Minutes of BC meeting 2011-04-11
A Jesse Jiryu Davis
Chakrasambara Meditation Center, Nick Gershberg of Chogye
International, Rev TK Nakagaki of NY Interfaith Center, Myoji Sunim of
Chogyesa Temple, Hoshin Seki of Zen Studies Society, Pin Pin Soo of
Tong Tzu Zen Center, Seicho Fleischman of Village Zendo and Buddhist
Peace Fellowship, Rev Hoshu Matsubayashi of NY Buddhist Church, Doyeon
Park of Won Buddhism, Bhante Kondanna of Staten Island Buddhist
Vihara, Eun Hee Kim of Chogyesa Temple. A. Jesse Jiryu Davis of
Village Zendo & Communications Secretary of BC, taking minutes.
Last meeting's minutes read & approved with correction that Heather
Harlan Nakagaki was present last month representing only Rev TK
Nakagaki, not the NY Buddhist Church.
== BUDDHIST FORUM, APRIL 16 ==
Joseph Mauricio, Bhante Kondanna, and Rev TK Nakagaki will be our
keynote speakers. It'll be at Still Mind Zendo on April 16, 1-5 PM.
Although we will not attempt to produce a large document afterwards
(as we have in the past), we will have a chance to summarize and
digest the insights of the day together at the end of the event.
Anyone who'd like to assist with setup and cleanup should get in touch
with ju...@sensingwonder.com
== UN VESAK DAY, MAY 16 ==
A group of Thai, Sri Lankan, Korean, and Chinese temples have helped
plan the UN's May 16 Vesak celebration. Bhante Kondanna shares a
poster they've designed and printed. This Vesak is (according to some)
the 2600th anniversary of Buddha's enlightenment. On May 16 there will
be an 8 AM alms round by monks from many countries, near Dag
Hammarskjöld Plaza, followed by an arts show emphasizing depictions of
Buddha's enlightenment, special sessions of the UN, and interfaith
symposia. On Saturday May 21 3pm there will be a parade with dances,
flags, and floats honoring the Buddha. If your sangha would like to
join the parade with any performers, floats, etc., join the parade's
lineup at 2pm on May 21, between 1st and 2nd Avenues, on 56th St. The
parade will go down 2nd Ave to 47th St. The Council's friend Jeff
Thompson has helped with the parade permit -- he's an NYPD officer who
is the mayor's office's liaison to the Buddhist community.
For more info on the UN Vesak day, and to register to attend:
www.e2600.org Due to UN security restrictions you MUST register
before attending!
== BUDDHIST COUNCIL'S VESAK DAY, MAY 8 ==
At our last meeting we resolved not to produce our own Vesak event,
but to participate in the UN Vesak only. Nick points out that when we
made that resolution, many key Council members weren't present and we
didn't know the state of the Council's own preparations for Vesak
distinct from the UN's. In fact, Myoji Sunim has gotten a permit for
Union Sq on Sunday, May 8. Eun Hee Kim says we plan to have an event
very similar to last year's. We'll set up the event in the morning,
exhibits during the day, 4-5 PM performance, 5-6 PM speeches and
ceremony, 6:30 PM parade from union sq park to madison sq park. Myoji
Sunim says not to worry about raising funds for the event, she'll take
care of it. She and Eun Hee Kim point out that if we don't keep doing
our own Vesak ceremony we may lose forever our right to a city permit.
Myoji says she didn't want to keep doing the event -- it's an
extraordinary amount of work for many people -- but Sung Hae Sunim
pleaded with her to keep it going, and she promised she would. She
says she knows how to raise the funds for it, and Eun Hee Kim knows
how to organize everything else. Bhante Kondannna and Rev TK agree
that the event is crucial for us.
Nick says we should get more volunteers to commit to helping with the
event, not just Chogyesa members.
We resolve to overturn last month's resolution, and we *will* have a
Council Vesak event May 8.
== The Dialogue Project ===
Citywide Interfaith Teach-In. There will be various tables for
different religions, discussion issues related to "approaching the
10th anniversary of 9/11". Rev TK will speak there. It's Sunday May
15, 1:30-4PM, 199 Chambers St (at West St), Borough of Manhattan
Community College. The Dialogue Project encourages face-to-face
engagement among groups in conflict. This is the second year
Buddhists are involved, the Project really wants us to continue to
attend.
== OTHER MATTERS ==
Rev TK says April 29 is the 49th day of the Japanese disaster. There
is a Japanese group organizing an event, they hope to do it at Madison
Square Park. TK suggests sanghas could help raise money for relief
funds, and attend the event to share Buddhist chants. The event will
start at 5 or 6 on Friday April 29. Contact him at
naka...@earthlink.net
Doyeon Park says Won Buddhism is opening an upstate retreat center,
with an opening ceremony Oct 2. She shares a job opening for the
administrator of the retreat center:
http://www.wondharmacenter.org/v3/get-involved/job-oppotunities
Doyeon also announces a campaign called "World Malaria Day" organized
by FaithsAct.org. If you send them a photo of yourself wearing a blue
ribbon, a British organization will donate a mosquito net to a family
that needs it. We do a group picture wearing blue ribbons.
http://www.tonyblairfaithfoundation.org/pages/world-malaria-day-homepage/
Michelle Dunson says she can't adjust her schedule to be the Buddhist
chaplain at Laguardia Community College, she asks if someone else
could make the time. The college requires the chaplain to be present
4 times a month, for 1.5 hours per visit. It's in Long Island City in
Queens. Seicho recommends we ask New York Zen Center for
Contemplative Care to become a member of BC and to find someone who
can be the chaplain at Laguardia. She says that if NYZCCC sent a rep
to the Council and a chaplain to the college it would be a good
development for everyone.
Rev TK asks us to recognize Seicho's "shuso hossen" -- she has given
her first dharma talk at the Villlage Zendo and answered questions
about the dharma from 18 people. She is now a senior student at the
Zendo. (Photos:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/emptysquare/5566809416/in/set-72157626243696101/lightbox/
)
Pin Pin Soo is involved with S N Goenka's Vipassana meditation
programs in Indian prisons, she visits India regularly, she says that
if anyone would like to get involved and share teachings as part of
the Goenka program, contact her at pinp...@aol.com
Seicho says that the Clearview Project, founded by Alan Senauke, is
doing a lot of work with Buddhist dalits (aka "untouchables") in
India. More info:
http://www.clearviewproject.org/indiabuddhismrising.html
== NEXT MEETING ==
Our next Buddhist Council meeting will be Monday May 2nd, 7pm at Myoji
Sunim's temple Chogyesa on 96th St. Korean dinner at 6:30pm.
A Jesse Jiryu Davis
Buddhist Study Center, not the Zen Studies Society. I'll be more
careful about who's representing whom in the future.
Peace,
Jiryu