With deep joy and gratitude, I am happy to share with you the good news that I have been invited to receive the Lamp of Wisdom, encouragement to teach, by Thich Nhat Hanh and the Plum Village community. Lamp Transmission Ceremonies for monastic and lay practitioners will be held at Deer Park Monastery, near San Diego on Saturday, March 17-18, 2012. My friends Karen Hilsberg, John Salerno-White, Joann Rosen, and Jim Scott-Behrends will all receive the Lamp at Deer Park next weekend. In total, there will be 8-lay practitioners and 6-monastics receiving over the course of two days. Though the transmission is coming from Thich Nhat Hanh, he will not be physically present for the ceremony.
For those of you unfamiliar with this tradition, lamp transmission refers to "the manner in which the teaching, or Dharma, is passed from a Zen master to their disciple. The procedure establishes the disciple as a transmitting teacher in their own right and successor in an unbroken lineage of teachers and disciples, a spiritual 'bloodline' theoretically traced back to the Buddha himself." According to Zen schools, the first instance of Dharma transmission occurred as transcribed in the Flower Sermon, when the Buddha held up a golden lotus flower given to him by Brahma before an assembly of "gods and men."
This is a deep honor along with a long term commitment. I am very grateful for my sangha, my family, and my friends who have supported me on this path. My hope is to include some pictures and words about my experience after next weekend.
#miscjoy #buddhism #dharma
Self-Portrait in the Garden
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Comments
9 responses to “Lamp Transmission for Kenley”
This is wonderful my friend.
Thanks Kris; I’m pretty blessed.
Congratulations Kenley! I'll be present this weekend as an attendant for Terry Masters, who is also receiving the Lamp Transmission. I'm so pleased that I'll be able to witness and support your transmission as well!
Congrats and love, now let’s see the video Transmission my friend!
sending loving thoughts to you on this very special weekend, Kenley. Looking forward to seeing the pictures & you!
Thanks Aunt Lil. Another post coming soon to share te experience.
[…] a newer dharma teacher, I came with a little nervousness on what to expect from being with sixty other teachers. […]
[…] a newer dharma teacher, I came with a little nervousness on what to expect from being with sixty other teachers. […]
Hi, I watched about an hour from the on line video and was very moved. Congrats go out to my long time friend Joann Rosen and to you as well. it’s a big step.