Gompa

Medicine Buddha puja is particularly beneficial for mental and physical healing and world peace.

This puja is especially beneficial for those who are experiencing physical or mental illness or 

those who have recently passed away. Typically we do these pujas in English.

From the Service Manual for Spiritual Program Coordinators, FPMT:

Many eons ago, seven bodhisattvas strongly prayed for the temporal and ultimate happiness of all sentient beings, that their names become wish-fulfilling in order to heal both the mental and physical sicknesses and diseases of sentient beings. They vowed that their prayers will be actualized during these degenerate times when the teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha are in decline. When they became enlightened, one of the ten powers of a Buddha is the power of prayer - that means that all the prayers that have been made get fulfilled. As the Buddha's holy speech is irrevocable, you can wholly trust in their power to quickly grant blessings to help all sentient beings in these degenerate times. They are called the Seven Medicine Buddhas, the main one is `Lapis Buddha of Medicine, King of Light'. Buddha Shakyamuni taught the teachings on the Medicine Buddha, and according to one tradition, is also considered as one of the Medicine Buddhas, and hence the Eight Medicine Buddhas.

The Eight Mahayana Precepts are a set of eight vows taken for a period of 24 hours, from sunrise on one day to sunrise the following day. The vows include no killing, stealing, sexual activity, lying, sitting on high beds, taking intoxicants, wearing perfume or jewelry, or eating after noon. Our Spiritual Director, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, encourages students to take the Eight Mahayana Precepts on holy days.

Join us for the power of group practice to take the Eight Mahayana Precepts, followed by a light breakfast, on the celebration of the Day of Miracles, the culmination of the two-week Great Prayer Festival.

The first time a student takes these precepts it must be from a qualified teacher. Those who have taken precepts previously from a qualified teacher can join us at the Kadampa Center or take them at home, at “first light”.

The two-week long Tibetan Great Prayer Festival, Monlam Chenmo, which began with the Tibetan New Year, culminates in the Day of Miracles, which falls this year on Monday, Feb. 22nd. As a Buddha Holy Day, the karmic effects of virtuous actions performed on this day are multiplied exponentially, according to Lama Zopa Rinpoche. 

Kadampa Center Schedule of Events

6:15  am    Eight Mahayana Precepts, followed by a light breakfast and a group
                   reading of  The Vajra Cutter Sutra

12 pm        Medicine Buddha Puja

At 7 pm our regularly scheduled Discovering Buddhism class will meet.
In addition to the scheduled events the Center will be open all day so students can come and do practices, either individually, or as a group.

The FPMT spiritual director, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, encourages students to take the Eight Mahayana Precepts on holy days. Those who have taken precepts previously from a qualified teacher can take them at the Center, or at home, at “first light”.

Other Recommended Practices on Holy Days:

Reading The Golden Light Sutra, Confessions to the 35 Buddhas, or any other Saddhana, Mantra, or “heart practice”
     
Other ways to create merit:

• To make the day even more powerful dedicate all your positive actions to the benefit of all sentient beings.
• Be mindful to take advantage of opportunities to practice acts of kindness and generosity towards all sentient beings, including family, friends, strangers, co-workers, “enemies”, and animals.
• Rejoice in all the positive actions of oneself and others.
• Rejoice in recognizing and avoiding any occasion to experience irritation, impatience, anger, envy, jealousy, laziness, or any other negative emotion.
• Purify any negative action of body speech and mind extensively.

More about Monlam Chenmo and the Day of Miracles

Monlam Chenmo is a two-week period during which the Buddha performed various miracles. The two weeks of holy days are observed with the Tibetan Great Prayer Festival beginning on Tibetan New Year, and, on the final day - the Day of Miracles - many fesitvals and rituals are held.

The Great Prayer Festival was established in Tibet in 1409 by Lama Tsongkhapa to commemorate Shakyamuni Buddha’s performance of miracles at Shravasti. According to the Sutra of the Wise and Foolish, six great Hindu teachers, representing the six great schools of Hinduism, challenged Shakyamuni Buddha to a competition of miracles. Typically the Buddha purposely avoided displays of powers because people are easily interested in mundane powers instead of practicing Dharma. However, through his clairovoyance, he understood they wouldn’t be subdued unless he performed the miracles, so he outdid them for 15 days, and the six scholars converted to Buddhism. The main purpose of the Great Prayer Festival is to pray for the long life of all the holy Gurus of all traditions, for the survival and spreading of the dharma in the minds of all sentient beings, and for world peace.

The Day of Miracles is an auspicious day for prayer and practice, as the karmic results of positive actions are multiplied exponentially. Students are encouraged to devote some special time to engage in positive actions, and heart practices; to rejoice in the positive actions of others throughout the world on this day, and to dedicate the merit to the benefit and eventual enlightenment of all sentient beings.

Our Spiritual Director, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, encourages students to take the Eight Mahayana Precepts on holy days. For more about the practice of precepts, please read The Direct and Unmistaken Method by Lama Zopa Rinpoche. Rinpoche advises many other practices on holy days as well.

Since the holy days are based on the Tibetan lunar calendar, according to our Western calendar they fall on different days every year. Please see our calendar for specific dates and a schedule of events.

A unique camping experience for families of all types to experience the Dharma together!

• Reliance
• Regret
• Remedy
• Resolution
• Rejoice.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche recites Vajrasattva.

We will learn together how to move beyond self-blame and guilt by facing difficulties with courage, thoughtfulness, and a caring attitude toward ourselves and others.

Camp Activities Include:  

• Exploring nature
• Hanging out with friends
• Arts & Crafts
• Talent Show
• Cool college counselors
• Campfire & S’mores
• Ga-Ga Ball (2015 Campers favorite activity by far!)
• Focused Programming for ages 5-12 and Options for children under 5 years of age
• Counseling Opportunities for ages 13+* and teen exclusive activities; teens interested in counseling must attend required trainings.

Dharma-Related Activities Include:

• Family time together in the Gompa
• Short meditations for kids and adults
• Learning prayers and Vajrasattva’s mantra
• Learning the meaning behind practices like setting up an altar and doing prostrations 
• Dorje Khadro fire puja 
• Advice and Encouragement from Kadampa Center’s inspiring Sangha
• Dedicated sessions for adults to discuss bringing Dharma into family life.

Camp fee is the cost of Room/Board plus 6 delicious vegetarian meals:

Joanna and Patrick will take inventory of items behind the curtain and possibly in SP shed that are needed for LOP retreat.

If you have been wondering about how to become a member here at Kadampa Center, this is the meeting for you.  The Membership Coordinator will discuss our organization and the opportunities and benefits of becoming a member of our community. The meeting lasts approximately 20-25 minutes.   We usually meet in the back of the Gompa at noon unless otherwise directed.

Death is the certain outcome of all our lives, yet instead of understanding and befriending this experience, most of us avoid thinking about it. As a result, we go into our deaths unprepared, and we are unable to help those we love through this critical transition.  In this workshop Ven. Robina will teach how to make death a happy, fulfilling experience.

Ven. Robina explains in the introduction to Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s book, Preparing for Death: How to Meet Life’s Final Challenge without Fear (to be published in 2016):

“For a Buddhist, the ideal way to die is to die gradually, contrary to an often-stated view that it’s best to die in our sleep so that we don’t know about it. And the reason is clear: given that most of us live in denial of this natural event, our loved ones need time to get ready for death, at peace and unafraid, so that they can, indeed, go happily to their next rebirth, either a precious human rebirth in which they can continue to practice their spiritual path or rebirth in a pure land, such as Buddha Amitabha’s, in which they can easily become a buddha and thus be qualified to perfectly help others.”

Workshop schedule:

• Friday, March 18, 7 - 8:30 p.m.
• Saturday, March 19, 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
• Sunday, March 20, 1:30 - 4:30 p.m.

Special guest teacher Venerable Robina Courtin is known for her easy-to-understand and dynamic presentation of Buddhism, understanding our mind and emotions. Click here to sponsor her visit.

Death is the certain outcome of all our lives, yet instead of understanding and befriending this experience, most of us avoid thinking about it. As a result, we go into our deaths unprepared, and we are unable to help those we love through this critical transition.  In this workshop Ven. Robina will teach how to make death a happy, fulfilling experience.

Ven. Robina explains in the introduction to Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s book, Preparing for Death: How to Meet Life’s Final Challenge without Fear (to be published in 2016):

“For a Buddhist, the ideal way to die is to die gradually, contrary to an often-stated view that it’s best to die in our sleep so that we don’t know about it. And the reason is clear: given that most of us live in denial of this natural event, our loved ones need time to get ready for death, at peace and unafraid, so that they can, indeed, go happily to their next rebirth, either a precious human rebirth in which they can continue to practice their spiritual path or rebirth in a pure land, such as Buddha Amitabha’s, in which they can easily become a buddha and thus be qualified to perfectly help others.”

During full-day teachings, Venerable Robina encourages students to stay at the center for lunch and discuss the morning teachings over the meal. We invite you to bring a brown-bag style lunch to eat while we talk!

Workshop schedule:

• Friday, March 18, 7-8:30 p.m.
• Saturday, March 19, 10 a.m. - noon;  1:30-4:30 p.m.
• Sunday, March 20, 1:30 - 3:30 p.m.

Special guest teacher Venerable Robina Courtin is known for her easy-to-understand and dynamic presentation of Buddhism, understanding our mind and emotions. Click here to sponsor her visit.

Death is the certain outcome of all our lives, yet instead of understanding and befriending this experience, most of us avoid thinking about it. As a result, we go into our deaths unprepared, and we are unable to help those we love through this critical transition.  In this workshop Ven. Robina will teach how to make death a happy, fulfilling experience.

Ven. Robina explains in the introduction to Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s book, Preparing for Death: How to Meet Life’s Final Challenge without Fear (to be published in 2016):

“For a Buddhist, the ideal way to die is to die gradually, contrary to an often-stated view that it’s best to die in our sleep so that we don’t know about it. And the reason is clear: given that most of us live in denial of this natural event, our loved ones need time to get ready for death, at peace and unafraid, so that they can, indeed, go happily to their next rebirth, either a precious human rebirth in which they can continue to practice their spiritual path or rebirth in a pure land, such as Buddha Amitabha’s, in which they can easily become a buddha and thus be qualified to perfectly help others.”

During full-day teachings, Venerable Robina encourages students to stay at the center for lunch and discuss the morning teachings over the meal. We invite you to bring a brown-bag style lunch to eat while we talk!

Workshop schedule:

• Friday, March 18, 7-8:30 p.m.
• Saturday, March 19, 10 a.m. - noon;  1:30-4:30 p.m.
• Sunday, March 20, 1:30 - 3:30 p.m.

Special guest teacher Venerable Robina Courtin is known for her easy-to-understand and dynamic presentation of Buddhism, understanding our mind and emotions. Click here to sponsor her visit.

In our Sunday morning teaching we explore applying the methods of Buddhism to the nitty-gritty of daily life. With the guidance of one of our teachers, we discuss the complications that make us unhappy, and how the tools of Buddhism shed new light on our thoughts and emotions. In this process we discover how to steer our minds toward happiness.

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.

Special guest teacher Venerable Robina Courtin is known for her easy-to-understand and dynamic presentation of Buddhism, understanding our mind and emotions.

We are able to host Venerable Robina thanks to the generosity of sponsors. Sponsor the teachings.