2009 October 22 « Rev. Danny Fisher

A Gift of Dharma for 10.22.09

karmapa17 Today’s quote comes to us from His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje. His Holiness is the leader of the Karma Kagyu School of Tibetan Buddhism, and the author of The Future is Now: Timely Advice for Creating a Better World and Environmental Guidelines for Karma Kagyu Buddhist Monasteries, Centers and Communities. The Karmapa managed a daring escape from Tibet in 1999, and is currently in residence at Gyuto Tantric Monastery, near Dharamsala, India.

It should be noted that there is some disagreement among Tibetan Buddhists about who the real 17th Karmapa is. Although Ogyen Trinley Dorje has been recognized by, among others, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama and the Chinese government as the 17th Karmapa, there is a vocal contigent who assert that it is in fact a young man named Trinley Thaye Dorje. Of the controversy, one of my own teachers, Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche, has said, “As far as my father [Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche] was concerned, they were both to be respected and perceived with pure appreciation.” This, I think, is the important point.

Here’s the quote:

Our priceless pure heart is not something that can be purchased at a pharmacy, poured into our body, or obtained through a cure. If we went to a major city looking to buy it, we could not purchase this pure heart no matter what price we were willing to pay. How do we find it? With the sincere wish to discover it, we discipline our mind with our mind. When such a motivation is born within us, we and others are benefitted and so our lives become meaningful. With a pure motivation that does not wane and with great courage that does not despair, may each one of us endeavor to make our lives meaningful.

UWest’s Religion & Film Series Continues Tomorrow with Doubt

12doubt_xlarge1 Just a quick announcement that University of the West’s Religion & Film Series will continue tomorrow with a screening of John Patrick Shanley’s Doubt–the Oscar-nominated adaptation of his Pulitizer Prize-winning play. The film stars Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, and Viola Davis (all Academy Award-nominated for their work), and is described by the All Movie Guide in this way:

1964, St. Nicholas, the Bronx: The winds of change are sweeping through this tight-knit religious community, and charismatic priest Father Flynn (Philip Seymour Hoffman) is doing his best to adapt by revisiting the school’s notoriously strict disciplinary practices. Unfortunately Father Flynn’s progressive ideas stand in stark contrast to the longstanding beliefs of Sister Aloysius Beauvier (Meryl Streep), the iron-willed principal, who believes that an oppressive environment of punishment and fear is the only way to keep the student body in line. Suddenly into this tempestuous environment appears young Donald Miller, St. Nicholas’ first black student. When hopeful innocent Sister James (Amy Adams) reluctantly reveals to Sister Beauvier that Father Flynn and Donald have been spending an unusual amount of time together in the church rectory, the unrelentingly righteous headmistress begins a merciless crusade to reveal the beloved clergyman as a lecherous child molester and have him permanently expunged from the school. Yet despite her moral certainty that Father Flynn has committed such an unspeakable transgression, Sister Beauvier has not a shred of actual evidence to back up her audacious claim. Now, as Sister Beauvier and Father Flynn enter into an epic battle of wills, the shock waves set into motion by their explosive confrontation threaten to destroy one man’s reputation and tear apart the entire surrounding community.

A trailer for the film is at the end of the post.

I’ve previously blogged about my affinity for Shanley’s play, and you can read those thoughts here.

The screening starts at 7 p.m. in Room ED309. It is free and open to the public. A discussion will follow with me; Corrine Hinton, Coordinator of the Learning Center; and Corinne Medina, Executive Assistant to the President of the University. We hope to see you there!

[Photo from Miramax Films.]

Rev. Danny Fisher

October 22, 2009

A Gift of Dharma for 10.22.09

October 22, 2009

UWest’s Religion & Film Series Continues Tomorrow with Doubt

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