What did the Buddha revere?
On Tue, 17 January, 2017 - 00:32The tradition tells us that once The Buiddha became enlightened he had a question in his mind ‘Who or what should I now revere?’. In one sense, being the only enlightened being on the planet there was no-one to go to for higher teachings or instruction and so he decided he needed to go to the Dharma as something to give his reverence to; the principles and teachings that provided the means for anyone including himself to go to for further growth and development.
Well the man in the photograph above is someone I revere along with The Buddha and Sangharakshita, the founder of the Buddhist order I belong to. Buddhadasa (servant of the Buddha) has been my key mentor in my training for ordination and remains in my life as someone I look to as a guide and inspiration. It was Buddhadasa who gave me the name Dharmalata (Firebrand of the Dharma) ten years ago on a four month ordination retreat in the Spanish Mountains.
And ……………. he is going to be here in Coogee from Thursday for about four days as a dedicated mission to support and encourage the meditation and Dharma teaching we’ve been offering for the last two and half years.
I would love you to meet him and to that end I warmly invite you to both Thursday and Sunday meditations this week at which he will be present. Feel free to bring questions related to Buddhist doctrine and meditation.
If any men would like to come and see and hear a presentation he is giving on the early days of our Triratna Buddhist Order you are very welcome to come to The Sydney Buddhist Centre on Monday night (Jan 23rd) - 24 Enmore Road Newtown 7 am (meditation followed by tea break and presentation)
The Monday night gig is men only as it’s part of Monday night Men’s Study
Thursday 7 - 8.30 pm
Sunday 8 - 9 am
Much Metta
Dharmalata and on behalf of Padmadakini