Day 1: Death and dying / Day 2: Life and living 

I always wonder why we prepare for nearly everything we do in our life but we don’t prepare for death as it is one thing we all have to encounter sooner or later. How do we prepare for our death or do we need to prepare for it when we are young and ‘seemingly far from it’?

Do you also wonder?

After resolving his doubts about birth and death, Chan Master Hanshan Deqing (1546–1623) wrote this verse:

Death and birth, day and night,

Water flows, flowers wither;

It's only now I know,

These nostrils point downward.

Enlightened people cast aside thoughts of one’s life and death and treat living and dying equally – there is living and there is death, and both are natural phenomena.

Life and death are like flowing water which courses without rest, never stopping in one place. From birth to death there is never a moment of complete stillness in one’s life. Life and death are ordinary like natural phenomena, just as people’s noses point downward, never changing and the same everywhere. Therefore, looking at life with an ordinary mind, life and death should be a common thing: there is no need to covet life and fear death, and by the same token, there is no need to wish for death. If you’re able to survive, of course you should continue living; and when it is time to die, just welcome dying!

Sounds easy but are we able to do it?

We can start from attending a weekend retreat to familiar ourselves to the concept and to practice it.

This retreat is a chance for us to explore how to prepare our own death and to live our life to the full.

Venue: Appletree, Ranelagh, Dublin 6. See map and directions here. At the door press bell marked "Appletree Top"

Date: Saturday, July 21st - Sunday, July 22nd, 2018

Time: 10:00 - 16:30

Fee: No fees - Anonymous donations only. Donation baskets will be located in the room near the fireplace.

Donation to IST: Any donation made to the IST will be used to cover the cost of retreats and events that IST organizes throughout the year. The IST organizers are all volunteers and do not financially benefit from the IST funds.

Donations to the teacher. Any donation that we get for the teacher will be transferred to Sister Jinho or whatever organizations she wants to.

Lunch: We will share a vegetarian lunch at about 12 noon on both days. Please bring some pre-prepared food to share.

Registration: This retreat is fully booked.

On the day:

• Please be seated in the meditation hall at least 5 minutes before the session. Comfortable clothing is recommended. Dressing in layers is also a good idea.
• Please bring some food for a shared vegetarian lunch, if you wish to join us for the midday meal. 
• Refreshments, CDs and Dhamma books are available for free distribution.

Sister Jinho

Ven. Jinho took ordination in the Chinese Chan (Zen) tradition with Master Sheng Yen in 2000, training intensively in the Dharma Drum Mountain Monastery in Taiwan for six years. Meanwhile, she studied at the Dharma Drum Buddhist University for four years. She works with young adults for their spiritual requests and serve as a Buddhist Chaplain at the Multifaith Chaplaincy Centre of the University of Bristol. She teaches in England, Ireland, Germany, Russia, China and Taiwan.