2010 January 15 « Rev. Danny Fisher

January 15, 2010

His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s Message to Haiti

This from the Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama:

13 January 2010

H.E. Rene Garcia Preval
President
Republic of Haiti
Port-au-Prince
Haiti

Your Excellency:

I am deeply saddened by the loss of so many lives and property as a result of the earthquake that struck the capital city Port-au-Prince on Tuesday.

I extend my sympathy and heartfelt condolences to all those families who have been directly affected by what I understand is the worst quake in two centuries in the history of Haiti.

I offer my prayers for those who have lost their lives in this tragedy and condolences to their families and others affected by this natural disaster.

With my prayers.

The Dalai Lama

January 15, 2010

“Help Haiti with Love!” – Tzu Chi USA

This from Tzu Chi USA:

The 7.0 magnitude earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12 has caused catastrophic damages and casualties in the country, especially in the country’s capital, Port-au-Prince. Tzu Chi USA headquarters immediately established an emergency coordination center to respond to the needs in Haiti. On January 13, meetings were held with Tzu Chi global headquarters, Tzu Chi USA’s regional directors throughout the nation, as well as other humanitarian organizations.

Tzu Chi global headquarters has initiated a global fundraising campaign to deliver the love from people around the globe to the affected people in Haiti. To kick off the global fundraising campaign, Tzu Chi volunteers in the US will hold a nationwide street fundraiser on January 16, 17, 23 and 24.

Tzu Chi’s relief team, including volunteers and doctors from the US and the Dominican Republic, is currently preparing to provide relief. Tzu Chi USA and global headquarters are preparing relief aid and medical supplies to be delivered to Haiti when possible. Currently, the situation in Haiti is unclear, and the international airport in Port-au-Prince is only open to urban rescue teams. Tzu Chi and other humanitarian organizations are in the process of investigating other routes into the country in order to provide aid.

Tzu Chi has previously provided aid to Haiti in 1999, 2004 and 2009. In January 2009, Tzu Chi relief team traveled to Haiti to provide relief to Haiti after the country was struck by various hurricanes in 2008. Tzu Chi volunteers from the US, Dominican Republic and St. Martin provided supplies such as rice, corn powder, cooking oil, sugar, salt, instant noodles, tarp, eco-friendly blankets, plastic cloths, buckets (for food storage purpose), vitamins, dental kits and a set of portable dental equipment, benefiting 3,343 households in poverty areas in Port-au-Prince and Cite Soleil. There were also long-term plans for other charitable and medical assistance.

Tzu Chi will continue to provide updates on its relief efforts. Please pray and deliver our kind thoughts to the people in Haiti! Please make a donation and deliver our love to the people in Haiti! Any amount will go a long way to help the suffering people in Haiti! Together, let us help Haiti with love!

To make a donation or for more information, please visit www.us.tzuchi.org , or call 1-888-989-8244, or send your check to 1100 S. Valley Center Ave., San Dimas, CA 91773. (your donation is tax deductible in the USA!)

January 15, 2010

L.A.’s Bodhi Tree Bookstore to Close

Sad news for Buddhists in the L.A. area: Melrose Avenue’s famed Bodhi Tree Bookstore is closing after forty years of business. : (

January 15, 2010

PBS’s The Buddha

I’ve just become aware of an upcoming PBS documentary by David Grubin entitled The Buddha. There’s a new Facebook page for it, a pre-order form for the DVD at the PBS Shop, and an official website.

Here’s what we know:

The Buddha, a two-hour documentary for PBS by award-winning filmmaker David Grubin and narrated by Richard Gere, tells the story of the Buddha’s life, a journey especially relevant to our own bewildering times of violent change and spiritual confusion. The program was produced in conjunction with the exhibition Pilgrimage and Buddhist Art, organized by Asia Society Museum, New York, opening in March 2010. The companion website for The Buddha, launching in early 2010, will feature the work of some of the world’s greatest artists and sculptors, who across two millennia, have depicted the Buddha’s life in art rich in beauty and complexity. Hear insights into the ancient narrative by contemporary Buddhists — including Pulitzer Prize winning poet W.S. Merwin and His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Join the conversation and learn more about meditation, the history of Buddhism, and how to incorporate the Buddha’s teachings on compassion and mindfulness into daily life.

I, for one, can’t wait to see this. It premieres April 7th at 8 p.m. EST (check local listings) on PBS. You can watch a trailer at the website.

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