Invitation to the Autumn Gathering

The rains retreat is traditionally a period in which some Buddhist monastics settle down for three months of study and practice that supports their teachings throughout the rest of the year. The Pali texts of early Buddhism describe how this came to be. The nuns and monks of the Buddha’s time wandered from place to place, teaching and practicing. However, when they did this during the monsoons, they would trample crops and creatures that would come up out of the wet ground. Folks complained to the Buddha, and he established a period from the full moon of July to the full moon of October, during which time monastics must stay in one location, with a few exceptions for ceremonies, funerals, and other urgent needs. As I write this, we are about halfway through the rains retreat of 2021.

As usual, I have been spending this time practicing and studying. This year I took up the theme of the life of the Buddha. I find the stories of his life very uplifting, but also very pragmatic in their reflections on how hard it is to find one’s spiritual path. And throughout, the Buddha’s great mind is evident. I hope to say more about this, perhaps by offering a course on the life of the Buddha next year.

For now, I am thinking about how important our Buddhist heritage is, and how it becomes relevant to us today. With that in mind, I’m happy to announce that, together with some local friends, we’ll be holding an Autumn Gathering here in Alexandria. It's traditional in the Theravada to have a gathering at the end of the rains retreat, and celebrate the start of the autumn teaching season. I’ll offer a Dharma talk, and I hope to spend time getting to know folks from this area. The event will also be live streamed on Zoom, so folks can participate from wherever they find themselves.

You (yes, you!) are warmly invited to join me and many Dharma friends for a joyful autumnal gathering!

Learn more and register on the calendar page here.