Articles
Founder's Principles
Freezing to death, we do not scheme.
Starving to death, we do not beg.
Dying of poverty, we ask for nothing.
According with conditions, we do not change.
Not changing, we accord with conditions.
We adhere firmly to our three great principles.
We renounce our lives to do the Buddha's work…
Taking Pride in My Son
A Bhikshu Mother Heartfelt Words
My son, Christopher Clowery, became a Buddhist after studying Chinese, first at DeVilbiss High School, then at Oakland University where he earned his Bachelor degree and at the University of California at Berkeley where he was a Danforth Fellow. He translated the Buddhist scripture for his Master thesis at Berkeley and found that it gave him answers to his search for a faith. At this time, he met a Buddhist Monk, Ven. Master Hsuan Hua…
A Monk's Day
My Day – November 23, 2004 – Rev. Heng Sure
Rev. Heng Sure, Ph.D. is the Director of the Berkeley Buddhist Monastery, President of the Dharma Realm Buddhist Association and Senior Monastic Bhikshu of the late Chan Master Hsuan Hua. He has been a Buddhist monk in the Chinese Mahayana tradition for 29 years and received all his training in the United States at Gold Mountain Monastery in San Francisco and at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, in Talmage, California.
Bowing in Repentance
Excerpt from Dharma Mirror Newsletter, Winter 2005
Bowing together in ritual movement with 600 people, moving to music for eight hours a day creates a powerful catharsis. Those who have tried this ceremony know that the first day, you can think you’re going to die from so much bowing. The ego really resists being lowered so much. On the second day, you don’t doubt it, you know you’re dead. On the third day, metaphorically speaking, we really die, the ego has given up and gotten with the program.
With One Heart
An Evening with Heng Sure and Heng Ch'au
In May of 1977 Heng Sure and Heng Ch'au started their unique journey from downtown L.A. to the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas in Talamage near Ukiah. A journey of more than 800 miles that took two years and nine months to complete. They bowed in peace, and for peace. Touching their foreheads to the ground, opening their hearts with one wish for the world. Peace. For everyone, everyday, everywhere.
Finding My Religion
Rev. Heng Sure – American Buddhist Monk
The hardest thing was being patient, watching my mind want to talk. We're really hardwired to communicate. One of the joys of being human is this gift of speech – it's magic. So, when I just bit that off and stopped talking, it didn't subside for a long time. There was a moment when I noticed that I hadn't been forming words for about a week. At that point, the sutra that I carried on my back – it's the sutra that I was bowing to – came alive.
On Fasting From a Buddhist's Perspective
Rev. Heng Sure, Ph.D.
Many Buddhists are vegetarians, but not all, by any means. This comes as a surprise to many people who assume that Buddhists, being motivated by great compassion, would not eat the flesh of living beings. This issue has traditionally provoked debate among Buddhists. Chinese and Vietnamese Buddhists from the Mahayana or Northern tradition are strict vegetarians. This tradition avoids the five pungent plants as well as eggs, and of course, alcohol…