Gompa

Learn the essential facts about the law of cause and effect in relation to actions and their results. Generate a clear understanding about how karma works.  Discover effective tools to accumulate merit -- the cause of happiness and success -- and purify mistaken actions done in the past -- the cause of suffering.  Explore ways to become adept at dealing with life more effectively and thereby take control of your future.

DB Module 06: All About Karma is a 6-week module, offered on Mondays, 7:00-8:30pm, Nov 6, 13, 20, 27, Dec 4, 11, 2023. 

Explore the process of death and rebirth and its impact on how you live your life.  Be guided in skillful reflection on the inevitability of death and what to expect at the time of death.  Learn how accepting the reality of death and preparing for it helps you fulfill your purpose in life and resolve conflicts.  Develop skills to help both yourself and others at the time of death.  Come to understand how eventually, through Buddhist practice, you can overcome death altogether.

DB Module 05: Death and Rebirth is a 5-week module, offered on Mondays, 7:00-8:30pm, July 24, 31, August 7, 14, 21, 2023. 

Seven weeks after attaining enlightenment at Bodhgaya, Shakyamuni Buddha gave his first teaching, on the Four Noble Truths, at the Deer Park in Sarnath. We celebrate this day as Chokhor Düchen. This is a Buddha holy day, when the karma from our positive actions multiplies 100 million times, according to a Vinaya text - so it's a good day to do spiritual practice, which can be as simple as showing kindness to others.

FULL SCHEDULE -- CHOKHOR DUCHEN 2023

5:45 am: Kadampa Center opens

6:00 am: Eight Mahayana Precepts, given by Geshe Gelek

Light breakfast offered by Kadampa Center following precepts

~8:30 am: Geshe-la leads Lamrim meditation and Lama Tsongkhapa Guru Yoga

11:30 am: Lunch offered by Kadampa Center

12:00 - 6:00 pm: Kadampa Center open for personal practice

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IRegistration to take precepts for the first time is closed. Students who wish to take precepts for the first time may simply come to the Center at 6 am.

**DO NOT REGISTER if you have previously taken precepts.**

About Chokhor Düchen: 

At his first teaching, the Buddha expressed his profound realization of the nature of existence in the Four Noble Truths:

1. The Truth of  the Nature of Suffering
2. The Truth of the Origins or Causes of Suffering
3. The Truth of the Cessation of, or Liberation from, Suffering
4. The Truth of the Eight Fold Path as the means to attain ultimate happiness and freedom from suffering.

This teaching, referred to as the First Turning of the Wheel of Dharma, led to the formation of the Sangha, the community of disciples committed to following the Buddha's example of living simply, following the Path, and teaching the Dharma. 

Accordingly, every year at this time, the FPMT encourages its Centers to celebrate the presence of the sangha community. 

Our website includes a Sangha Support and Offerings page with valuable information, including a previous year's talk and Q&A about sangha with our director, Robbie Watkins.

Practice advice and more about Chokhor Düchen and International Sangha Day can be found HERE. 

All are invited to join Kadampa Center's celebration of His Holiness’ 88th birthday! 

The celebration will begin with a procession to enthrone an image of His Holiness in the gompa, followed by prayer offerings for His Holiness' long life.

In true birthday party fashion, there will also be cake, sweet rice, singing and dancing!  Everyone is invited ~ join us!

This event will take the place of our regularly scheduled Sunday Dharma teaching on Sunday July 2nd from 10:30-11:30am.

All are welcome to attend and join in!

The puja is sponsored by Kadampa Center students, who generously donated toward a puja at Kopan Monastery outside Kathmandu, Nepal, which was held on May 17.

This event will be available both in the gompa and online via YouTube and Zoom. Please register here for Zoom.

Saka Dawa is the month when we honor Shakyamuni Buddha's birth, enlightenment and parinirvana (passing from this life). In 2023, Saka Dawa begins May 20 and ends June 30.

On Saka Dawa Düchen, (Sunday, June 4) Geshe Gelek will lead us in special prayers and practices during our Sunday Dharma Connections period, 10:30-11:30 am. There will be a lunch and social gathering afterward.

The session will be offered in person and online via Zoom (the regular Sunday Dharma link) or YouTube.  To attend by Zoom, please register in advance.

Saka Dawa Düchen is the full-moon day, the most holy day of the month. This day, and the entire month, are especially auspicious for spiritual practice  — the karmic effects of all actions are multiplied one hundred thousand times. 

Gen Don Handrick returns to Kadampa Center for a week of teachings, including evenings, a weekend workshop, and our Sunday Morning Dharma Connections.

Gen Don's humble, compassionate demeanor, and his capacity to explain profound ideas with precision, contemporary examples, and humor is appreciated by students worldwide.  Gen Don will be teaching on a variety of topics applicable to our everyday lives in modern society as well as profound aspects of the Buddhist path to enlightenment.  Join us for any or all of his teachings!

See below for ways to support the teachings, Gen Don's teaching schedule and topics, as well as the links to access the teachings online.  Teachings will be offered both in person at Kadampa Center and via Zoom and YouTube live stream.

Investigate the role of a teacher on the spiritual path, the need for a teacher, the qualities of a teacher, the qualities of a student, and how to relate to a teacher for the greatest benefit in your spiritual life.  Consider the challenges faced when entering into a guru-disciple relationship and learn how to overcome these skillfully.

DB Module 04: The Spiritual Teacher is a 4-week module, offered on Mondays, 7:00-8:30pm, June 5, 12, 19, 26, 2023. 

Please consider making a donation to Kadampa Center to enable us to keep Dharma classes like Discovering Buddhism possible.  Any heartfelt amount is greatly appreciated.

DONATE HERE

Come help set up offerings and the gompa for our  Medicine Buddha Puja for Lama Zopa Rinpche's swift return.

Join Geshe Sangpo and other students in the gompa at 2 pm to help set up 100 sets of offerings for the puja!  This is also a chance to work closely with Geshe Sangpo and to learn hands-on about altar offerings.

All are welcome to come and join in! No registration necessary - just come!  We will have light refreshments.

Kadampa Center will hold a Medicine Buddha Puja for Lama Zopa Rinpche's swift return, on Sunday, May 14, at 10:30 am.

The puja will include extensive offerings - 100 sets - across the altar. It will be chanted in both English and Tibetan. Both Geshe Gelek and Geshe Sangpo will attend.

We will serve a light lunch after the puja.

All are welcome to come and join in!