ANNUAL FUNDRAISING REQUEST


Dear Friend of Zen Center,

The above quote comes from our lay initiation ceremony. In November three adults and three children "received-transmitted" the precepts. A deep sense of wonder filled my heart. When practicing in Japan, I saw very few lay people practicing and yet here in this little temple in the hills near Pittsburgh were six more people taking the precepts. (Twenty-seven people have taken precepts here.) What does it mean to the world when someone vows to not harm, to practice good, and to live to benefit all beings?

Back in 1969, when I took a World Religions course at the University of Colorado, I was stunned to read about "No-Self" in What the Buddha Taught by Rahula. That teaching changed my life. It was a dozen years before I actually met a Zen priest. Now Jisen and I go to high schools and colleges throughout the region or have them come here. We meet with hundreds of students to speak about Zen Buddhism and have them sit zazen for a few minutes. How will this change their lives?

It is not easy to get up an hour or two each morning so one can sit quietly before going to work. Then come Sunday, when one could finally sleep in after a busy week, this same lay person drives to Zen Center, absolutely committed to practicing with the Sangha. What does it mean to one's Sangha, friends, family, and co-workers that you sat zazen this morning?

Last Sunday, as I sat in the zendo, tears came to me knowing some good dharma friends would be leaving soon. And beside them were others with whom I have been sitting for ten years now. Most of them came in to Zen practice under very difficult circumstances within their lives and after sitting for one, two, three years, they were able to see into the nature of their angst and dissatisfaction. What makes a person continue with "this truthful practice"?

I can't imagine Pittsburgh without a Zen community and I'm guessing you can't either. I am so grateful for your support! We do our very best to run Deep Spring Temple as frugally as we can. Frankly, we barely scrape by financially, and only because so many people contribute labor and resources beyond their pledge. Jisen has been working tirelessly on our behalf for four years as a full-time priest without any financial remuneration. This year I would like to ask you to raise your pledge/donation over last year's so we may offer her a small stipend.

Finally, the greatest gift you can give the world is to sit zazen tomorrow morning. Will you come sit with us?

In deepest gratitude,

Kyoki