Beloved Sangha and Friends,

In difficult times like these, it is important that we stand together in compassion, dignity and respect for all people. I invite you to march with me and others from Dharma Rain Zen Center in Portland’s LGBTQ Pride Parade on Sunday, June 19. (More information is below.) Let us gather in love, respect and healing, while also standing up for the teachings and principles we hold dear.

Gassho,
Gyokuko Carlson, Abbot

Details: Dharma Rain will march with the Community of Welcoming Congregations (entry #125, which is toward the back of the parade), gather at NW 8th Avenue between Couch and Davis starting at 11:00 am, and expect to start marching around noon. Please use mass transit, as traffic and parking will be difficult.

You can also do the entire regular Sunday morning program and still come downtown to watch the parade and even join in if you wish. The route is published.

Kakumyo Lowe-Charde

If you can’t do the march, come and hear what Kakumyo has to say in his Dharma Talk. He will lead a normal Sunday morning program at Dharma Rain, giving a talk on Responding to Violence. He’ll look at how our meditation and precept practices apply and what insights and actions may be unearthed.

Listen to this talk, which was given on Sunday, June 19.

The Soto Zen Buddhist Association has issued a statement on the Orlando Tragedy. Here’s one paragraph of that statement:

In the Dhammapada Shakyamuni Buddha says: “Hatred does not cease by hatred at any time. Hatred ceases by love. This is an eternal law.” While we cannot untangle the thoughts and emotions of the shooter, quite aside from political dimensions, this is a crime motivated by delusion. Our world will never be free from conflict, but we yearn for a human culture in which one person’s views will not lead to another’s death.