Recently I attended a service at a Buddhist temple in Lethbridge. I had no idea what to expect. I have never attended any other type of service. My parents never thrust any teachings upon me; whenever I asked about God or heaven they would say: “What do you think?” I appreciate what they did for me. Not introducing religion to a mind that young, I think, was a good idea. I’m all for having the capability to choose your own denomination. There’s a very satisfying freedom in being able to choose what you want to believe in. In other parts of the world, a person could be killed or tortured for attending a service like I did.
The service that the temple put on was peaceful and relaxing. The reverend of the temple talked about the self; the attachment we have to living is a purely selfish one. When faced with death, we do not want to lose what we have. Humans want to hold onto whatever they have for as long as possible, be it material or otherwise. We also chanted using passages from the Seiten: a collection of teachings and sutras from the Shakyamuni Buddha.
A friend of mine has been attending this temple for a few months. He attends any service he can along with the dharma studies that occur. He told me a common joke among practicing Buddhists was this: “Drink your tea and leave.” He told me this is because they serve tea at Buddhist temples and always at the end of the service.
This is the first of many visits for me. The atmosphere was enjoyable, the people were nice, and I agree with a large number of the philosophies presented.
