Good morning!
We have a clear, cool, and calm Sunday morning, especially after our sittings and service. Sitting gives us holy (wholly wholesome) harmony, health, and happiness. Buddhists have the Triple Treasures to enjoy intimately with all here now, where we take refuge – not outside, only to look or never use as are worldly treasures. They are Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha all integrated.
The Buddha was awakened to the Dharma (of all dharmas) of Dependent Co-origination, i.e., all (dharmas) are dependently originated and ceased on limitless causes and conditions. He wakefully lived embodying the Dharma and led all to awakening in truth and peace for and with all as the Sangha, thus we see the Sangha was not made only after the five mendicants joined.
The Dharma of Dependent Co-origination is the source of all Buddhist principles and practices. The Four Holy Truths are the fundamental application of it in origination (of suffering), cause (craving), cessation (of it in nirvana), and paths (for nirvana). The Holy Eightfold Path for laymen (and the Sevenfold Awakening Limbs for renouncers) is the Triple Learning.
The Sangha in concrete forms is composed of renouncers and laymen, taking different forms and functions according to time and space, temporary places for rainy season practice gathering, donated monasteries, refuge monasteries (from persecution, for survival, service with production, etc.), huts, temples, etc. Sangha is essential to let the Dharma live on, especially in the doomsday.
7/17/16
