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Sweet Dew of Grand Master Wei-Chueh
To affirm the truth of causality, work hard on the cause, and life will be filled with hope and light.
Upcoming Dharma Event
Ven. Master Jian Deng

Bringing the compassion and wisdom of the Buddha to the west, Venerable Master Jian Deng, Abbot of Chung Tai Chan Monastery, will visit Buddha Gate Monastery and Zen Center of Sunnyvale

March 14, 10:00AM to 12:00PM at Buddha Gate Monastery in Lafayette

Master Jian Deng will be giving a Dharma talk on Karma, Causality and Destiny in Chinese with simultaneous translation to English. Vegetarian lunch will follow.

BART or carpooling is highly recommended. Pick up service from Lafayette Bart is available at 9:00AM. Please call in advance to schedule.

March 15, 9:00AM to 4:00PM at the Zen Center of Sunnyvale

At 9:00AM, Master Jian Deng will give a Dharma talk on One Truth, Many Paths

At 2:00PM, Master Jian Deng will preside over the Transmission of Three Refuges and Five Precepts.

At 3:00 PM, there will be an invaluable opportunity for Dharma discussion with Master Jian Deng.

All programs will be in Chinese with simultaneous translation to English. Vegetarian lunch will be provided.

To take the Three Refuges or Five Precepts, please sign up in advance with Buddha Gate Monastery.

The Three Refuges
  
The Five Precepts

In Buddhism, taking refuge has two meanings: to return and to rely. By taking the Three Refuges, we acknowledge that we have been deluded and erroneous in our ways; now we wish to return to the purity of our Buddha Nature, and we need to rely on the wisdom and guidance of the Three Jewels: the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.

Buddha: the Enlightened One; the guiding teacher of our cultivation.

Dharma: the teachings of the Buddha that can guide us to Enlightenment.

Sangha: the community of ordained Buddhist monks, nuns and disciples, devoted to the practice and teaching of the Dharma.

The Sixth Patriarch said, Buddha represents the enlightened mind, Dharma represents truth, and Sangha represents purity and harmony. By taking three refuges we develop our intrinsic Three Jewels.

 

The five precepts provide practical guidelines for our way of life, help us avoid future suffering, transform us into responsible people, and bring us happiness and peace of mind. They are:

1. No Killing: To refrain from harming or killing any sentient beings, including animals and insects.

2. No Stealing: To refrain from taking things that belong to others without permission.

3. No Sexual Misconduct: To refrain from improper sexual acts, such as promiscuity and adultery.

4. No Lying: To refrain from deceitful and other false speech.

5. No Intoxicants: To abstain from alcohol and illegal substances that can delude and muddle the mind.

Your life now is a reflection of how well you observed the five precepts in past incarnations.

The five precepts are the foundations of all virtues. One should uphold the five precepts in this lifetime to be liberated from the suffering of samsara (cycle of life and death)

 
Past Dharma Event

On January 1, 2009 we welcomed the New Year at Buddha Gate Monastery with a special service. The Abbess led the congregation in the ringing of the auspicious bell to bring forward a harmonious New Year. The ringing of the bell also reminds us to stay true to our awakening path to enlightenment. We concluded the event with a delicious vegetarian lunch celebration. Click here for more photos.
 
Family of the Month

Dr. Francis Wang and Mrs. Julia Wang, President and Vice President of the Dharma Support Society at Buddha Gate Monastery have both retired from professional careers at the University of California Lawrence Livermore Lab to devote their time to supporting Buddha Gate Monastery and the goals of spreading Buddhism. Click here to read about their journey into Buddhism and the story of Buddha Gate Monastery in Lafayette .

 
Children's Bodhi Seed Class
In the Meditation Hall on Saturday mornings, children at Buddha Gate practice sitting and walking meditation under the gentle guidance of the Abbess. Supported by parent volunteers, teacher's aides, and a Dharma Master, the children are introduced to

Buddhist teachings through the contemplation of stories encouraging them to understand the preciousness of their minds. After meditation and a short break, the children reconvene for a group activity which stresses the importance of working and helping one another to create a larger project in the area of art, nature, or science.  Recently the older children wrote Haiku during the class.

The benefits to attending the Bodhi Seed Class can be seen in what students are able to carry over into their daily lives. One teen revealed, "Now I feel I can communicate calmly with people and explain problems in a peaceful way without anger. This helped me a lot at my school."  The Bodhi Seed Class cultivates the precious seeds of the mind.  The age range is from three to fifteen years of age.

To learn more about the Bodhi Seed Class, other on going workshops, Zen meditation and Buddhism classes, retreats and ceremonies, click here
   
Arhat of the Month ~ “Tiger Tamer Arhat”

Arhats are 'saints' or sages who have fully realized the Buddhist Doctrine. There is no greed, anger and ignorance in their minds. They have attained freedom from the cycle of suffering and rebirth. In some texts the Buddha is described as being accompanied by 500 Arhats. Here at Buddha Gate we have 18 statues to represent all Arhats. Numerous stories are told about each to inspire people silently.

The ‘Tiger Tamer’ Arhat tells us how to subdue our inner tiger. The tiger represents the passions or anger; one story of the Tiger-Tamer says that there had been a tiger harassing a town; when the Tiger-Taming Arhat arrived in the area, he suggested feeding the tiger to prevent its depredations. With the Arhat’s compassion and virtues, the tiger thus became tame! Passions or anger can’t be ceased by violence, but the power of compassion and stillness.

   

Vegetarian Cuisine of the Month

Being a vegetarian does not mean that you must sacrifice taste and food textures. Try this Taiwanese Napa Cabbage Wrap and other recipes by Dharma Master Jian Zhou. You will be amazed at how nutritious and delicious vegetarian cuisine can be. For a list of local grocery stores that sells vegetarian items, click here. Veg

 

To be added on or taken off the distribution list, email us at mail@buddhagate.org
 
 
     

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