Assistant Ministers Message: “Learning from our Sangha/Buddhist Community”   By Rev. Anne Spencer        Buddhism emphasizes the importance of the “3 Treasures” that support Buddhists on our spiritual path.   The 3 Treasures are 1) “Buddha,” a fully enlightened being dedicated to helping others become enlightened,   2)   “Dharma,” the fundamental nature of reality, and 3) “Sangha,” people who share the Buddhist path with us.        In many Buddhist traditions “Sangha” refers specifically to ordained monks/nuns who follow very strict rules (including not marrying or eating meat).   But in Jodo Shinshu (the form a Buddhism that we follow at IOBT) we use the word “sangha” to refer to pretty much anyone—near or far--who participates in temple services and activities with us.        So to us the Buddha is fully enlightened , and the Dharma is ultimate truth , while ...

       Most of you are aware that I am currently recovering from surgery to repair  a dislocation of a bone that connects my pinkie finger to a wrist bone. I initially  (and mistakenly) thought my pinkie finger was turning the wrong way because of  swelling in my hand, but the pinkie continued to look odd after several weeks had  passed. There were shooting pains down the side of my hand, too, so I thought  there might be something else going on. The dislocation was not detected until I  had an MRI in December. Almost 5 months had passed since the dislocation, so the  fix required more than putting the bone in place. Scar tissue needed to be cleaned  up, and the bone needed two pins to hold it secure in the correct position. I had the  surgery done in Arizona since that is where my caregiver, my husband Bob, would  be. I knew I would need help since my right hand was affected. The first two  weeks after surgery I...