Article by Jinryu Janna Allgood
Mahayana Buddhism has six paramitas, or expressions of perfection or completeness. Dana Paramita is often associated with charity and includes the giving of alms.
According to our new Strategic Plan, there are two areas of focus where your alms will be applied: the continued support of our teachers and the need for stability in our location. These two focus areas ensure a sustainable future for our community, something members told us they wanted in the 2017 member survey.
In the unfortunate event that we needed to recruit a new teacher, it would be impossible to do so today considering Domyo’s stipend and the hours she devotes Bright Way Zen.
Plus we continue to grow as Washington County grows and as we are able to fill the spiritual needs of the communities west of Portland. There will come a time when our comfortable little zendo will no longer hold us all.
Until last year there was only one way, besides the cash box, to give and that was through becoming a member and making a financial commitment. Your financial commitments, be they monthly, quarterly or annually, will always be tremendously helpful to running Bright Way Zen as a business because they allow us to plan ahead.
In 2018 we added a very successful Fun-raiser thanks to Frankie Borison’s leadership. That event came out of discussion the Board had as we continued the process of building our strategic plan. Being generous with our resources as we sipped wine and listened to the wonderful blues offered by So’on Lisa Mann made it easier and fun to give.
This year we hope to give you two more ways to give: (1) by making it easy to include Bright Way Zen in your estate planning, and (2) by facilitating the donation of large ticket items you may no longer have use for such as a used car, a boat or your grandmother’s diamond earrings.
Bright Way Zen depends almost entirely on your donations. Please give only what you are able to. And remember that your participation in our community and your presence next to us on your cushion is also a tremendous gift and sincerely appreciated.
