Melbourne Buddhist Centre Newsletter

Announcements

Open Day

The Brunswick Centre will be holding an Open Day on Sunday 12th November. Bring along your family and friends. More details will appear soon.

Sangha Day Festival

Our annual Sangha Day festival will be held on Sunday 5th November at the Brunswick Centre. This is an opportunity for you to celebrate our sangha here in Melbourne and to connect with the international sangha of Buddhists everywhere.

What's On

Upcoming Events

Friday 29th September - Sunday 1st October Womens retreat at St Johns

Monday 2nd October Buddhism Course (5 Week) commences at the City Centre

Tuesday 3rd October Meditation Course (4 Week) commences at the City Centre

Thursday 5th October Meditation Course (6 Week) commences at the Brunswick Centre

Thursday 5th October Buddhism Course(6 Week)commences at the Brunswick Centre

7th - 14th October Womens National Order retreat at Naganaga, NSW

12th - 15th October Men's National Order Gathering, Sydney

Sunday 5th November Sangha Day Festival at Brunswick Centre

Sunday 12th November Open Day at Brunswick Centre

Friday 24th - 26th November Sangha weekend retreat

Regular Programme

Wednesday 20th September 7.30pm Drop in Meditation. Practice: Metta. Talk on Dhammadinna by Sudaya

Saturday 23rd September 11am Drop in Meditation. Practice: Metta.

Wednesday 27th September 7.30pm Drop in Meditation. Practice: Mindfulness.

Saturday 30th September 11am Drop in Meditation. Practice: Mindfulness.

Wednesday 4th October 7.30pm Drop in Meditation. Practice: Metta. Full Moon Puja

Saturday 7th October 11am Drop in Meditation. Practice: Metta.

Wednesday 11th October 7.30pm Drop in Meditation. Practice: Mindfulness. Talk on Mahakasyapa by Siladasa

Saturday 14th October 11am Drop in Meditation. Practice: Mindfulness.

Wednesday 18th October 7.30pm Drop in Meditation. Practice: Metta. Talk on Nanda by Jivita

Saturday 21st October 11am Drop in Meditation. Practice: Metta.

Wednesday 25th October 7.30pm Drop in Meditation. Practice: Mindfulness.Talk by Anita Hirshhorn: The Seen is Just the Seen.

Saturday 28th October 11am Drop in Meditation. Practice: Mindfulness.

Wednesday 1st November 7.30pm Drop in Meditation. Practice: Metta. Full Moon Puja

Saturday 4th November 11am Drop in Meditation. Practice: Metta.

Wednesday 8th November 7.30pm Drop in Meditation. Practice: Metta. Talk on Pilgrimage in Nepal by Kath Dubout and Glyniss Cree

Saturday 11th November 11am Drop in Meditation. Practice: Mindfulness.

Sangha Interview

photo of Libby For this issue we talk with Libby Letcher

What are you passionate about?

I am passionately interested in drawing and painting and more recently etching and in particular mono types which is like painting, drawing and printing all in one. I am also passionate about about the patterns of things that are created out of convergence and process.
Many years ago I came a cross a book called "Fractals and the Aesthetics of Chaos Theory" by John Briggs.I became very enthusiastic about the idea that small things can have large effects and organic processes and patterns as being in everything. I began to draw this way and focus more on process with things like desire, knowledge and skills are all apart of the ingredients to make this organic process of art making. I like to be challenged into considering reality as different to my unthought out assumptions of my conditioning.

What are you reading at the moment?

I am reading "Understanding Deleuze" by Clair Colebrook. I am interested in Deleuze's ideas on desire and flow of becoming and the idea that the world is dynamic because life itself is a process of constant change and creation, not just because the world or ideas about the world change. I am half way through this book and I am struck by the ideas expressed seem to connect to my perceptions of Buddhist teachings.

If you could have five beings at dinner party (dead, alive or conceptual) who or what would they be?

1.Siddhatha Gautama on the evening before he left his family to seek enlightenment. I would like to know and experience the courage that he might have needed to leave all that he knew.

2.Nelson Mandela at the time towards the end of of his imprisonment on Robben Island. I would like to be in the presence of someone with extraordinary resilience.

3.I would like to meet David before he killed Goliath. Courage is one of the attributes I am drawn to about the Buddha, and once in a meditation the image of David came into my mind. I wondered if David in our Christian cultural heritage is an archetype of courage.

4.Amelia Earhart who in 1932 was the first woman to fly across the Atlantic. I would like to gain some insight into some of her attributes that were needed to break out of cultural roles.

5.Truganini. The last full blooded Tasmanian Aboriginal to survive European settlement. What did she make of us and what was it like to come from another world.

What school of Buddhism most influences you and why?

Last year at a women's retreat we studied the Mahayana Tathagatagarbha Sutra in which The Buddha reveals how inside each person's being there exists a great Buddhic "treasure that is eternal and unchanging". This is no less than the indwelling Buddha himself.
This concept has had an enormous impact on me - my curiosity and interest turned towards faith.
I think what struck me was the repetition of verse and the idea that with "skilful means" we are able to break down our conditioning to find our Buddha nature.

What interests do you have outside the centre?

My interests out side the centre are gardening, photography, family and dog, I belong to a book group and in recent times have been teaching drawing workshops.

Editorial:

Tales From Samsara

Freedom (part 1)

A prisoner sat shivering in his cold, dank prison cell. He gazed at the beautiful, sun drenched garden through the bars on the door. The birds were singing as they flitted among the flowers and fruit trees. All day he sat, just staring; longing to be out there. One morning when the prisoner woke up, he saw that the door to his cell was open.

Tentatively stepping through the threshold, he looked around for the guards. There are none to be seen. He took a few steps forward and the rays of the sun touched his head and shoulders. The warmth made him shudder with delight; he had forgotten what sunlight felt like. A few more steps and the prisoner was cloaked by the refreshing breeze. He bit into a pear, plucked from the nearest tree. His taste buds exploded as the juice ran down his throat. Looking up, the prisoner could see the occasional cotton wool cloud floating in the blue sky. He laughed as uncontrollable joy coursed through his body. A guard, hearing the laughter, hurried into the garden, buttoning up his tunic and wiping the remains of his breakfast from his chin.

"Oi! what are you doing out? Get back in there", he shouted. Overcome with terror, the prisoner dashed back to his cell and slammed the door. The guard turned his key in the lock as he muttered to himself about the lax attitudes of some of his colleagues.

The prisoner took his usual seat and hunched up his shoulders. After a time, something made him turn his head. He looked at the prisoner in the next cell. Through the bars, he could see him sitting cross-legged on the floor. He too was looking toward the garden, but not at it. He was not smiling but his serene face showed no pain. The door to his cell is wide open. The prisoner's jaw dropped. Seeing that the guard outside his door has fallen asleep, he put his head up to the bars.

"Pssss, look, your door is open, you can escape", he whispered. The neighbour slowly turned his head and smiled."Thank you, but I am already free", he replied.

To be continued.....

Mudita News from Melbourne Buddhist Centre Issue #2 Volume #1 September 2006
Welcome to the second edition of our newsletter. It is designed to keep you in touch with Melbourne Buddhist Centre events and the activities of our Sangha.
Exciting news The new name for our newsletter is Mudita, which is a beautiful Pali word meaning happiness in others' good fortune and the pleasure that comes from delighting in other people's wellbeing rather than begrudging it. Many Buddhist teachers interpret mudita more broadly as referring to an inner fountain of infinite joy that is available to everyone at all times, regardless of circumstances. The more deeply one drinks from this fountain, the more secure one becomes in one's own abundant happiness, and the easier it then becomes to relish the joy of other people as well. The name was put forward by Paul Davy who is the winner of the book shop voucher. Thank you to all those who thought hard and deep about the name for our newsletter and put forward some profound and entertaining suggestions. Mudita is an auspicious name for our newsletter as I am sure you would agree! Send any news items you have to news@melbournebuddhistcentre.org by 10th November for inclusion in the next newsletter.	Announcements Open Day The Brunswick Centre will be holding an Open Day on Sunday 12th November. Bring along your family and friends. More details will appear soon. Sangha Day Festival Our annual Sangha Day festival will be held on Sunday 5th November at the Brunswick Centre. This is an opportunity for you to celebrate our sangha here in Melbourne and to connect with the international sangha of Buddhists everywhere.
Programme of Events for 2006 - Visit our website
What's On Upcoming Events Friday 29th September - Sunday 1st October Womens retreat at St Johns Monday 2nd October Buddhism Course (5 Week) commences at the City Centre Tuesday 3rd October Meditation Course (4 Week) commences at the City Centre Thursday 5th October Meditation Course (6 Week) commences at the Brunswick Centre Thursday 5th October Buddhism Course(6 Week)commences at the Brunswick Centre 7th - 14th October Womens National Order retreat at Naganaga, NSW 12th - 15th October Men's National Order Gathering, Sydney Sunday 5th November Sangha Day Festival at Brunswick Centre Sunday 12th November Open Day at Brunswick Centre Friday 24th - 26th November Sangha weekend retreat Regular Programme Wednesday 20th September 7.30pm Drop in Meditation. Practice: Metta. Talk on Dhammadinna by Sudaya Saturday 23rd September 11am Drop in Meditation. Practice: Metta. Wednesday 27th September 7.30pm Drop in Meditation. Practice: Mindfulness. Saturday 30th September 11am Drop in Meditation. Practice: Mindfulness. Wednesday 4th October 7.30pm Drop in Meditation. Practice: Metta. Full Moon Puja Saturday 7th October 11am Drop in Meditation. Practice: Metta. Wednesday 11th October 7.30pm Drop in Meditation. Practice: Mindfulness. Talk on Mahakasyapa by Siladasa Saturday 14th October 11am Drop in Meditation. Practice: Mindfulness. Wednesday 18th October 7.30pm Drop in Meditation. Practice: Metta. Talk on Nanda by Jivita Saturday 21st October 11am Drop in Meditation. Practice: Metta. Wednesday 25th October 7.30pm Drop in Meditation. Practice: Mindfulness.Talk by Anita Hirshhorn: The Seen is Just the Seen. Saturday 28th October 11am Drop in Meditation. Practice: Mindfulness. Wednesday 1st November 7.30pm Drop in Meditation. Practice: Metta. Full Moon Puja Saturday 4th November 11am Drop in Meditation. Practice: Metta. Wednesday 8th November 7.30pm Drop in Meditation. Practice: Metta. Talk on Pilgrimage in Nepal by Kath Dubout and Glyniss Cree Saturday 11th November 11am Drop in Meditation. Practice: Mindfulness.
Reports For this issue we hear from Karen Potter who recently attended one of our Introduction to Buddhism courses and Linda Williams who attended a weekend retreat Beginning with Buddhism Karen Potter This course gave me an overview of Buddhism and its fundamental ideas, including - four noble truths, eightfold path, wisdom, ethics, meditation, precepts, wheel of life. I found it incredibly valuable as it was an opportunity to gain more understanding about Buddhist thought and practice. It was a good introduction to the ideas and to explore them further as a way into Buddhism and what FWBO offers - Meditation, Talks, Retreats, Study Groups. The course offered an opportunity to meet an ordained member, to share your own journey to Buddhism - how you came to Buddhism and what interested you. It was an opportunity to meet other people who are also interested in knowing more about Buddhism. I found it was a safe, comfortable environment (with the same people each week) and an opportunity to reflect and question: it was possible to discuss the ideas and concepts of Buddhism in relation to your own life experiences and share your own thoughts and feelings as to how they fit or challenged your own experience. Even small ponies need metta Linda Williams It was with great anticipation that I attended a retreat in July at Maldon. The theme of the retreat was meditation and was aimed at those new to meditation or those who wanted to refresh their practise. There were eight of us in attendance as well as Sudaya and Arunamalin to guide us through the weekend. Two of our participants had never meditated before, but did not hesitate to jump straight into the experience. It was a magical weekend filled with meditation, tree planting for National Tree day and lots of laughter - the spirit of kalyana mitrata (spiritual friendship) was undeniably present. Free time on Saturday almost came to a close with three retreat members only just making it back for afternoon meditation. We later heard that they had got lost but keep their spirits high enthralled by paddocks full of small ponies that they had traipsed past in their three hour trek. Of course, ponies were then blamed for everything for the rest of the weekend. I enjoyed taking the opportunity to deepen and refresh my meditation practise by attending a retreat such as this. I encourage you all to look ahead at the retreat schedule and pencil in a weekend before the end of the year.
Sangha Interview For this issue we talk with Libby Letcher What are you passionate about? I am passionately interested in drawing and painting and more recently etching and in particular mono types which is like painting, drawing and printing all in one. I am also passionate about about the patterns of things that are created out of convergence and process. Many years ago I came a cross a book called "Fractals and the Aesthetics of Chaos Theory" by John Briggs.I became very enthusiastic about the idea that small things can have large effects and organic processes and patterns as being in everything. I began to draw this way and focus more on process with things like desire, knowledge and skills are all apart of the ingredients to make this organic process of art making. I like to be challenged into considering reality as different to my unthought out assumptions of my conditioning. What are you reading at the moment? I am reading "Understanding Deleuze" by Clair Colebrook. I am interested in Deleuze's ideas on desire and flow of becoming and the idea that the world is dynamic because life itself is a process of constant change and creation, not just because the world or ideas about the world change. I am half way through this book and I am struck by the ideas expressed seem to connect to my perceptions of Buddhist teachings. If you could have five beings at dinner party (dead, alive or conceptual) who or what would they be? 1.Siddhatha Gautama on the evening before he left his family to seek enlightenment. I would like to know and experience the courage that he might have needed to leave all that he knew. 2.Nelson Mandela at the time towards the end of of his imprisonment on Robben Island. I would like to be in the presence of someone with extraordinary resilience. 3.I would like to meet David before he killed Goliath. Courage is one of the attributes I am drawn to about the Buddha, and once in a meditation the image of David came into my mind. I wondered if David in our Christian cultural heritage is an archetype of courage. 4.Amelia Earhart who in 1932 was the first woman to fly across the Atlantic. I would like to gain some insight into some of her attributes that were needed to break out of cultural roles. 5.Truganini. The last full blooded Tasmanian Aboriginal to survive European settlement. What did she make of us and what was it like to come from another world. What school of Buddhism most influences you and why? Last year at a women's retreat we studied the Mahayana Tathagatagarbha Sutra in which The Buddha reveals how inside each person's being there exists a great Buddhic "treasure that is eternal and unchanging". This is no less than the indwelling Buddha himself. This concept has had an enormous impact on me - my curiosity and interest turned towards faith. I think what struck me was the repetition of verse and the idea that with "skilful means" we are able to break down our conditioning to find our Buddha nature. What interests do you have outside the centre? My interests out side the centre are gardening, photography, family and dog, I belong to a book group and in recent times have been teaching drawing workshops.
Editorial: Tales From Samsara by Jivita Freedom (part 1) A prisoner sat shivering in his cold, dank prison cell. He gazed at the beautiful, sun drenched garden through the bars on the door. The birds were singing as they flitted among the flowers and fruit trees. All day he sat, just staring; longing to be out there. One morning when the prisoner woke up, he saw that the door to his cell was open. Tentatively stepping through the threshold, he looked around for the guards. There are none to be seen. He took a few steps forward and the rays of the sun touched his head and shoulders. The warmth made him shudder with delight; he had forgotten what sunlight felt like. A few more steps and the prisoner was cloaked by the refreshing breeze. He bit into a pear, plucked from the nearest tree. His taste buds exploded as the juice ran down his throat. Looking up, the prisoner could see the occasional cotton wool cloud floating in the blue sky. He laughed as uncontrollable joy coursed through his body. A guard, hearing the laughter, hurried into the garden, buttoning up his tunic and wiping the remains of his breakfast from his chin. "Oi! what are you doing out? Get back in there", he shouted. Overcome with terror, the prisoner dashed back to his cell and slammed the door. The guard turned his key in the lock as he muttered to himself about the lax attitudes of some of his colleagues. The prisoner took his usual seat and hunched up his shoulders. After a time, something made him turn his head. He looked at the prisoner in the next cell. Through the bars, he could see him sitting cross-legged on the floor. He too was looking toward the garden, but not at it. He was not smiling but his serene face showed no pain. The door to his cell is wide open. The prisoner's jaw dropped. Seeing that the guard outside his door has fallen asleep, he put his head up to the bars. "Pssss, look, your door is open, you can escape", he whispered. The neighbour slowly turned his head and smiled."Thank you, but I am already free", he replied. To be continued.....
Dharma Quote of the month "The non-doing of any evil, the performance of what's skillful, the cleansing of one's own mind: this is the teaching of the Awakened." Dhammapada 183
Copyright Melbourne Buddhist Centre September 2006 Please forward this newsletter to friends and family. All rights reserved worldwide. Reprint only with permission from copyright holder(s). All trademarks are property of their respective owners. All contents provided as is. This newsletter may be accessed online at:www.melbournebuddhistcentre.org/newsletter.html To contact us with feedback, questions or praise, email us This is an opt-in newsletter available by subscription only. We neither use nor endorse the use of spam. Thank you!

Mudita

News from Melbourne Buddhist Centre

Issue #2 Volume #1 September 2006

Exciting news