On Wednesday evenings this month we’ll be continuing to focus on the figure of the Buddha. So far in this series, we’ve been looking at the real life encounters between the historical Buddha and people he met. We’ve looked at his first meetings with people who went on to be his disciples – the murderous bandit Angulimala, the so-called untouchable Sunita, the Brahmin Sonadanda, the beautiful courtesan Khema and the spiritual seeker and ascetic Mahakassapa. For each of these people, meeting the Buddha marked a profound turning point in their lives. It always took the form of a liberation – from violence, marginalisation, attachment to social rank, attachment to outward beauty, or uncertainty. Through imagining these encounters, we can perhaps begin to get some measure of the Buddha’s vast qualities.
In February, we’ll be thinking about how we can be open to this profound change and liberation even though we’re not in the physical presence of the Buddha. Pingiya was fortunate to meet the Buddha in his lifetime, but was already getting on in years and was unable to follow the Buddha and be with him. But that, as we’ll see, didn’t stop him using his imagination.
On 15 February, we’ll be celebrating the festival Parinirvana Day, which marks the physical death of the Buddha, the end of his teaching and his passing beyond time and space. We’ll be marking it with a shared meal before the class, from 6.15pm onwards. Please bring a vegetarian contribution to share. Parinirvana is a chance to reflect on the Buddha’s composure in the face of death, and the fleeting nature and preciousness of human life. It is also, traditionally, a time to bring to mind anyone we know who’s died in the past year. If you wish to do this, please bring along a photograph of the person so that we can place it on the shrine for the evening.
On the following two Wednesday evenings, we’ll be looking at how the Buddha can help us, inspire us and guide us in everyday life. How can we ‘walk with the Buddha’, and how might that allow us to experience the same profound change and liberation as those who walked with the Buddha in his lifetime?
1 An evening of meditation
8 The Buddha’s encounter with Pingiya
15 Parinirvana Day
22 Walking with the Buddha
29 Walking with the Buddha
Akuppa