On Sunday, July 20th, our English Language Sangha had the privilege of hearing a Dharma Talk from the Venerable Bhante Dewananda of Sri Lanka. Bhante is here visiting with us as he travels the world establishing Buddhist Universities around the globe. It was quite an honor to hear him speak.
What he gave to us was an instruction on five important responsibilities we have as practitioners of Buddhism. They were as follows:
1.To follow the teachings as they were taught by the Buddha, practicing mindfulness actively throughout the day, and being present in each moment as it arises.
2.To support the Fourfold Sangha (monks, nuns, lay women and lay men) through a spirit of sincere generosity, without looking for your own personal benefit. He taught that this generosity can be by way of actions, time, food, money or otherwise, as long as it is pure. From this pure act, good Karma will come your way, but that thought is not to be your motivation.
3)To uphold the ethical guidelines of the Five Precepts (No killing, No Stealing, No Sexual Misconduct, No Lying, and No Intoxicants that will dull the mind.)
4. To establish Devotional Practices which can be done anywhere but are best done at a Temple or with members of a Sangha. These include such practices as Meditation, Recitation of the Buddha’s Teachings, and Chanting.
5.To cultivate a balance in our qualities of Compassion and Wisdom through contemplating on Kindness and through the insight of Vipassana meditation. These two qualities are closely integrated, and, in the truest sense, one cannot be developed well without the other. They arise hand in hand.
So Bhante left us with a set of inspiring guidelines. They surely, if practiced, have the ability to uncover our deepest awareness of the path leading in the direction toward lessening our woes, and establishing a deepening inner peace and joy, moving us toward liberation. We thank you, Bhante, for your time, compassion, and wisdom.
Much Metta to all,
Dong Hung Temple
Sadhu, Sadhu, Sadhu.