Kadampa Center welcomes visits from students studying comparative religion. We offer these suggestions to help in your exploration of Buddhism at Kadampa Center:
When can I visit?
The best time to visit and get a good flavor of the teachings is our
Sunday morning teaching at 10:30 a.m.
In general, this session is geared for students at all levels and is led
by our resident teacher, Geshe
Gelek Chodha, a highly qualified Tibetan monk. Geshe-la speaks
fluent English, and he teaches with humor and compassion. During the
times when Geshe-la is away these sessions are led by Venerable
Tendron, an American nun and longtime member of Kadampa Center who
completed a five year study program at FPMT's Chenrizig Institute in
Australia. We generally have a large congregation on Sundays, and it's
a good opportunity to ask questions of experienced practitioners.
Another good time to visit is Monday evenings at 7 p.m. when we offer beginning level classes taught by senior students. This program, called Discovering Buddhism, is a 2-year course that addresses 14 basic aspects of Buddhism in depth. The classes tend to include discussion of the topic under study, and are generally more narrowly focused than Sunday mornings. The student leading the class may be able to answer questions afterward, if he or she has time. Check the calendar before planning to come.
It is not necessary to attend an orientation before visiting any class or teaching.
How should I dress?
Casual clothing is generally appropriate; most of our members wear
trousers or jeans. Please avoid short shorts and revealing tops. If you
plan to sit on a meditation cushion, you will be more comfortable in
loose clothes. We also have chairs for those who prefer them. It is
also our custom to remove our shoes when entering the gompa, or main
meditation/teaching hall, so you may want to consider that when
choosing your shoes!
What if my professor requires an interview?
We understand that often your projects require an interview with an
experienced Buddhist practitioner. If multiple students from a single
class wish to visit and hold an interview, we request that you organize
a joint visit so that we can answer all questions in a single session.
We must request at least a two-week notice to arrange for an interview because the assistance we offer to students is provided on a volunteer basis.
Can a teacher arrange to bring the class to visit?
We welcome visits from high school, college or Sunday school groups up
to 15 people (due to limited space) at our regular Sunday teachings. We
request at least a two-week notice for a visit during a
regular teaching.
For groups larger than 15 people, you can schedule a special visit by contacting our Community Speakers Coordinator. We request at least a three week notice for a special visit.
Would someone come speak to my class?
We are happy to send a speaker to your classroom for a presentation and
discussion. We must request at least a three-week notice.
Please visit our Community Speakers page
for our guidelines.
Kadampa Center, Raleigh, NC, USA
Affiliated with the Foundation for
the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition in the lineage of His Holiness the Dalai Lama