Gompa

All events for Sunday, September 16 are cancelled.

Stay safe and dry!

Lama Atisha organized all of the Buddha's teachings into a step-by-step guide how to become enlightened in a short text called "Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment."

Lama Tsongkhapa (the founder of our Gelugpa lineage) wrote a detailed explanation of Lama Atisha's text to help students understand and practice the instructions, called The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment (Lamrim Chenmo). This lamrim foundation is the basis of all practice in our lineage, including tantra.

Geshe Gelek began teaching on this extensive text, which covers three volumes, several years ago, and our course progressed into the second volume. After a break in 2015, Geshe-la turned to teaching Lama Tsongkhapa's more condensed lamrim texts (Song of Experience, The Foundation of All Good Qualities, and The Three Principal Aspects of the Path).  We now return to the full Lamrim Chenmo.

These incredible teachings by Geshe Gelek on this text are a rare and precious opportunity.

Students who missed the earlier teachings can find them in the recordings section of our website.

To keep us safe from Hurricane Florence, mandala practice with Geshe Sangpo has been CANCELLED. 

Next practice nights will be prostrations on September 27, and mandalas on October 11.

To keep us safe from  Hurricane Florence, Tara practice is postponed to Sept. 22, 1 pm to 5:30 pm.

The Fall Session is September 2 - November 18
Students will be studying 16 Guidelines Curriculum from the wisdom group How We Think. We have three classes, one for preschool, one for grades K - 4, and one for grades 5 - 8. This is drop-off programming led by volunteers.

Are you interested in Buddhism but don't know where to start? Have you heard words like dharma and karma and samsara thrown around and wondered what they meant or why they mattered? Do you want to get a quick overview of Buddhism without making a long-term commitment?

Then…we have just the program for you. In five short classes, we introduce you to the major terms and concepts of Buddhism - a fast tour of the basics to enable you to take the next steps if you want more.

In five classes we provide a broad, simple overview of these and other key aspects of Buddhism and our practice. There is no required reading, no homework and no quizzes! There is, however, a suggested reading list for those who want to read more. Topics covered include:

• The Four Noble Truths
• Different kinds of Buddhism: Theravadan, Mahayana, Vajrayana, etc.
• Buddha's teachings in a gradual form for the practice of one individual...where to start, what next, etc.
• A brief introduction to meditation

In keeping with our tradition, these classes are offered on a donation basis. No pre-registration is needed. This course is led by Jim Sutorus

Dharma study is rich with ideas for understanding our lives and how to live them. We can come out of a class with our minds buzzing:

"What about this aspect of karma?"

"Understanding impermanence really helped me come to grips with that loss in my life... I wonder what others took from it."

"I still can't get my mind around emptiness and dependent arising."

Our teachers advise us that discussion and debate are a good method for bringing the teachings alive and weaving them into our thought processes. In these facilitated discussion sessions, we invite everyone --  past and future Discovering Buddhism students and teachers, and anyone else who wants to discuss foundational Buddhist topics in the context of day-to-day practice. Each week will have its own topic as a jumping off point.

December 3 - There are so many ways to think about practice. "Sit Every Day" and "Daily Life is Practice" are two of them. What do you think?

November 26 - The Lion's Roar article "Turn Your Thinking Upside Down" is excerpted from Practicing Peace, by Pema Chödrön. It is rich with discussion material focusing on the idea "We base our lives on seeking happiness and avoiding suffering, but the best thing we can do for ourselves—and for the planet—is to turn this whole way of thinking upside down. Pema Chödrön shows us Buddhism’s radical side."

November 12 - Venerable Robina answers the question "What is Anger?" in this Mandala Magazine article. Also, reprinted from “Anger,” by Thich Nhat Hanh, this Lion's Roar article teaches you how to relax the bonds of anger, attachment, and delusion through mindfulness and kindness toward yourself. Which of these methods are helpful to you? How similar or different are they from conventional methods?

November 5 - In this Lion's Roar article "How to Practice Metta for a Troubled Time," Mushim Patricia Ikeda teaches us how to generate loving-kindness and good will as an antidote to hatred and fear. Have you tried this? Does it work? Is it possible to feel like we are making any impact when we think about these "troubled times?" Throughout the discussion weeks, we'll use this FPMT article "Method, Wisdom and the Three Paths" by Geshe Lhundrub Sopa to put our discussion into context. 

The discussion groups will meet November 5, 12 and 26, and December 3 and 10.  We will not meet the Monday before Thanksgiving.

If you want to drive a nail, you reach into your toolbox for a hammer.
If you want to sew a seam, you reach into your sewing box for a needle.
And if you want to create a happy life, you reach into your spiritual toolbox for the Dharma.

In these teachings, Geshe Gelek will use topics from the Kadampa master Geshe Chekawa’s The Seven Point Mind Training as a tool for exploring methods of making our lives happier.

Upcoming topics:  How to Practice Bodhicitta  There are multiple points within this topic

The Kadampa masters were close disciples of Lama Atisha, who re-restablished Buddhism in Tibet some 800 years ago. They include  Geshe Chekawa, Geshe Langri Tangpa, who composed The Eight Verses of Thought Transformation, Dromtönpa and Geshe Potowa.

Wisdom Publications writes:

The phrase "Kadam masters" evokes for many Tibetans a sense of a spiritual golden age--the image of a community of wise yet simple monks devoted to a life of mental cultivation. These 11th- and12th-century masters were particularly famed for their pithy spiritual sayings that captured essential teachings in digestible bites. In these sayings one unmistakably detects a clear understanding of what comprises a truly happy life, one that is grounded in a deep concern for the welfare of others.

Our Sunday morning teachings are a vibrant, interactive experience where we explore applying the methods of Buddhism to the nitty-gritty of daily life.  With the guidance of one of our resident teachers, Geshe Gelek Chodha or Geshe Palden Sangpo, we discuss the complications that make us unhappy, and how the tools of Buddhism help us transform negative experiences by tweaking how we think about them. In this process we discover how to steer our minds toward happiness.

Sunday mornings typically begin with prayers, a brief meditation, and the rare opportunity to learn from a highly trained Buddhist monk. When Geshe Gelek and Geshe Sangpo are away, one of several senior students will lead the session. The teachings and prayers are in English.

Geshe-la welcomes questions and frequently will ask for questions from us, so that he can tailor his teachings to our needs.  We collect questions at any time at the Center (there’s a box on the desk just inside the door for them), and you can also submit questions online.

Sunday is a great time for a first visit to Kadampa Center – students at every level come, from newcomers to practitioners with 30+ years of experience, and it's a great opportunity to meet others and start making new friends.

We offer a full range of children's programs on Sundays. Children are invited to sit on the blue cushions at the front of the gompa, and then depart to their classes after opening prayers. Any child who wishes to is welcome to remain in the gompa for the teachings.

On many Sundays, we also host other events, such as the Newcomer Q&A, New Member Orientation, pujas (prayer services), Sunday Tea, and more. Special events for holy days, special practices, or exhibits and visiting teachers are also occasionally held on Sundays, so for all these events please check the calendar for more information and specific times.

There will be a private event in our gompa this afternoon, Saturday, August 11, 1 - 3 pm.

Tara, a female buddha, represents enlightened activities that address a multitude of our spiritual and temporal needs. These are represented by the 21 Taras, each an aspect of her buddha nature and wisdom. In this practice, we deepen our connection to each of the 21 Taras by visualizing her present with us, contemplating the specific enlightened activity of each Tara, and engaging in the Seven Limbs of practice:  prostration, offering, purification, rejoicing, entreating Tara to remain, requesting Tara to teach, and dedication. We begin the practice with creating a beautiful and bountiful offering table, overflowing with offerings to each of the 21 Taras. Everyone is encouraged to come and participate in this aspect of the practice. You are also welcome to bring your own flower or food offerings (for this practice, please avoid foods containing egg, meat, onion or garlic).

Students at all levels will enjoy this practice, which we do in English.

This practice was written by Panchen Lobsang Chökyi Gyaltsen at Tashi Lunpo Monastery in Tibet.  Geshe Gelek's  teacher, the former Abbot of Sera Je Monastery, Khensur Rinpoche Jetsun Lobsang Delek,  said when he visited in 2011 that we have a special connection to Tara, so doing her practice is incredibly beneficial for our community, harmony working together, and the success of Kadampa Center.

The Tara practice consists of reciting sadhanas and mantras for each of the 21 emanations of Tara.  Sadhanas are tantric meditations through which a practitioner aims to achieve union or identity with a divine being such as Mother Tara through visualizations and prayers.

Traditionally the offerings for the sangha and altar are sponsored by Dharma students, especially if they want to dedicate the merit to their loved ones in need of support and prayers. Sponsorship of Tara practice is $125.

Please click here to sponsor Tara practice.

If you'd like to know more about sponsoring a puja, please contact pujas@kadampa-center.org for instructions about making the donation and sending your personal dedication.