Calgary Buddhist Temple Blog

Living Dharma Centre Book Club

Friday, February 02, 2018
by

NEW BOOK BEGINNING MARCH 1, 2018 – This spring we will be reviewing “Dharma Breeze – Essays on Shin Buddhism” by Dr. Nobuo Haneda. A Japanese-born Buddhist scholar, translator, and teacher. Dr. Haneda is the Director of the Maida Institute for Buddhism in Berkeley, California and comes from the teaching line of Kiyozawa-Akagerasu-Maida-Haneda which is important in the powerful way they get us to take a fresh look at things.

Please refer to the attachment, LDC Dharma Breeze, for more details regarding this book and how to join the club if you have not already signed up.

Jodo Shinshu Buddhist Temples of Canada | 2 Comments

Nirvana Day Service

Sunday, January 21, 2018
by

A special Nirvana Day Service will be held on Sunday, February 11 marks our traditional Parinirvana Day Service (Buddha’s passing) and this year we will have guests from many of the other schools of Buddhism participating in our service.

As a founding member of the International Buddhist Foundation of Canada, our temple will host visiting monks and members of the Laotian, Khmer, Sri Lankan, Mon, Burmese, Tibetan, Bangladeshi and Korean communities.

A vegetarian lunch will be served following the service, so please plan on attending!

** The Calgary Buddhist Temple will be hosting the lunch for Nirvana Day & the International Buddhist Foundation Guests. If you can help with set up, serving and clean up, or can bring a VEGETARIAN dish or other specific food for this occasion, please sign up via http://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050e44aeaf2ba31-luncheon – your help would be greatly appreciated!

Jodo Shinshu International, Local, Special Event, Teachings | Leave a Comment

Ikebana

Thursday, January 18, 2018
by

or Japanese Flower Arrangement classes are being offered by Rika Saruwatari, who trained under Ms.Takato Yokoyama. Rika became a certified Shihan (teacher) in 2012.

Five classes will be held Saturday mornings 10:00am – 12:30pm on April 14, May 12 and 26, June 16 and 30 at the temple. Cost is $175 included tax.

Students must supply their own containers (please ask Rika for suitable size and shape), scissors and kenzan (frog). Ask Rika if you need help selecting your items but these are not supplied as part of the lesson. Rika can be reached at rikaandshiro@gmail.com.

Sorry, no refunds for missed lessons. Class size is limited so register early!

Local, Special Event | 2 Comments

Casino Volunteers Needed

Monday, December 11, 2017
by

Sunday, March 4 and Monday March 5 208 – Cash Casino 4040 Blackfoot Trail SE

If you can volunteer for this very important Temple fundraiser, please contact me or sign up online. Support of these casinos are so important to maintaining our beautifully renovated temple and also help to “keep the lights on”.

We need 36 volunteers for the 2 days. All volunteer jobs are simple and straightforward, and there is expert assistance available at all times. Volunteers are provided with dinner and snacks at the casino. This is an opportunity to socialize with new and existing friends of the temple.

Please feel free to use the online volunteer signup page: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050C4EADAA28A46-casino2

 

Local, Special Event | 2 Comments

New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day

Monday, December 11, 2017
by

December 31 – New Year’s Eve

Join us for a fun family night that is warm and safe.

We begin with an old Japanese tradition, a dish of noodles. Long noodles are thought to bring us long life so the longer your noodles the better!

Following the dinner, we will proceed upstairs for a short service. We then celebrate the end of 2017 and welcome in 2018 by ringing the Kansho bell. (the large hanging bell) The Kansho bell is rung 108 times. The ceremony is said to have originated in the Song Dynasty (960-1279) as a Chinese custom and was then taken over to Japan later.

Why 108? Some doctrine suggests that there are 108 imperfections that humans must overcome before attaining complete awakening. Each ring represents one of these 108 earthly temptations. The number 108 is created by a matrix of the multiple of:

  1. The 6 senses – smell, touch, taste, sight, sound and mind
  2. The 3 differentiators – pleasant reaction, neutral or unpleasant reaction
  3. The 2 possible outcomes of the causes and conditions – wholesome or unwholesome
  4. The 3 time periods – past life, present life, future life

Everyone who wishes can have a turn ringing the bell.

Start time 6:00 pm until usually around 8:00 pm. That still leaves time to take in the fun and fireworks at Olympic Plaza or head over to the Zoo and enjoy the lights!

 

January 1 – New Year’s Day Service

Welcome in the New Year with the Sangha/community by attending the service at 2:30pm

Local, Special Event, Teachings | 2 Comments