NEW MOON - Tuesday 23rd September 2014

Pursuing Happiness

You will not succeed in your pursuit of happiness
if it is at the expense of others' well-being. 
The snare of ill-will can still entangle you.

Dhammapada v.291

Happiness is like food; it nourishes us. For it to be wholesome and genuinely sustaining however, our efforts must come with empathy. Striving to be happy, but lacking awareness of how we affect others is short-sighted. We may think we are generating causes for well-being, but in our hearts be harbouring jealousy or enmity.

With Metta, Bhikkhu Munindo

Pic of the Picnic

I've just received pictures of last Sunday's annual Buddhist picnic. This year the weather was much kinder to us and we had a glorious late Summer's day for it, consequently our numbers were up to 21 (including 2 children and a dog).

Not everyone is in this shot, some were exploring the Duver and others were "playing" footie (kicking a ball around for the children) and Alec was taking the photo!

FULL MOON – Monday 8th September, 2014

Views

Distorted views,
which give rise to seeing right as wrong
and wrong as right, 
are the cause for beings to disintegrate.

Dhammapada v. 318

We sometimes need reminding that the causes of suffering – our own and that of the world – are complex. Often it is not what is happening in the outer world that leads to our struggles, but how we view things. Assuming the validity of views and opinions just because they are commonly held is not wise. Convenient perhaps, but that is not a good reason to invest in them. It is simplistic to collude with collective thinking without looking into the consequences. Having preferences is natural, but clinging to them and finding identity by holding to them, leads to prejudice and disintegration – inwardly and outwardly.

With Metta, Bhikkhu Munindo

Today is the 4th International Bhikkhuni Day

Since 2011 the Alliance for Bhikkhunis (AfB) has been holding an International Bhikkhuni Day to learn about, celebrate and pay respect to the Bhikkhuni Sangha, honouring their essential role in preserving the Dhamma.

Each year AfB has chosen a women, or group of women to honour and discover more about.
This year it's Yasodhara, the wife of Siddhartha Gautama.

The first year the Alliance was surprised at how many sanghas and viharas participated, mostly in California, forwarded it to AfB so that they can continue to support the bhikkhuni sangha.
but also two here in the UK, one in Canada and one in Australia. Each year more groups have participated Last year they had 15 groups including several in Asia and South America! And each year more and more generous donors have filled dana baskets at their events, donated the dana to their local bhikkhunis or