"It is our custom to say that someone is "lucky" or "unlucky" if they meet with fortunate or unfortunate circumstances, respectively. It is however, too simplistic to think in terms of random "luck." Even from a scientific point of view, this is not a sufficient explanation. Should something unfortunate happen, we immediately think, "Oh, how unlucky!" And yet this is not sufficient to explain what happened- there must be a cause. We seem to call "luck" that factor which overrides external conditions to bring about a positive situation. But that too is a cause; it is an inner cause, which we call "merit."-- His Holiness the Dalai Lama, from "Answers: Discussions with Western Buddhists", published by Snow Lion Publications.
Creating merit is an essential part of Buddhist practice. When we build up our stores of merit, it removes obstacles in our spiritual lives. This makes it easier to understand the teachings and apply the Dharma in our everyday lives. Making merit is also great purification!
On Thursday practice nights, we will do group practices of doing prostrations and offering mandalas. In these sessions, Geshe Sangpo will briefly explain the purpose and benefits of the practices and teach us how to do them, and then we will all do the practice together. This is of benefit to everyone who participates, and because we are doing practice as a group in our gompa, it will benefit Kadampa Center as well.
Prostration nights will be easy-going; we will do seven prostrations, then recite purification practices "Prostrations to the 35 Confession Buddhas" and the Vajrasattva mantra, then repeat. Those who wish may continue prostrating!
The sessions will take place every two weeks beginning with prostrations on Thursday, April 12, and will run from 7 to 8pm. The next session in the schedule will be mandala offerings on Thursday, April 26, and so on every two weeks.
On this night, we will do mandala offerings.
No need to have a mandala set on mandala offering nights, but if you have a set, please bring it! Geshe Sangpo will teach the hand mudra for mandala offerings for those who don't have a set.
