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Zen Center News

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Japan Trip

Kyogen and other members of our Sangha will be making a trip to Japan for two weeks in September. Although it is too late to sign up to go, you can read all about their adventures in an upcoming issue of Still Point.


 

Term Opening

Although we just went on Summer Schedule, itıs never too early to plan. Term student retreat is Sat. Oct. 5, and term opening is Sun. Oct. 6. If youıre planning on being a term student next fall, mark these dates on your calendar, and keep your eyes open for details on how to register to be a student.


Operations Corner

The Sangha House is getting garden terraces on the slope facing 20th Ave. The Dharma House has a new roof: thank you Matthewıs Roofing for not squishing the bunchberry bush in the side yard while you worked!



Ango and Denkoe

Ango ended with the Denkoe sesshin held out at Great Vow Zen Monastery May 14-19. After last yearıs in-town Denkoe retreat, going to a secluded setting again brought back the flavor of Denkoe we city-dwellers look forward to. The DRZC and ZCO sanghas enjoyed practicing together, and Sokyo did a great job as Shuso in a challenging situation as we adapted to being at a new retreat center. Kyogen gave Dharma Talks on the first three chapters of the Denkoroku, tying in passages from the Mahaparinibbana Sutta and the Platform Sutra of Hui Neng. Kyogen, Gyokuko, and Hogen offered sanzen, and while the bulk of the practice forms were in the DRZC style, one morning service was led by the Great Vow residents. Next time we'll have to remember to bring our Sutra Books the first day. Thanks also to Domyo Sater who served as Tenzo, Mary Raika Garrard who served as Sacristan, and to the many work practice leaders from both ZCO and DRZC.



On-Line Purchaces

DRZC now has the capability to accept payment for many goods and services on-line through our web site. You can sign up and pay for retreats, subscribe to Still Point, and puruse and purchace Zen Center publicatons. Point your browser to: http://www.dharma-rain.org/StillPoint/pp/pub.html.


 

Summer Schedule

A reminder that the Center went on Summer schedule starting June 9.

 


In Town Term Closing

Ango ended with Denkoe at Great Vow Zen Monastery, but there was a closing for the Spring Term in town as well. The closing ceremony included statements by those attending on what they had learned and experienced, then we were entertained by the Dharma School kids with skits, including a game show called Wheel of Dharma (see photo with Gyokuko as contestant), and a song that went "Five Empty Skandhas on the wall, Five Empty skandhas. Stare one down, Donıt keep it around, Four Empty Skandhas on the wall. (Several more verses in that vein, then) Zero Empty Skandhas on the wall, Zero Empty skandhas. Stare nothinı down, Keep nothinı around, Five Relatively - Existing - Differentiated Empty Skandhas on the wall."




Residency Program


There is a vacancy in the residency program as Bess Yuishin Clark and her daughter Ellen have moved out. If you have general questions about DRZC residency, you can ask one of the current residents. For information about how to apply for residency, please speak with Gyokuko or call the Dharma House.


 

Advice Available

Sometimes we have questions about practice we don't want to take to formal sanzen on Sundays. Two other options are available: speaking with a practice advisor and informal sanzen. Practice advisors are lay disciples who meet with people in an advisory capacity informally, getting together over coffee or by phone. Contact Jill Bukkai Washburn through the Center 503-239-4846 for more information. All advising is kept confidential.


 

Member News:

Kakumyo has returned from his three month stay at Zen Mountain Monastery. Welcome home! Faddahıs mother died and he attended the funeral in California. Katie Luthy Kaplan formally entered the adult Sangha May 26.

 


Wesak Festival

The kids literally beat the stuffing out of the "zen-ata" elephant (lovingly, diligently -- and ultimately, fruitlessly -- crafted by Yafe) after the Wesak Festival May 5. The children made a bower out of flowers which then held a small statue of the baby Buddha in a bowl, over whose head members of the kids and adult sanghas ladled sweet tea. This festival of Shakyamuni Buddhaıs birth is often the most light-hearted ceremony held every year, and judging by the huge turnout this year, one of the most popular as well.

 


 

Electronic Pledges

Please consider having your monthly pledges to DRZC automatically withdrawn from your personal checking account. DRZC has entered into an agreement with an accounting service to process the monthly withdrawals from the checking accounts of participating members and deposit them in our account for a monthly maintenance fee charged to DRZC. In additional to saving everyone paper, this process will save time for our treasurer and will conveniently reduce each participating members' monthly "To Do" list by one item.


Sign-up forms are available at the Center; just ask one of the priests or Board members, or call or drop us a line. When you complete the form, just return it to the Center with a voided personal check and sit back and relax; we'll take it from there.


Thanks To:

Gassho to Marta Farris for fruit and bread; Shari Smith & Kyonin Lee for vases and bowls; Chesley Rayburn for two computer backup power supply units; and Carline Orman for lettuce

 


 

Begging Bowl

The Zen Center is begging for a few items: a large (6-7 quart) electric mixer to keep bread in the mouths of hungry residents; used kitchen cabinets and drawers for the Sangha House; some Heavenly Bamboo; and an economical, low milage used car.

 


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STILL POINT archive edit of 27 October 2002
Dharma Rain Zen Center Newsletter
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