The
Buddhist flag (right) debuted in Sri Lanka in 1855 and was adopted
internationally in 1952. The rainbow pride flag, designed by Gilbert
Baker in 1978, has become a symbol of LGBTIQ hope and progress
worldwide.
After the almost
incomprehensible news of the early-Sunday morning mass shooting at
Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, Buddhist teachers and
communities began to share their grief and support for and with the
LGBTIQ community. Here’s a sampling of what they had to say.
Note: this page has been updated with additional comments since it
was originally posted. These most recently added comments start
immediately following here.
Larry Yang, East Bay Meditation Center:
In the chaos of violence, senselessness,
carnage, and despair, we can take care of each other. We can hold each
other with the most precious thing we can offer, our compassionate
attention. Unwavering, we can love one another without questioning or
second-guessing any aspect of that love or anyone’s life experience or
identity. There is great Power in that coming together from wherever we
are. In that solidarity with the deepest of places of our tender
humanity, we begin to live the truth that the Buddha spoke of:
Hate never yet dispelled hate. Only love dispels hate.
This is the law, ancient and inexhaustible.
We begin to create justice in the only
ways possible—through just means. Instead of trading Homophobia with
Xenophobia as an insidious pattern of the market economy—Instead of
displacing and playing off the oppression of one, for the oppression of
another—we endeavor to dispel all oppressions, for the freedom of all
beings. We can only create justice through just means—that is the law,
ancient and inexhaustible.
Dear sangha,
Today, many of us are experiencing great
sorrow and disbelief at the recent tragedy in Orlando. We are deeply
saddened that one individual, whose mind may be clouded by ignorance and
hate, has taken the lives of 50 people
at a gay dance club in Orlando and injured 53 more. At this difficult
time, we turn to our practice – to our loving, compassionate heart-minds
– and hold everyone tenderly in Buddha’s embrace.
May we focus our hearts and minds now on
unity, acceptance, and resilience rather than blame and hate. May we
bring the world into our hearts and extend our loving kindness to those
affected by this violent act.
May we turn our hearts and minds towards
the conditions for realizing our Bodhisattva vow of freeing all beings
from suffering and the causes of suffering.
Eyes of Compassion
Observing Sentient Beings
Assemble an Ocean of Blessings
Beyond Measure
—Chapter 25, Lotus Sutra
Adapted from City Center Tanto David
Zimmerman’s opening remarks at a memorial service today for the victims
of the recent shooting in Orlando.
The tragedy in Orlando brings us together in deep sorrow and prayer.
May those suffering loss feel held in our love;
may those suffering from hatred be healed with compassion;
may yet more violence awaken our collective dedication to living from peaceful, open hearts.
Lama Rod Owens of Natural Dharma Fellowship:
Remembering the loss of life everywhere this morning. I continue to watch, fight, and pray. May you continue to do the same.
The Dalai Lama:
His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama today led a minute of silent prayer,
in recognition of the events in Orlando, noting that he “is quite
skeptical about the effects of prayer. The real change, effect, comes
through action.” Watch his full comments here.
This morning I offered a Dharma talk
titled “Let’s all become buddhas together: the importance of spiritual
friendship” to the full house Sangha gathering at Insight Meditation
Center of Redwood City, California. When I left my home in Oakland, the
first report of 20 people who died in the mass shooting at Pulse
nightclub in Orlando, Florida was in the news; by the time I returned
home, there was a report of 50 dead and 53 wounded.
Acknowledging this
hate crime in my talk, I said: “I
propose that, considering all of the desperate and liberatory people’s
movements now happening all over the world, that we need to look deeply
and continuously — as continuously as we return to the physical
sensations of the breath or whatever the object of our meditation
practice is — to ask whether we are creating not only community, but
whether we are creating *beloved* community. After all, this is more
than an abstract question. We live in earthquake country, and at any
moment those of us gathered in this meditation hall, whether we know one
another or not, might need one another in ways that are highly intimate
and highly unromantic. The Big One could happen at any time.
Then we
would need to rely on that essential human bond, in moments of crisis,
which asks: ‘Even if I am not your parent, your child, your sibling,
your coworker, your neighbor, will you help me? Will you be my spiritual
friend?’ When I was in the Korean Buddhist monastery in 1988, I learned
the phrase ‘songbul hashipshio,” which I was told translates into
English as ‘Let’s all become buddhas together.’ Creating beloved
community this year and next year and beyond is an urgent matter.”
IMS stands in solidarity with the LGBTIQ
community grieving over the Orlando Massacre. May you rest in abiding
love during this tragedy.
Maia Duerr of the Liberated Life Project:
Feeling kind of stunned today, in the
aftermath of the news from Orlando… I am remembering back to years that I
lived in Oregon when hate crimes against LGBT were commonplace, and
when legislation to discriminate against our community was being pushed
on everyone.
This level of violence, hatred, and
bigotry is traumatizing… any group of people that has experienced
oppression has experienced that. May we never forget what this trauma
can do to people, and let that help us to have great forbearance with each other in the days to come.
I keep remembering something that dear Frank Ostaseski
has said — “There is endless suffering. There is also endless
compassion.” Let us abide in that place of compassion in the days and
weeks ahead…
I heard and saw on television news the
tragic event that happened in Orlando Florida for those who were simply
having fun in their life. I am strongly doing my prayers for those who
have passed away, those that are hurt and those who are going through a
difficult time. All my love and caring and respect to the LGBT community
and individuals around the world.
All the teachings from the great masters comes with nonviolence, kindness, love and compassion. This is the foundation of the teachings of all religions and all the great masters. We must continue with that direction for what we believe.
Be proud of who you are and don’t let any
religion tell you what you have to be. Just look for happiness and
quality and wisdom in mind. Happiness and truthfulness is never based on
lies, violence and ignorance. It Is always based on wisdom and equality
and living the life we want with simplicity and freedom.
Love and care from your Kalu Rimpoche
As I learn of the shootings in Florida, I
am filled with tears and an ocean of compassion for so many who have
been harmed. Sitting quietly, this tragedy strengthens my resolve to not let terror and fear take over my heart.
As we move through this beautiful and
troubled world, may we vow to be a beacon of peace, a fearless carrier
of respect and lovingkindness for all life, a teller of truth , a voice
for justice, a protector of those who are vulnerable or targeted. May
the power of wisdom, integrity and compassion be our guide.
And may I/we follow these instructions of the Buddha…….
Others will kill. We shall not kill. Thus we should direct our hearts.
Others will be cruel. We shall not be cruel. Thus should we direct our hearts.
Others will speak falsely. We will speak what is true. Thus we should direct our hearts.
Others will be fraudulent. We shall not be fraudulent. Thus we should direct our hearts.
Others will be hateful. We shall become loving. Thus we shall direct our hearts.
Others will be unwise. We shall become wise. Thus we shall direct our hearts.
May I/we carry these intentions with courage, as a beacon and a medicine, as a blessing to all we touch.
Metta, Jack
Our hearts and prayers go out to the victims and their families and all those affected in Orlando, FL.
When Rinpoche heard about this tragedy he immediately started doing prayers.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche always advises to make strong prayers to Medicine Buddha
for anyone who is dying, sick, injured or who has already passed away.
Also this can be dedicated to anyone who needs protection, support,
strength and love.
I am very sad and tired today. But
posting things on the internet doesn’t seem like enough today. So I’m
committing to volunteering for a nonprofit that does gun violence
prevention work going forward. Do you have one you’d recommend? Willing
to put in a few hours a week.
[Rinzler also wrote a piece for Huffington Post called “Meditation Isn’t Enough: A Call to Take Action Against Gun Violence.”]
This pain belongs to all of us.
Senseless, awful violence. May we unite from a place of compassion,
rather than divide from a place of fear. Our brothers and sisters need
our love.
Greg Snyder of Brooklyn Zen Center:
This morning I got really irritated about
something not that important and realized I was resisting letting my
heart break for Orlando. Then it just did. I have no idea what to say
here, other than Charleston, Orlando, on and on – enough with the
hatred, all of us. I am speaking from grief, so forgive my insistent
tone; but we have just got to stop as a nation, as a people of many
peoples, communities, and take stock, slap ourselves in the collective
face and wake up to the ways we are
creating the conditions for this. People are being executed… executed in
nightclubs and churches, on streets for nothing. Nothing.
Nothing. They
are worshipping and dancing and walking. I pray every person with a
shred of sanity – especially those of privilege and power – train her or
his heart on love and, from that place, work to expose and heal hatred
wherever we see it. I would encourage us all to take up the practice of
watching our every word and silence, every action and inaction, every
thought and distraction, every vote and political shrug of the
shoulders, and ask ourselves – Am I right now cultivating a world of
love or hate? Is the language I’m getting behind a language of love or
hate? I know I fail at this intention everyday of my life, but all I
feel right now is that we must work tirelessly to cultivate a society
deeply rooted in love. Most of us will fear this because love is both
personally and societally revolutionary. Love will shake us to our core
as people and as nations. But it’s so long past time. It has been said
so many times that it’s boring, but business as usual really has to stop
being business as usual. I can already see the story unfolding in the
news and soon it will be all too easy just to blame this on ISIS and
take no stock of who we are. We too easily use this or that terrorist or
sociopath as a free ticket for moving on. This too has to stop. We have
to bring the world into our hearts and make love our first thought, our
first intention for ourselves and every person we meet. That means we
have to critically engage the mental and societal habits that resist
love. Despite all we can do to each other, I choose to have faith in
humanity. Yes, we can be a wind of fire that leaves scars and burning,
but we are also dear and precious and deserving of our birthright of
peace and happiness, every one of us. I vow to focus my heart on the
latter, knowing that we must learn to clearly see and end the conditions
for the former. May the mystery forever cradle those murdered in
Orlando and may we all learn to care for each other while here. Love to
the families and communities of those lost. Love to all of you, my
sacred sisters and brothers.
May we be free from hatred and the
suffering caused by hatred. May we hold our suffering and the suffering
of the world with fierce, deep, and tender compassion.
