Fall Festival 2020 - Day 5 - Kadampa Buddhism

Day 5 ~ Healing actions

What is a healing action? Gen-la explained this looking through the lens of the Medicine Buddha Prayer. She explained that mental actions are hundreds of times more powerful than physical and verbal actions, so the mental actions of these prayers will become very powerful. They are the best method for healing people - especially the seriously ill. We should try this practice to see how it works in our own experience.

In Living Meaningfully, Dying Joyfully Venerable Geshe-la says, “The most important thing is to concentrate without distraction on the meaning of the prayer. Because we are Buddhist we do this in front of Buddhas. Prayers made in front such holy beings have great power to achieve their desired affect.”

Gen-la explained that every moment we are engaging in the mental action of meditation we are creating mental action, karma, to experience mental pace and happiness in the future. So the objects of our meditation should be Lamrim objects on which we need to focus, because their aim is the permanent liberation of ourself and others from suffering and the pure and everlasting happiness of enlightenment.

So when we rise from meditation how do we carry the experience we have generated? This is called subsequent practice, and as Gen-la explained, it is actually the most extensive practice, and the most profound, because we spend the majority of our time engaged in daily activities. To make these meaningful we need guidelines - or as Venerable Geshe-la says “kind guidelines”. These are the three recognitions from the Avalokiteshvara sadhana. Of these, remembering that everything is not other than its emptiness and trying to put this into practice will lead us to an experience where we will be “relaxed, peaceful, and everything is wonderful.”

festival podcast

Healing our vulnerabilities

Living Clarity

Healing our vulnerabilities

00:00 / 00:20:25

Gen Thekchen explores how our attachment to the pursuit of happiness can make us vulnerable

The good results of a good heart

We are learning about the power of prayers made by sincere practitioners with good hearts. And at this Festival we are experiencing this power directly as over 4,000 people around the globe join in praying to heal the world.

But in addition to this great meaning, there is another huge benefit of the International Festivals - all the profits are dedicated to the International Temples Project to build more Temples for World Peace and urban Temples to bring this precious Dharma to future generations.

On Je Tsongkhapa Day, the Temple in Brasil celebrated its 10th anniversary and the Temple in Portugal its 7th.

And we are reminded that at this time, as you can see from today's feature video, the sixth Temple for World Peace is now under way in Spain.

Thank you Venerable Geshe-la for your inconceivable, compassionate vision. And especially for your extraordinary healing actions of creating these Temples, which are like Dharma hospitals for future generations. You show how sincere prayers can be fulfilled even in the most difficult times.

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teaching excerpt

Faith In The Medicine Buddhas' Promises

meditation excerpt

Medicine Buddha in our Heart

feature video

Another Temple for World Peace appears

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Olivia, México

Beatrix, Switzerland

KMC Albacete y Alicante, Spain

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Silvina, Uruguay

Tomando la medicina suprema 🙏🏼♥️

Estoy súper contenta de estar compartiendo el festival con nuestra familia Kadampa.

Por ciertas circunstancias de estos tiempo no sabía si iba a poder participar pero gracias a los Budas las condiciones se dieron y estoy muy agradecida!

Las enseñanzas de la introducción fueron muy sencillas y tan profundas. La realidad es que a veces por ser tan simples de comprender me olvido de ponerlas en práctica... pero gracias a Guenla pude ver que a la Medicina del Dharma hay que tomarla cada día poniéndola en práctica, para que nos cure de verdad y así poder ayudar a los demás a sanarse también.
La iniciación fue increíble! Cómo las anteriores! Es un momento mágico en donde uno se transporta a Manjushri y recibe las bendiciones de los Budas junto a Guenla, Gueshela y toda la familia Kadampa.
Muchas, muchas gracias!! 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

Diana, Argentina

Me siento muy feliz por tener la oportunidad de unir mi corazón con el de todos los Kadampas del mundo y por recibir la riqueza del precioso Dharma! Muchas gracias querido Guru por esta oportunidad!!!🙏💖🥰

Kelsang Shewang, Mexico

“Este año 2020 será inolvidable, en mi experiencia como practicante budista de la Nueva Tradición Kadampa descubrí una profunda enseñanza: un Festival Internacional es un estado interior al que uno entra, no un lugar al que uno va. Gracias a todos por haberlo hecho posible. Gracias Gueshela”.

"This year 2020 will be unforgettable, in my experience as a Buddhist practitioner of the New Kadampa Tradition I discovered a profound teaching: an International Festival is an inner state within, not a place one goes to. Thank you all for making this possible. Thank you Geshe-la".

Serena, UK

Yesterday, Je Tsongkhapa, day, after receiving Medicine Buddha empowerment - this rainbow appears while I was out walking. 😍

Lay Choo, Hong Kong

I must take this supreme medicine of Dharma to heart! Especially the supreme teaching on ultimate truth, emptiness. Thank you so much to all the Teachers and Geshe-la for making this Fall Festival possible! May we be able to benefit all living beings effortlessly every day.

Ángel Molina, Mexico

“Definitivamente, las enseñanzas de Buda son la medicina suprema que nos cura de todas nuestras enfermedades físicas y mentales, deseo que todos tengan la oportunidad de recibirla”.

"Buddha's teachings are definitely the supreme medicine that cures all our physical and mental illnesses. I wish everyone has the opportunity to receive this medicine.

Gen Tubchen, Scotland

For this festival I decided to go away to a small cottage by the sea and to treat it like a retreat. An opportunity to really emphasise listening well to the teachings, so I can take them to heart, and an opportunity to relax and to practice deeply. I remember how Venerable Geshe-la used to start each festival advising us to forget about our ordinary activities and problems. So I will try to 'just forget'. I hope to return from the fall festival rested, refreshed and re-inspired and with renewed energy to share Dharma with others!.

Kelsang Naljor, Brasil

Muito feliz em poder participar desses eventos online. Somos muito afortunados. Profunda gratidão a Gesha la e todos que tornam isso possível.

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MY WHOLE FAMILY HAS BENEFITED

It is wonderful to know that we belong to a great international family and that through technology we are gathered together receiving blessings from home, feeling that thousands are with us.

My whole family has benefited from the teachings, from preparing the altar together, to the great moment of receiving Medicine Buddha in our home, in our heart.

Participating in the International Fall Festival has been the most joyful way of fulfilling my Guru's wishes.

“Es una maravilla saber que pertenecemos a una gran familia internacional y que por medio de la tecnología estamos reunidos recibiendo bendiciones desde casa, sintiendo que miles están junto a nosotros.

Toda mi familia se ha visto beneficiada con las enseñanzas, desde preparar juntos el altar, hasta el gran momento de recibir a Buda de la Medicina en nuestro hogar, en nuestro corazón.

Participar del Festival Internacional de Otoño ha sido la forma más gozosa de cumplir los deseos de mi Guru”.

FANNY, MEXICO

FEELING THE SUPPORT

Yesterday evening, after a whole weekend of beautiful teachings, meditation and puja, around 9:30pm my mind was full of joy but this body (that I keep grasping for now) was pretty exhausted.

Then my conjoint, appears with a bowl of fresh tomato mozarella salad and a piece of chocolate bar.

And I realised something: He is not even a Buddhist but he has been so supportive of me for the 4 years I am in the tradition. Because he saw how Dharma changes me and how it became the central part of my life. And I am very touched by this.

He noticed that it is something important for me to fully engage in the Spring / Summer / Fall Festivals online this year and he managed to give me the space and the calm that I needed to receive the teachings. He also took on a lot of the work to allow me time to focus on my practice.

So yesterday, when I saw him appear in my home-office room, with this fresh tomato salad bowl, quickly kiss me then disappear with his smile, I said to myself:

'May all: living beings have the same good fortune as we have as Kadampa practitioners. May all living beings be supported in their practice and may all living beings quickly realise the union of appearance and emptiness.'

What great good fortune we have!

AURORE, CANADA

AN AH-HA MOMENT

When we take the Bodhisattva vow in our prayers, we promise to become a Buddha to benefit all beings. Venerable Geshe-la asks if we’ve ever wondered “Why do I have to benefit living beings? If Buddhas are on the job, shouldn’t living beings be liberated from suffering by now? Yet everyone I see is still suffering!”

I have to admit that question has crossed my mind.

The answer that Gen-la Dekyong share was radical, completely took me by surprise. (Maybe it shouldn’t have, but it did.) The answer is: Everyone I see who’s still suffering doesn’t exist. They appear to me as inherently existent suffering beings, but that’s the colossal mistake we make all the time, thinking things exist separate from us. They’re an appearance to my mind, and so is their suffering.

Yes, Buddha has liberated countless living beings. I may think I’m pointing to suffering beings, but as Gen-la Dekyong quoted Geshe-la, “You are pointing in reality to objects that do not exist.” That was such an ah-ha moment, and such encouragement!

SUSAN, US

festival shop

Be sure to visit the official online shop for the NKT-IKBU International Fall Festival 2020.

There you will find items from Tharpa Publications to support you through the Festival Teaching Program.

From there you can also discover the complete works of the internationally renowned teacher, meditation master and author, Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche, as published by Tharpa.

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

Enter the Festival shop