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BSPG News and Meeting (No. 208)
***********************************************************************Edited by Stony Brook Buddhism Study and Practice Group
News
1. There will be no meeting this Thursday. Students for Peace and Humanity -- a peace and social justice student group at USB is holding a festival of music and dances dedicated to peace and humanity. The festival will be held at 7pm in the SAC auditorium. Tickets are $5 for students and $15 for non-students. Proceeds will go toward emergency shipments of medicines and milk for the Iraqi families. As part of the program, Buddhist monastics from Foguang Shan will be chanting. If you are concerned about the seemingly inevitable war in Iraq, this is an event that you don't want to miss. For more information about the program, please visit: http://www.sinc.sunysb.edu/Clubs/sbdoves/SPHcharity0213.pdf For more information about Students for peace and Humanity, please visit: http://www.ic.sunysb.edu/Clubs/sbdoves/
2. A reminder that the BSPG monthly talk will resume next Thursday, February 20. The speaker will be Mr. David Berman. He will be talking about meditation, martial art, and Buddhism practice in daily Life. For more information, please visit: http://www.sinc.sunysb.edu/Clubs/buddhism/monthly/talk200302.html Mark your calendar!Meeting
No meeting this Thursday.Words from the Suttas/Sutras
"Great enlightening beings give their bodies to those who come ask for them; when they give, they engender a humble mind, a mind like the earth, a mind enduring all suffering without changing or wavering, a mind to serve sentient beings tirelessly, a mind regarding all sentient beings like a benevolent mother, turning over all their virtues to them, a mind of forgiveness for the various impositions and aggressions of ignorant evil beings, and rest on the foundations of goodness, diligently performing service." -- Avatamsaka Sutra, Ten Dedications.Quote of the Week
"Avalokitesvara serves as a giant reflector, upon which thousands of people direct their thoughts. If these people were to direct their thoughts to different objects, they would be shining thousands of weak flashlights, scattered beams of limited power. But when people concentrate their thoughts on a single entity, they shine all of the flashlights' beams onto a single mirror, which creates a tremendous illumination. Avalokitesvara is such a mirror. Externally, this may seem similar to the practices of many other religions, but the perspective is different. Other religions say that power comes from the deity one prays to. Buddhism maintains that power comes from the individuals who pray." -- Chan Master Sheng-yen, in Dharma DrumTo unsubscribe
e-mail buddhism@ic.sunysb.edu