Sanghalife
A Day in the Life of Brother Hue Chuyen (at Buddha’s Way)
In response to Brother Hue Loc’s series of posts about his daily activities at Pagoda Phat Hue City Center, I would like to post a blog about my day at our Forest Center, Buddha’s Way.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
(Each day begins with a scheduled Sangha meditation at 5:15 a.m.)
I began the day’s activities by putting away my clothes that had been drying overnight on my heater.
After a bit of exercise in my bedroom, I headed down to a breakfast of bread and rice soup.
We spoke a bit about the day’s activities and watched a rainbow out the window. It sat on the horizon for over 10 minutes before it moved towards us and then disappeared.
After breakfast, I headed towards the Media Room (also called the “Eagles’ Perch” due to its location, high up on the 4th floor).
On the way Sister Hue Trieu handed me the telephone and I was able to talk to Sister Hue Tho (who is at the Pagoda in Frankfurt) and wish her a good day.
I edited Thay’s German Dharma talk “The Turning Point of Your Life” and burned it to DVD for distribution at his Dharma talk tomorrow evening, in Frankfurt. I then made some smaller videos with our new FLIP camera and began the process of uploading them onto our website.
While the videos were processing, I listened to a portion of a Dharma talk by Jack Kornfield on my computer and then went to my bedroom.
In my room, I tidied up a bit and read an e-mail on my mobile phone from Brother Hue Truc, concerning his plans for the Winter Retreat, and another from Brother Hue Ngo, asking me to bring his running shoes back to the Pagoda.
I then read a chapter in Thich Nhat Hanh’s semi-fictional book on the Buddha’s life story, “Old Path White Clouds“. The chapter dealt with Siddhartha’s view that the problems in society stemmed from the greed, hatred, and delusion rooted in the hearts of its people. He reasoned that only through the realization of liberation in himself could he then teach the way to cure the ills of society.
At the conclusion I sat on my bed and stared at the large, hand-drawn, sign hanging on my ceiling that reads, “Buddha”.
A short while later, Brother Hue Nghi came into the room (after his personal meditation time in the Buddha Hall) and invited me to come down with him to lunch.
We had a delicious lunch of noodle soup, rice and vegetables. Sister Hue Trieu then treated us to a lemon cake, which she had just finished making.
When lunch was finished Sister Hue Nghiem asked us if we would be able to assist her with cleaning work later in the day. We agreed.
After washing the dishes, myself and Sister Hue Trieu took a long walk into the forest where we made some close-up videos of old trees.
I had also wanted to show her a certain spot that myself and Brother Hue Gioi had meditated in a few months before, but the landscape had drastically changed due to the cutting of trees in the area, and it was impossible to find.
We headed back to the center and along the way discovered a beautiful tree stump that had been freshly cut. We decided to carry it back to Buddha’s Way to make it into a tea-table. It was quite heavy.
I returned to the computer and finished uploading the new videos to our website.
Myself and Sister Hue Trieu then decided to wash our jackets, which were now fairly dirty and still smelled of smoke from last night’s fire.
Then, Brother Hue Nghi, Sister Hue Trieu, and I helped Sister Hue Nghiem mop the stairs/lobby/hallway of the “old building” (Buddha’s Way was originally an old hotel. Later it became a rehabilitation center and a second building was added on. This is why we say “old” and “new” building.)
Afterwards, I returned to the computer to answer some e-mails concerning an upcoming “Wake-Up” youth retreat with the Brothers and Sisters at the EIAB.
Over the computer, I was then able to speak with Brother Hue Ngo (also in Frankfurt) about his thoughts on some retreat issues.
Next, I headed outside and chopped firewood by candle light in the woodshed. (It gets dark very early here).
When I came back inside I spoke with Brother Hue Nghi and he told me about how many practitioners make the mistake of looking externally to others and situations instead of watching their own minds and how it functions.
I then wrote this blog….
(It’s now time for dinner. In an hour, I plan to return to the Pagoda in Frankfurt, by car, with Brother Hue Nghi and Sister Hue Trieu)
Scheiβe
Three (Scheiße) Stories
I was attracted to study Buddhism because of the lightness and fluidity I felt after hearing and practicing its wisdom. This lightness, it seems, some people call “happiness.”
Who knew? I didn’t.
A great master, Ajahn Brahm, recently lead a retreat at Pagoda Phat Hue. This great master has many credentials: a degree in theoretical physics from Cambridge University, a scholarship to study at said university, one year teaching 16- and 17-year-olds, nine years studying with a renowned Theravada master, and his own monastery in Western Australia. But, it seems, his greatest credential is as translator.
He translates enlightenment as “the greatest happiness.”
And Buddhism is about happiness.
Happiness is about knowing what to choose, and too often, during our meal, we skip the happiness and eat the shit. Buddha said, all humans are born ignorant. Thus, we learn about shit – what it is, where to find it, and where to leave it – in order to be clear about happiness.
THE FUTURE OF BLOGGING
Greetings Blog Readers,
Following up on an impulse from Ajahn Brahm, we have decided to stop trying to guess what you want us to write about and instead just ASK YOU.
Blog enthusiasts (or enthusiasts-to-be) now is your chance to make your voices heard! What you would like to see in the future of Pagoda Phat Hue blogging? Teachings? Stories? Buddhist Theory? Bad Jokes?
Please comment below to let us know! -Thanks
Ajahn Brahm arrives
The Venerable Ajahn Brahm arrived in Frankfurt today. We happily greeted him in the airport and then got into the car to bring him back to the Pagoda. Along the way a very humour conversation ensued between the Venerable Ajahn and our littlest monk, 9 year old Hue Bao:
Hue Chuyen:Hue Bao, you should take a shower before you go to bed
Hue Bao:Why?
Hue Chuyen: Because you smell like smoke and you shouldn’t go to bed smelling like smoke
Hue Bao:Why?
Hue Chuyen:…..I don’t know
Ajahn Brahm: Because then you’ll go to sleep and dream of the fires of Hell
Hue Bao:Why?
Ajahn Brahm:Because you smell the smoke with the nose, the nose affects the brain, and you’ll dream of the fires of hell
Hue Bao: Why?
Ajahn Brahm:Well That’s cause and effect
Hue Bao:Why
Ajahn Brahm:Its just the way things are
Hue Bao:Why?
Ajahn Brahm:Why not?
Hue Bao:Why?
Ajahn Brahm:Why not?….. Why do you keep saying that?
Hue Bao:Why?
Ajahn Brahm:I asked you why!