Shantideva (c.685-763 A.D.)

Shantideva is well-known as the author of "The Way Of the Bodhisattva," one of the most inspiring exhortations in Buddhist literature. The only other work attributed to him is a compendium drawn from nearly 100 scriptures, mostly from the Mahayana. Many of these sutras are now lost to us and known only through Shantideva's quotes.

The Japanese bodhisattva/professor Ven. Shoshin Ichishima had his life-work published this year, "The Essence of Buddhism," which is a study of Shantideva's compendium called "Siksa Samuccaya." In the Bendall/Rouse translation of the Siksasamuccaya, pages 251-263 especially, Shantideva has compiled a series of sutra passages showing the indomitable resolve of the bodhisattva. Here is an example:

If the Bodhisattva turns his face away from the good of all creatures, his field is not pure and his work is not accomplished. Then the wise Bodhisattva thinks, "Therefore whatever beings of animal nature be insignificant, timid, stupid, deaf, dumb by nature, may I meet in my Buddha-field all who in animal form are not behaving so as to attain Nirvana, rejected by all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas; these all I would seat in the bodhi-tree circle, and bring to the knowledge of supreme enlightenment." As thus the Bodhisattva thinks, as his thoughts arise one by one, all the realms of Mara do quake, and all the Buddhas utter his praises.

PHOTOS OF SEKIZAN VISIT

Jodo-san, a young monk at Sekizan






















Kayaki Sensei emerging from the goma-do after giving a Dharma talk to the crowd.
















The crowd outside the Goma-do, Nov 23,2010



Below, Ajari Utsumi's disciple Kogen, who will begin the Sennichi Kaihogyo (1,000 day marathon) next March. Here shown performing a juzu (prayer bead) potlatch.

SCROOGE McDUCK

Do you identify with this iconic image
of the joy of diving into your pool of treasures?
Yet rather than the wealth of coins or gold
or the other pleasures of the world
you can discover the inexhaustible treasure trove
of the Buddha-mind possessed by every person.
Calmly and quietly concentrate within, in the center of the chest
and visualize a pure clear raindrop-like gem
called a CINTAMANI.
You can dive deep within and find all the treasures of the Dharma
and all the solutions to each and every problem
and be blessed with the happiness of liberation and freedom.
O
Every person who concentrates his mind and looks within
will discover unending realizations of the Dharma
as described in the Lotus Sutra:
O
All the teachings of the Tathagata
All the transcendent powers of the Tathagata
All the treasure houses of the hidden essence of the Tathagata
All the profound aspects of the Tathagata

Fall-Winter-Spring Classes

October Full Moon

CHICORY

TARWEED

Complete photos & text of the Temple Dedication

Now posted on the website at:
*
http://caltendai.org/dedication.html
*
Included are two reports from Japan, along with translations
*

Brush-and-Ink Buddha

by Ven Shinkei Shibayama, abbot of Miroku-ji temple
"You should call on my name
and be wrapped in the light of compassion"

"Ennin reaches the China Sea"

During the years 838-847AD Jikaku Daishi (Ennin)
traveled in Tang-dynasty China in search of the Dharma.
Today's Tendai practices, ceremonies and chants
are derived in most part from this one great bodhisattva
and what he learned and brought back from China.
This is JOSHIN Jon Driscoll's 3-panel sumi-e.

Ven Ichishima photo

Ichishima Shoshin was honored as a "Top Scholar of Tendai."
With Kobori-sensei in the center, Ven Ichishima is to the left
and his son Gen-san is directly behind him.

first hint of autumn

big leaf maple

Two Saicho Quotes

"EVEN WITH THE BEST OF INTENTIONS IT IS DIFFICULT TO MASTER THE WAY UNDER UNFAVORABLE CONDITIONS; LIVING IN A QUIET PLACE IN THE BOSOM OF NATURE IS THE MOST CONDUCIVE FOR PRACTICE. IT IS BETTER TO RELY, AT FIRST, ON THE PLACE RATHER THAN THE MIND."
---from John Stevens' book THE MARATHON MONKS OF MT HIEI, P40
|
|
|
"IF ONE ABANDONS ALL VAIN DISPUTATION ONE WILL ARRIVE AT THE POSITION THAT DHARMAS ORIGINALLY NEITHER ARISE NOR PERISH."
---from Waka Shirato's article in the Japanese Journal of Religious Studies, 1987, p122

HENS AND CHICKENS

The Great Calligrapher Hokai Shibayama

Ven Shibayama and his entourage arrive for the temple dedication














The Bodhisattva Sadaparibhuta, whose story is told in the Lotus Sutra Ch 20. His practice was to never despise anyone, telling all that they will become Buddhas. This is one of the themes of the work of Ven Shibayama.



















Ven Shibayama produces the character "terasu" which means "to illuminate" at his show in Berkeley's Jodo Shinshu Center on April 25








To everyone who asked, he made for them a character of their choice

Marathon Monk in California

The 1000-day kaihogyo incumbant Uehara Gyosho DaiAjari approaches the goma-do to perform the fire ritual and bless the participants.
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=

The Tendai priest Kayaki Kansho of the Enryakuji dedicates this temple as part of his Shugendo Horyu lineage.

TEN MORE PHOTOS

l



Two Tendai leaders: Monshin Paul Naamon of the NY Betsuin and his teacher the bodhisattva Professor Ichishima Shoshin of Senzoji Temple

TWO PHOTOS

FIRST PHOTOS OF TEMPLE CONSECTRATION

These photos are all by Ellis Schoichet, architect of the goma-do

DEMONSTRATION OF CALLIGRAPHY SUNDAY APRIL 25

TEMPLE DEDICATION SATURDAY APRIL 24

More than a dozen Tendai priests from Japan will come to the Monastery to perform the dedication ceremony. It will include a goma and lunch and is expected to start at 11AM. Because of the limited parking, people attending must contact Keisho ahead of time.

TENDAI SYMPOSIUM FRIDAY APRIL 23

Another view of this schedule can be seen on the Dec 14,2009 blog

CALLIGRAPHY EXHIBIT APRIL 1 - JUNE 10

Update on Events at UC Berkeley and Cobb

FOR THE SCHEDULE, SEE THE DECEMBER 14 BLOG, FROM WHICH IT IS UNCHANGED
*
THE SYMPOSIUM ON FRIDAY APRIL 23, AND THE EXHIBITION FROM APRIL 1 UNTIL JUNE 1, NOW HAVE TWO DIFFERENT TITLES
*
THE CALLIGRAPHY EXHIBIT IS TITLED "TEACHINGS OF TENDAI: CONTEMPORARY BUDDHIST CALLIGRAPHY FROM THE ENRYAKU-JI"
*
THE ALL-DAY EVENT ON APRIL 23 IS NOW TITLED "TENDAI BUDDHIST STUDIES AND ARTS SYMPOSIUM"
*
AT THE COBB TEMPLE (HOSHU-IN), THE ACTIVITIES WILL TAKE PLACE ON SATURDAY APRIL 24 FROM 11AM UNTIL ABOUT 3PM

Subhakarasimha (Zenmui) 637-735AD

Note that he lived 99 years. At the late age of 79, already an esteemed scholar of the Mantrayana at the great Buddhist university of Nalanda, he undertook the difficult overland journey to China in order to transmit the esoteric doctrines and practices. Along with his contemporaries Vajrabodhi and Amoghavajra, Subhakarasimha was responsible for Japan's Mikkyo tradition of the Shingon and Tendai schools. Most famously, he translated the Mahavairocana Sutra into Chinese, wrote a commentary on it, taught the Taizokai Mandala rite, and detailed all the iconography of that mandala. But also, Subhakarasimha was the author of a manual titled "Essentials of Meditation." In it we find his answer to the question:
*
"SHOULD ONE ATTEMPT TO REMOVE ALL THOUGHTS DURING MEDITATION?"
*
"O beginners, many of you fear that thoughts arising in your mind will tempt you, and so you follow your breath and maintain a state of no-thought, thinking that this is the ultimate. You seek to improve in this way but cannot.
Thought is of two kinds. One is negative and the other positive. Negative, deluded thoughts should be removed completely. Correct thoughts of the good Dharma should not be extinguished.
Do not be afraid of your mind's workings. Consider it a disturbance of your practice only if you slacken in moving forward . . ." (quoted in "Shingon," p102-3)