On Aug. 16 the Spokane Buddhist Temple will have a lecture and discussion titled “Samsara & Nirvana: The Same, But Different?” led by the Rev. Harry Bridge. Bridge will be visiting from The Buddhist Church of Oakland.
The lecture, which includes a pizza dinner, will be from 2-5 p.m. Suggested donations range from $20-$50, although no one will be turned away due to lack of funds, according to an announcement from Spokane Buddhist Temple.
Then, on Aug.17, Bridge will lead a dharma talk during an Obon (Remembrance) Service at 10:30 a.m. at the Lower Terrace at Greenwood Terrace Memorial Cemetery.
Obon is a Japanese Buddhist custom to honor the spirits of one’s ancestors and all who have come before us and made our lives possible, according to the temple. This Buddhist custom has evolved into a family reunion holiday during which people return to ancestral family places and visit and clean their ancestors’ graves, and when the spirits of ancestors are supposed to revisit the household altars. It has been celebrated in Japan for more than 500 years.
