Summer 2026

Content:

• News from the North American temples
• News from the European temples
• Dharma offerings
• From the editor

North America

U.S.A.

Shasta Abbey

Our main spring event was our annual week-long Ten Precepts Jukai retreat 22-29 March. Eighteen people offered their commitment to uphold the Precepts and received their Ketchimyaku bloodline. An additional dozen people participated in the retreat as well. The abbots for the week were Rev. Master Meian, Rev. Master Astor, and visiting prior Rev. Master Vivian.

On 18 April we held a funeral for long-time congregation member Don Van A., who had died unexpectedly. He was Vice-Abbot Rev. Master Daishin’s lay disciple, and Rev. Master Daishin was celebrant for the ceremony.

Another funeral was held on 7 May for James H., husband of long-time congregation member Colette. Jim was a dedicated TM practitioner, but had requested our Buddhist funeral in order to receive the Precepts. Several of Colette’s friends from Roseburg, Oregon, where she resides, plus a few of her former teaching colleagues from Fairfield, California, attended. Colette was a lay disciple of Rev. Master Oswin; he was the celebrant for the ceremony. Jim’s ashes were enshrined in a beautiful ceramic urn in the Avalokiteshwara Shrine.

We ended the spring on 17 May with the celebration of Wesak and the completion of the Order’s lay minister retreat. It was with great joy that we filled the Buddha Hall and had the pleasure of the participation of a number of first-time guests. Rev. Master Meian offered a talk on Footprints in the Dust, a new biography of the Buddha based on the earliest historical records. Afterward we all rang the great bell and had a festive tea together.

On May 19-21 Rev. Masters Daishin and Oswin and Reverends Allard and Simas traveled to Abhayagiri, a Theravadin monastery in Ajahn Chah’s lineage near Redwood Valley, California. We had contacted them earlier in the year about donating some Theravadin books which we had in storage. Their abbot, Venerable Nyaniko, generously spent considerable time with us talking about their practice and showing us around the monastery.

After the mid-day meal on Wednesday at Abhayagiri, we drove the half-hour ride to the City of 10,000 Buddhas, a Chinese Mahayana monastery outside Ukiah to make donations there, too. We were hosted by one of their senior monks, Venerable Jin Chuang, and were able to make bows in their Buddha Hall, where a 10,000 Buddhas Repentance Ceremony was in progress. We also had the unexpected good fortune to spend a few minutes visiting with noted translator of Pali scriptures Bhikkhu Bodhi, who was in residence for the week lecturing on his anthology of the Buddha’s teachings on social and communal harmony. 

Wallowa Buddhist Temple

Wallowa Buddhist Temple congregation gathered on a bright spring Sunday morning to remember the Buddha’s Birth with our annual Wesak Festival Ceremony. The service was followed by an abundant potluck lunch and drop-in “open temple” afternoon. Friends came from as far away as Walla Walla and La Grande, as well as the small towns and mountainsides of our alpine valley, to ladle water over the statue of the baby Buddha and ring the temple bell.

In April Rev. Master Meido agreed to serve as Executive Secretary of the OBC at the request of the newly elected Head of our Order, Reverend Master Koten. She had served in this position many years ago under Reverend Master Jiyu, before the preponderance of computers. As she re-assumes these now more complex administrative functions, she is grateful for the help she is receiving from the outgoing OBC Executive Secretary, Rev. Master Oswin, and others, and is enjoying the opportunity this position provides to be more in touch with other monks in the Order. With Rev. Clairissa’s assistance, Rev. Meido plans to fulfil her Order duties remotely from the Wallowa Buddhist Temple, while continuing to serve as Prior.

In early June, Rev. Clairissa represented the Buddhist perspective on a multi-faith panel at our local Josephy Center for Arts and Culture, in one of a series on “Building Community” sponsored by Oregon Humanities, engaging in a rich discussion focused on how practice of religious faith enriches individuals of our local community and benefits our community as a whole.

Our temple podcast, Serene Reflections: From the Heart That Seeks The Way, is available for free download, or for listening on our website or on any of several podcast platforms. Each talk lasts about half an hour or less. These gentle, introspective recordings flow from Rev. Clairissa's reflections on myriad facets of our Soto Zen practice. We hope you’ll find them as helpful to hear as we have found it to offer them.

Our ongoing schedule of activities flows on. This spring we have had the delight of welcoming several retreat guests (including three monks) for a series of one-to-two-week individual stays in our Retreat Guest House. Hosting individual retreats has been one of the main functions of the Wallowa Buddhist Temple since it began over two decades ago. Wherever you are, if you are considering an individual retreat here with us, we invite you to contact us via our website to discuss the possibility.

Still Flowing Water Hermitage

Earlier this year the Bear River Meditation Group compiled a new Daily Scriptures booklet using gender-neutral pronouns. This made our old booklets obsolete, and in an effort to treat them respectfully we held a Segaki Toro-like burning of them in mid-April. It was a balmy evening, warm enough to be outside, and cool enough to enjoy the little bonfire lit in a fire grill belonging to members. As we chanted appropriate Scriptures, each of us tossed the old booklets into the fire. The ceremony was followed by tea and treats. It was a splendid evening, and a poignant way to dispose of these meditation group treasures.

Our Sunday Sangha mornings continue. This is a time when we come together, usually outdoors at someone's home, sometimes on Zoom, to discuss what our lives are like as we age, become ill, and approach death, and how our practice of the Dharma helps. These are very intimate and timely conversations that we all seem to appreciate.

Canada

Lions Gate Buddhist Priory

It had been a long, cold winter and we were grateful for spring, which arrived “gradually, then suddenly” this year. And with the warmer weather, we have seen many visitors. They have come from far and wide, including a gentleman originally from Serbia who writes for a Serbian-language mountaineering magazine.

On April 1, Rev. Valeria arrived from Shasta Abbey for a six-week visit. On May 6, Rev. Master Koten named her a Master and presented her with a “forest nyoi” (lotus sceptre) which he had carved many years ago. Several people came for the day and offered a celebratory lunch. We congratulate Rev. Master Valeria and wish her all the best in her continuing training.

In early May, the newly rebuilt Chinese History Museum on Lytton held its grand opening. The monks of Lions Gate were invited to offer incense and chant scriptures. Several dignitaries were present. The museum, along with 90% of the town, was destroyed in a catastrophic fire four years ago.

On May 15, Rev. Owyn arrived back from Shasta Abbey. The plan is for him to spend six months here, which is the limit he is allowed as an American citizen. We were very happy to welcome him.

We held our Annual General Meeting on May 17, during which time the 2024 financial documents were presented and the board of directors was elected. About 20 people attended in person or via Zoom.

The following day (May 18), we held our Wesak celebrations with a ceremony followed by a celebratory feast at Bodhidharma Hall, were all 11 people in attendance, enjoyed each others’ company.

In early June Rev. Master Aurelian and Rev. Owyn visited Stein Valley N’lakapamux School, a First Nations (Indigenous) school in Lytton, to speak with about 20 students, aged 14-16. We spoke about meditation and Buddhist practice.

Europe

U.K.

Throssel Hole Buddhist Abbey

Jukai in April saw the following lay trainees receive the Precepts from Rev. Master Berwyn: Lee Bristow, Martin Collins, Isla Davie, Geert De Meyer, Sam Jones, Adele Gwynn, Luis Luengo Gonzalez, Wasim Haque, Mark Huitson, Ritsuko Okamoto and Gail Turner. We congratulate them all on this significant step in their training. Rev. Master Jishin, as well as Rev. Master Berwyn, gave teaching during the week, and Rev. Masters Finnán and Elinore were assistant celebrants for the ceremonies.

Wesak and the Family Weekend were blessed with fine weather this year, which meant the perennially-popular frisbee golf and barbecue were particularly enjoyable. Indoor activities included an origami class led by Ian White and art projects under the guidance of Isla Davie. 

Two distinguished monastic visitors arrived for a two-week visit in late May: Rev. Seck Lee Seng and Rev. Seck Cer Chun. Rev. Seck Lee Seng is abbess of Cheng Hoon Teng Temple where both she and Rev. Master Jiyu was ordained as monks by Rev. Seck Kim Seng.

Rev. Seck Lee Seng had been here before, in 2002, around the time Throssel was celebrating its 30th anniversary, and we were honoured to have her stay again. She was accompanied by Rev. Seck Cer Chun who has a long association with Cheng Hoon Teng – her master, the abbess of Cheng Yuan Temple in Taiwan, was also ordained by Seck Kim Seng. The photo below shows them at morning service.

The visiting party was completed by lay minister Brian Gay, and his Malaysian wife Ah Bong who have been living in Malacca for many years, and who organized the trip. During their stay we held a Festival Memorial for Great Master Seck Kim Seng, after which Rev. Master Berwyn gave a lecture on the similarities and differences between Zen training and that of Pure Land Buddhism, which is the main practice at Cheng Hoon Teng.

This talk can be downloaded or listened to on the Dharma Talks page of Throssel's website, where several other recent lectures can be found.

Other highlights of the visit included several delicious lunches which our monastic guests prepared with authentic Asian ingredients they bought at a Chinese supermarket in Newcastle; a day in Alston, which included a ride on the South Tyne Heritage Railway and a community work morning, spent pulling up thistles in the Myrtle Bank field.

Finally, the sewage system at Throssel, which has evolved piecemeal over many years, recently received a major overhaul. This included, among other works, removing the last three of our septic tanks (two of which had long been redundant).

Norwich Zen Buddhist Priory

News from Norwich Zen Buddhist Priory can be read in their latest newsletter, which can be found here on their website.

Telford Buddhist Priory

On 23rd May several priory members attended a Buddha Day at the Satipanya Centre in Wales, practicing within the Theravada tradition. As part of the day, Rev. Mugo blessed a Japanese style bell hung within a circle of metal representing a circle of emptiness, Enso. Afterwards we processed around the property, chanting.

Germany

Dharmazuflucht Schwarzwald

In April, we were very pleased to welcome Rev. Master Berwyn, the Abbot of Throssel Hole Buddhist Abbey, for a ten days visit. At the end of his stay, we drove him to Lay Minister Irene who lives not far away from our temple, and she then very kindly drove him to Basel airport, from where he flew back to the UK. We very much enjoyed having Rev. Master Berwyn here with us.

Lay minister Andreas, who is part of the board of directors of our charitable organization, took some time out from his work and spent three months on retreat in our temple, which he had done once before already. We are very grateful for the time he spent with us.

Rev. Clementia participated again at several inter-religious meetings in our area, to which we are regularly invited. These meetings sometimes happen in one of the local churches. Some of the participants have visited us at the Dharmazuflucht Schwarzwald.

The Netherlands

De Dharmatoevlucht

On the 19th of April, Gerben (left) and Jorrit (right) took during a lovely ceremony refuge in the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha and received the precepts from Rev. Master Baldwin, thereby formally becoming a buddhist. Many Dharmatoevlucht sangha members, as well as Jorrit's spouse and daughter, were present at this joyous occasion. We wish Gerben and Jorrit all the best in continuing and deepening her training. 

Dharma offerings

Occasionally, I have taken experiences onto a deserted island thought experiment. There isn’t a problem that cannot be resolved on that island.

I find myself on a deserted island without knowing how I got there. The island is large and fertile. The initial shock to my nervous system and psyche is deeply challenging, the adjustment period promises to be long and intensely painful, should I survive. I might not last very long at all, survival is hardly the point. Escape isn’t the point. ... Continue reading