Burlington Buddhist Sangha

There is now, and always has been, much to grieve about life.  Whether we grieve the loss of a loved one, our own health, a pet, a species, a sense of social and political stability or any other past constant in our life, pausing for self care is essential.

Buddhism as well has tools to help us navigate loss. Drawing from the Tibetan Book of the Dead, beloved teacher Pema Chodron helps us understand this most universal of human experiences. We can learn to view our entire lives, and the vignettes within it, as a kind of “bardo”, or place of “in between”, where uncertainty is the main constant.

This week, Lorilee played a talk from Pema Chodron available behind a paywall at SoundsTrue.

When we’re all sitting together, it may look like we’re all doing the same thing. But of course there are many different styles of levels of practice going on.

This Sunday Michael guided us as we explored several models typical among our sangha, with a look at ways in which these methods have traditionally been deepened and extended when sitters felt interested in refreshing their meditations. And we still all look like we are all doing the same thing.

Steve writes, “I have recently been appreciating the elegance of the Noble Eightfold Path. In this teaching we find the hub, the spokes, and the wheel of the whole of the Buddha Dharma. It is the Middle Way. The Noble Eightfold Path is the ‘path’ that is the Fourth Noble Truth. Each of the eight folds touches and interacts with each other fold. Within each fold we can find and gain understanding of the Four Noble Truths, the fundamental elements of Buddhist ethics and psychology, and guidance for how to practice and realize liberation for all beings.”

Here is a great resource from Spirit Rock for the Eightfold Path.
This compendium reminds us that the Path is often said to have three segments:

A. The “wisdom” segment: spokes 1 and 2
B. The “ethical” segment: spokes 3 4 and 5
C. The “samhadi” segment: spokes 6, 7 and 8

It outlines and contains references and links to the discourses.

Here is a great talk by Jill Shepherd for the Blue Mountains Insight Meditation Center:
https://www.dharmaseed.org/talks/player/38800.html

Sangha is held to be one of the three jewels of Buddhism. The Buddha invites us to “take refuge” in sangha as an aspect of the path to freedom. It is a place where we can be held, supported, comforted, and also encouraged to live with compassion, generosity, and metta. Additionally, sangha moves us away from feeling as a separate being and instead seeing ourselves as relational beings. Sangha reminds us we’re not alone with the hard stuff.  We inspire each other with the power of kindness, the value of truthfulness and the five precepts.

This week, Evelien guided us with a talk by Jill Shepard on Sangha As a Refuge. This talk offers some reflections on what this might mean, and explores what conditions support the establishing and maintaining of healthy practice communities. As our sangha is exploring and widening the way we communicate and hold community, this is especially relevant.

You can hear Jill’s talk at the following link: https://dharmaseed.org/talks/player/70343.html

Most spiritual traditions have an origin story of humankind, often conveying life as intertwined with the world itself.  At the time of the Buddha, this included reference to our connection with the four earth elements – earth, wind, water, and fire – that can be viewed as both comprising and surrounding us at all times.  

Andrea presented this Sunday’s talk by Anne Cushman, who discusses and offers experiential exploration of these elemental energies and the value of connecting with them in our meditation practice.

You can listen to the full talk here: https://dharmaseed.org/talks/player/23194.html

Think of the Four Noble Truths not as propositions that we must know, but as invitations to take actions that can transform our lives.  Jackie based this Sunday’s session on the teaching of Tuere Sala, a contemporary Dharma teacher who provides a clear perspective on identifying and dealing with suffering on an individual level, getting to the core of what really drives each person’s suffering.

You can listen to Tuere’s talk here: https://dharmaseed.org/talks/73193/

Payton mentioned verse 44 of the Tao Te Ching, which contains the phrase (as translated by Jonathan Star: here is the translation and one online source),

One’s own reputation – why the fuss?
One’s own wealth – why the concern?
I say, what you gain is more trouble than what you lose

The Buddha taught many different practices for wisdom and compassion, but one which is not often discussed is how to set appropriate boundaries for one’s self and others. And yet, this was actually a core of the early Dharma and is essential to both our wise action in the world and our mental health. This week, Payton guided a discussion on the experience and challenge of setting healthy boundaries from a Buddhist perspective. 

You can listen to the talk Payton played here: https://dharmaseed.org/talks/78014/

     The Buddha frequently closed his dharma discourses recommending that his followers then turn to take up the practice of the Jhanas, to help them deepen their practice and complement their understanding.  The Jhanas outline a progressive path of stilling, clearing, and focusing the mind that takes us beyond the practices of vipassana, and into a different region of consciousness.  

     Dharma teacher Leigh Brasington has become well known for some years as an advocate for practicing the jhanas.  This Sunday Don drew on a talk by Brasington as a way of framing our conversation about the value, difficulties, and opportunities we may encounter when entering these ever quieter states.

You can listen to the talk here: https://www.dharmaseed.org/talks/64153/

At the heart of forgiving is developing a skillful, unstuck relationship past harm — ours or others.  Choosing to forgive, we end the story of suffering and all that flows from it, then or now.  It is a kindness toward ourselves as well as others.

Jeff guided our steps over this tender ground this week, drawing in particular on Yuka Nakamura’s talk on “The Capacity to Forgive”.

You can listen to the talk here: https://dharmaseed.org/talks/74862/

“If you want to see the brave,
look to those who can return love for hatred.
If you want to see the heroic
look to those who can forgive.” — Bhagavad Gita

Winnie Nazarko define forgiveness as follows: The process of developing a skillful, unstuck relationship to the past harmful actions of ourselves or others. It involves choosing the intention to forgive in order to end a suffering relationship to the story, to the people involved and to current arisings which are related to it. This is a way to let go, disengage from continued harm and entanglement with suffering.

What maintains and what strengthens a healthy Sangha? How does practicing in Sangha support us on the path to liberation, in our practice and in our life generally?  As Sangha members become our dharma friends, might we meet for other events beyond Sunday mornings?  Darryl framed our discussion this week with a talk by Jill Shepherd and a few words from Larry Ward.

You can listen to Jill’s talk here: https://dharmaseed.org/talks/69792

You can hear Larry’s talk here: https://forthewild.world/listen/dr-larry-ward-on-healing-the-colonial-mind-296