Mt. Adams Buddhist Temple presents "Buddhist Basics"
"There is a misconception that Buddhism is a religion, and that you worship Buddha. Buddhism is a practice, like yoga. You can be a Christian and practice Buddhism. I met a Catholic priest who lives in a Buddhist monastery in France. He told me that Buddhism makes him a better Christian. I love that.”
-Thich Nhat Hanh
Buddhist Basics
Mt. Adams Buddhist Temple will host “Buddhist Basics” a free four part zoom series exploring the basic teachings of the Buddha.
The classes “provide an opportunity to consider what it means to practice Buddhism and offers attendees a chance to ask questions about how to live a life guided by Buddhist principles.”
The zoom class topics will include:
The 4 Noble Truths
This class will cover the truth of suffering, the truth of the cause of suffering, the truth of the end of suffering, and the truth of the path that leads to the end of suffering.
The 8 Fold Path
The Eightfold Path consists of eight practices: right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration.
The 10 Cardinal Precepts
This class will cover the 10 Cardinal Precepts which constitute the basic moral code of Buddhism.
Taking Refuge
This class will cover the basics of what it means to ‘take refuge’ in Buddhism.
Class Schedule
One class is scheduled for every Saturday in March and April.
View Mt. Adams Buddhist Temple’s Calendar here.
Each class will begin at approximately 10:10 AM, about 10 minutes after the end of the regularly scheduled 8:30 AM Mount Adams Zen Buddhist Temple Saturday Service for the entire month of March and April.
It’s okay to begin the class series at any point. There will be opportunities to make up courses, as needed. All who are curious to learn are encouraged to attend.
Those who complete the 4 class series and wish to make a commitment to their Buddhist practice can request to participate in the April 10th or December 11th ceremony of “Taking Refuge”.
Those who are interested in attending are also encouraged to attend the Saturday Temple Service prior to the class. Saturday Temple Service Zoom Link
“All are welcome to be a part of our Saturday morning service. Experience is not necessary. Those of any faith or lack thereof are welcome. All that is required is an open mind to learn how to promote wellness, happiness, love, and peace to oneself and all sentient beings.” said Mt. Adams Buddhist Temple.
Those who cannot attend but are still curious are welcome to watch the recorded classes on the temple’s youtube channel and can learn more at Mt. Adams Buddhist Temple.
Meet The Teachers
Pictured: Reverend Valerie Grigg Devis
Reverend Valerie Grigg Devis has been a practicing Buddhist for over 25 years and is currently a Minister-in-Training at Mount Adams Buddhist Temple. She is also studying for a Masters of Divinity at Buddha Dharma University. Her favorite book for understanding the Buddha’s life and teaching is Old Path, White Clouds by Venerable Thich Nhat Hahn. Rev. Valerie is married to Rev. Jean-Luc, with whom she shares a commitment to community volunteer work. She is also an artist, who enjoys bicycling, hiking, gardening, discussing meaningful questions about Buddhism and supporting beginners who wish to develop their own practice.
Pictured: Sister Minh Bâo
Sister Minh Bâo “Novice nun-in-training.”
I am a relatively recent Buddhist, having dipped my toes in the water 2011-2014. After a few years of solitary meditation practice, I started attending the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood, CA in 2015. I found some fulfillment with their Theravada Vipassana tradition but began having this feeling that something was missing. I was introduced to the Vietnamese Mahayana tradition of Thiên Buddhism during that time by my longtime friend, Venerable Thích Minh Thiên (Thay Z) from the Mt. Adams Buddhist Temple in Mt. Hood, OR and Budding Dharma Zen Buddhist Temple in Arlington, TX. I cannonballed all the way into the Zen pool when he accepted me as his student in 2018. This tradition’s emphasis of the heart’s involvement and the Bodhisattva path rang bells with me and it wasn’t long before I felt the call toward becoming a nun. I now live in a cabin along the McKenzie River in my native Oregon, and am currently on a sometimes slow and meandering path to becoming a novice nun.
Pictured: Reverend Emily Martin
Emily Martin is a high school science teacher and mother of two small boys (ages 5 and 7). In addition to loving science, Emily's passion is enjoying and protecting the natural world. Before teaching at Hood River Valley High School, Emily was the director of Cascade Mountain School, an outdoor science school located in Trout Lake, WA.
In her free time Emily enjoys hiking, yoga, meditation, personal energetic empowerment, and aerial trapeze.
Pictured: Reverend Scott See (Minh Tự) (center)
Reverend Scott See (Minh Tự) first became curious about Buddhism in 1983 in Ladakh, India where he met people living in primitive and challenging conditions whose smiles shone so bright that Scott wanted to learn more about this Buddhist culture. Fast forward to 2015 when Scott approached Thay Kozen with an offer to barter website services for Buddhist teachings. Scott was ordained as a student of the Lay Novice Buddhist Ministerial program at Mt. Adams Buddhist Temple in April of 2019 and was give the Dharma name, Minh Tự.
Pictured: Venerable Thich Minh Tinh (Thay Kozen), a teacher at Mt. Adams Buddhist Temple.
Thay Kozen, Thich Minh Tinh has been transmitted in the Vietnamese Rinzai Zen line of Thich Thien An and Thich An Giao.
In addition he has studied in Japan with Nanrei Kabori Roshi, then in the US with Soyu Mastsuoka Roshi, then in Japan with Doki Suda Roshi. Matsuoka Roshi later transmitted Kozen after a period of time as the Long Beach Zen Center’s administrative assistant.
It is under Matsuoka Roshi’s and Thich An Giao’s request that Kozen teaches and maintains a temple and teaches. Saito Roshi from Japan, has been a mentor and dear friend and teacher. Saito Roshi and Kozen were both student priests over 40 years ago in Southern Japan. They worked and studied together at a large temple.
Learn More about the Teachers of Mt. Adams Buddhist Temple.
