Evening Buddhist service 21st May 2020 (with a refuge ceremony)

In gratitude, we offer this incense to all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas throughout space and time. May it be as fragrant as Earth herself, reflecting our careful efforts and wholehearted awareness. We pray that the fruits of understanding will slowly ripen. May we and all beings awaken from forgetfulness and be reborn in the Pure Land. Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.

Satsang.

So as there's a couple of new people this evening, just to let you know that we've muted you because if we all chant together with our microphones turned on, it gets horribly out of sync and sounds like a real cacophony and nobody can hear each other, which is a real shame. If there is a technological way to chant all together We haven't found it yet, but we encourage you to chant along with us in your own homes, and we'll just— we will all know that we're chanting together. Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.

Amitabh. Amitabh. Amitabh. Amitabha. Amitabha. Amitabha. Amitabh. Amitabh. Amitabh.

Amitabh.

Amitabha. Amitabha. Amitabha. Amitabh. Amitabh. Amitabh. Amitabh. Amitabh. Amitabh. Amitabha. Amitabha. Amitabha. Amitabha. Amitabha. Amitabha. Amitabha. Amitabha. Amitabha.

Welcome everybody. Hi Andrew, nice to see you here with us as well. Oh, and John's joined us as well, great. So there's 10, 12 people in the shrine room. See, I can count. Plus 2 puppies racing around somewhere nearby. So the coronavirus teaches us that the things that we usually rely on to make ourselves feel safe are not reliable. Many of us will have already experienced that at different points in our lives as we experience loss, grief, our expectations not being met, the bottom falling out of our world in various ways. And the coronavirus is teaching many of us that at the same time. Those freedoms that we took for granted suddenly curtailed, and whilst we all know that's for a good reason, it can still impact the parts of us that used to really be buoyed by going out for a coffee on a Saturday by the river, or going and looking around the shops, whether we buy anything or not. All those very subtle habits that we perhaps didn't think were significant, suddenly having them taken away, we notice the loss of them, and it brings us closer to the edge of life. You want to go and have a look what's happening, what's occurring. I used to rely on being able to have an hour of peace on a Wednesday evening, and that's changed in the last few weeks because, as the Buddha teaches us when he describes the First Noble Truth, Nothing in this life is reliable. We are subject to birth into ignorance, to sickness, to old age, death, being separated from people that we love, being associated with people that we don't love, having things that we love taken away from us. This is the experience of life. So we are encouraged to find something that isn't that. As the Buddha said in one of the Uddanas, there is suffering and there is also an escape from suffering. There is samsara and there is also nirvana. There is something that is reliable, something that is sustainable, that sustains us, something that we can lean into, something that we can take refuge in. This is the beginning of the spiritual path, making the choice to lean on something that is that is perfect, that loves us just as we are, rather than putting our weight on the uneven ground of samsara. And it is also the end of the spiritual path. As our practice matures and we engage in meditation, in following the precepts, in study, As we let go of old habits and our karma is purified, we rediscover over and over again that not only are the things in this world unreliable, but even our own mind is unreliable. We hone it in meditation, and then something happens, and greed flares up, ill will flares up, ignorance descends. We study the precepts for years, and then we find ourselves in a circumstance where we're breaking the precept. Dog barks noisily at somebody else's dog, they get embarrassed, I get upset, and suddenly right speech goes out the window. That's just one example from today. We can't rely on our own practice 100% of the time, so we take refuge in the Buddha, who has an infinite supply of merit. There is something that we can rely on. Of course, I'm talking about this because later on we're going to have a formal refuge ceremony, the act of in public naming that move from standing on the unsteady ground of samsara to standing on the white path that leads us to the Pure Land, to the turning inner heart away from the seductive hooks of the world, the things that entice us back into greed, or the things that shove us back into ill will. Turning away from those things into something that loves us just as we are and that inspires us to love others. Well, we call that thing Amitabha, but we can just say that it is love. We take refuge in love. A love that asks for nothing from us, and a love that allows us to wish for the well-being of all beings in the world without knowing what that well-being looks like. Bless you.

Thank you.

Bless you.

Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.

Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.

So we'll have a period of quiet meditation. You might want to say the word 'Nam-myoho-renge-kyo' as you breathe in, which means 'I call out to' or 'I take refuge in,' and 'Amida-bu' as you breathe out, the name of the Buddha, limitless love. You might want to imagine as you say 'Nam-myoho-renge-kyo' and breathe in a sense of receiving, of making contact with that love. Perhaps imagining a light meeting your body, and as you breathe out, imagining that light sinking deep into your bones, right through your body. We've got some time for prostrations now. You can either join us completely physically, from standing to prostrating on the ground in front of the Buddha, or simply bowing at the waist if that's more appropriate for your body in the space that you're in. And we'll be chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo as we usually do.

Namah Amitabh. Namah Amitabh.

Namah Amitabh.

Namah Amitabh.

Namah Amitabhu.

Namah Amitabhu.

Namah Amitabhu.

Namah Amitabhu.

Namoh Amida.

Namoh Amida Bu. Namoh Amida Bu. Namoh Amida Bu.

Satya Robyn, is the community assembled?

Yes, the community is assembled.

Is there harmony in the community?

Yes, there is harmony in the community.

For what purpose is the community assembled this evening?

The community is assembled to perform the sangha karmen of transmitting the Five Refuges to this good woman, Emma Scott, and and to this good man, Mark Lodge.

Let us proceed. Will the candidates for refuge please unmute? And if anybody else would like to join the refuge ceremony, please also unmute and make yourself known to me by saying something, because I can't see all of you at the moment.

Let me show you on the right. Okay.

All right, Mark and Emma. If we wish to grow in spirit, first we must give ourselves to contrition. Do not think of this as a burden, but as a liberation. Put yourself in the position of the other and inquire deeply. Then a change of heart may arise naturally, and the energy of enlightenment will flow in your veins like The nectar of bittersweet tears. Please repeat after me. All the harm committed by me, all the harm committed by me, is due to beginningless greed, hate, and delusion, is due to beginningless greed, hate, and delusion. All this is the work of my body, speech, and mind.

All this is the work of my body, speech, and mind.

I now confess everything wholeheartedly.

I now confess everything wholeheartedly.

And resolve to begin anew.

And resolve to begin anew.

In ordinary life, people seek safety by taking refuge in many things that do not support a good life or that are impermanent. There is, however, a special Buddhist way of taking refuge which does not have bad side effects and which can be counted upon, giving us serenity, security that works in every situation. This way is to take refuge in the Buddha Shakyamuni, the founder of our spiritual tradition, the Dharma, his teachings of eternal truth, and the Sangha, the Buddhist community, all those who practice the Buddha's teaching throughout the world today. And also throughout time. All who have practiced these teachings, from the Buddha himself through to us today. The Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha are collectively referred to as the Three Jewels, or the Three Treasures. They are jewels and treasures because they are the most precious things in Buddhism. They are refuges because they help and support us on the spiritual path. In addition, we take refuge in Amida, the Buddha of infinite light and infinite life, and in his Pure Land, Sukhavati. The act of taking refuge is the most important religious act in Buddhism. Mark, is it your wish to take refuge or not?

It is.

Emma, is it your wish to take refuge or not?

It is.

Let us proceed. So just a reminder that this is between you and the Buddha and the Buddhist path, so I'm facilitating, but this is the true refuge. So please repeat after me. I take refuge in Amida. I take refuge in Amida, the unimpeded light.

The unimpeded light.

Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.

Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.

I take refuge in Amida.

I take refuge in Amida, the one whose prayers are fulfilled. The one whose prayers are fulfilled.

Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.

Namo Amitabha.

I take refuge in Amida.

I take refuge in Amida, the other power in our midst. The other power in our midst.

Namo Amitabha.

Namo Amitabha.

Please bow. I take refuge in the Buddha.

I take refuge in the Buddha.

The one who shows me the way in this life—

the one who shows me the way in this life—

Namo Buddhaya! I take refuge in the Buddha—

I take refuge in the Buddha—

the example of awakening for all—

the example of awakening for all—

Namo Buddhaya! I take refuge in the Buddha I take refuge in the Buddha, the inspiration for all.

Inspiration for all.

Namo Buddhaya.

Namo Buddhaya.

Please bow. I take refuge in the Dharma.

I take refuge in the Dharma, the way of understanding and love. The way of understanding and love.

Namo Dhammaya. Namo Damaya—

I take refuge in the Dharma.

The way of wisdom and compassion. Namo Damaya— I take refuge in the Dharma. The path of service to all.

Namodamaya. Namah Jamaya.

Please bow. I take refuge in the Sangha.

I take refuge in the Sangha.

The community that lives in harmony and awareness.

The community that lives in harmony and awareness.

Namah Sanghaya.

Namah Sanghaya.

I take refuge in the Sangha, the bond of loving friendship.

Namo Sanghaya.

I take refuge in the Sangha, the pure land in our midst. Namo Sanghaya. Please bow. I take refuge in the Pure Land.

I take refuge in the Pure Land.

The perfect field of merit.

The perfect field of merit.

Namo Buddhaksha Tathagata.

Namo Buddhaksha Tathagata.

I take refuge in the Pure Land.

I take refuge in the Pure Land.

The haven for all.

The heaven for all.

Namo Buddhakshatriya.

Namo Buddhakshatriya.

I take refuge in the pure land.

I take refuge in the pure land.

The fulfillment of prayer.

The fulfillment of prayer.

Namo Buddhakshatriya.

Namo Buddhakshatriya.

Please bow. Now you have received the blessings of all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas and are welcomed into the family of Buddhists around the world and throughout time. You've taken refuge in the Three Jewels and in Amida Buddha and the Pure Land Sukhavati. Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.

Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.

Thank you. Yeah, so at this point we usually invite the congregation to greet the candidates cordially, which often means everyone getting up and having a hug and then going and have a cup of tea. We can't do that on Zoom, but we will end the formal part of the service now, and then we'll unmute you if you do want to offer your good wishes to Mark and Emma. Namaste.

Namaste.

Congratulations, guys.