Gompa

Meditation 101 is a five-week introductory course on Buddhist meditation techniques for complete beginners. It teaches basic Buddhist meditations that can be used by anyone to create more peace and happiness in daily life.

In keeping with our tradition, no fee is required to attend the class. We do rely on donations, so any offerings are greatly appreciated!

No registraiton is required, but we recommend attending the entire course for the most benefit.

The basic Buddhist meditation techniques covered include:

• What is meditation?
• Breathing meditations
• Mindfulness meditations
• Visualization meditations

This class will be led by Venerable Ngawang Lhamo.

If you would like to ask questions about the Center and Buddhism in an informal setting, this orientation is for you!  Orientation sessions are on the third Sunday of each month starting after the morning teachings (approx. 12pm).  An experienced Center member will give a brief introduction to the Center and answer your questions. These sessions will include information about how we are organized, membership,volunteer opportunities, information about our e-mails lists, and information about the different aspects of the center, such as the Bookstore and Library.

 A prisoner once wrote to Lama Zopa Rinpoche, pleading for help dealing with the suffering of confinement. Rinpoche replied that most of us are in a worse prison than the inmate's, because our prisons are created by our minds.

Did you know that....

Our own Kadampa Center has a vibrant Prison Project that, for more than 20 years, has brought our students together with prisoners in a mutually beneficial study of Dharma.

On Sunday, August 9, we'll bring the Kadampa Center Prison Project to life in our gompa with an interactive hour of exploring the incredibly moving experiences of our prison volunteers.

    ♦ What is a class like in Prison? Join us for a live demonstration  -- and you can participate if you want!
    ♦ What do pen pals write back and forth about? Actual pen pals will read some amazing correspondence to give us a taste of what prisoners and pen pals discuss in their letters.
    ♦ What types of people do the volunteers interact with? You'll hear the testimonies from past and present participants, and hear from volunteers about their experiences.
    ♦ What happens when someone who is incarcerated gets out? We'll have a chance to walk for a few minutes in the shoes of a released prisoner. Through a guided visualization, we'll get a taste of how people are able to pick up their lives -- or not -- after prison, and experience how the odds are overwhelmingly stacked against most returning citizens.

Our volunteers go great distances and dedicate many hours to this project. What makes it worthwhile to spend so much time on this? Come at 10:45 a.m. on Sunday Aug. 9 to find out!

This special Medicine Buddha puja is sponsored by Sandi Mitchell for Charles Mitchell, Kolleen's father, who died recently.

Doing Medicine Buddha practice for sure benefits loved ones who are in the intermediate state (bardo), so we invite everyone in the community to come and say these prayers together in support of the family. The puja is done in English, so easy to follow if you are not already familiar with the prayers.

Please join us as we take a moment to reflect upon our Sangha here at the Center, rejoice in their presence, and show our gratitude for them. 

Kadampa Center Director Robbie Watkins will lead a discussion of International Sangha Day, what it means and why it’s important.  Our nuns will be on hand to talk about their experience choosing to ordain and living in vows.

Come and get inspired!

It’s also an auspicious time to make offerings to our sangha. 

Find out more about the monks and nuns of FPMT here. 

Seven weeks after attaining enlightenment at Bodhgaya, the Buddha gave his first teaching at the Deer Park in Sarnath. He expressed his profound realization of the nature of existence in the Four Noble Truths:

    The Truth of  the Nature of Suffering
    The Truth of the Origins or Causes of Suffering
    The Truth of the Cessation of, or Liberation from, Suffering
    The Truth of the Eight Fold Path as the means to attain ultimate happiness and freedom from suffering.
This teaching, referred to as the First Turning of the Wheel of Dharma, led to the formation of the Sangha, the community of disciples committed to following the Buddha's example of living simply, following the Path, and teaching the Dharma.

 Kadampa Center's Observance of the First Turning of the Wheel, Chokor Duchen,  will include:

5:30 am   The Eight Mahayana Precepts, followed by a light breakfast, and a group reading of the Vajra Cutter Sutra.

The Center will also be open from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m., so that members can engage in individual practices in the Gompa, as their schedule permits.*

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*Lama Zopa Rinpoche notes that on a Buddha Holy Day such as Chokor Duchen, karmic consequences are multiplied 100 million times, according to a Vinaya text.

Center members who have previously taken the Eight Mahayana Precepts are encouraged to take them at the center, or at home.

Additionally, it is an auspicious day for prayers, practices, and meditations focusing on any aspect of the Mahayana path to enlightenment.

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Students who have had prior teachings on Buddhist meditation (Discovering Buddhism, Meditiation 101, etc.) are invited to participate in this morning practice. Led by the Discovering Buddhism teacher, Don Brown, it's aimed at students in the course, but is also open to students who meet the above criteria. An important part of the Discovering Buddhism course is trying the practices, and this class allows students the opportunity to have guidance and the support of group practice to learn.

The Discovering Buddhism (DB) two-year course emphasizes an authentic yet culturally relevant presentation of the Buddha's teachings. Taught by FPMT registered teachers and facilitators, the classes lay a strong foundation of the entire Tibetan Buddhist path including how to integrate study and practice. This is an excellent “next step” for students who have taken the Buddhism in a Nutshell class and want to learn more. Students are also welcome to stay after class for a peer-led discussion group. There are no pre-requisites or fees, although donations are appreciated.

We ask that new students starting the course start at the first week of the module, on August 3, when we will have volunteers ready to explain how the course works and how to access online teachings by becoming a member. This makes the transition easiest for new students, and we've found that attending the entire module is the least confusing for everyone (rather than starting in the middle, not having clear instructions, and finding the topic difficult after missing the early classes).

In the Refuge in the Three Jewels module, find out what it means to take refuge in the Three Jewels and the essential practices of refuge. Learn about the advantage of taking lay vows and their role in enhancing our spiritual growth.

Led by Don Brown.

This special Tara practice is offered to benefit one of our long-time members, Eileen Rubin, who recently passed away. Eileen was deeply devoted to Tara. In this memorial service, after sharing memories of Eileen, we will recite the Praises to the 21 Taras.

We invite everyone in the community to come and say these prayers together in support of Eileen's family.

Geshe Gelek will offer a Refuge and Five Lay Vows ceremony. For details about these vows, please see this Mandala magazine article. The Five Lay Vows are lifetime vows, so only need to be taken once, and should be taken with the confidence you will keep them.

In order to participate, you must register ahead of time. To register, go to http://www.tfaforms.com/366849 and submit the form. The deadline to register is Monday, June 22. Students who would like to refresh their refuge vows may come as well, but should not register.

Geshe Gelek recommends anyone interested in taking refuge should read the refuge section in the book Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand (available in our bookstore). He also taught a class on refuge in 2013 for students interested in the ceremony - you can listen to it in the recordings section of our website.

The ceremony will likely be in Tibetan, but it is first explained in English what you are saying. Please plan to be there at least 15 minutes before the ceremony starts. At the end of the ceremony, it is traditional to offer two katas (white offering scarfs, available in the bookstore) - one to the Buddha statue on the altar, and one to the teacher giving the vows, who returns it by placing it over your head as a blessing. While we often have spare ones to lend, it is best to buy them so you are actually making an offering of your own. It is also auspicious to give the teacher a gift, typically money (any amount) in an envelope, in appreciation for the incredible gift he has just given you with this opportunity. The center will also be giving you a copy of the FPMT booklet on refuge and how to practice it daily.

As with all our programs, we offer the Dharma and many resources freely to the community, and rely on your donations to cover the costs involved. Please consider supporting the center by making an offering in the donation boxes, through the bookstore, online, or by mailing a check to Kadampa Center, 5412 Etta Burke Court, Raleigh 27606.