"It is our custom to say that someone is "lucky" or "unlucky" if they meet with fortunate or unfortunate circumstances, respectively. It is however, too simplistic to think in terms of random "luck." Even from a scientific point of view, this is not a sufficient explanation. Should something unfortunate happen, we immediately think, "Oh, how unlucky!" And yet this is not sufficient to explain what happened- there must be a cause. We seem to call "luck" that factor which overrides external conditions to bring about a positive situation. But that too is a cause; it is an inner cause, which we call "merit."-- His Holiness the Dalai Lama, from "Answers: Discussions with Western Buddhists", published by
Snow Lion Publications.
Creating merit is an essential part of Buddhist practice. When we build up our stores of merit, it removes obstacles in our spiritual lives. This makes it easier to understand the teachings and apply the Dharma in our everyday lives. Making merit is also great purification!
On Thursday practice nights, we will do group practices of doing prostrations and offering mandalas. In these sessions, Geshe Sangpo will briefly explain the purpose and benefits of the practices and teach us how to do them, and then we will all do the practice together. This is of benefit to everyone who participates, and because we are doing practice as a group in our gompa, it will benefit Kadampa Center as well.
The sessions will take place every two weeks beginning Thursday, May 12, and will run from 7pm to 8:00 pm.
On this night we will do prostrations.
No need to have a mandala set on mandala offering nights, but if you have a set, please bring it! Geshe Sangpo will teach the hand mudra for mandala offerings for those who don't have a set.
