BPF | Dharma Center + Chapter Responses to Sept 11th

How Dharma Centers and BPF Chapters Are Responding
Friends at BPF Chapters and dharma centers around the U.S. have shared with us how they are responding to the needs of their community--some of their ideas are compiled here.
Let us know about actions that your chapter or center have planned.

San Francisco Zen Center
The San Francisco Zen Center is doing the following:
* Writing to the President, senators, and representatives
* Writing to various religious leaders, asking them to give teachings to help in light of the hate crimes against Arab-Americans and Sikhs
* Distributing a copy of the "Vow of Nonviolence" for people to sign and keep for a year
* Posting dharma talks on the SFZC website on the tragedy and the future
* Working on emergency preparedness to help SFZC function as a community refuge in case of local violence or emergencyTo request to be on the San Francisco Zen Center's Special Events e-mail list for information about upcoming events, write to sfzclee@yahoo.com.

Seattle BPF Chapter Forming Engaged Buddhist Speakers' Network
Viki Sonntag of the Seattle Buddhist Peace Fellowship Chapter writes about a project the chapter has begun to develop to take action for peace in the wake of Sept 11th and the start of the war.

"The idea is to develop a network of Seattle area Buddhist teachers and senior students who would be willing to share the Buddha's teachings on peace (and other relevant teachings for developing an understanding) to non-Buddhist audiences. We thus hope to offer what we think is unique of our involvement in social engagement, an understanding that comes from our Buddhist practice.

To begin with, we are thinking primarily of offering this resource to community colleges and faith-based organisations (ie churches, temples, synagogues)... We then will follow up a letter with personal phone calls. A similar letter will go to the user organisations.

I've already spoken with/interviewed four teachers representing different traditions here in Seattle in person to get their ideas on how the network could be developed to support them and their teaching. I am pleased that they were all very supportive and enthusiastic about this idea. A strong response was that they felt that it would be effective way to help others to come to their own understanding of the need for peace. Another thing they expressed is that a network could provide them valuable local area support and they wanted to meet with teachers of other traditions during the project to exchange experiences."

Fasting for Peace with Thich Nhat Hanh
The Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh fasted from the 21st-30th September as a way of prayer in action. He invited all of his friends and disciples to join him in this prayer and meditation, in order to embrace all those who died and all who are suffering from the recent tragedy.
Those who participated in this act of peace may like to e-mail mfmaster@vermontel.net, and to write a letter to the President and to their Congresspeople.

Durham, North Carolina BPF Chapter
Paul Boyle of the Durham, North Carolina BPF Chapter and the Chapel Hill Zen Center shares plans that have emerged from those groups:

1) Organizing a Buddhist/Muslim dialog to educate area Buddhists about Islam. We have talked to a member of the local mosque and he is very interested.

2) Offer to teach sitting meditation to peace activists. We know from personal experience that political organizing can be a high burnout activity. Our hope is that activists would add a spiritual component to both their analysis and their organizing.

3) One person at the Chapel Hill Zen Center has already organized a Peace Vigil that takes place on Fridays in Durham, NC from 12-1 pm.

San Diego BPF Chapter
Ava Torre-Bueno writes that members of the San Diego Chapter composed this letter to send to the mosques and masjids in San Diego: Dear Friends,

We in the San Diego Buddhist Peace fellowship extend our greetings and concern to you at this difficult time. We are aware that hatred and prejudice are being directed towards the people of Islam. We know that these reactions are an emotional and irrational response to recent events. The pain this must have caused you is not just yours; it is our pain as well.

Our hope is that we can gain awareness of your needs during this crisis. We wish to offer our connection, reassurance and compassion. We know that "Islam" literally means "peace" and that you share our belief that hate, violence and revenge will only perpetuate themselves.

Is there any way we may be of assistance to the people of your community? For example, perhaps we could escort people who may be afraid to leave their home to go shopping. We would be most happy to meet with you to talk about ways in which our community could be useful to yours.

If we can be of any assistance whatsoever, please contact us.

We greet you in peace and loving kindness, The Buddhist Peace Fellowship Members from the Chapter are also engaged in handing out leaflets which give information on preventing and dealing with hate crimes.

Boise, Idaho BPF Chapter
From Tom Woodbury:

"I am organizing folks here in Boise for a campaign during Ramadan to fast in solidarity with the Muslim community worldwide, and to help bring attention to the growing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, where hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians are facing starvation and death over the winter due to the bombing campaign. We will be taking our fasting to the streets, bearing witness in a peaceful, non-confrontational way, and were wondering if there were other groups around the country who might be willing to join us."