Hi everyone,
I hope that all is well.
1) This is a photo we took a few weeks ago after our class. Please come along and join us any Tuesday evening. You don’t have to “be a Buddhist”, or know how to meditate.
2) Also, for all you curry lovers, I wanted to mention you can join the Hertford Sangha for a home cooked Gujarati Vegetarian lunch.
Date and time 12.30 – 2.30pm 18th February at The Millbridge Rooms in Hertford.
If you want to come it is essential to book in advance – Please email Bodhivandana1@gmail.com by Tuesday 13th Feb to book one or more places.
The cost is a donation of £15 (or more if you are able) per person
All profits will be donated to the fund for Tiratnaloka Retreat Centre
Please bring your friends and family. All are welcome.
The photo is of a similar meal cooked by Bodhivandana for the London Buddhist Centre. It looks very yummy!
3) Also of note is a festival on Sunday 11th Feb at Cambridge.
Parinirvana Day marks the passing of the Buddha, following his Enlightenment and long life sharing the Dharma with his many disciples. The last few weeks of the Buddha’s life and the Parinirvana itself, offer us the Buddha’s last direct teachings. They reveal both how to live and die well – for oneself and for the benefit of others. On Parinirvana Day we will be drawing out and reflecting on these lessons and their significance for all of us.
This year we are fortunate to have author and senior Order Member Devamitra, join us to give a keynote talk. Devamitra has written a very engaging book – ‘Entertaining Cancer’ – about his experience of receiving an aggressive cancer diagnosis, going through the indignities of treatment, and facing death. In his talk, he will be calling on his personal experience of this challenging time and drawing out the significance of the Buddhas’ Parinirvana.
The Day will end with a special Parinirvana Day puja. As well as being dedicated to the Buddha, it will offer the opportunity to bring to mind Sangha members, friends and family who have died over the last few years. Please feel free to bring photographs of loved ones, which can be placed on the shrine.
Programme:
9.30 – Doors open
10am – Introduction to the day and Meditation
11am – Tea Break
11.30 – Talk by Devamitra
1pm – Lunch (please bring food to share)
2 – 3pm – Parinirvana Day Puja – with an opportunity to bring photographs of friends and relatives who have recently died
Led By: Keturaja and Amarachandra
Suitable For: RegularSangha
Location: Cambridge Buddhist Centre
More info at https://www.cambridgebuddhistcentre.com/parinirvana
Several of us will be going up from Hertford for the day, these festivals in Cambridge are always very powerful and heartwarming. Also many of us will have very fond memories of Devamitra visiting us in Hertford about a year ago to talk about the themes in his book. Good to see that he is still well enough to do a talk like this.
That’s all for now. I will hopefully see you at one or more of the above.
Best wishes
Keith