Author Archive for josh

The Golden Light Sutra

Published
by
josh
on May 9, 2007
in Spiritual
. 1 Comment

Please Recite The Golden Light Sutra For World Peace

“Anybody who wants peace in the world should read The Golden Light Sutra (Ser.ö dam.päi do wang.gyi gyälpo). This is a very important practice to stop violence and wars in the world. The Golden Light Sutra is one of the most beneficial ways to bring peace. This is something that everyone can do, no matter how busy you are, even if you can read one page a day, or a few lines and in this way continually read The Golden Light Sutra.

The holy Golden Light Sutra is the king of the sutras. It is extremely powerful and fulfills all one’s wishes, as well as bringing peace and happiness for all sentient beings, up to enlightenment. It is also extremely powerful for world peace, for your own protection and for the protection of the country and the world. Also, it has great healing power for people in the country.

For anyone who desires peace for themselves and for others this is the spiritual, or Dharma, way to bring peace that doesn’t require you to harm others, doesn’t require you to criticize others or even to demonstrate against others, yet can accomplish peace. Anyone can read this text, Buddhists and even non-Buddhists who desire world peace.

This also protects individuals and the country from what are labeled natural disasters of the wind element, fire element, earth element and water element, such as earthquakes, floods, cyclones, fires, tornadoes, etc. They are not natural because they come from causes and conditions that make dangers happen. They come from past inner negative thoughts and actions of people, and from external conditions.

The benefits of reading this sutra are immeasurable: it is said in the texts that even compared to offering precious jewels as numberless as the amount of atoms of the Pacific Ocean to numberless buddhas, reciting just a few lines of The Sutra of Golden Light creates more merit than making these immeasurable offerings to the Buddha.

Reciting this Sutra directs one’s life towards enlightenment. There is so much merit created by reciting this Sutra, everything is taken care of, one’s life becomes so easy, whatever one wishes for one receives. This is because there is unbelievable purification and one collects extensive merits. This is how one liberates numberless sentient beings from the oceans of samsaric suffering and brings them to enlightenment.

So here, I would like to make this request with my two palms together, to please recite the Sutra of Golden Light for world peace as much as you can.”

–From Lama Zopa Rinpoche

Bridge Day Fundraiser

Published
by
josh
on April 19, 2007
in Events
. 0 Comments

Treat yourself to a day of card playing with your friends while helping to support the wonderful work of Karuna Hospice Services. Enjoy a ‘basket’ lunch and a glass of wine along with refreshments during the day.

The cost is $30 per person ($120 per table of four)

A lovely selection of handmade craft items will be available for purchase too.

When: Friday 11th May, 10am-3pm
Where: Karuna House, 27 Cartwright Street, Windsor

For bookings and enquiries please phone Erica Smith on 07 3254 3024.

Thank you for supporting Karuna!

Tibetan Prayer Flags for Sale

Published
by
josh
on April 18, 2007
in General
. 0 Comments

Specially commissioned Tibetan Prayer Flags will be the symbol of Karuna’s inaugural Kindness Week which will be launched during the Dalai Lama’s visit to Brisbane. The flags carry the blessings of the prayers and sacred symbols printed on them across the world. Seeing the flags (they come in sets of five, one in each of the five primary colours) rekindles our intention to be of service to others.

The flags will be available from participating LOOT stores or Mandala Books in April.

Prayer Flags

Cultural Perspectives on Death

Published
by
josh
on April 5, 2007
in Articles and Downloads
. 0 Comments

Download full pdf document

Cultural diversity is a relatively new phenomenon in Australia but according to Australian Bureau of Statistics figures for the 2001 Census 4.1 million (22%) of Australian residents and 601,693 (17.1) per cent of Queensland residents were born overseas.This project, Cultural Perspectives on Death, was developed to explore the different practices for the dead that can occur within faith groups. Previous research has provided valuable information about the beliefs and practices of different faith groups , but it is easy to assume that practices at the time of death will be the same for all practitioners of a particular faith regardless of their cultural background.

Because death is such a sensitive subject and because it can be a very difficult time for families who are experiencing the death of a loved one, we hope to add to community awareness and sensitivity about the range of beliefs and practices in our community relating to death and dying.

The project did not set out to be exhaustive. We could not hope to cover all the religious traditions that are practiced in Australia, nor all cultural traditions. We chose three major religions, Buddhism, Islam and Christianity and interviewed individuals from different cultural groups to learn about their specific traditions and practices for people who are dying or who have died. Through this we hope to raise awareness in the wider community and the medical profession and the funeral industry - anyone who may come into contact with families during such a difficult time.

It is our hope that this information will be of benefit in increasing understanding, and that, when a death occurs, it will encourage people to ask what actions or procedures are appropriate, in order to be sensitive to the needs and traditions of people from multicultural communities.

Continue reading ‘Cultural Perspectives on Death’

Karuna’s Christmas Craft Group

Published
by
josh
on February 4, 2007
in General
. 1 Comment

The Karuna Christmas Craft Group has begun work once again. This dedicated group meets every Thursday in a relaxed and friendly environment in a nearby volunteers home. Together they create decorations and gifts to be sold at our annual Christmas Craft Market later in the year.

The group commences at 10am and finishes at 3pm, but you are welcome to arrive and leave at times which suit you. There is no need to book and it is free, so come along, bring your lunch and willingness to share and learn. You are guaranteed a great time!

If you want to be a part of this fantastic group, but are unable to make it to these sessions, then you are more than welcome to create your own hand-made craft decorations and gifts at home to give to Karuna. If you would like to be a part of this group, or for more information, call Stephanie on 07 3632 8300 or email stephanie@karuna.org.au.