Date/Time
Date(s) - 30/06/2021
6:45 pm - 8:00 pm
Categories
Due to the COVID-19 Nagaloka is closed to the public. We decided best not to have any in person meditation or study group sessions on Wednesday evening or Sunday AM.
Instead we will be meeting online. Join us by clicking on this Zoom link on Wednesday evenings, 6:45-8:00pm . We value Sangha (spiritual community) and feel it is important for us to have the opportunity to be together. We will use this time to meditation along with a short check in to see how we can best support one another. Plus the facilitator will continue on our Dharma theme offering everyone a focus for our practice. We look forward to seeing you and sharing our love and kindness for the wellness of all beings.
This week we look at another aspect of the human condition when a sick monk is discovered unattended and ignored within the sangha community. In the Kucchivikara sutta, The Buddha uses this event as a teaching tool 2,500 years ago that is applicable for us today.
Who do we ignore or are indifferent to because ‘they do not do anything for us.’ Who is out of sight in our worlds that may need help, support and loving kindness? How much can we take on?
How do you react/respond to this sutta? Compassionate, repelled, indifferent?
What would it be like to be sick, ignored and helpless surrounded by community?
Kucchivikara Sutta
A case of Dysentery
Now at that time a certain monk was sick with dysentery. He lay fouled in his own urine & excrement. Then the Blessed One, on an inspection tour of the lodgings with Ven. Ananda as his attendant, went to that monk’s dwelling and, on arrival, saw the monk lying fouled in his own urine & excrement. On seeing him, he went to the monk and said, “What is your sickness, monk?
“I have dysentery, O Blessed One.”
“But do you have an attendant?” No, O Blessed One.”
“Then why don’t the monks attend to you?”
“I don’t do anything for the monks, lord, which is why they don’t attend to me.”
Then the Blessed One addressed Ven. Ananda: “Go fetch some water, Ananda. We will wash this monk.”
“As you say, lord,” Ven. Ananda replied, and he fetched some water. The Blessed One sprinkled water on the monk, and Ven. Ananda washed him off. Then — with the Blessed One taking the monk by the head, and Ven. Ananda taking him by the feet — they lifted him up and placed him on a bed.
Then the Blessed One, from this cause, because of this event, had the monks assembled and asked them: “Is there a sick monk in that dwelling over there?”
“Yes, O Blessed One, there is.” “And what is his sickness?”
“He has dysentery, O Blessed One.” “But does he have an attendant?”
“No, O Blessed One.” “Then why don’t the monks attend to him?”
“He doesn’t do anything for the monks, lord, which is why they don’t attend to him.”
“Monks, you have no mother, you have no father, who might tend to you. If you don’t tend to one another, who then will tend to you? Whoever would tend to me, should tend to the sick.
Please join us on 6/30 for an look at compassionate action of the Buddha. What makes a good patient? What makes a good nurse?
Join us to explore….this Wednesday…!
Nagaloka’s Friends Night overview Nagaloka handout friends night July 2020
Check out this great resource: https://www.freebuddhistaudio.com/
Please contact us if you have any questions. Email info@nagalokabuddistcenter.org
Please feel free to join us.
