Next meeting: 26 April 2024

Time: 11am – 12pm

Each month, our Book Group facilitator will choose a book from the Library’s collection of free e-resources. You download the e-book, and read and reflect on it over the month. Then on the last Friday of the month, meet up online via Zoom to exchange ideas and opinions with others who’ve read the book, and expand your understanding of Buddhism.

Theme for the April meeting: Patience and Forbearance

How can we be patient in a world where immediate access to news, knowledge, and communicating with others is available by simply touching a screen on a smart phone?
This month’s discussion will be about the value of developing patience and the readings provide us with some suggestions.
Patience, khanti, in Pali, is also known as forbearance or endurance. It is one of the Buddhist paramis or perfections – an ideal to attain on the spiritual path.
Sometimes we may yearn to take refuge from a worldly life. But the life of a monastic is not necessarily peaceful. These readings remind us that whether we are in a family, a workplace or a monastic community, impatience, frustration and negative feelings can arise. To train ourselves to be patient requires effort and restraint.

Paramis : Ways to Cross Life’s Flood by Ajahn Sucitto. Pages 113-130

The Way it is by Ajahn Sumedho. Pages 33-34

The Issue at Hand : Essays on Buddhist Mindfulness by Gil Fronsdal. Pages 90 – 93

Facilitator: Patricia Austin.

Patricia has been a Buddhist practitioner for over 20 years.  Her meditation training is in the Burmese Theravada tradition. Buddhism is integral to her daily life. Patricia was a clinical psychologist and is now retired. She previously worked in HIV/AIDS services and carried out research into the mental health of detained asylum seekers. For 19 years she worked at St. Vincent’s Hospital in palliative care providing psychological therapy to the bereaved. Patricia lives on the NSW Central Coast with her husband.

Please be sure to register each month so we can email you the Zoom link before the meeting.

All Sessions are by Donation (Dana) to the Buddhist Library. All donations to the Buddhist Library of $2 and over are tax deductible.

Dana is the traditional practice of generosity, the extending of one’s goodwill, which is fundamental to Buddhism and other spiritual traditions. The dana you give is shared between the Library and Teacher. It helps to maintain the Library and allows more teachings on the Dhamma so that others may benefit in the future. It is up to each person to determine the amount of dana they’d like to offer. We understand that this is a difficult time financially for many and people will give what they can. An appropriate dana can’t be prescribed but requires sensitivity to its intent and to the individual’s own situation, as well as awareness of the cost of organising events and supporting teachers who spread the Dhamma.