‘Building Friendship’

Lotus Link Study Group – Wednesday, 6 August 2008

The eleven members attending this evening practiced the two songs, I Vow To Be and the Song of Fo Guang Shan, they will be singing at the Ullambana Festival on Sunday 17 August and rehearsed their performance in the Main Shrine.

They then read and discussed the meaning of the story ‘Building Friendship’ from Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s book ‘How I practice Humanistic Buddhism.’ Venerable Miaoyu led the discussion asking, how do we greet a new person, an acquaintance and a friend and what are the differences in these relationships? Each member contributed their thoughts and feelings concluding that there are many ways to greet people and stay in contact but the one commonality was to give of ourselves without expectation. In this way we won’t be unhappy or disappointed, thereby increasing our Dharma joy.

The group then shared the ways in which they have changed through their involvement with Humanistic Buddhism and how others have noticed this change. The comments included, learning from the Great Buddha’s teachings; greater tolerance; letting go; lectures held at the Temple and sharing Dharma joy with our Dharma brothers and sisters.