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Sujatin's Blog (13)

This week - getting the word out - Buddhism at Amida Newcastle, Newcastle and Northumbria Universities

Organising more Buddhist Chaplain's drop-ins at Castle Leazes Hall of Residence, NCL Uni, starting this Wednesday. emailing my contact lists about a drop-in today at Henderson Hall, Newcastle University,… Continue

Added by Sujatin on November 9, 2009 at 11:11am — 3 Comments

Join the tck tck tck campaign to save the planet from global warming

Forwarded to me - "About the campaign: The ‘tck tck tck’ campaign aims to organize mass public support for a fair and equitable outcome at the UN’s Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 15) in Copenhagen, December 2009. The climate crisis is reaching its peak. Our actions will determine the future of our planet, and the ‘tck tck tck’ campaign is urging everyone to join the movement to prevent catastrophic impacts from global warming. The ‘tck tck tck’ campaign brings together an u… Continue

Added by Sujatin on June 10, 2009 at 3:01pm — No Comments

Ceremonies at Amida Newcastle this week

I'm delighted to be able to confirm that: 1) on Tuesday 26th May, David Gardner took the 5 Refuges and the 10 Mahayana Prayers of Upasakas and to tell you that: 2) on Wednesday 27th, Ixchel took the 3 Refuges. On both occasions, Amida-shu member Rachel Abel was an excellent Bellmaster I'm happy to say that there is likely to be another Refuge ceremony in a few weeks time!

… Continue

Added by Sujatin on May 28, 2009 at 9:17am — No Comments

Buddhist inmate in Texas wins religious lawsuit

A Buddhist prison inmate in Texas has won a lawsuit over rules for religious practice ::link The prison system requires religious services to be performed by a chaplain or approved religious volunteers. Muslims were allowed to hold religious meetings, but chaplains had declined to lead Buddhist services because of lack of knowledge or because it conflicts with their own beliefs, according to Kelly Shackleford, chief counsel of… Continue

Added by Sujatin on May 11, 2009 at 10:42am — No Comments

Visitors from 'the Mother Ship'

It was delightful to have a visit yesterday afternoon from Dharmavidya and Prasada, who are taking a much needed short break to the Newcastle area, visiting two of Prasada's adult children. We sat and drank Pu Ehr tea in the morning room, I had a short tutorial on using Ustream, which can be used on a Mac (I'm an Apple fan) with a little fiddling....it's on my 'to do' list. I was able to run them into the city, to Northumbria University, where they met Gavin, the Anglican, co-ordinating,… Continue

Added by Sujatin on March 28, 2009 at 12:54pm — 2 Comments

Interview with Jodo Shinshu ministers Taitetsu Unno and Mark Unno in the new issue of Tricycle

This email has been sent to me and the link to the interview might interest you: Hello, you are one of a half-dozen people receiving this note because you have blogged about Pure Land Buddhism in the past, and we wanted to draw your attention to a new interview with Jodo Shinshu ministers Taitetsu Unno and Mark Unno in the new issue of Tricycle. The interview is available online at: http://www.tricycle.com/interview… Continue

Added by Sujatin on March 4, 2009 at 9:38pm — No Comments

Obama had the Dalai Lama's scarf in his pocket during his swearing In

Ah, so Buddhism wasn't left out, after all! Beliefnet.com: Friday January 23, 2009 Lama Surya Das passed on this fascinating bit. Richard Blum, who is the husband of California Senator Diane Feinstein, also happens to be a major supporter of Buddhism. He was up on the platform during the swearing in. Beforehand, he told Barack Obama that he had with him a white khata -- a silk Tibetan scarf -- g… Continue

Added by Sujatin on January 25, 2009 at 1:43pm — 2 Comments

Starting 2009 at Amida Sanctuary

I've just updated the Amida Newcastle website with our meetings from January to March at Amida Sanctuary Continue

Added by Sujatin on January 3, 2009 at 10:35pm — 1 Comment

Faith Leaders' evening at Northumbria University

Last evening we had a faith leaders' meeting, hosted by the new Vice-Chancellor, several senior members of the University faculty and the Chaplaincy team at Northumbria, one of the two Universities in Newcastle. This was the first of what we hope will be a series of meetings. (I'm Buddhist chaplain, and the only on-site non-Christian chaplain, at both universities). We met for drinks and had a welcoming address from the VC. Then we repaired to designated tables for the next part of the evening,… Continue

Added by Sujatin on November 28, 2008 at 1:25pm — No Comments

Giving a talk at a Catholic Interfaith Service for World Peace

Here are links through to a short report of the service I participated in last Sunday in Durham, with photos: ::link and ::link Continue

Added by Sujatin on October 24, 2008 at 11:21am — 1 Comment

Reasons to be cheerful

There's plenty of good news here for the Amida Newcastle sangha. For example: This week - * Rachel got her degree results - a 1st - congratulations! * Sophie has handed in her PhD thesis - also congratulations! * And we are looking forward to Rachel becoming a member of the Amida School next Tuesday - and Sophie is going to be Bellmaster for the ceremony (and, she says, Cakemaster!). Do let me know if you can come to the ceremony. We will start at 7 pm. Continue

Added by Sujatin on June 26, 2008 at 9:28am — 2 Comments

Film Night at Amida Sanctuary

Tomorrow night, June 3rd, we are going to be watching 'Kundun', the Martin Scorsese film of the early life of the Dalai Lama. For any of you who have not seen this film yet I thoroughly recommend it. You'll find more details here, here and a trailer here Continue

Added by Sujatin on June 2, 2008 at 11:30am — 1 Comment

Newcastle this week

On Tuesday I attended the Newcastle University Staff Welcome event with Mia, one of my Catholic colleagues on the Chaplaincy team. We had a display table, gave out leaflets and chatted to a number of the new staff. It's good to be giving out the message that Chaplains aren't deadly serious creatures to be avoided at all costs, that we are available for support that doesn't necessarily mean one has to 'sign up' to a religion (though one can) and that different religions can get on very well with… Continue

Added by Sujatin on May 22, 2008 at 11:21am — No Comments