Saturday, January 5, 2013 meeting - Fundamentals of Buddhism

Theravada Buddhist Young Adults (TBYA)
Meeting date: Saturday, January 5, 2013,  4-6pm

Topic: Fundamentals of Buddhism

Location: Room 101, Serramonte Del Rey (former Jefferson High School, 2 blocks above the Serramonte shopping center), 699 Serramonte Blvd, Daly City, CA
Blog: http://tbya-usa.blogspot.com
Contact: tbya.usa@gmail.com

Discussion Topics

Start the new year with a multimedia review of the fundamental teachings of the Buddha in 2 hours. Feel free to invite your non-Buddhist friends who may be interested in learning about Buddhism.

1. Rebirth and kamma
2. The goal of Buddhism

3. Short history of Buddhism

4. The basic teachings of the Buddha: The Four Noble Truths

5. Comparison of Theravada Buddhism with other Buddhist sects

Discussion leader: Li Chan

Here is the calendar of topics planned for 2013:

Month-Day	Discussion topic
January 5	Fundamentals of Buddhism: rebirth & kamma; Four Noble Truths
February 2	Right Mindfulness: introduction
March 2	Right Mindfulness: review
April 6	Right Concentration: introduction
May 4	Right Concentration: review
June 1	Right Speech: Buddhism in school, college & the work place
July	No meeting (vacation)
August	No meeting (TBSA week)
September 7	Right Action & Right Livelihood
October 5	Right View
November 2	Right Thought
December 7	Right Effort; Gradual Development; planning the new year

December 1, 2012 - No meeting

TBYA will not meet in December because of busy holiday schedules, and also many members will be attending the TBSA winter meditation retreat this month.

November 2012 - Who was Mahasi Sayadaw?

Meeting date: Saturday 4-6pm, November 3, 2012

Topic: Mahasi Sayadaw - his history and legacy

Discussion leader: Ashin Osadha, Theravada Buddhist Society of America, Half Moon Bay

Topics:

1. The personal history of Mahasi Sayadaw
2. The mindfulness meditation method of Mahasi Sayadaw
3. The impact of Mahasi Sayadaw: U Silananda Sayadaw, U Pandita Sayadaw, Chanmyay Sayadaw

Location: Room 101, Serramonte Del Rey (former Jefferson High School, 2 blocks above the Serramonte shopping center), 699 Serramonte Blvd, Daly City, CA
Contact: tbya.usa@gmail.com

October 2012 - The consequences of rebirth

Meeting date: Saturday 4-6pm, October 6, 2012

Topic: Rebirth - the consequences

Location: Room 101, Serramonte Del Rey (former Jefferson High School, 2 blocks above the Serramonte shopping center), 699 Serramonte Blvd, Daly City, CA
Contact: tbya.usa@gmail.com

Discussion Questions

1. Are we always reborn as humans?
2. What causes rebirth?
3. How should we deal with death?

Discussion leader: Li Chan

September 2012 - no meeting 9/1/2012

 The TDS hall that TBYA meets in will not be available on the first Saturday of September.

August 2012 - No meeting

TBYA will not meet in August because many members will be attending the TBSA summer program.

July 2012 - No meeting

TBYA will not meet in July because many TBYA members will be on vacation.

June 2012 meeting - Guest Speaker: Sarah Marks

Meeting date: June 2, 2012, Saturday 4-6 pm

Topic: Upasika Sarah Marks Talk and Interview

Sarah will talk about some of the following issues:

1. How she became a Theravada Buddhist.
2. How she developed her Buddhist practice without becoming a nun.
3. Her view of possible life styles for American women which allow for a deep Buddhist practice.
4. Her work with U Silananda and the Theravada Buddhist Society of America (TBSA).

There will be an oportunity for questions and answers.

Moderator: Olivia Leong
Panel: none
Location: Room 101, Serramonte Del Rey (former Jefferson High School, 2 blocks above the Serramonte shopping center), 699 Serramonte Blvd, Daly City, CA

SUGGESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION TOPICS. Please email your suggestions for future discussion topics to tbya.usa@gmail.com

MEETING NOTICES. To receive information about future meetings and topics, please join the TBYA Google group email list by going on the Internet to http://groups.google.com/group/tbya-usaand clicking on the right hand-side link "Apply for group membership" or "Join this group"

May 2012 meeting - Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life

Meeting date: May 5, 2012, Saturday 4-6 pm

Topic: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life

Discussion:

1. The purpose of mindfulness meditation

2. The basic practice of mindfulness

3. Everyday mindfulness practice opportunities

4. Feedback from the audience.

Presenter: Kevin Klotz

Location: Room 101, Serramonte Del Rey (former Jefferson High School, 2 blocks above the Serramonte shopping center), 699 Serramonte Blvd, Daly City, CA

SUGGESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION TOPICS. Please email your suggestions for future discussion topics to tbya.usa@gmail.com

MEETING NOTICES. To receive information about future meetings and topics, please join the TBYA Google group email list by going on the Internet to http://groups.google.com/group/tbya-usa and clicking on the right hand-side link Apply for group membership or Join this group

April 2012 meeting - Predestination & Buddhism: Is Karma Fate or Predestination?

Meeting date: Saturday 4-6 pm, April 7, 2012

Topic: Predestination & Buddhism: Is Karma Fate or Predestination?

Discussion Questions:

1. How much of one's fate can one change?  How much control does one have over one's fate?

2. Have you ever personally experienced the fruits of your Karma from this very life?
3. Did  you ever feel that something you did intentionally (good/ bad) in your life caused many other things (good/bad) to happen in your life?

4. Questions from the audience.

Moderator: Olivia Leong
Panelists: Teresa Leong, Win-Mon Kyi, Leo Myo

Location: Room 101, Serramonte Del Rey (former Jefferson High School, 2 blocks above the Serramonte shopping center), 699 Serramonte Blvd, Daly City, CA

MEETING NOTICES. To receive information about future meetings and topics, please join the TBYA Google group email list by going on the Internet to http://groups.google.com/group/tbya-usa and clicking on the right hand-side link Apply for group membership or Join this group

March 2012 meeting - Being a Theravada Buddhist in American Schools and Colleges

Meeting date: Saturday 4-6 pm, March 3, 2012

Topic: Being a Theravada Buddhist in American Schools and Colleges

Discussion Questions:

1. What are your experiences as a Theravada Buddhist of going to schools and colleges in the U.S.?

2. What are some preconceived notions of Eastern spirituality or Buddhism that you encounter in school?

3. What questions do some of your classmates from other religious or non-religious backgrounds ask about   Theravada Buddhism and Theravada Buddhist cultures, and how do you respond?

4. How do the five precepts come into question sometimes as you socialize with other American students?

5. Do you learn much about Theravada Buddhism or about Theravada Buddhist societies in your school/college/university? In what ways? In what ways not?

Panelists: Eugenia Kaw, Olivia Leong, Leo Myo

Location: Room 101, Serramonte Del Rey (former Jefferson High School, 2 blocks above the Serramonte shopping center), 699 Serramonte Blvd, Daly City, CA

MEETING NOTICES. To receive information about future meetings and topics, please join the TBYA Google group email list by going on the Internet to http://groups.google.com/group/tbya-usa and clicking on the right hand-side link Apply for group membership or Join this group

February 2012 meeting - Are we reborn? The evidence for rebirth - continued

Meeting date: Saturday 4-6pm, February 4, 2012

Topic: Are we reborn? The evidence for rebirth - continued

Discussion Questions:

1. More cases of rebirth: Sri Lanka, England

2. Do you have any past life memory stories in your family? 
3. As a child, did you or any family member have unique habits or fears that no other family member had? 
4. How are you different from your other family members?
5. Past life memories shared by Dr. Thynn Thynn followed by Q&A period

Discussion leader: Li Chan

Panelists: none
Attendance: approximately 40 people of all ages

Location: Room 101, Serramonte Del Rey (former Jefferson High School, 2 blocks above the Serramonte shopping center), 699 Serramonte Blvd, Daly City, CA

MEETING NOTICES. To receive information about future meetings and topics, please join the TBYA Google group email list by going on the Internet to http://groups.google.com/group/tbya-usa and clicking on the right hand-side link Apply for group membership or Join this group

January 2012 meeting - Are we reborn? The evidence for rebirth

Meeting date: Saturday 4-6pm, January 7, 2012

Topic: Are we reborn? The evidence for rebirth

Location: Room 101, Serramonte Del Rey (former Jefferson High School, 2 blocks above the Serramonte shopping center), 699 Serramonte Blvd, Daly City, CA
Contact: tbya.usa@gmail.com

Discussion Questions

1. Is there evidence of rebirth, and is it credible?
2. Given the objective evidence, who has the "burden of proof": those who accept rebirth, or those that deny rebirth? How can rebirth be disproved?
3. Do you have any past life memory stories in your family?
4. Besides childhood memories, are there other cases of discovering past life memories?

Discussion leader: Li Chan

Panelists: none

Attendance: approximately 40 people of all ages from middle school students to senior citizens

Discussion Materials

Case: James, an American boy click here

Case: Cameron, a Scottish boy

             - Part 1 Background click here

             - Part 2 (missing)

             - Part 3 Barra visit click here

             - Part 4 The white house click here

             - Part 5 A past life relative click here

      Case: Gus, an American boy click here 
Cases in Burma from Stevenson, Ian, Cases of the Reincarnation Type: Volume IV, Twelve Cases in Thailand and Burma, University Press of Virginia, 1983
- Ma Tin Aung Myo
- U Sobhana

MEETING NOTICES (updated 1/17/2012)

To receive information about future meetings and topics, please join the TBYA Google group email list by going on the Internet to http://groups.google.com/group/tbya-usa and clicking on the right hand-side link Join this group or Apply for group membership

Purpose of Theravada Buddhist Young Adults (TBYA)

Theravada Buddhist Young Adults (TBYA)
An English-speaking Peer Discussion Group
at the Theravada Dhamma Society, Daly City

The Theravada Dhamma Society of Daly City is pleased to announce the formation of a Bay Area-wide English-speaking peer discussion group to focus on topics of interest to young adults (high school and college) to help them develop their Buddhist practice in a Western society. The monthly meetings occur on the first Saturday of every month from 4 –6pm. The discussion topics will evolve with the interests of the participants.

OVERVIEW
What: an English-speaking section sponsored and supported by the Theravada Dhamma Society, Daly City
Topics: Buddhist issues of interest to young adults (high school and college)
Meeting dates: first Saturday of every month from 4pm to 6pm (see maps below)
Location: Dhamma Hall. Room 101, Theravada Dhamma Society, Serramonte Del Rey (former Jefferson High School, just 2 blocks above the Serramonte shopping center), 699 Serramonte Blvd, Daly City, CA. See map below. Enter the main entrance and walk down the hall to the left. Room 101 is the first room on the left hand side.
Driving directions:
(1) Driving south on Highway 280 from San Francisco, take the Serramonte Blvd. exit (Exit 47A) and turn right on to Serramonte Blvd. Drive up the hill past the Serramonte Shopping Center approximately 2 blocks to the Highway 1 access intersection and turn left into the parking area.
(2) Driving north on Highway 101 from San Mateo, drive past the SF International Airport and take the Highway 380 East connector to Highway 380. Connect on the right to Highway 280 North towards San Francisco. Take the Hickey Blvd exit (Exit 46), turn left up Hickey Blvd, and take the first right turn on to Gellert Blvd. Go 4 blocks on your right, and turn left at Serramonte Blvd. at the entrance to the Serramonte Shopping Center. Proceed up the hill approximately 2 blocks to the Highway 1 access intersection and turn left into the parking area. 


Meeting notices (updated 2/6/2012)
To receive information about future meetings and topics, please join the TBYA Google group email list by going on the Internet to http://groups.google.com/group/tbya-usa and clicking on the right hand-side link Join this group or  Contact owner to join