2008 Change Your Mind Day, April 19, 2008

The third segment of the blissful day of April 19, 2008 (read here and here for the first and the second segments, respectively) comes in the form of our attendance at the 2008 Change Your Mind Day (CYMD) organized by the Tampa Bay Chapter of Buddhist Peace Fellowship held amidst the scenic setting of Phillippe Park, Safety Harbor.

According to the organizers, "CYMD began in New York's Central Park in 1993 and is now celebrated in over 30 cities. This is the fifth year that the event will be held in the Tampa Bay area."

Featuring a day of Buddhist meditation and much more, it is billed as "a joyful celebration of the diversity of Buddhist traditions", encompassing Mahayana, Vajrayana, Theravada, Tibetan and Zen. And the serene setting at the water's edge that Phillippe Park offers is just the perfect place for the blessed event, re-creating the environment in which "Buddhist teachings were presented in the time of the Buddha: outdoor, relaxed, and informal".

Our entourage included Venerables Chueh Fan and Chueh Yen from Guang Ming Temple of Orlando, and we left after our morning Dharma session held at the Middle Way Buddhist Association's venue at Pinellas Park, arriving at Phillippe Park after lunch.

The day-long schedule comprised 10-30 minute slots of presentation by various local Buddhist groups in a variety of formats: chanting, singing, discussions, introductions, bathing the Baby Buddha, and offering of alms food to the monastics.

We stayed long enough to partake of several post-lunch mind nourishments provided by the presenters on behalf of their respective groups and took home with us a real sense of the diversity of pathways that converge on the three pillars of Buddhist teachings: Precept, Concentration, and Wisdom, as summarized in the pictorial running log that follows (Please visit here for more images of the day's event).

Several tents put up by various local Buddhist groups around the Shelter area where the events were conducted.

Members of MWBA flanking the Venerables from Guang Ming Temple after arriving at the venue from Pinellas Park (from L to R: Wesley, Mary, Venerable Chueh Yen, Venerable Chueh Fan, Wify (Bee), Tom, and Jordan).

Steve Shealy of Flowing Dharma introducing Mindfulness Practice. For the entire 15-minute, Steve remained in that standing position, save turning the head gradually to scan the audience to observe their efforts at maintaing mindfulness and occasionally looking at his watch so as to remain within the alloted time span, actualizing what he teaches effortlessly. I too tried to emulate by remaining motionless while standing and locking my gaze on him when he started to invite the audience to follow his instructions about 5 minutes into his presentation, ignoring the mounting strain on my legs for refusing to shift weight that gradually evolved into a kind of numbness. Boy was I glad when his time was up.

The Dzogchen Buddhist Society of Tampa chanting A Short Sadhana (Formal Tibetan). The chanting, in Tibetan, was fluent and calming, despite my ignorance of the language.

The two Venerables chanting the Heart Sutra in Chinese. This is a familiar chant to us and I could sense that Wify was following suit. Later I confirmed with her that she did, together with Sister Lana from Orlando who drove the two Venerables here.

The two Venerables reciting A Prayer for the People Who Listen to the Dharma, in English. The full text follows.


Venerable Chueh Fan explaining the Humanistic Buddhism of Master Hsing Yun, founder of Fo Guang Shan (Buddha's Light Mountain) with the four-fold mission of Propagating Buddhist teachings through cultural activities, Nurturing talents through education, Benefiting societies through charitable programs, and Purifying human hearts and minds through Buddhist practices.

Richard Weissman of Ratnashiri Sangha of Tampa Bay speaking on Vajrayana: "Good in the beginning, good in the middle & good in the end", which he elaborated as Establishing altruistic motivation, Practicing Chenrezig Mantra and Daily Yoga, and Dedicating merits to sever attachments as an antidote for clinging and self-grasping. Chenrezig is the Tibetan Buddhist Buddha of Compassion, and is also Buddhisattva Avalokiteshvara, and is more popularly known among Chinese Buddhists as Guang Yin Pusa, the Goddess of Mercy. The Chenrezig Mantra is also one I chant on a daily basis, OM MANI PEME HUNG. However, I learned more on the meaning of each syllabus that day from Richard:

OM - HUMILITY, antidote to PRIDE;
MA - REJOICING, antodote to JEALOUSY;
NI - NON-ATTACHMENT, antidote to DESIRE;
PE - WISDOM, antidote to IGNORANCE;
ME - GENEROSITY, antidote to GREED;
HUNG - COMPASSION, antidote to ANGER.

[According to Wikiepedia, "Vajrayana Buddhism, also known as Tantric Buddhism, Tantrayana, Mantrayana, Mantranaya, Esoteric Buddhism, Diamond Vehicle, although these terms are not always regarded as equivalent, is an extension of Mahayana Buddhism consisting of differences in the adoption of additional techniques (upaya, or 'skillful means') rather than in philosophy."