Wonderful beyond words, so look at the pictures.

Hello All,
Just an update...and a little extra.

This retreat is proving to be very difficult and very rewarding. 6 hours of lectures, a lifetimes worth of study material, plus i have vowed to memorize the 554 line Surangama mantra associated with the sutra upon which our retreat is based (im on line 160-will i have time to finish!!??). And now i have been instructed to babysit a pre-teen...Good times...I wouldnt rather be doing anything or be anywhere else! Its finally sinking in that im in Australia...Probably becasue of the kukaburra bird that makes the strangest noise in the world. To describe it...NO i cant, you have to hear it for yourself. (I included a picture of this "laughing jackass" as the aborigonals call it.)
How about a quote from the sutra i am studying...yeah that sounds like a good idea. Nevermind, i couldnt find one that anyone would understand, including myself...Oh well look at the wonderful pictures! The monk with blue eyes (and white skin)(I said that becasue not all monks are chinese now!) Is Dharma Master Heng Sure. He lectured for two weeks on the last chapter of the sutra which is all about states that occur in chan meditation. Anyway, he also did some very special ceremonies while he was here, two of which i had the honor of doing the formal request for inviting the master to transmit. Maybe you know what im talking about, and maybe you dont. If you dont, you can ask, and i can tell you if you like. Well thats enough for now!
Kenny