Volunteering at the Center

As lay people, we probably have not had much of an opportunity in this life to spend much time at a Buddhist monastery or nunnery and if we have, that time was probably all too brief.

We do not have a large monastic institution in our midst like Gaden Monastery or Sera Monastery where our precious Geshe Gelek and Geshe Sangpo spent so many years in training and study.  But we do have the next best thing.  We have a Dharma Center.

I have been attending the Kadampa Center since late 2008 and not long after that started to do a little volunteering.  I didn't have much money to give the Center nor did I even have much time or, to be honest, much inclination to do much even if I did have the time!  That said, I thought I should at least offer a few hours every few weeks so that is what I did.

As time went on  and I continued to offer a little time here and there at the Center I found more doors opening for me.  My faith in the dharma expanded.  I met great teachers who were willing to help me grow.  I also met my fiancee one night during a Discovering Buddhism class, but that is another story!

When I think about the whole causal mechanism that allowed me the ability to come to the Center and to bring my young daughter I am overwhelmed by the compassion of the volunteers who came before me and literally built the Kadampa Center from the ground up.
 
Dharma Centers typically start out under very difficult circumstances.  There is no mass consciousness  with respect to supporting Buddhist centers here in this country and there is no large Tibetan diaspora here to donate large amounts of money down to get things started.  Everything comes about because of the hard work and dedication of volunteers.

In order to maintain the Center and to help it grow, there is a continuing need for people to volunteer their time and energy.  One should not think of volunteering at the Center as just a mundane activity.  Dharma work, whether in the form of helping to build the stupa or sweeping the floor, is work of a higher level.  This work is being done for something very supreme -- the goal is supreme, the motivation is supreme and the actions being undertaken for the Dharma will lead to supreme results. 

One of the realizations that came about for me as a result of my volunteering is that I was not doing the Center a favor by coming in a few hours every week or so, I was doing myself a favor.  I am simply giving back for all of the wonderful things I have been given.  If I think about what I have gained from coming to the Center, listening to teachings, and more importantly attempting to integrate those teachings into my life, I find that I could not ever pay the Center back for all that I have received.  I have gained something that cannot be bought in any store or for me, found in any other religious or secular institution, and that is a sense of happiness, peace, and the satisfaction that comes from doing something for the good of it.  This is something I think all of us want!

As a layperson, I do not have the opportunity at this time to do long retreats or study intensively, not to speak of dedicating every moment of my time to benefiting all sentient beings.  However, if I take just a half an hour a week or even every couple of weeks I can help the Center function and grow.  By doing that I am helping so many people who come to the Center now and will help to create the causes for other people to come and to recieve teachings in the future. 

Right now, there are numerous things that need to be done at the Kadampa Center.  Just a half hour of your time can make such a huge difference!  If you are not sure how you can help or to know what needs to be done just reach out to Donna at the Center.  You can reach her at office@kadampa-center.org
 
Thanks,

Tony Allen