The Theravada Group meeting on Thursday 7th July will feature a talk from Ajahn Karuniko, the abbot of Chithurst Buddhist Monastery in West Sussex, or another senior member of the Sangha there.
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Ringu Tulku Rinpoche is giving a public talk entitled 'Living in Harmony' at Bosham in West Sussex on Friday 10th June. Details are on the Bodhicharya Buddhist Group web site here.
Although HBS has no formal links with Tibetan Buddhism, we have had a friendly relationship with Ringu Tulku Rinpoche for many years. Robert Elliot was Secretary of HBS for many years and also a leader of the Theravada Group. He fell ill in 2013 and had to withdraw from active membership. His wife Rose wrote an article about his illness in Woman & Home magazine. You can read it here or by going to womanandhome.com and searching for Rose Elliot. Robert passed away on Boxing Day 2015. On Saturday 7th May 2016 there was a tree planting ceremony at Chithurst Monastery in his memory. It was attended on a bright and sunny day by Rose, her daughters and some old friends including members of the HBS.
On Saturday 9th April some members of the Zen Group travelled to Fairlight to participate in its 20th anniversary open day. Venerable Sogen gave a talk in the Shrine Room, which included the words used for the inauguration on 8th April 1996. They are reproduced here from the June 1996 edition of Zen Traces:
‘The ceremony started in the grounds. A small altar was set up and Ven. Myokyo-ni asked the continued good will of the local deities who had so supported us from the first day we arrived. “To you, spirits and deities of the place, we announce that today we are opening on this mountainside a Zen Buddhist Monastery. Aware of your benevolence ever since we arrived here, we reverently ask your continued good will and protection for us and all those who come here seeking the Way of the Buddha.” ‘Then the altar was placed on the threshold and the name giving was performed. “The Buddha born in far-off lands, his message has reached our shores: There is an end of suffering. May this place serve as does a lamp to light the Buddha’s Ancient Way. Fairlight we call this monastery.” ‘Just stepping in, the now open monastery was dedicated. “Quiet and caring, in joyful service to all things according to their need, this is the Way of the Zen Monk.” ‘All went into the Buddha-Hall (Shrine Room) and Zendo, filling both rooms and both were inaugurated respectively – “A new leaf has sprouted on the old Bo-Tree. The same Dharma prevails East and West as the same sun shines and lights our darkness. Serenely on his Lotus Throne sits the Buddha. He is our Guide on the Way.” and “If you wish to walk the Way of the Buddha, just stay here and sit it out! When nothing is left, wide opens the gate and freely the spirit steps forth and benefits all sentient beings.” ‘The Refuges were chanted and a short talk by Ven. Myokyo-ni followed, giving some of the history and stressing the universal value of the Buddha’s Teachings for all times and hoping to make it available in the new monastery. A chanting of the Four Great Vows ended the ceremony.’ Today is the 50th Anniversary of the founding of the Hampshire Buddhist Society. To mark the occasion we are reproducing an article contributed by Jane Browne - one of the HBS founders - to the Memorial Booklet of Luang Sarayutpitag in 1969: "The first meeting of the Hampshire Buddhist Society was held on the evening of the New Moon in January 1966. It was a brilliant starlit night and a heavy frost had made the roads quite dangerous. In spite of this about twelve people turned up at Crabwood Farm House, some coming as much as 15 miles. Mr Brian Dyas read the Ganaka Moggallana sutta to open the meeting and then a lengthy discussion followed as to the aims and scope of activity of the Group. It was decided that meetings would be held on alternate Friday evenings. Pansil would be taken followed by a tape recording of the Metta Sutta made by the Bhikkhus at the Thai Vihara in London. Group meditation would then be practiced for twenty minutes with a reading from the Buddhist scriptures. After coffee there would be a general discussion.
This pattern has been followed ever since. The Group has about twenty members, usually about eight turn up at the meetings. The members are not all of the Theravada School some are attracted by Tibetan Mahayana & some by the Zen Schools of Japan. Speakers representing the different Schools have been down to talk at the meetings. A year ago, a series of lectures on Basic Buddhism were given by members of the Group at Southampton University, this aroused a great deal of public interest. Now Public Lectures are given by well known Buddhist Speakers and by Bhikkhus regularly at the University. A permanent Shrine Room and library has now been opened by Phramaha Boonchuay in Southampton. Once a year before Wessac, a few members of the Group give Dana at the Thai Vihara in London. A Tibetan Evening was held last December in order to try and raise funds for two Tibetan Meditation Colleges of the Gelupas order that are in difficulties in India. There are Group leader conferences held in London attended by representatives of the nineteen small societies scattered over England. The good news of the Buddha-Dhamma is slowly spreading throughout the land. The conversion rate is small but the influence may be great." On Sunday 22nd November a small group from HBS travelled to Chithurst Monastery for the annual Kathina celebrations. It was a very well attended event to the point where it was actually difficult getting in to the hall! But thankfully the weather was clear and bright (if not a little chilly) for the feeding of the masses outdoors.
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Main image copyright Roberta Mansell. Text copyright Hampshire Buddhist Society unless otherwise stated. All rights reserved.