Sing Joyfully – Meditations Chapter II – November 11, 2019

Folks who have practiced with me at the temple know that when I begin leading Odaimoku during our services I always begin with the preface “Let us chant with great joy and confidence.” I’d like to share with you some background behind this as we meditate on the Lotus Sutra. Joy and confidence are two characteristics that arise from within. While it is certainly possible for conditions to be present to induce joy or confidence,…

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Fist Bump Gassho – Meditation Chapter I – November 10, 2019

This will be my second attempt to write this meditation. The first ill fated attempt was when my lung collapsed while on the plane in route to visit my brother. It is Sunday morning now and I’ve been here since Wednesday night. OK, you can sort of catch up on more details elsewhere in the writing. For now let me get going with the theme so there are no other interruptions. My motivation for writing…

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Difficult to Enter – Meditations Chapter II – November 6, 2019

I’m typing this while I am in the air flying from Syracuse to Charlotte with my final destination Corona, California to spend 8 days with my brother. There may be a murder. No, seriously I like my brother tremendously and highly respect him, his life, and his large family. We both are almost complete opposites. He likes hot weather, I like cold. He likes large families, I prefer my single life. He likes race cars,…

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Specific Versus General – Part 2 – Sangha Building – Dharma Talk – October 21, 2019

“Thereupon the World-Honored One said to Gautami (a woman): ‘Why do you look at me so anxiously? You do not think that I assured you of your future attainment of Anuttara-samyak-sam-bodhi because I did not mention you by name, do you? Gautami! I have already said that I assured all the Sravakas of their future attainment of [Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. Now you wish to know my assurance of your attainment [of Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi].’” Lotus Sutra Chapter XIII To…

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