SPIRITUAL: Special Event Puja

This date is a Tsog Offering Practice Day when a puja will not be held at the Center.  This listing is meant to provide an accurate date, according to the Tibetan lunar calendar, in wihich one can perform tsog offering from home. 

This date is a Tsog Offering Practice Day when a puja will not be held at the Center.  This listing is meant to provide an accurate date, according to the Tibetan lunar calendar, in wihich one can perform tsog offering from home. 

This date is a Tsog Offering Practice Day when a puja will not be held at the Center.  This listing is meant to provide an accurate date, according to the Tibetan lunar calendar, in wihich one can perform tsog offering from home. 

Geshe Gelek leads the annual Dorje Khadro Fire Puja on New Year's Eve at Kadampa Center this year!

Tuesday, December 31, from 7:00 - 9:00 pm (in person only) Dorje Khadro Fire Puja is a powerful Mahayana purification practice.  Throughout the year, it is easy to make mistakes by doing negative actions of body (physical), speech (verbal), and mind (thoughts), thereby creating harmful karmic seeds that will eventually ripen as suffering, or "complications" as Geshe Gelek says.  This annual event offers an opportunity to go into the new year with a relatively clean slate.  Bring along your family and friends for this purification practice where we burn black sesame seeds (provided) which symbolize our past negative karmic actions.  Dress for being both indoors and outside.  Everyone is welcome! Sign up HERE to help with this event ~ thank you!

SCHEDULE FOR THE EVENING

Arrive:  Plan to arrive a little before 7pm to gather in the gompa before Geshe-la arrives.

7:00pm:  Geshe Gelek arrives and leads us through the begining prayers of the Dorje Khadro puja pracice.

Next:  We head outside to the fire pits where Geshe-la leads the group through the remainder of the practice.

Finally: Let's celebrate and socialize ~ refreshements will be provided!

9:00pm:  Wrap up and head home or plan to stay and help clean up if your schedule allows.

<<< PLEASE SIGN UP HERE TO HELP OUT >>>

MAY ALL LIVING BEINGS ENJOY A HAPPY, HEALTHY, PROSPEROUS & PEACEFUL NEW YEAR!

Interested in learning more about Dorje Khadro?  Check out the FPMT eBook, The Preliminary Practice of Dorje Khadro.

This practice is restricted to students who have received the Vajrayogini initiation.

Vajrayogini Tsog practice. Students are invited to bring Tsog to share.

Sand Mandala of Healing (Medicine Buddha) at Kadampa Center
	Thursday, Friday, Saturday February 1 - 3, 10 am to 4 pm and Sunday February 4 10:00 am - noon at Kadampa Center All are invited to attend!

Join us for this incredibly precious and rare opportunity to experience the creation and blessings of a healing mandala through this beautiful practice.

Creation of the sand mandala takes place over the course of three days, as the monks painstakingly sprinkle sand to create the intricate patterns of the mandala. The Sand Mandala of Healing is a representation of the pure land of Medicine Buddha.  We begin with an Opening Ceremony on the first morning of the mandala event (Thurs 10am), followed by three full days (Thurs, Fri, Sat) in which the monks will complete the creation of the mandala.  On Sunday morning, all are invited to join us in the gompa, or online, at 10am for an opportunity to view the completed Sand Mandala of Healing up close, and then participate in a Medicine Buddha Puja (prayer service) led by Geshe Sangpo.  The puja will be followed by a Closing Ceremony where, in recognition of the impermance of all phenomena, the mandala will be deconstructed and the sacred sand will be taken to a body of water to be dispersed to benefit other living beings. Some of the blessed sand will be available for attendees to take home, including instructions on how to use it.

Bring friends and family of all ages ~ everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend!  There will be hands-on mandala activity tables for both adults and children.

SCHEDULE ~ All are welcome!

• Thursday February 1, beginning at 10 am -- join us in the gompa for the Opening Ceremony (offered in person only)

• Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, February 1, 2, 3, from 10 am - 4 pm (in person only)

  • Drop by Kadampa Center anytime between 10am and 4pm to witness the creation of the Mandala of Healing and to receive the blessings of this holy spiritual object.

  • Browse the Dharma shop and purchase merchandise (religious and non-religious) brought from India and Nepal by the monks; purchases will help off-set the costs of their visit.

  • Check out the mandala activity tables.

• Sunday February 4, from 10 am - 12 pm  -- join us for a Medicine Buddha Puja (healing ritual) and Closing Ceremony (offered in person and online via Zoom or YouTube)

GET INVOLVED ~ Volunteer!

There will be many opportunities to volunteer, from set-up to take-down and everything in between! 

Learn more and SIGN UP HERE to get involved during the Sand Mandala of Healing event!

SPONSOR ~ The Sand Mandala of Healing (Medicine Buddha)

Sponsoring any Dharma activity is one of the highest forms of generosity, because you are giving the Dharma and making it possible for many to experience the benefits of these extraordinary sand mandalas.  Your financial support also helps cover the costs of travel and care of the monks during their visit.

Sponsors will be offered reserved seating and a special acknowledgement at the closing ceremony, and are also invited to dedicate the merit of their generosity.  Dedications will be posted on the gompa door so that all may share and rejoice in your intentions.  Please make your sponsorship at least two days before the closing ceremony event to give us time to post your dedication and reserve your seat.  SUBMIT YOUR DEDICATION HERE!

If you are unable to sponsor, and would still like to support the sand mandala, we happily welcome all heartfelt donations in any amount!

Click on a link below to select a SPONSORSHIP LEVEL or to make a DONATION ~ Thank you!

Sponsor all four days of a mandala -- $450

Sponsor the Medicine Buddha puja -- $250

Sponsor any single day of a mandala -- $200

Sponsor opening or closing ceremony -- $150

Donation in any heartfelt amount -- $ your choice

Don't forget to SUBMIT YOUR DEDICATION HERE!

Medicine Buddha Puja (healing ritual) & Closing Ceremony for the Mandala of Healing
	Sunday, February 4, 2024 10:00 am - 12:00 pm  at Kadampa Center All are invited to attend! * in person & online *		Participate in person or online! Attend in person Join via Zoom -- REGISTER HERE Watch via YouTube HERE

Join us for a Medicine Buddha Puja (healing ritual) followed by a Closing Ceremony as the monks from our Geshes' house in India deconstruct the healing mandala!

Prior to the deconstruction of the Sand Mandala of Healing, a Medicine Buddha Puja (healing ritual) will be held.  It is said that just by seeing a mandala, obstacles are removed to better position us to have success along the path to enlightenment.  Additionally, participating in the Medicine Buddha Puja, while in the presence of a completed healing mandala, is extremely beneficial.  After the puja, in recognition of the impermanence of all phenomena, the mandala will be deconstructed during a Closing Ceremony, and the sacred sand will be taken to a body of water to be dispersed to benefit other living beings. Some of the blessed sand will be available for attendees to take home, including instructions on how to use it. 

Bring friends and family of all ages ~ everyone is welcome and encouraged to come! 

HOW TO PARTICIPATE:

1. Attend in person at Kadampa Center!

2. Join via Zoom -- REGISTER HERE to participate on Zoom

3. Watch via YouTube LiveStream HERE

GET INVOLVED ~ Volunteer!

There will be many opportunities to volunteer from set-up to take-down and everything in between! 

Learn more and SIGN UP HERE to get involved during the Sand Mandala of Healing event.

SPONSOR ~ The Sand Mandala of Healing (Medicine Buddha)

Sponsoring any Dharma activity is one of the highest forms of generosity, because you are giving the Dharma and making it possible for many to experience the benefits of these extraordinary sand mandalas.  Your financial support also helps cover the costs of travel and care of the monks during their visit.

Sponsors will be offered reserved seating and a special acknowledgement at the closing ceremony, and are also invited to dedicate the merit of their generosity.  Dedications will be posted on the gompa door so that all may share and rejoice in your intentions.  Please make your sponsorship at least two days before the closing ceremony event to give us time to post your dedication and reserve your seat.  SUBMIT YOUR DEDICATION HERE!  

If you are unable to sponsor, and would still like to support the sand mandala, we happily welcome all heartfelt donations in any amount!

Click on a link below to select a SPONSORSHIP LEVEL or to make a DONATION ~ Thank you!

Sponsor all three days of the mandala -- $450

Sponsor the Medicine Buddha puja -- $250

Sponsor any single day (Fri, Sat, Sun) -- $200

Sponsor opening  or closing ceremony -- $150

Donation in any heartfelt amount -- $ your choice

Don't forget to SUBMIT YOUR DEDICATION HERE!

Lama Tsongkhapa Celebration Join us in celebration of Lama Tsongkhapa, the founder of our lineage, the Gelugpa tradition in Tibetan Buddhism. Thursday December 7, 2023 7:00 - 8:30 PM Held onsite at Kadampa Center and offered online via Zoom and YouTube. ALL ARE WELCOME!

HOW TO PARTICIPATE

• Attend in person at Kadampa Center ~ NOTE: weather permitting, we'll go outside for a portion of the evening's celebration to make light offerings, recite mantras, and circumambulate the stupa ~ dress warmly!
• Join us online via Zoom HERE
• Watch via YouTube live stream HERE

THE EVENING'S PROGRAM

• All of the evening's prayers and practices will be led by Venerable Lhamo
• We will begin in the Gompa for community recitation of prayers and practices
• Followed by a procession outside to the Stupa to make light offerings, circumambulate, and recite mantras
• Those joining online can do light offerings and recite mantras where you are, e.g. in front of your home altar, an image of Lama Tsongkhapa, etc.
• Then return to the Gompa for a guided Lamrim meditation followed by ending prayers and dedications

MORE ABOUT LAMA TSONGKHAPA

Lama Tsongkhapa was a renowned scholar, practitioner, meditator, teacher and author.  His studies and meditations, in all the major schools of Tibetan Buddhism, resulted in the founding of the Gelugpa lineage.

Among his major accomplishments is writing the Lamrim Chenmo, or "The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment", a three-volume step-by-step guide to the spiritual practices that lead to enlightenment.  He also wrote several condensed versions of the Lamrim, including Foundation of All Good Qualities, The Three Principal Aspects of the Path, and A Hymn (or Song) of Experience.

Lama Tsongkhapa Day is a celebration of the anniversary of Lama Tsongkhapa's passing into parinirvana.  Called Ganden Ngamchoe in Tibetan, Lama Tsongkhapa Day is celebrated on the twenty-fifth day of the tenth month of the Tibetan calendar.

Learn more about Lama Tsongkhapa HERE.

Learn more about practices for Lama Tsongkhapa Day HERE.

HOW TO SUPPORT THIS BUDDHIST HOLY DAY

Lama Tsongkhapa Day honors a very powerful practitioner; therefore -- whether you are able to attend or not -- supporting this holy day's spiritual practices is an opportunity to collect great merit.

Please also submit your dedication after choosing a sponsorship level below ~ thank you for your kind and generous support!

$108 ~ Sponsor the Holy Day HERE

$50 ~ Sponsor the Light Offerings and Prayers HERE

Submit your Dedication HERE.

On this, the 49th day after Lama Zopa Rinpoche passed away, we will offer a Guru Puja with Tsog for His swift return. All are welcome to attend and join in! The puja is sponsored by Kadampa Center students, who generously donated toward a puja at Kopan Monastery outside Kathmandu, Nepal, which was held on May 17. This event will be available both in the gompa and online via YouTube and Zoom. Please register here for Zoom.

Guru puja (Lama Chöpa)  is a practice of making offerings and requests to all the Buddhas and holy beings, but especially the root guru, who, according to the teachings, is the root of the path to liberation. It is a practice recommended by  Rinpoche, who said:

This practice of Guru Puja is very profound, with many extra benefits, and is very quick to bring enlightenment. The lam-rim prayer, the prayer of the steps of the path to enlightenment, in Guru Puja has lam-rim and also lo-jong, or thought transformation. Generally, the whole of the lam-rim, from guru devotion up to enlightenment, is thought transformation. If your mind is not transformed into the path, how can you have realizations of the path? There’s no way, without transforming your mind.

As part of the puja, we perform a special practice called Tsog, which has extensive food offerings. The offerings will be shared among all who attend.

Anyone is welcome to attend pujas, even if you are unfamiliar with the practice. Generally we recite this puja partly in English and partly chanted in Tibetan.