Past activities
The 21st Century Bodhisattva : Buddhist talk by Tarchin Hearn
When: 1st May 2012, 5:30pm until 6:30pm
Where : Gryphon Gallery, Graduate Building (building 1888), University of Melbourne
2,500 years ago, the Buddha taught people how to attain long-lasting happiness through the cultivation of wisdom and compassion, but how do we actualise these qualities in the modern western world?
In this public talk, Tarchin Hearin will show that we don’t have to abandon our culture in order to lead a fulfilling life. Tarchin Hearn has a great interest in blending the insights and understandings of science and ecology with the teachings of Buddha Dharma. Since 1977, he has taught Buddhist meditation in many countries and helped establish a number of Buddhist centres for study and practice. Writer, artist, poet, traveller and inspiring teacher, Tarchin sometimes describes himself as a yogi of the natural world. Tarchin is currently the senior meditation teacher at Wangapeka study and retreat centre in the South Island of New Zealand.
Public Dharma Talk: Spiritual Environmental Protection
When: 24th April 2012, 6:00pm until 7:30pm
Where : Harold White Theatre, 757 Swanston St (Corner with Grattan St), University of Melbourne
Ven. Shi Chang Xu is a visiting Chan Buddhist Monk from Taiwan, affiliated with Dharma Drum Mountain Buddhist Association. In this free public talk, he will explore how we can cultivate both physical relaxation and mental ease through embracing the Chan spirit in daily life.
A Buddhist Exploration of T.S. Eliot’s The Four Quartets
When: 3rd April 2012, 6:00pm until 7:00pm
Where : Harold White Theatre, 757 Swanston St (Corner with Grattan St), University of Melbourne
T.S. Eliot’s masterpiece is a profound exploration of the inter-spiritual practices of meditation, self-surrender and prayer. Through commentary on Burnt Norton, one of the four poems that makes up The Four Quartets, Thupten Lekshe aims to show how mindful living and practice can be a key to spiritual transformation.
Thupten Lekshe (Ivan Milton) has been a Tibetan Buddhist for many years and was ordained a monk in 2000. He also works as a clinical psychologist, blending Buddhist wisdom with modern clinical psychotherapy, in a range of community mental health and tertiary education settings.
Thupten Lekshe is an excellent teacher of Buddhist meditation, and we are very fortunate to welcome him to speak at The University of Melbourne. Don’t miss the opportunity on Tuesday 3rd April!
What is Meditation? Public Talk by Dr Bill Genat on Tuesday 20th March, 5:30pm
Meditation is a practice that trains us to live in the present moment, so that we can approach every aspect of our life with greater care and clarity. In this free public talk Dr Bill Genat will provide an introduction to meditation. He will outline some of the benefits of meditation, and guide the audience through simple meditative techniques.
Bill has a foundation in the teachings and practice of Buddhadharma as taught in the tradition of the late Venerable Namgyal Rinpoche dharmacentre.org/about/teachers/venerable-namgyal-rinpoche. Bill has been following this tradition for over thirty years receiving teachings from the Rinpoche and senior teachers of this lineage as well as from other senior lamas in the Tibetan tradition. He was the principal meditation teacher for the Melbourne University Buddhist Studies Society from 2003 – 2011 and offers regular teaching through Open Path Meditation openpathmeditation.com.au with his partner.
Venue: Room 403, 757 Swanston St (Cnr with Grattan St), University of Melbourne
Time: 5:30-6:30pm
Applying Buddhist Wisdom to Daily Life: Public talk by Rev.Chi Kwang Sunim
Daily life presents us with stressors and challenges but how we face these challenges is up to us. In this public talk, Venerable Chi Kwang Sunim will explore how the Buddhist foundations of mindfulness and compassion can be applied to busy life so that we can face the challenges of life with clarity and equanimity.
Venerable Chi Kwang Sunim is an ordained Zen monastic of over 30 years, and abbot of the Seon Buddhist Centre in Kinglake. Her formal training in Zen practice was in Korea, where she practiced for 20 years, under the guidance of Ganwha Seon and Buddhist Sutra Masters. Chi Kwawng Sunim is a prominent community leader. Alongside teaching Buddhism, she is also committed to ongoing work with Kinglake bushfire recovery projects.
Date: Wednesday 7th March 2012
Time: 5.30pm – 6.30pm.
Place: Gryphon Gallery, 1st floor Graduate Centre (building 1888), University of Melbourne
Dhamma_talk_by_Reverent_Chi_Kwang_Sunim_7th_March_2012
Welcome Lunch :
Melbourne University Buddhist Studies Society (MUBSS) will be having a welcome lunch at Joe Napoletano, Union House on the 9th of March 2012 from 1pm – 2pm. We welcome all students; first years, postgrads and freshman.
Our aim is to give you a taste of Buddhist Philosophy and Buddhism in general. We are a non-sectarian and we work to furthering each other’s spiritual and mental growth.
We have a variety of events, such as BBQs, meditation sessions, excursions to monasteries and temples, discussions and primarily discourses given by Buddhist teachers from different sects and backgrounds. In the coming months we have talks by Ven. Sunim of Kingslake and Ajahn Brahm the Abbot of Bodhivana Monastery in Western Australia.
We look forward to seeing you at the welcome lunch. Do come down for a chat, sign up to become a member ( it’s free), or just say hi!
Date: Friday 9th March 2012
Time: 1pm – 2pm.
Place: Joe Napoletano, Union House
Zen Buddhism: Public talk by Seikan Cech on Thursday, August 25, 2011 · 5:00pm – 6:00pm
Synopsis:
Zen is a tradition in Buddhism based on direct experience and ordinary practice. Its core practice is Zen meditation, called Zazen. Practicing Zazen is very simple, too simple to ‘understand’. It really just means sitting still, with an upright posture, and letting all else come and go.
Seikan will present this approach as a very practical and concrete expression of the Middle Way, that is, of being with things without resisting or indulging in them. He will clarify that Zazen is not so much a technique for ‘meditating’, but simply a regular habit of just sitting wholeheartedly and without any agenda.
Seikan Cech is a Zen Monk and founder of the Melbourne Zen Centre and Melbourne Zen Hospice. To find more about the Melbourne Zen Hospice, and/or who would like to make a referral, can do so online at www.zen.org.au
AGM and 2011-2012 Committee Members
The Melbourne University Buddhist Studies Society would like to invite you to our AGM which will be held at 6pm on the 25th of August. This is directly after Seikan Cech’s talk on Zen Buddhism (5pm-6pm), and in the same venue (the Gryphon Gallery, Graduate Building (building 1888) [ in front of the ERC on Grattan]. We would love as many people as possible to come. We have a fairly large gathering at out public talks and in order for these to continue, we need your support. Just attending and signing the attendance form is a great help.
Our AGM is an important, brief meeting to formalise our society and to ensure that we continue as an entity.For the AGM to be valid, we need at least 20 students of University of Melbourne to be in attendance, so we really appreciate your presence, and it will only take about 15 minutes to complete.
We will vote for a new executive committee – a new president, vice president, treasurer and secretary, and we will also vote for new general committee members. If you wish to apply for a position, you are most welcome, just send us a Facebook message or email (mubss.unimelb@gmail.com) in advance.
Cultivating Emotional Balance: Public Lecture by Ivan Milton
Time : Thursday, August 4 · 5:30pm – 6:30pm
Location: Gryphon Gallery, Graduate Buidling (1888), University of Melbourne, Parkville
(Roadside parking, University square parking may be available, few metres from tram stop near KFC on Swanston Street)
Ivan Milton is a clinical psychologist and has also been ordained as a Tibetan Buddhist monk for over 10 years.
The Cultivating Emotional Balance (CEB) research project arose from a dialogue between biobehavioral scientists studying emotion and the Dalai Lama and Buddhist monks and scholars. Over ten years Dr Paul Ekman, world leading scientist in the study of emotion, and Dr B. Alan Wallace, renowned Buddhist scholar and contemplative, created a new educational program for the general public.
In this public talk Ivan (Tupten Lekshe), who has trained in CEB with the founders in Thailand, will explore how we can enhance our emotional health through the practice of mindfulness and the qualities of loving-kindness, compassion, empathetic joy and equanimity.
This is a free public talk, but your donation is welcome.
Buddhist Studies Society Welcome BBQ
Date Thursday 29 July 10 – Thursday 29 July 10
Time 12:00PM – 2:00PM
At Outdoor on campus
Welcome Back Party Semester 2, 2008
Venue:Joe Napolitano A, Level 2 Union House
Date: Wednesday, 30th of July, 2008
Time: 12-2pm
Everyone is welcome!
Mini-Meditation Retreats
Take some time out for yourself and join with like-minded friends to dedicate a solid block of time to dharma practice. The mini retreats offer relaxed sessions incorporating gentle bodywork, sitting meditation, walking meditation and other guided meditative explorations depending on the experience of participants. Held in the beautiful, light and airy teaching room at Odiyana with interludes of walking in the surrounding leafy gardens, what better way to ease yourself out of the tight focus of the working week to take a broader expansive awareness into the remainder of the weekend. Experienced meditation practitioners or novices – all are welcome.
From April 2008 the mini-retreats will be held on Sunday April 20th, Sunday May 18th and Sunday June 15th, from 10.00am – 2.00 pm (or for as long as you can commit) at Open Path Meditation, 123 Auburn Road, Hawthorn.
Time: 9am-1pm
Cost: By donation
Date: Saturday March 15
For Enquiries please contact: Bill or Kathryn 9560 2869 or kshain@aapt.net.au
MUBSS Welcome Lunch
An event to get to know the committee and to meet or catch up with other MUBSS members over lunch.Let us know what you would like MUBSS to do for you (no, not your assignments..), and what you can do for MUBSS..
Finger food and drinks will be provided
Date: Thursday March 27, 2008
Time: 12.45 – 2.15pm
Venue: Joe Napolitano Room A, Union House
Visit to the Fo Guang Yuan Gallery
Time: 10am
Meeting place: Intersection of Queen St with Bourke St. This is where the FGY gallery is.
