Paramita Center Southeast

From 108 Words of Buddhist Wisdom by Lama Samten

Compassion is the most important of all states of mind. It has three features:
- Its nature: it consists in the fundamental root of the happiness and well-being of all sentient beings.
- Its aspect: is a state of mind that longs for the liberation of ourselves, and of all sentient beings, from suffering and all its causes.
- Its function: is a non-violent and impartial attitude toward ourselves and others.

Simple, not easy. To be compassionate is to wish for all sentient beings - those to whom we are close and those from whom we are distant - to be free and well. We could use more of it - and it starts with you, with each of us.

One of the things that has appealed to me about Buddhism for as long as I can remember is the invitation to examine, test, ponder, and question all doctrine, and to accept as true only what is found through direct experience to bring happiness and welfare. That is how one develops confidence in the teachings.

An excerpt from Sutra 65 of The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha (Anguttara Nikaya), translated by Bikkhu Bodhi:

"Come, Kalamas, do not go by oral tradition, by lineage of teaching, by hearsay, by a collection of scriptures, by logical reasoning, by reasoned cogitation, by the acceptance of a view after pondering it, by the seeming competence of a speaker, or because you think: ‘The ascetic is our guru.’ But when, Kalamas, you know for yourselves: ‘These things are wholesome; these things are blameless; these things are praised by the wise; these things, if accepted and undertaken, lead to welfare and happiness,’ then you should live in accordance with them.”

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Our Park Meditation Talks continue this summer. The next one is Saturday July 20th. Free & Welcome to Everyone. Details may be found here: https://buddhismsoutheast.org/event/meditation-in-renaissance-park-free-to-all/ 🌺🙏🌺

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Starting tonight & facilitated by Toronto Paramita. Still time to register. 🙏🌺 https://www.buddhistmeditationtoronto.org/events/understanding-emotions-5-weeks-course-summer-season

Introductory workshops facilitated by Toronto Paramita Center, available via ZOOM. 🙏🌺 https://buddhismsoutheast.org/event/cultivating-tolerance-for-a-peaceful-mind/

Great way to set your intention for the day & week. Still time to register. Hope to see you there. ☀️⏰🙏 https://buddhismsoutheast.org/event/morning-meditation-group-practice-online/

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Our Free Talk Series in the Park dates are now available. Bring your cushion and your curiosity. Free to attend and open to all. We ask that you register so we can notify you in case of weather. 🌺🧡🙏 Hope to see you there. https://buddhismsoutheast.org/type-of-event/introductory-events

Upcoming Events PARAMITA CENTER SOUTHEAST Upcoming Events

Our Free Park Series continues on Sat July 20th in Renaissance Park. Bring your cushion/blanket and your curiosity. All are welcome. Please register here: https://buddhismsoutheast.org/event/meditation-in-renaissance-park-free-to-all/

Toronto Paramita Centre is facilitating a variety of online courses this summer. Full schedule is posted on their website. Link here for all of the options - https://www.buddhistmeditationtoronto.org/schedule-meditation

Beginning July 9th, facilitated by the Toronto Paramita Center, this course is designed to help us explore destructive emotions and provides supports to train the mind to manage them. This link takes you directly to the Toronto page: https://www.buddhistmeditationtoronto.org/events/understanding-emotions-5-weeks-course-summer-season

There are eight antidotes and five obstacles to calm abiding, vigilance is the sixth antidote. A complete review of these topics will be covered in the Calm Abiding Course and may be found in Lama Samten's book, "How to Meditate".

We hope to see you in the park at the next talk. Each month thru September features a different talk. All are welcome. Sign up to receive the notice on our website. We won't bombard your inbox. 🙏🌺

Facilitated & taught by Paramita Centre Toronto, this 2 hour online workshop offers techniques and teachings based on ancient Buddhist philosophy. Link to Toronto page to register & for more details. 7-9pm EST. 🙏🌺 https://www.buddhistmeditationtoronto.org/schedule-meditation

There is still time to register for our 10 week in person or online meditation course. Recordings are available in case you miss a class. A wonderful way to start the summer. 🥰🌺🙏

Debate practices in traditional monasteries are not competitions with victors, rather, they are used to deepen one's wisdom and knowledge of the Teachings which benefits everyone. The path to enlightenment is very bright. 🙏🌺

Atīśa was a Buddhist religious leader and master from Bengal. He was one of the major figures in the spread of 11th-century Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism in Asia and inspired Buddhist thought from Tibet to Sumatra.

From the comfort of your own home, begin each Monday in July with an inspiring 30 minute meditation & teaching via Zoom. Register for one, some or all days. 🌺🌺 https://buddhismsoutheast.org/event/morning-meditation-group-practice-online/

May all beings find happiness and the causes of happiness. 🙏🌼

Our weekly Calm Abiding Meditation Course begins this Tuesday June 18th and runs for 10 weeks. Classes will be a combination of teachings, discussion with question and answer, and practice. As is typical of our tradition, initial practice will be more brief, extending over the duration of the class. Classes will be available in-person and online. Also, classes will be recorded so you can have access if you must miss a class. The course is lead by Les Kertay (Lobsang Tharchin). 🌺🙏 Click link for full details. https://buddhismsoutheast.org/event/introduction-to-calm-abiding-meditation-course/

Vulture Peak, also known as the Holy Eagle Peak, was Buddha's favorite retreat in Rajagaha and the scene for many of his discourses. Rajgir is located in Bihar, India. It is so named because it resembles a sitting vulture with its wings folded. The location is frequently mentioned in the Heart and Lotus sutras.

Śāntideva was an 8th-century CE Indian philosopher, Buddhist monk, poet, and scholar at the mahavihara of Nalanda (university). He was an adherent of the Mādhyamaka philosophy of Nāgārjuna.

The Introduction to Calm-Abiding Meditation Course begins June 18th for 10 weeks both in person at Center Space, St Andrews Center and online via Zoom. Click here for full course detail and schedule. https://buddhismsoutheast.org/event/introduction-to-calm-abiding-meditation-course/

It is an incredibly humbling privilege to have the chance to share the dharma. I’ve taught many times in different ways about many things, and i can tell you with certainty that nothing compares to the joy that came from spending time with those who came to the Riverwalk this morning. I am so grateful to have been given permission to offer these teachings.

This was such a delightful experience with Ray. He learned a lot ahead of time and made it easy to share.

Forging a new path to study Buddhism in the Southeast.

Listen to Dr. Les Kertay of Chattanooga with Paramita Center Southeast - Buddhist Teaching and Events in the US on WUTC's Scenic Roots: ow.ly/SOh850RGCQV