhism which I find very useful for my life . I would like to spend more time with you and If you are willing, I could take you to see some amazing scenery or to the other temples...  

 kind regards ,sawadee cap 

  martin 

Invitation

This past Sunday we were invited to the home of Ashley and Peung.  We were pleased to be met by just about all the families who normally come here to the Engine Shed.  There was an amazing meal offered but first we shared blessing with Parita chanting and then chanted together.

We all had the opportunity to experience an alms round together in the back garden there.  This was the first opportunity for some people in many years but for others it was their first experience ever.  It was hard for everyone to not keep smiling during the entire thing.

Updates about Pascal

Dear friends, As many people will already know, Pascale has been seriously ill for some time.  She's had two operations in the last couple of weeks and is now home from hospital.  If you're wondering how she is and want to keep up to date with her progress, the website below gives regular updates. Best wishes Eileen Windridge   http://howispascale.wordpress.com/2011/06/05/updates/

We shared a wonderful evening with friends and family of Pascale de Beranger who is sick in hospital with lung cancer and is in much pain. We had a period of chanting, silent meditation, and then shared blessings. Luangpoh was able to visit her just before she went back into hospital for surgery and shared with her methods of dealing with her pain. He explained about his recent experience with his cobra bite and how he was able to move his mind away from the pain as if standing aside, and not personalizing the pain. He explained that if he did not do something quickly he would be overcome by pain and the poison would make it to his heart before he could make it to hospital. By concentrating his mind he was able to disassociate with the pain just enough to be able to take control of his body to squeeze the poison away. Through meditation, he explained to Pascale, she could concentrate the mind away from the pain enough to make it through her recovery more peacefully.

-KDB

An evening in Carlisle

Luangpoh and I spent the evening with the Carlisle Meditation Group in the city where Luangpoh met some old friends and we made some new ones as well.  We had a nice puja and Q&A.  Discussion included such things as how generosity leads to morality which then leads to concentration and wisdom.  If your meditation practice is grounded in morality then it will support the other aspects of it such as formal sitting sessions.  But if your experience only involves the sitting sessions without mindfulness practice during the day then you may not know the benefits of living in the Dhamma.  Some members had attended Ken's (previously ordained disciple of Luangpoh) day retreat in Kendal on the weekend and discussed their experience such as methods of meditation on the body.  One method Luangpoh expanded on is to see all the elements of earth, wind, fire, water, space, and consciousness within the body.  We can then visualize them returning back to just space until there is nothing left except consciousness unless we become enlightened when that element does not arise again.  We thus see impermanence, emptiness, and dependence on all the other factors for existence in the first place.

-KDB

Khao Pansa Celebrations

We had a wonderful turn out for the joined Khao Pansa and Asalha puja celebration. Word spread and almost 40 people came to share in this special time.

Living in Dhamma

Today we were offered another wonderful dana and Luangpoh shared a reflection on what it means to give. He recollected what it was like as a child to offer food for the monks with his mother. He remembers the care that was put into the preparation, the quality of mind while bringing it to the temple, the high standard of the presentation of it, and the humble way that it was offered to the monks. This all presented the opportunity to concentrate the mind on doing something so wonderful that it created a feeling of wellbeing that could last the entire day. We discussed today that this is the most overlooked method of concentrating the mind that the Thai people have engrained into their daily lives. A large portion of the people will start their days with generosity as the focal point of their activities.

Buddha Mettā Mission for the UK

We have been traveling continuously in the United Kingdom for a few weeks now to share the compassionate teachings of the Buddha with groups of lay people who do not have easy access to such teachings of the Dhamma. We have been practicing deep listening to try to learn what the needs and wishes of these people are in regards to having such teachings available to them. We were honoured to have the Venerable Tan Jao Khun Thong Chai from the Rama 9 temple in Bangkok with us for the first week.