Taking Refuge

When I wrote a few days ago that I hadn’t been to church in seven weeks I’m not sure if that was the truth or not. A few weeks ago, on a Sunday morning, I went to a Buddhist community service in Toledo. Just not sure whether that was “church.” I guess it depends on the definition you use for the word church. But that’s a discussion for another blog post, on another day.

This group of about fourteen people meets in the InnerFaith Community Center on the University of Toledo campus. It meets on the third floor of an old house that lots of interesting groups share.

The Toledo Buddhist Sangha (community) is led by a warm and relaxed woman named Ilsang (teacher) Laurie Jackson. Ali and I arrived early because we didn’t really know what to expect and Laurie made us feel very welcome and answered our questions without making us feel uncomfortable.

The first things we were instructed to do was to take our shoes off and take a seat either in a chair or on a mat and cushion. Both of us chose the traditional mats and cushions on the floor and folded our legs in the usual mediation style. At 9:30 am the service began by chanting the Refuges.

The Three Refuges were chanted in Pali, the ancient language of the Buddhist texts. Loosely translated the Three Refuges are:
I go to the Buddha as my refuge.
I go to the Dhamma (truth) as my refuge.
I go to the Sangha (community) as my refuge.

Following the chanting we began a 25-minute sitting meditation. The purpose of this meditation is to clear your mind of all thoughts and open your heart to Enlightenment. I’ve done some meditating as spiritual exercise but never sitting on the floor with my legs crossed! It’s hard not to fidget. Especially when my legs and butt went to sleep and I thought I was going to fall off my cushion wiggling around!

At the end of this period we stretched and put on our shoes to go outside for a time of walking meditation. I loved this part! We began by forming a line and folding our hands over our hearts. Walking began quickly and then begin to slow each step. After a few minutes we were walking very, very slowly and my thoughts became only of that very moment – no future and no past.

Ilsang Laurie led us back upstairs and we began anther 25 minute period of meditation. Following this, we read from the Dhammapada (essential Buddhist teachings), then had a short dharma talk and discussion of the teachings or our personal practice of Buddhist teachings in a modern world. We then formally bowed to greet each other to end the service.

The people at the Sangha were incredibly kind and welcoming. They talked with honesty about their lives and listened with intensity about ours.

All in all, I found it to be spiritually nourishing. There is something very pure and uncomplicated about Buddhism. The essential truths are not far from Jesus and his teachings. In Buddhism there are The Four Noble Truths:
1. Life brings suffering.
2. The origin of suffering is attachment.
3. The end of suffering is attainable.
4. There is a path to the cessation of suffering.

The Eightfold Path (to end suffering)
1. Right View
2. Right Intention
3. Right Speech
4. Right Action
5. Right Livelihood
6. Right Effort
7. Right Mindfulness
8. Right Concentration

As I continue to meditate on the Eightfold Path I am intrigued and challenged. These seem to be the best of what human beings can be. They seem to be the best of what Christianity was designed to be. And they challenge me to be aware of my intention and my focus at any given moment of the day.

I’m not sure if we will go back to the Toledo Sangha. I’d like to. Guess we will wait and see.