Blog Archives

2019 Spring Retreat

Posted on March 29, 2019 by Craig Hannah

Our retreat is coming up fast!

Here are the details:

When:

Thursday April 25 through Sunday April 28

Where:

Mariandale Retreat Center in Ossining, New York [map]

Cost:*

If attending from Thursday to Sunday:	$280
If attending from Friday to Sunday:	$210

* Scholarships are available for those DTO members who would not be able to pay the full or partial amount.

Schedule:

A schedule of activities should be available in the first week of April

Registration:

Contact your local sangha’s retreat coordinator or teachers to register to attend. Please do this before April 13th.

Each sangha must send a final count of who’s attending to the New York sangha by Saturday, April 13.

Regarding retreats
“From time to time, to remind ourselves to relax and be peaceful, we may wish to set aside some time for a retreat, a day of mindfulness, when we can walk slowly, smile, drink tea with a friend, enjoy being together as if we are the happiest people on Earth.”
― Thich Nhat Hanh, Being Peace

A couple of images from last year’s retreat…

One of the alters used at our spring 2018 retreat at the Mariandale Retreat Center
Sunset looking west over the Hudson at the Mariandale Retreat Center

Posted in National

Texas sangha website

Posted on February 8, 2019 by Craig Hannah

Our Texas DTO sangha is part of the Phap Nguyen Buddhist Congregation. To support their mission they have a website focusing on the activities there.

They recently lost access to the administration of that site, but were able to recreate the site under a slightly different URL. The new address for the site is dharma-spring.net. Please change any saved link you have from the old address (dharmaspring.org) to the new dharma-spring.net.

(more…)

Posted in TX Sangha

Indra’s web

Posted on December 11, 2018 by Craig Hannah

Craig Hannah Reporting, Connecticut Sangha

The subject of Connecticut’s Dec. 1st practice was an introduction to aspects of the Avatamsaka sutra.

One of the memorable images from that sutra is a metaphor used to illustrate the concepts of [paraphrasing from WP] Śūnyatā (emptiness), dependent origination, and interpenetration in Buddhist philosophy. “Indra’s net” is an infinitely large net of cords owned by Indra, a Vedic deva. In this metaphor, Indra’s net has a multifaceted jewel at each vertex, and each jewel is reflected in all of the other jewels.

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Posted in Buddhism, CT Sangha

Winter 2018 Texas retreat has been canceled!

Posted on October 4, 2018 by Craig Hannah

We just received news that, due to construction and related activities, the winter retreat in Pearland has been canceled for 2018. Cathy’s notice follows:
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Posted in Buddhism

CT sangha visits the Chuang Yen Monastery

Posted on June 12, 2018 by Craig Hannah

Craig Hannah Reporting, Connecticut Sangha

On Sunday, June 10, 2018 a group of nine CT people made a day trip to the Chaung Yen Monastery in Carmel, NY. This monastery was started by the Buddhist Association of the United States (BAUS) in November 1975. Its buildings are in the architectural style of China’s Tang Dynasty, but the programs offered seem to span the range of all the Buddhist schools. (more…)

Posted in Buddhism, CT Sangha

April 2018 Retreat

Posted on May 24, 2018 by Craig Hannah

Craig Hannah Reporting, Connecticut Sangha

Our 2018 Spring retreat at Mariandale Retreat Center in Ossining, NY was an amazing experience. We had more than 31 people attending representing all of our five sanghas! The beauty of the setting, and the facility itself were perfect. The power of the ceremonies in which we participated, and the wisdom shared both formally and informally was profound. Even more significant though, was the immediate feel of family, love and compassion shared by everyone. (more…)

Posted in Buddhism, Ceremony

Vietnamese Blessing Ceremony

Posted on April 19, 2018 by Craig Hannah

Craig Hannah Reporting, Connecticut Sangha

On the first night of our annual spring retreat, Brother Noble Silence instructed us on how to perform several Buddhist ceremonies that a Buddhist monk, priest, or teacher may be called on to perform. The ceremonies were a general blessing, a wedding blessing, and a blessing appropriate for a funeral service.
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Posted in Buddhism, Ceremony

Tao Te Ching and the Chuang Tzu

Posted on February 17, 2018 by Craig Hannah

Craig Hannah Reporting, Connecticut Sangha

On April 17, 2018 the CT sangha was privileged to receive an extended dharma talk by Richard Zipoli. Richard outlined the theme and content of the two most well known of the Taoist texts, the Tao Te Ching and the Chuang Tzu. In doing so he also pointed out their remarkable similarities to early Buddhism and how fundamental Taoist thought was to the development of Zen.

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Posted in CT Sangha

Our (choose one: herd, sedge, sege, siege, swoop) of cranes

Posted on January 10, 2018 by Craig Hannah

Michelle Hartel Reporting, Connecticut Sangha

During a recent class, the CT DTO Sangha was treated to a wonderful lesson on Buddha-Nature by our presenter, Richard Downey. Richard is a fabulous storyteller and an experienced artist. During his presentation of the Sutra of Hui Neng, also known as the Sutra Spoken by the Sixth Patriarch, the Platform Sutra, or the Altar Sutra, Richard used his artistic teaching abilities to help us all experience Buddha-Nature.

(more…)

Posted in CT Sangha

Connecticut sangha procures a new bell

Posted on December 20, 2017 by Craig Hannah

Craig Hannah Reporting, Connecticut Sangha

With the expert advice of Noble Silence and Thay, Ct sangha member Deborah McDonald selected a new bell and inkin while at the winter retreat in Pearland. It received its inaugural use at our December 16th practice. Its tone is magnificent and truly is a call to mindfulness.

Posted in CT Sangha