Gompa

Meditation 101 is an introductory course on basic Buddhist meditation techniques for complete beginners, and includes Buddhist meditations that can be used by anyone to create more peace and happiness in daily life. Presented in five sessions. Students are encouraged to come for the whole class, but drop-ins are welcome.

The basic Buddhist meditation techniques covered include:

what is meditation?

breathing meditations

mindfulness meditations

visualization meditations

In keeping with Kadampa Center traditiion, we do not request a fee to attend this class -- the Dharma is too precious to let money be an obstacle to hearing teachings. We do welcome any heartfelt donations to help cover the cost of offering Meditation 101.

This class is led by Jill Marie.

Written by Lama Tsongkhapa, the Lamrim organizes the Buddha's teachings into a systematic method of spiritual growth. Lama Tsongkhapa presented this method in both a lengthy treatise and in short poems designed for easy memorization, as a guide to meditating on the path.

Geshe Gelek will teach on The Foundation of All Good Qualities, a condensed text that contains the entire lamrim in 14 stanzas. Many students at Kadampa Center have memorized this text, and Geshe-la will teach with an eye to helping students use this text in our daily practice. 

Find The Foundation of All Good Qualities here.

This course would be meaningful to any interested students, and especially those with some foundation in Buddhist basics.

Making Friends with Death: Finding Peace and Perspective in this Ultimate Transition

A Weekend Workshop with Venerable Amy Miller

Kadampa Center is happy to welcome Venerable Amy back!  With her warm and engaging style and deep understanding of the Dharma, Venerable Amy brings a unique approach to the teachings that explores how we can use this wisdom in our daily lives. In this weekend, we will tackle one of the biggest questions of life.

For most of our culture, death often presents an anxious situation ridden with fear, loss, hopelessness and grief. In this weekend workshop, we will explore a more expansive view of this natural transition and how it is possible to face death with peace, dignity and no regrets. The weekend will include discussion and meditation, as well as with practical applications for caregivers. This course is open to all levels of students with a particular interest in death and dying, hospice work, and all caregivers.

            We all pitch in to make Venerable Amy's visit a success. There are lots of ways to volunteer!  You can sign up here.

                             Sponsor the Teachings Here

 Schedule:

Learn more about Venerable Amy and her teaching schedule at other centers at her website.

NCSU Diversity group for tour and presentation on Buddhism

Group of 30 Hindu Schoolchildren, from Elementary to HS age to visit Center for a tour and talk about Buddhism

There is great suffering around the world right now: Many people and animals have died, become ill and/or lost their homes because of hurricanes, floods and wildfires, or because of political upheaval causing them to flee for safety. On this Buddha holy day, Lhabab Duchen, when the merits of virtuous actions are multiplied exponentially, we offer a Medicine Buddha puja to alleviate the suffering of all sentient beings. Medicine Buddha puja 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. In this beautiful practice, we invoke the names of the seven Medicine Buddhas, contemplate and appreciate their qualities and request their blessings. Typically we do Medicine Buddha Puja in English, so it is easy to follow along.

Everyone attending the puja is encouraged to bring medicines -- in a bag or box labeled with your name -- to be placed on the altar and blessed.

Anyone can sponsor this puja, and offer a dedication to be read and shared by all who participate.

Sponsor this puja here.

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 Sandy Carlson