Summer Buddhism Bits: Giving and Generosity

How has your summer been so far? This is Lan, the current president of UBA, blogging while we wait to do more activities in the upcoming academic year! Like most student organizations, we don't have plans in the summer besides getting ready for a new year. I'm starting "Buddhism Bits," weekly insights on Buddhism and my little take on it. Feel free to comment below if you have your own insights you'd like to share. Maybe I can get the other members to join in!

 

Giving and Generosity

I've been using the Bing search engine instead of Google because Bing gives me a reward point for every 2 searches I make. I can redeem those points for anything in their rewards shop. Right now, I'm working towards a one-month Hulu Plus subscription (but that's besides the point). I'm talking about Bing because it tells you to search certain words to get extra points. Today, that word is: generosity. I thought it would be a great topic for this post!

What does the Buddha say about generosity? I happened upon a special section in the Tricycle Magazine that actually lists some quotes from the Buddha on generosity. Generosity is very important in Buddhist practice. I've often heard that we must give without expecting anything in return, but you also shouldn't just give for the sake of giving either. The Buddha tells us that generosity is connected to the Eightfold Path and also to karma. Generosity is important to most all religions because we feel the spiritual connection. It's not about giving material things either. There are things we can give that is immaterial, i.e. knowledge, interest, advice, attention, etc. I think of UBA as a way for me to share the Dharma with UCSD.

Click here for some more generosity articles from the Tricycle Magazine. Click here for a link to an article about teaching generosity to kids. (I think I should sign up for this magazine now!)

Spring General Body Meeting #3 - Recap

Professor Edmond Chang came to visit us at our third general body meeting. He's a Eleanor Roosevelt College writing program (Making of the Modern World) professor and he talked about how he thought mindfulness and mindlessness went hand in hand. He told us a real-life experience he had with his son and how his mindless actions led him to be more mindful of the affects of his actions on his son. Professor Chang then led us in a group discussion on how our mindless and mindful actions. We hope to see him again soon!

We hope you'll join us at our last general body meeting on Thursday, May 24th at 8-9PM in the Thich Nhat Hanh Room!

Spring General Body Meeting #2 - Recap

Thursday, April 26, 2012
8PM - 9PM
Center Hall room 203

We would like to thank Jeff for coming out to our meeting to lead us in a short meditation and to answer our questions about Buddhism and the Dharma. He covered a lot of topics from meditation to the Triple Gems (a.k.a. Three Jewels) to karma. We will visit him at the Dharma Bums Temple soon and learn even more!

Check out the website here: http://www.thedharmabums.org/

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Temple Hop to Deep Park Monastery
Sunday, April 29, 2012
9AM until noon
8:00AM - Meet at Mandeville bus stop for rides. We'll be trying to leave before 8:30AM.

We're visiting the Deer Park Monastery for their Sunday Mindfulness Practice and catching a vegan lunch at 12:30PM. Click here for the sign up sheet. Spots are limited!