Evening practice

Love that bell.

Welcome everybody, I'm Jah Melby, the celebrant this evening, and We're going to start with a Dharma glimpse from the Bright Dawn book, which Philip has kindly agreed to read for us. So I'll pass over to Philip.

Thanks, John.

This is titled I'm Going to Die by Sayo Thomas de Man. My Dharma glimpse comes from a personal experience where I was given a second chance to do it right this time. Think of your loved ones, then think of your friends. Think of those involved in this Bright Dawn Lay Ministry class. Who will be the first in each of these categories to depart from this life? You can't answer this question, and if you tried, chances are that you would be wrong. Age has nothing to do with the correct answer. Life is fleeting and we must be ready. It was the 1st of July, 2002, and as I was leaving the office at the end of the day, I wished everyone a good night, followed by see you in the morning. Don't make plans. I never saw these fellow employees again. I enjoyed dinner with my wife and left her to attend a social meeting. I stopped at a Barnes Noble to get a coffee to take to the meeting and browse through a few books. Suddenly I got a very strange feeling. This feeling persisted, so I drove home, not remembering how I got there. I went straight to bed. The next 2 days, my wife called in sick for me as I had little recollection of what was going Sorry, what I was doing. My wife called my physician and he treated me for the flu. On 4th of July, we watched Independence Day, so states my wife, and she tells me I said it was a good movie. No recollection whatsoever. We went to bed, and that night she remembers me trying to get up during the night unsuccessfully. The following morning, I I could not walk. The next thing I somewhat remember was being in triage at a local hospital. The doctors were puzzled, and it took some time for them to diagnose my condition. I'm just looking a bit ahead of realizing there's conditions I probably can't pronounce. I had some black dots on my extremities, which meant that my system was shutting down. I developed words I can't pronounce and a staph infection. Every cell in my body was affected. The infection entered my bloodstream, ate away 80% of my heart valve, sending pieces to my brain, which caused a stroke. This illness has a survival rate of only 3%. Bracket, since that time I've met nurses in emergency rooms who have never met anyone Who survived acute endocarditis. Oh geez, if I pronounced that wrong. I spent the next 7 weeks in the hospital, which included relearning how to walk and function after the stroke. I also had to have open heart surgery to replace the heart valve. I finally did make it back to work with a different employer 5 months later. I was relatively new to Buddhism, but fortunately remembered teachings about impermanence, which I didn't want to address, living in the present moment, and fear. Hard to believe, but this helped me enjoy this dire time of immobility and helped me to remain in peace and calm. I often think what a valuable and important lesson this experience was for me. How lucky that Buddhism came into my life shortly before this time especially with the limited knowledge that I had. What did I learn? Time flies, impermanence does not wait, and this body is easily lost. Buddhism or other practices are not just a tag that is nice to be part of. This life is not a game. Do you want to continue on the endless cycle of birth and death, or take action? As Buddhists, do you take your practice seriously? The stakes are tremendous. I prefer not to be reborn again, brackets, and again and again. I am now on the Pure Land path. Choose your practice and give it your all. Zen, Tibetan, Vipassana, it doesn't matter. Listen to what is taught in your chosen tradition. Try not to get all caught up in the psychology and intricacies of the practice. Keep it simple. Be serious, be sincere, be honest with yourself. No one wants to think about death. Well, it doesn't bother me any longer, but we must think about it. Why waste your valuable time with idle nonsense? Think about all of the little things we fear and worry about each day. Isn't following the Buddhist path more important than the fears and worries of this life? We are living in a dream. Wake up, do the work, practice, be fearless. Do not hide from death. Why ignore the inevitable? I would like to mention a quote from Dr. Arthur Kalindro: My greatest wisdom has not come through a comfortable existence. It has been achieved during periods of struggle and pain. Finally, in his book Living in the Light of Death, Larry Rosenberg, Theravada teacher, writes: When we become intimate with death we also become profoundly intimate with ourselves, with others, and indeed with all things. This was my lesson, and as well a lifelong blessing. Namamidabuddha.

Namamidabuddha.

Thanks very much, Philip. So now a few minutes of quiet sitting. Practice being with ourselves and observing our minds, allowing them to settle.

Om Nami Deva Hari. Om Nami Deva Hari. Om Nami Deva Hari. Omami de waari. Omami de waari. Oh, Mami de Wari. Oh, Mami de Wari. Oh, Bali de Wari.

Breathe.

Om Mami Tehwari. Om Mami Tehwari. Oh, Mami de Wari. Oh, Mami de Wari. Oh, Mami de Wari. Oh, Mami De Wari. Oh, Mami De Wari. Oh, Mami De Wari. Oh, man.

The refuges and precepts. And maybe while we're taking the refuges, offering up our concerns and worries and fears about this new normal that we found ourselves living in. Repeat after me. For refuge I go to the Buddha.

For refuge I go to the Buddha.

The one who is awake and full of love.

The one who is awake and full of love.

Namo Buddhaya.

Namo Buddhaya.

For refuge I go to the Dharma.

For refuge I go to the Dharma.

All that guides us to wisdom and compassion.

All that guides us to wisdom and compassion.

Namo Dharma Ya.

Namo Dharma Ya.

For refuge I go to the Sangha.

For refuge I go to the Sangha.

Those who live in the Buddha's light.

Those who live in the Buddha's light.

Namo Sanghaya.

Namo Sanghaya.

With faith in the Three Jewels.

With faith in the Three Jewels.

And in light of my human tendencies. And denounce my human tendencies.' I pray that I may become aware—

'I pray that I may become aware' of when I take life. Of when I take life.

I pray that I may become aware— 'And I pray that I may become aware' of when I take what is not freely given.

When I say it was just not really good enough, right? That's how they've come away from there for me to be more awake about this thing called greed or selfishness. And then you know why we have so many problems today because people don't understand their own inner nature anymore. We're all born into poverty but if one person can rise above his birthright he will create wealth forevermore!

So Of please help when us do our part by being conscious at I every moment on Earth. Thank you very fall much indeed.

Namaste.

into sexual misconduct—

of my falling to sexual misconduct—

pray that I may become aware—

please tell me you're not aware—

of when I fall into wrong speech—

or can't follow along too long speak—

pray that I may become aware—

okay then say it again more slowly—

of when I've become intoxicated—

oh well I'm becoming toxicated!

No blame— no pain be kind because love everything Love everything. Innumerable sentient beings, we vow to save them all. Inexhaustible deluded passions, we vow to transform them all.

Immeasurable are the Dharma teachings.

We vow to master them all.

Infinite is the Buddha's way.

We vow to fulfill it completely.

So I'm going to read out a piece of writing that I did a couple of weeks ago after morning practice. This holy place. It was only myself and Dave who turned up for garden practice the other morning. We're used to getting low numbers with the walking meditation., and we just carried on as usual, with Dave leading and reading out the morning verse to mark the beginning of the practice. I've read and recited the verse hundreds, if not thousands, of times in the past 10 years or so, and always mouthed along silently, feeling the sacred words deep in my heart and often being moved by the deep religious passion that they're imbued with. And as Dave got to the invocations at the end of the reading, I found myself offering up extra enthusiasm and commitment to the Buddhas. To this holy place, Amida Buddha, highest one, bring your presence now, I pray. Somehow this felt more powerful than usual. Suddenly everything became a bit louder and my heart lifted with a burst of joy. I found myself really considering the words. Where is this holy place that we hear of in the reading? Is it simply the temple where we meet and together seek and find the Dharma? Or could the words be pointing us to a deeper reality, one that extends way beyond the walls and grounds of the physical building that we know and love? Could it be that the holy place is within us all? The mind is a complex and destructive force, the dwelling place of greed, hate, and delusion, but also a central source of goodness and a powerful creative influence. Could it be that when we pray and meditate, we fill ourselves up with something beautiful and then carry that with us wherever we go? This felt like the deeper meaning of the experience that I was having. When we place ourselves in Amida's care, we become vehicles for their grace. We volunteer ourselves for the service that carries the Pure Land out into the world at Hajj, the world that needs it so much, and we etch the Nembutsu a little bit deeper into our souls. I don't know why these little epiphanies happen, if you can call them that, when they do. And I totally understand any doubt or skepticism that arises in others that hear these stories. To me, it's like the truth reaching out, maybe at a time when I'm, for one reason or another, more receptive to it. My spirits were lifted for the rest of the day, and I felt more at peace with myself. On the world. Namaste.

throughout the, its insects, and Buddhas and Bodhisattvas throughout space and time. May it be fragrant as the Earth herself, reflecting our careful efforts, our wholehearted awareness, and the fruits of understanding through awakening. May we and all beings A week on Saturday. Okay, garden thingy.

A week on Saturday. Yeah, yeah, fine.

Blessed by Amitābha's light, may we care for all living things and the holy earth.

So do you want to try and do the— take the top off? That's fine. Yeah, of course. I brought it with me.

I made it. Is that all stopped?

Has it been stopped? Maybe not.

That one cross?

Yeah, no, the square.

That one