SPIRITUAL: Special Class

In Tibetan Buddhism, traditional statues are made of bronze and hollow inside. There's a process of rolling mantras and filling the statues in preparation for a blessing ceremony when the Buddhas are invited to become one with the statue, making it ready for use on an altar. Not only is this a fun hands-on activity, it's an excellent way to get to know other people in the center community!  The process involves carefully cutting strips of mantras, rolling the paper tightly around incense, and then gluing fabric on the rolls. Everyone is welcome, whether or not you have a statue to fill. *Meet in the classroom building (to the right of the main building.)

Please register your statue right away at http://kadampa-center.org/statue-blessing-registration. This way we can judge how many mantras need to be rolled before we can hold the ceremony. If we have last minute registrations, it delays the ceremony (because it takes months to roll mantras just for one statue), so please plan ahead! For more information about choosing a statue, please see Geshe Gelek's advice How to Buy a Statue.

Also plan to participate in the mantra rolling process until there are enough mantras for everyone's statues (this typically takes many months!). This creates a very strong personal connection to your statues, both karmically and as a inspiration for your practice. Rolling mantras requires instruction and practice, but you can also roll them at home once you've attended at least one session at the center to learn how and practice with some guidance.

In Tibetan Buddhism, traditional statues are made of bronze and hollow inside. There's a process of rolling mantras and filling the statues in preparation for a blessing ceremony when the Buddhas are invited to become one with the statue, making it ready for use on an altar. Not only is this a fun hands-on activity, it's an excellent way to get to know other people in the center community!  The process involves carefully cutting strips of mantras, rolling the paper tightly around incense, and then gluing fabric on the rolls. Everyone is welcome, whether or not you have a statue to fill. *Meet in the classroom building (to the right of the main building.)

Students who have a statue and want to have it blessed

Please register your statue right away at http://kadampa-center.org/statue-blessing-registration. This way we can judge how many mantras need to be rolled before we can hold the ceremony. If we have last minute registrations, it delays the ceremony (because it takes months to roll mantras just for one statue), so please plan ahead! For more information about choosing a statue, please see Geshe Gelek's advice How to Buy a Statue.

Also plan to participate in the mantra rolling process until there are enough mantras for everyone's statues (this typically takes many months!). This creates a very strong personal connection to your statues, both karmically and as a inspiration for your practice. Rolling mantras requires instruction and practice, but you can also roll them at home once you've attended at least one session at the center to learn how and practice with some guidance.

One of the key points of Buddhism is emptiness - things do not exist the way we think they do. Developing a realization of this cuts the root of ignorance, and just thinking about it shakes the foundation of our samsaric existence. In the Mahayana tradition, one of the most well-known sutras on emptiness is the Vajra (or Diamond) Cutter Sutra. Lama Zopa Rinpoche taught on an important verse from this sutra at this year's Light of the Path Retreat, and Geshe Gelek has been reviewing it as well:

“As a star, a visual aberration, a lamp,

an illusion, dew, a bubble,

a dream, lightning, and a cloud –

view all the compounded like that.”

During this day-long teaching, visiting teacher Ven. George Churinoff will provide the larger context for this verse by explaining the meaning of The Vajra Cutter Sutra and the fundamental logic behind emptiness. You can download a free copy of this sutra from FPMT at http://fpmt.org/education/teachings/sutras/vajra-cutter-sutra/. 

We'll take a break mid-day for a vegetarian potluck lunch. Please bring a dish or drinks to share - we don't have facilities in the kitchen to heat food, so hot dishes should be brought in crock pots. Gluten free and vegan dishes are especially appreciated - please label your ingredients to help those with special dietary needs.

In Tibetan Buddhism, traditional statues are made of bronze and hollow inside. There's a process of rolling mantras and filling the statues in preparation for a blessing ceremony when the Buddhas are invited to become one with the statue, making it ready for use on an altar. Not only is this a fun hands-on activity, it's an excellent way to get to know other people in the center community! Everyone is welcome, whether or not you have a statue to fill. The process involves carefully cutting strips of mantras, rolling the paper tightly around incense, and then gluing fabric on the rolls.

Students who have a statue and want to have it blessed

Please register your statue right away at http://kadampa-center.org/statue-blessing-registration. This way we can judge how many mantras need to be rolled before we can hold the ceremony. If we have last minute registrations, it delays the ceremony (because it takes months to roll mantras just for one statue), so please plan ahead! For more information about choosing a statue, please see Geshe Gelek's advice How to Buy a Statue.

Also plan to participate in the mantra rolling process until there are enough mantras for everyone's statues (this typically takes many months!). This creates a very strong personal connection to your statues, both karmically and as a inspiration for your practice. Rolling mantras requires instruction and practice, but you can also roll them at home once you've attended at least one session at the center to learn how and practice with some guidance.

Basic Program

Kadampa Center is now offering FPMT's Basic Program, taught primarily by our resident teacher, Geshe Gelek, and facilitated by Shankha Mitra. This five-year program was designed by Lama Zopa Rinpoche for students who have completed basic levels of study and have a regular Buddhist practice to gain a profound knowledge of the key aspects of the entire Buddhist path.

Pre-requisites and Pre-registration

Information about the pre-requisites and the form to register are available on the Basic Program page. Students who are starting the course with this module need to register by Sunday, Sept. 14th. The class will be recorded but not streamed since students need to attend in person to fully participate.

Mind and Cognition: part 1, Mind and Mental Factors

An introduction to Buddhist psychology, Mind and Mental Factors describes the various positive and negative emotions, as well as the cognitive states relevant to practice of a liberative path are identified and defined. Understanding the 51 mental factors gives us insight how to develop our positive qualities and apply atidotes to the negative ones.

Geshe Gelek said strongly that a basis of lam-rim is usually taught first and is an important part of our practice, so this class should not take the place of or distract from Wednesday night's lam-rim course.

Guest FPMT Registered teacher, Venerable George Churinoff, will be teaching this module in Geshe-la's absence. A physics graduate from MIT, Venerable George earned a Masters degree in Buddhist studies from Delhi University, India. He took ordination in 1975 and studied the Geshe Studies Program at Manjushri Institute, England, where he also served as Spiritual Program Coordinator. Venerable George was instrumental in founding the Masters Program at Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa in Italy, where he also served as Program Coordinator. After studying and teaching there for eight years he spent several years at Tushita Centre in Delhil, followed by three years as Lama Osel Rinpoche's English curriculum tutor at Sera Je Monastery in South India. Venerable George has done many retreats in the sutra and tantra traditions and taught extensively in FPMT centers all over the world. He taught the Basic Program as resident teacher at Dorje Chang Institute, New Zealand, and at Land of Medicine Buddha, USA. Venerable George now resides near Asheville, NC.

Materials

The text for this class, Kachen Yeshe Gyaltsen's Clear Exposition of the Modes of Minds and Mental Factors: a Necklace for those of Clear Mind, homework assignments, a service sign-up sheet, supplemental materials, and recordings are available for download on a private webpage for registered students in the Members section of the website. If you are not a member yet, please contact membership@kadampa-center.org. The link will be sent to students when registration closes. There is also an email list for discussion and announcements.

Basic Program

Kadampa Center is now offering FPMT's Basic Program, taught by our resident teacher, Geshe Gelek, and facilitated by Shankha Mitra. This five-year program was designed by Lama Zopa Rinpoche for students who have completed basic levels of study and have a regular Buddhist practice to gain a profound knowledge of the key aspects of the entire Buddhist path.

Pre-requisites and Pre-registration

Information about the pre-requisites and the form to register are available on the Basic Program page. Please pre-register by June 15th. The class will be recorded but not streamed since students need to attend in person to fully participate.

Tenets

Based on the idea that the Buddha taught different things to different people in line with their capacities, Tibetan scholars systemized the numerous trends in Indian Buddhist thought and taught the four schools of Tenets (Drubtha) as a means to approach the most profound philosophical teachings via more accessible levels. The text that is the basis for study of this subject gives a brief overview of the assertions on minds, objects, selflessness and the nature of attainment within each of the schools, culminating in the tenets of the most highly esteemed school, the Madhyamikas. 

Accoding to Geshe Gelek, the benefits of studying tenets includes increasing our understanding of emptiness and greatly increasing our understanding of the nature of all things. In other words, understanding Asanga’s point of view of emptiness means our view of our world and its reality will progress.  From a very practical point of view, it helps us to improve our understanding of conventional world – and mainly the conventional world is our “self” – so we better understand the empty nature of the self.

Geshe Gelek said strongly that a basis of lam-rim is usually taught first and is an important part of our practice, so this class should not take the place of or distract from Wednesday night's lam-rim course. 

Materials

The text for this class, Presentation of Tenets, and recordings will be made available for download on a private webpage in the Members section of the website. If you are not a member yet, please contact Sandy at membership@kadampa-center.org. The link will be sent to students when registration closes. There will also be an email list set up to send out weekly homework and assignments.