SPIRITUAL: Holy Day

7:30 pm Tuesday, May 29, 2018

  

Medicine Buddha puja is a beautiful prayer service that includes lyrical praises to the seven Medicine Buddhas, requests for their help and aspirations for our own spiritual attainments.

It is beneficial for mental and physical healing and world peace, and is especially beneficial for those who are experiencing physical or mental illness or those who have recently passed away.

This service is very welcoming to newcomers and beginners. Typically we do Medicine Buddha Puja in English.

Anyone is welcome to sponsor a puja and offer a dedication to benefit themselves or loved ones. Sponsor this puja here.

This puja will begin following the Refuge ceremony. Starting time may vary.

 

More about the benefits of Medicine Buddha puja

From the Service Manual for Spiritual Program Coordinators, FPMT:

Many eons ago, seven bodhisattvas strongly prayed for the temporal and ultimate happiness of all sentient beings, that their names become wish-fulfilling in order to heal both the mental and physical sicknesses and diseases of sentient beings. They vowed that their prayers will be actualized during these degenerate times when the teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha are in decline. When they became enlightened, one of the ten powers of a Buddha is the power of prayer - that means that all the prayers that have been made get fulfilled. As the Buddha's holy speech is irrevocable, you can wholly trust in their power to quickly grant blessings to help all sentient beings in these degenerate times. They are called the Seven Medicine Buddhas, the main one is `Lapis Buddha of Medicine, King of Light'. Buddha Shakyamuni taught the teachings on the Medicine Buddha, and according to one tradition, is also considered as one of the Medicine Buddhas, and hence the Eight Medicine Buddhas.

The seven Medicine Buddhas manifested in order to pacify the obstacles to the achievement of temporary happiness, liberation and the ultimate happiness of full enlightenment. They are powerful in healing diseases as well as for purification. The Medicine Buddha practice can be used to help purify those who have already died and liberate them from suffering. It is also very powerful in bringing about success, both temporary and ultimate.

The reason why the Medicine Buddha practice brings success is that in the past when the seven Medicine Buddhas were bodhisattvas practicing the path to enlightenment, they promised and made extensive prayers to actualize all the prayers of living beings of the degenerate time when the teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha are in decline. They generated a very strong intention to become enlightened for this reason; this was their motivation for meditating on and actualizing the path.

Lama Zopa says, "It is very important that the elaborate Medicine Buddha puja with extensive offerings be done regularly. The offerings should be as extensive and as beautiful as possible, and done in order to benefit all sentient beings."

Location at Kadampa Center: 
Gompa
Thursday, March 1, (All day) 2018

The two-week long Tibetan Great Prayer Festival, Monlam Chenmo, which began with the Tibetan New Year, culminates in the Day of Miracles, which falls this year on Thursday, March 1.  As a Buddha Holy Day, the karmic effects of virtuous actions performed on this day are multiplied exponentially, according to Lama Zopa Rinpoche. 

Our schedule of events on this auspicious day includes taking the Eight Mahayana Precepts early in the morning, as well as several opportunities during the day for group readings of the Sanghata Sutra, the Golden Light Sutra, or or Diamond Cutter Sutra.

Kadampa Center Schedule of Events

6:00 am  The Eight Mahayana Precepts,  a set of eight vows taken for a period of 24 hours, from sunrise on one day to sunrise the following day. The vows include no killing, stealing, sexual activity, lying, sitting on high beds, taking intoxicants, wearing perfume or jewelry, or eating after noon. 

The first time you take these precepts, it must be from a qualified master. After that, you can take them from your altar. Geshe Gelek will offer precepts if students request it.  If you wish to take precepts for the first time, please register here.

7:15 am A group reading of the Vajra Cutter Sutra will follow the precepts, and then a light breakfast will be served.

12 pm  Group reading of the Golden Light Sutra

5:30 pm  Group reading of the Sanghata Sutra

The Center will be open all day so students can come and do practices, either individually, or as a group.

Our FPMT spiritual director, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, encourages students to take the Eight Mahayana Precepts on holy days.

Other Recommended Practices on Holy Days:

Reading The Golden Light Sutra, Confessions to the 35 Buddhas, or any other Saddhana, Mantra, or “heart practice”
     
Other ways to create merit:

  • To make the day even more powerful dedicate all your positive actions to the benefit of all sentient beings.
  • Be mindful to take advantage of opportunities to practice acts of kindness and generosity towards all sentient beings, including family, friends, strangers, co-workers, “enemies”, and animals.
  • Rejoice in all the positive actions of oneself and others.
  • Rejoice in recognizing and avoiding any occasion to experience irritation, impatience, anger, envy, jealousy, laziness, or any other negative emotion.
  • Purify any negative action of body speech and mind extensively.

 

More about Monlam Chenmo and the Day of Miracles

Monlam Chenmo is a two-week period during which the Buddha performed various miracles. The two weeks of holy days are observed with the Tibetan Great Prayer Festival beginning on Tibetan New Year, and, on the final day - the Day of Miracles - many fesitvals and rituals are held.

The Great Prayer Festival was established in Tibet in 1409 by Lama Tsongkhapa to commemorate Shakyamuni Buddha’s performance of miracles at Shravasti. According to the Sutra of the Wise and Foolish, six great Hindu teachers, representing the six great schools of Hinduism, challenged Shakyamuni Buddha to a competition of miracles. Typically the Buddha purposely avoided displays of powers because people are easily interested in mundane powers instead of practicing Dharma. However, through his clairovoyance, he understood they wouldn’t be subdued unless he performed the miracles, so he outdid them for 15 days, and the six scholars converted to Buddhism. The main purpose of the Great Prayer Festival is to pray for the long life of all the holy Gurus of all traditions, for the survival and spreading of the dharma in the minds of all sentient beings, and for world peace.

The Day of Miracles is an auspicious day for prayer and practice, as the karmic results of positive actions are multiplied exponentially. Students are encouraged to devote some special time to engage in positive actions, and heart practices; to rejoice in the positive actions of others throughout the world on this day, and to dedicate the merit to the benefit and eventual enlightenment of all sentient beings.

Location at Kadampa Center: 
Gompa
Tuesday, May 29, (All day) 2018

This day marks Shakyamuni Buddha's birth, enlightenment and parinirvana (passing from this life).

Saka Dawa is an especially auspicious day for spiritual practice — the karmic effects of all actions, positive and negative, are multiplied exponentially!

 

It is also an especially powerful day to take refuge in the Three Jewels - Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.  This year, for the first time, students who wish to take refuge can do so with Geshe Sangpo.

Our schedule at Kadampa Center will include:

5:15 am

Eight Mahayana Precepts, followed by a  group reading of  a sutra. The precepts begin before dawn and end at sunrise the following day. These precepts must be taken from a qualified master the first time; afterward the student may take them at home before their altar., or with other students at Kadampa Center. Geshe Sangpo will offer precepts if students request it. If you wish to take precepts for the first time, please register here.

3 pm

Animal blessing and liberation 

6:30 pm

Geshe Sangpo will offer Refuge in the Three Jewels, as well as the five Lay Vows beginning at 7pm. If you are taking refuge for the first time, please register by Friday, May 25.  Registration is closed. Those who wish to renew their vows may attend also.

Medicine Buddha Puja, led by Geshe Sangpo, follows the Refuge ceremony

 

Location at Kadampa Center: 
Gompa
11:00 am Thursday, July 27, 2017

A Special Animal Liberation/Blessing

According to Lama Zopa Rinpoche, it’s incredibly important to do practices to benefit animals and lead them to liberation: “It’s not enough that you look after animals and they give you comfort. You must do something of practical benefit for them. This is what you can do every day:​ Circumambulate with them around holy objects, chanting mantras. Recite prayers in their ears to plant the seed of all the realizations of the path to enlightenment. This makes a huge difference. It has incredible results, enabling them to have a good rebirth in their next life, to be born as a human being, and meet the Dharma.”

 

Join us for a special afternoon of animal liberation! It begins with a pet blessing. Bring your critters to the center (see below for important details) to have your pet circumambulate the stupa and receive a special blessing and mantras by the Kadampa Center nuns.

After the blessing, we’ll continue with an animal release of earthworms, who would otherwise have been used as bait, into the woods and soil around the center. You are also welcome to purchase and bring earthworms ​to release.

This special event is partially sponsored by the Saah family, but we welcome other sponsors—if you’d like to make a special donation towards this incredible merit opportunity and the purchase of the beings that will be freed, please contact Donna​ at program.donna@kadampa-center.org

 

Important Details for the Pet Blessing

Dogs must be on leashes, all other animals must be in cages. In order to keep all the dogs and cats happy, please keep your pet under your control and be ready to follow our instructions at the site. We will have water available to keep the pets from getting thirsty​. ​If the weather is bad, animals will be invited inside the building for the blessing and circumambulation of a special altar.

 

Location at Kadampa Center: 
Gompa
3:00 pm Friday, June 9, 2017

A Special Animal Liberation/Blessing

According to Lama Zopa Rinpoche, it’s incredibly important to do practices to benefit animals and lead them to liberation: “It’s not enough that you look after animals and they give you comfort. You must do something of practical benefit for them. This is what you can do every day:​ Circumambulate with them around holy objects, chanting mantras. Recite prayers in their ears to plant the seed of all the realizations of the path to enlightenment. This makes a huge difference. It has incredible results, enabling them to have a good rebirth in their next life, to be born as a human being, and meet the Dharma.”

 

Join us for a special afternoon of animal liberation! It begins with a pet blessing. Bring your critters to the center (see below for important details) to have your pet circumambulate the stupa and receive a special blessing and mantras by the Kadampa Center nuns.

After the blessing, we’ll continue with an animal release of earthworms, who would otherwise have been used as bait, into the woods and soil around the center. You are also welcome to purchase and bring earthworms ​to release.

This special event is sponsored by the Saah family, but we welcome other sponsors—if you’d like to make a special donation towards this incredible merit opportunity and the purchase of the beings that will be freed, please contact Donna​ at program.donna@kadampa-center.org

 

Important Details for the Pet Blessing

Dogs must be on leashes, all other animals must be in cages. In order to keep all the dogs and cats happy, please keep your pet under your control and be ready to follow our instructions at the site. We will have water available to keep the pets from getting thirsty​. ​If the weather is bad, animals will be invited inside the building for the blessing and circumambulation of a special altar.

 

 

Location at Kadampa Center: 
Gompa
5:15 am Friday, June 9, 2017

Join us for the power of group practice to take the Eight Mahayana Precepts, followed by a light breakfast, on the celebration of Saka Dawa. This day marks Shakyamuni Buddha's birth, enlightenment and parinirvana (passing from this life).

The Eight Mahayana Precepts are a set of eight vows taken for a period of 24 hours, from sunrise on one day to sunrise the following day. The vows include no killing, stealing, sexual activity, lying, sitting on high beds, taking intoxicants, wearing perfume or jewelry, or eating after noon. Our Spiritual Director, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, encourages students to take the Eight Mahayana Precepts on holy days.

These precepts must be taken from a qualified master the first time; afterward the student may take them at home before their altar.

Following the precepts ceremony, there will be a light breakfast and a group reading of the Vajra Cutter Sutra.

Geshe Gelek will offer precepts if students request it. If you wish to take precepts for the first time, please register here.

 

Location at Kadampa Center: 
Gompa
7:00 pm Friday, June 9, 2017

On this auspicious holy day, Saka Dawa, Geshe-la will offer Refuge, the Five Lay Vows, and Bodhisattva Vows. It is especially wonderful to be able to take these vows on a Buddha holy day, when the karmic effects of our actions increase exponentially!

Taking refuge vows is making a commitment to Buddhism as one's spiritual path. It also creates a karmic bond with the teacher who offers the vows. When you take refuge in the Three Jewels, the refuge master conferring the vows will also give you a refuge name in Tibetan.

The Five Lay Vows are a set of basic ethical principals, vows not to kill, take what has not been given, lie, take intoxicants or commit sexual misconduct (that is, have sex with someone else's partner)

Bodhisattva Vows are a set of 18 principals that areguides to which actions to practice and which to abandoned in order to be of greatest benefit to others, develop compassion, and overcome selfish ways of being.

You can learn more about these vows in this Mandala Magazine article. The Five Lay Vows are lifetime vows, so they only need to be taken once, and should be taken with the confidence you will keep them.

Those who have already taken refuge are welcome to attend and renew their vows.

Geshe Gelek recommends anyone interested in taking refuge should read the refuge section in the book Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand (available in our bookstore). He also taught a class on refuge in 2013 for students interested in the ceremony - you can listen to it in the recordings section of our website.

The ceremony will likely be in Tibetan, but it is first explained in English what you are saying. Please arrive by 6:30. At the end of the ceremony, it is traditional to offer two katas (white offering scarfs, available in the bookstore) - one to the Buddha statue on the altar, and one to the teacher giving the vows, who returns it by placing it over your head as a blessing. While we often have spare ones to lend, it is best to buy them so you are actually making an offering of your own. It is also auspicious to give the teacher a gift, typically money (any amount) in an envelope, in appreciation for the incredible gift he has just given you with this opportunity. The center will also be giving you a copy of the FPMT booklet on refuge and how to practice it daily. 

Lay Vows and Bodhisattva Vows

Following the refuge ceremony, Geshe-la will offer the five Lay Vows and the Bodhisattva Vows.

Thanking the teacher

If you take any vows with Geshe-la, it is auspicious to thank him by offering and kata and a small gift, typically money (any amount) in an envelope. 

As with all our programs, we offer the Dharma and many resources freely to the community, and rely on your donations to cover the costs involved. Please consider supporting the center by making an offering in the donation boxes, through the bookstore, online, or by mailing a check.

If you have any questions, please email Donna at program.donna@kadampa-center.org

Location at Kadampa Center: 
Gompa
Tuesday, December 12, (All day) 2017

Lama Tsongkhapa is the founder of our lineage, the Gelugpa tradition, in Tibetan Buddhism. He was a renowned scholar, practitioner, meditator, teacher and author.  His studies and meditations in all the major schools of Tibetan Buddhism resulted in the founding of the Gelugpa lineage.       

Among his major accomplishments is writing the Lamrim, or the Great Treatise on the Path to Enlightenment, a step-by-step guide to the spiritual practices that lead to enlightenment. He also wrote several condensed versions of the Lamrim, including Foundation of All Good Qualities, the Three Principal Aspects of the Path, and Song of Experience.

He also revitalized the monastic code in Tibet, established the annual Great Prayer Festival, established Ganden Monastery, the first of the great monasteries in the Gelugpa tradition, and wrote 18 volumes of teachings. 

Lama Tsongkhapa Day is a celebration of the anniversary of his parinirvana. Practices recommended for this day include making offerings and reciting Lamrim texts, as well as Guru Puja.

                   

 

At Kadampa Center, we will celebrate the day with a few events.

Lama Tsongkhapa Day honors a very powerful practitioner so there is great power in the merit of supporting it financially. Supporting this holy day's spiritual practices – whether you are able to attend or not – is an opportunity to collect great merit. If you are sponsoring but not attending, you can offer prayers for those who are participating in the events.

Geshe Gelek encourages students who have previously taken Eight Mahayana Precepts to take them at home before their altar.

At 10:30 am, we will do practices honoring Lama Tsongkhapa and meditating on the major points of the lamrim. Sponsor the morning practice ($75)

At 6 pm we will make light offerings to the stupa. Sponsor the light offerings ($50)

At 7 pm we will have Guru Puja. All are welcome to come and join in!  Sponsor the Guru Puja ($125)

In Guru Puja, we reflect on and celebrate the good qualities of all our teachers -- and Lama Tsongkhapa is such an important lineage teacher for us! This
beautiful practice includes many stanzas meditating on key points of the lamrim.

 

Location at Kadampa Center: 
Gompa
Friday, November 10, (All day) 2017

When he was 41, Shakyamuni Buddha ascended to Tushita, a Pure Land (a kind of heaven)  to repay his mother's kindness by giving teachings to liberate her from samsara. After three months, he returned to Earth to continue his teachings at the request of his disciples.

As a Buddha Holy Day, this is an auspicious day for practice, when the karmic effects of actions are multiplied exponentially, according to Lama Zopa Rinpoche.

This is a merit-multiplying day, when the karmic effects of all our actions (negative as well as positive) are multiplied a million times, according to Lama Zopa Rinpoche, so any virtuous practice on this day is especially auspicious!

Auspicious practices for the day include:

Eight Mahayana Precepts  Geshe Gelek strongly encourages students who have previously received the precepts to take at least one precept today. There are great benefits to living in vows, even for a single day, and because this is a merit-multiplying day, it is especially beneficial to take precepts.

Center open for individual practice

Medicine Buddha puja  at 7 pm. You can sponsor this puja here.

Location at Kadampa Center: 
Gompa
Friday, June 9, (All day) 2017

This day marks Shakyamuni Buddha's birth, enlightenment and parinirvana (passing from this life).

This is an especially auspicious day for spiritual practice — the karmic effects of all actions, positive and negative, are multiplied exponentially!

Our schedule at Kadampa Center will include:

Eight Mahayana Precepts, at 5:15 am, followed by a  group reading of the Vajra Cutter Sutra. The precepts begin before dawn and end at sunrise the following day. These precepts must be taken from a qualified master the first time; afterward the student may take them at home before their altar. Geshe Gelek will offer precepts if students request it. If you wish to take precepts for the first time, please register here.

Medicine Buddha Puja at 12 pm.

Geshe Gelek will offer Refuge in the Three Jewels, as well as the five Lay Vows and the 18 Bodhisattva Vows, beginning at 7pm. If you are taking refuge for the first time, please register here by Tuesday, June 6. Those who wish to renew their vows may attend also.

Location at Kadampa Center: 
Gompa

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