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01 August 2020

Banner Festival Summer

Day 10 ~ holding tara in our heart

Yesterday Gen-la Jampa took us to meet Buddha Tara in her Pure Land!

Gen-la began the empowerment by delivering two special messages from Venarable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche.  We understood that it is only due to the kindness of Venerable Geshe-la that we now have the opportunity to make a strong connection with Arya Tara. And throughout that magical session we felt Venerable Geshe-la's compassionate presence. As if we were receiving the empowerment from Venerable Geshe-la  through Gen-la.

Once the actual empowerment began we enjoyed a sublime guided meditation, and although we were using our imagination, because it was combined with correct belief and pervaded by powerful blessings it became an actual experience of meeting Guru Tara and receiving her blessings directly.

Holding Guru Tara in our heart and knowing she is always there to help and protect us, we came away from the empowerment feeling joyful, confident and very protected.

festival podcast

How Does Tara Help Us?

Gen-la Jampa
Gen-la Jampa
How Does Tara Help Us?
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How Arya Tara is our Kind Mother

If you have received care from someone, that person is an emanation of Tara

venerable geshe kelang gyatso rinpoche

"People have definitely helped you and are helping you. For example, your mother has greatly helped you. Why can we not say that she is an emanation of Arya Tara? I can say that she is an emanation of Arya Tara, but you may say, ‘No, she is not Tara because she is very ordinary. She gets angry with me, and she causes me many problems and so forth.’ I will then say that you are wrong because the mother that you normally see does not exist. Therefore, you are wrong in saying that she is bad, she is good, she harms me, she criticises me, and so forth.

"If you ask, ‘Who has helped me?’ then definitely your mother has. When you were born you were completely powerless to do anything. You could not find food; you could not say anything. Everything was taken care of by your mother. From then until now your mother has continually cared for you. But the mother that you normally see caring for you does not exist. So who has cared for you? Who is the person who continually cares for you? I can say that she is an emanation of Arya Tara, but you cannot see this. You cannot see the mother who is really caring for you. The mother that you see does not exist. You cannot see the existent caring mother because you see only an inherently existent mother and say, ‘She is good, she is bad, she is helping me’ and so forth. In reality, such a person does not exist. Then I can say, ‘If you have received care from someone, then this person is an emanation of Arya Tara.’

". . . We cannot find an inherently existent mother anywhere. Therefore, your mother who is helping you continually can be an emanation of Tara. Not only your mother; anyone who helps you from time to time, whether spiritually or materially, can be an emanation of Tara. If we check carefully like this we can see how Tara is always helping us; all living beings, whether they are Buddhist or not, even those who deny Tara and even those who are angry when they hear Tara’s name, receive her benefit every day. This is because this is the function of enlightened beings."

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teaching excerpt

feature

The eight auspicious symbols

family album

KMC Guadalajara

INTER CONNECTED

international kadampa family online

Share your videos, photos, stories and insights from the teachings and meditations
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videos from the home front

Jesús, Mexico

Dani & Juan, Colombia

photo stories

nora, dominican republic

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Although I am from Argentina, I am living in Dominican Republic, where there is no Kadampa Center.

So, you can imagine my excitement to have this opportunity to participate in the Summer Festival!

I send you a picture of my lovely altar. Best wishes.

Arabella, Brazil

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Wonderful to be back in Grand Cannyon, this time receiving this wonderful initiation and powerful blessings from Tara.

Many thanks to all of the Kadampa family who worked to benefit us and make this event possible in our present  life and that will benefit us in all our future lives.

Ashley, USA

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Dear Global Sangha,

It is so blissful to feel the palpable interconnectedness during this extraordinary Summer Festival.

All of us practicing sincerely and receiving these precious teachings and empowerments is creating such a vast web of kindness and blessings covering all corners of our world.

Sending extra love and thanks to all our kind organizers and teachers for bringing us together.

With love,

Gema, Spain

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After the first week, I feel super lucky!

Thank you all very much.

I wish to continue listening to the sacred Kadam Dharma for the rest of my life, to give the greatest offering to my precious Spiritual Guide, Geshe-la, who with his immeasurable love, will be with us until we achieve the ultimate goal, great enlightenment for the benefit of all beings.

at the centers

Nagarjuna KMC & KMC Perth

insights

SHARED

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MEETING THE MOTHER WE NEVER KNEW WE HAD

Yesterday, Genla Jampa revealed the deep wisdom that allows us to have complete confidence in Ayra Tara. He took us beyond the unconditional love of our mother of this life into the limitless compassion Ayra Tara’s heart.

As the manifestation of the wind element of all the Buddhas, her compassion is swift, pervasive and constant.

We learned how with wisdom we can see all the care and protection we receive in this life not only as emanations of Tara’s swift and wind-like compassion but as definitive proof of her power. To see her in this wisdom light, as if for the first time, is quite spellbinding and deeply moving - and challenging to our ordinary conceptions.

Genla Jampa encouraged us to appreciate the remarkable qualities of Ayra Tara - and then to get to know her, intimately and personal. He explained how to request her protection from harm and danger, from outer and inner obstacles and how she helps fulfil our wishes. Then in the beautiful, clear, step-by-step empowerment we actually met our universal mother and received her blessings.

It was like meeting the mother we never knew we had. It was the great reunion at the heart of this wonderful international Kadampa family gathering.

Jeff, UK

UNDER THE PROTECTION OF THE BUDDHAS

I feel extremely lucky to be able to participate in my first summer festival.

The external conditions were not at all what I imagined, but in the end they were perfect.

I was hoping to discover this year Manjushri center and the atmosphere of an International Festival.

And finally I am both alone behind my screen, face to face with the teacher, and connected to thousands of practitioners!

Hearing Venerable Geshe-la reminding us of the benefits of listening to the Dharma has reinforced my determination not to waste this precious human life, under the protection of Buddha Amitayus and Arya Tara.

Catherine, France

festival shops

The Festival shops are immensely popular.

Support your study, meditation and practice with items from the Festival Shops:

  • Browse a range of 'Festival Bundle' special offers and featured items designed to give you everything you need for the Festival teachings and empowerments.
  • Tharpa books, sadhanas and other items are available for purchase in multiple languages and formats, including downloadable editions.
    Statues and artwork can be purchased, including new items from the Kadampa Art Studio.
  • Ritual items are also available, including vajras and bells, malas, mandala sets, offering bowls and much more.
  • Get the Festival T-shirt, specially designed to mark the occasion of the first year of online Kadampa Festivals.

There are a number of Festival Shops and shipping points located in centres around the world run by Tharpa Publications, each with a different variety of products and shipping options.

All profit from your purchases on tharpa.com is dedicated to public benefit through the International Temple’s Project.

Enter the Festival shops

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NKT-KMC-Mexico_KMC7302

Melodious Drum Victorious in all Directions

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Empowering Blessings at KMC Paris & KMC Munich

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Causing Dharma to Flourish in Toulouse and Washington DC

NKT-KMC-Coloradojust before ribbon cutting

Gen-la Jampa Visits Colorado: Denver City Temple Opening & Fort Collins Public Talk