Teacher, Fred Eppsteiner, recounts the story of Siddhartha's remarkable birth and extraordinary transformation in choosing the path of renunciation to become the Buddha, taking life in a human body, from living the life of a royal protected from sickness, old age and death. When he encountered the suffering and impermanence experienced by a renunciate who remained peaceful, there was a crisis in his life precipitating the beginning of his search for that same peace and the attainment of Enlightenment. Fifty years of teaching followed as he became the Great Enlightened One teaching the Oneness of Everyone and Everything: "Above the heavens and below the heavens, I alone am the only One." The lineage of unbroken transmission of those teachings continues through 2600 years to the present.

Monday Jun 12, 2023

Altruism and A Mother’s Love

Monday Jun 12, 2023

This Mother's Day talk begins with a consideration of the question, " What do I need right now for my mind to be at peace?" Teacher, Fred Eppsteiner, encourages us to ground ourselves in the present and give up needlessly ruminating on our issues, dramas - the sources of suffering - recognizing the admonition of Thich Nhat Hahn that "at this moment we have all the conditions we need to be peaceful." From this peaceful place it is possible to step out of the Drama of Self and step into the Bodhisattva Way of the "Loving Altruistic Heart," which mimics the Heart of a Mother filled with love, compassion, wisdom, and generosity.