By MIA QUICK
Web Editor
Beginning on Jan. 17, the Interfaith Sanctuary is home to the Tendai Buddhist Institute’s weekly Buddhism Sangha every Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. until approximately 8 p.m..
Beginner Buddhists and ordained priests alike come together to meditate, hold traditional Japanese Tendai service, and express themselves. Prior to the service, Sam Press, whose dharma name is Mushin, gives an orientation explaining the details of the service with historical and religious information.
Mushin’s journey began when he met Thich Nhat Hanh, a Vietnamese Buddhist monk who was a major influence on Western practices of Buddhism, and was moved by his practice.
“It has made me much calmer, more aware of what’s going on,” Mushin said, “I used to bite my nails most of my life and I stopped biting my nails when I started meditating regularly.”
The service begins with the Sangha leader, Monko, cleansing the shrine that sits under the Medicine Buddha. The shrine includes a wooden statue of Buddha, candles, bells, and a tiny teapot. Monko also has a singing bowl and wooden clappers at her side to signify the end of an activity.
Throughout the service, there are several chants in Japanese and in English, including the Heart Sutra and the Hogo. Within the chants are teachings of emptiness found within compassion, honoring the lineage of Tendai, and many other traditional principles.
“My teacher likes to say that the practice of Buddhism is compassion,” Monko said. “Everything we do is designed to teach us compassion– to experience compassion, to be able to express and live compassion.”
Monko’s own journey began when she read Sylvia Boorstein’s “It’s Easier Than You Think: The Buddhist Way to Happiness.” The words ‘easy’ and ‘happiness’ drew her in, and after reading several books she found a Sangha to join.
The sanctuary provides cushions or chairs for newcomers, as well as plenty of guidance during each portion of the service. The meditation portion begins as solo meditation with some basic instructions before transitioning into Monko leading the group.
Tendai Buddhism is within the Mahayana Buddhist tradition and was founded in Japan by Japanese monk Saichō, although its origins trace to Tiantai Buddhism from China, originally founded by Zhiyi (538-597 CE). It seeks to understand the connectedness of all things and to discover truth while tailoring your practice to the experience you want.
“All the practices are designed to help us experience the true nature of reality, which is something that can’t really be described in words,” said Monko.
The Tendai Buddhist Sangha welcomes anyone interested to visit them and join the group discussions that are held every other week.
