News from the post Fall Festival retreats ~ Part 2
Nov 16, 2024
27 October 2020
On the final day of teachings and the first day of the retreat, Gen-la reminded us that everything appearing for us throughout this Festival and beyond is coming from the great kindness of our Spiritual Guide, Venerable Geshe-la.
We can rejoice in our good fortune, because we have not only these precious Festivals, but also our Dharma centers and study programs, which also come from our Guru’s heart for the benefit of ourselves and all living beings.
Through the practice of Kadam Lamrim we can develop special thoughts and attitudes to oppose our ordinary views. Venerable Geshe-la encourages us: “Don’t remain ordinary forever.”
It is through practices such as Medicine Buddha Sadhana and Medicine Buddha Prayer that we have this precious opportunity to transform the ordinary, by changing our mind at the deepest level through realising the union of great bliss and emptiness, as in the sadhana. At the moment, we have no special power to help living beings, but by relying on Medicine Buddha and own root Guru we can harness their power to develop these powers.
Training in Union
In his first monastery, Venerable Geshe-la’s main practise was Medicine Buddha practice, and it was a commitment of being part of the monastery to learn The Eight Hundred Verses of the Sutra Expounding the Practice of Medicine Buddha Venerable Geshe-la said the meaning of these promises is in chapter ten of Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life. In Medicine Buddha Prayer, he includes two of these verses in the dedication:
May everyone who is sick
Be swiftly healed,
And may every disease that affects living beings
Be permanently eradicated.
May the frightened be released for their fears,
May those in captivity be freed,
May the powerless be endowed with power,
And may people think only of benefiting one another.
Venerable Geshe-la says, “Dedication is defined as a prayer. It’s a prayer that observes our own or others’ virtue and directs it towards a particular aim.” Holding this in our heart we also dedicate that the promises the Medicine Buddhas’ made will, 'Immediately ripen upon me and all living beings.'
Venerable Geshe-la says, “If with strong faith and conviction we dedicate our virtues to a specific goal we will definitely achieve that goal.” So we can be confident that from making these dedications from our heart, with faith and focus, we are bringing the future results into the present and the results of our dedications must come.
“My dedication is to benefit people of the modern world through the flourishing of Kadam Dharma. I have dedicated my life for this purpose, because I understand through my own experience that Kadam Dharma is the supreme method to cause all suffering to cease and the real method to solve human problems. Thank you for helping me.”
Submissions for this section are now closed. Thank you for all your wonderful contributions. See you for Spring Festival 2021!
As we have seen over recent months, Kadampa centers around the world are demonstrating remarkable resilience and flexibility in adapting to the present unusual conditions in the world. Here is an example from the community at KMC Hong Kong, who throughout the Festival have continued their relocation to a new site in the city, making it easier for the people of Hong Kong to meet precious Kadam Dharma. Stand by for the grand opening on November 7, International Temples Day.
Some of the most special events I can attend to are the Kadampa Festivals. The blessings and the practice of Medicine Buddha, mainly in these times, allows me not to feel powerless when suffering is so evident.
I have the confidence I can help others through Buddha’s unique methods in the short and long run and that I can destroy my inner diseases. I feel deeply fortunate to have access to this medicine and to protect others through putting it into practice.
Thank you Geshe-la for giving these instructions to your fortunate Kadampa disciples.
今次應該是我第三次參加藥師佛灌頂,又預先復習了儀軌,終於可以跟上法師的節奏,可以放下腳步去感受、同時享受灌頂過程的每一步。對相信的信心、欽慕的信心和願求的信心有了更直接的體驗。
This is the third time I received Medicine Buddha empowerment and as I have been practicing the sadhana, I can finally follow the pace of Gen-la, slow down to feel and enjoy every moment of the empowerment. I also have a more direct experience of admiring faith, believing faith and wishing faith.
Gracias Gueshe-la
Infinita Gratitud a tu grandiosa Bondad
De regalarnos estas preciosas y poderosas
Bendiciones del Buda de la Medicina
Estamos inmensamente Felices
Estás en nuestro corazón
Nosotras por nuestro lado queremos hacerte la ofrenda de poner todo nuestro esfuerzo para poner en práctica todo lo que nos enseñas y así caminar junto a Ti
Hasta alcazar la meta última, y poder así ayudar a todo el mundo a que logre la felicidad verdadera.
Infinitas Gracias Preciosa Guenla Kelsang Dekyong. Tu grandiosa e ,nos hizo poder disfrutar de estas Súper maravillosas Bendiciones del Gurú Buda de la Medicina
Con Amor
The possibility to listen to teachings wherever you are, teachings that are a liberation path. Liberation from all human problems. How fortunate we are. Thank you Venerable Geshe-la!
Gen-la is so inspiring, as always! What an amazing opportunity to increase faith in the Three Jewels and someday actually totally heal the mind. The Sangha at IKRC GRAND CANYON really put the beauty of the Sangha Jewel into life for me to experience during Festival. How wonderful.
Gracias a Gueshela, Guenla Dekyong y a toda la Sangha Kadampa que colaboró para llevar acabo este maravilloso Festival de otoño y darnos la oportunidad de recibir en casa las profundas bendiciones de Buda de la medicina.️ ¡Me siento muy afortunada! Y que todos los demás seres tengan la oportunidad de recibir estás preciosas enseñanzas y ponerlas en práctica.
We are so happy to attend the Fall Festival at our home. Thank you, dear Geshe-la!
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THOUGHTS AFTER THE TEACHINGS
I sit bathed in blessings from my kind Guru from today’s most profound teachings. We have been given the most supreme medicine and we have to take it.
Geshe-la has given us so much! If we have a mind of faith we can accomplish anything. A small child looks to their parents with so much trust and belief, but how much more important is it to look to and trust our kind Spiritual Guide? We can become Medicine Buddha - we have everything we need to be able to benefit others. The world needs us now more the ever.
We are so close to attaining enlightenment, so close to realising emptiness. These teachings have given us so much encouragement - how to practice formally on our cushion and how to practice in the subsequent practice. We can make every moment of our precious human life meaningful.
We can be relaxed and happy all the time, how wonderful! Emptiness is truly amazing - we have to taste it for ourselves. The more we taste emptiness the more we will understand what Geshe-la is telling us. We have the tools to help all living beings. We can clear our mind of the junk and clutter and use it in the most meaningful way as we go about are busy daily life. This is the best way we can repay our Guru's immeasurable kindness. Let’s be that shinning example to society - they need us!
KELSANG ZONDRU, UK
ONLY BUDDHIST TEACHINGS CAN HELP
“Solo las enseñanzas budistas eliminan todos los sufrimientos permanentemente. Solo las enseñanzas budistas curan nuestras peores enfermedades, si las curamos, todo el sufrimiento desaparecerá para siempre y así podremos ayudar a otros a alcanzar lo mismo”.
"Only Buddhist teachings eliminate all suffering permanently. Only Buddhist teachings cure our worst diseases. If we cure them, all suffering will disappear forever, in this way we will help others to achieve the same.
GABY MEXICO
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.